Imaging visuomotor transformations in the brain (360G-Wellcome-204788_Z_16_Z)

A central goal of sensory neuroscience is to understand how the brain builds internal representations of the external world and how these representations guide decision making and behaviour. For example, what patterns of activity in the brain allow an animal to distinguish prey from predator and how does this activity trigger the appropriate behavioural response? To address this fundamental problem we will use the optic tectum of larval zebrafish which converts visual information from the retina into hunting and escape behaviours. Thus, the tectum must generate distinct visual representations, prey vs predator, which biases a decision between mutually exclusive responses - move toward or away. To understand how the tectum does this we will combine high speed functional imaging of every neuron in the tectum with video recording of eye and tail movements. These approaches will allow us to describe how visual information is encoded in the tectum and to define the activity patterns that drive eye and tail movements associated with either approach or avoidance behaviours. Our project will generate new insights into how the brain enocdes visual information and the nature of sensory representations that drive behaviour.