The role of inhibition in generating sparse neural codes for sensory-guided behaviour (360G-Wellcome-204046_Z_16_A)

The role of an organism’s nervous system is to make sense of the world and generate appropriate behaviours. This process requires that neurons – the cells that form the fundamental building blocks of the nervous system – perform two basic tasks in parallel: First, neurons must make sense of sensory inputs, such as sight, sound and touch, to accurately represent the world. Second, neurons must use this information to inform decisions which guide behaviour. The goal of this project is to use a mouse’s response to whisker touch as a model to understand these two processes. I will use advanced microscopy techniques to record the activity of the mouse’s neurons while it makes decisions based on different objects detected by its whiskers. Simultaneously, I will modify the activity of individual neurons. If these manipulations impact the decision making of the mouse, it will give us insight into how the brain makes decisions in natural environments. Overall, if successful, this project will help to unravel the fundamental principles governing neural processing in the mammalian brain. This is one of the most fascinating mysteries of modern science, and may form the groundwork for future treatments of neurological conditions.