听觉经验背景下大鼠mPFC对声音频率识别模式的研究

The studies of sound recognition in the brain have important significance in understanding the neural coding of sensory information, as well as the perception and other higher level of brain functions. Previous studies have shown that neural coding in the prefrontal cortex during sound recognition is associated with selective attention and memory processing, which is critical for recognition of sound stimuli that have significant importance to human and animals. Special attentions have been paid to this research area. In the present proposal, we investigate the neural coding of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) under auditory experience during sound recognition in rats. This will help us to understand the potential mechanism of neural coding patterns in higher-order associated cortex during sensory recognition. The main works include the following. (1) Using fear sound conditioning model to establish the special auditory experience of rats to a given sound frequency stimulus; (2) Developing multichannel in vivo recording technique and implanting microelectrode arrays in mPFC and the primary auditory cortex (AI) of rats to investigate the neural coding pattern and correlation between mPFC and AI during recognizing different sound frequency stimuli under rat's various auditory experiences. (3) Based on the physiological results recorded during sound recognition, we will establish the computational modeling for the characteristics and correlation of neural coding in AI and mPFC. In summary, based on the auditory central neural pathway and the neural coding between AI and mPFC during sound recognition, we will analyse and reveal the potential mechanism of auditory perception in mPFC. This will provide a theoretical model for the study of neural mechanism for sound recognition in brain. Furthermore, computational modeling for neural coding in mPFC might provide a new insight for the field of indentification of engineering and electronic bionic signals from the point view of biological cognition.

大脑对声音的识别过程，对于揭示脑对感觉信息的编码规律，理解认知等脑高级功能具有重要的理论意义。其中，前额叶对声音的识别与选择性注意和记忆密切相关，对理解对于个体有重要意义的声刺激的识别非常关键，受到特别关注。本课题针对声音频率识别过程中特定听觉经验背景下大鼠内侧前额叶皮质mPFC对听感觉信息的认知编码进行研究，进一步揭示高级联合皮层参与感觉识别过程的神经活动模式和机制。主要研究内容包括：(1)应用恐惧性声音条件反射模型，建立对特定声刺激的听觉经验；(2)拓展多通道在体记录技术，研究听觉经验背景下mPFC和初级听皮层AⅠ对不同声音频率信号编码的神经元活动模式和相互关系；(3)对声音频率识别过程的双脑区编码模式进行数学建模。本项目基于中枢听觉传导通路考察mPFC的听觉识别机制并进行数学建模，有望为大脑声音识别神经机制提供理论模型，并为从生物认知角度研究工程或电子仿生信号识别提供新的途径。

大脑对声音的识别过程，对于揭示脑对感觉信息的编码规律，理解认知等脑高级功能具有重要的理论意义。其中，前额叶对声音的识别与选择性注意和记忆密切相关，对理解对于个体有重要意义的声刺激的识别非常关键，受到特别关注。本项目针对声音识别这个神经科学热点研究问题，应用多通道在体记录技术，结合动物行为学方法,以声音条件反射模型建立动物特定的听觉经验，考察在特定听觉经验背景下声音频率识别过程中高级联合皮层大鼠内侧前额叶皮层mPFC对听感觉信息的认知编码机制。项目主要就mPFC和初级听皮层AⅠ对不同声音频率信号编码的神经元活动模式和相互关系进行研究，结合所在的研究平台对本项目研究内容的相关临床问题进行探索，应用脑电记录技术，对植物人在唤名和音乐等不同声音刺激下脑电响应机制进行研究，进一步揭示高级联合皮层参与听感觉识别过程的刺激特征和神经活动模式。通过本项目的实施，建立了大鼠等小型啮齿类动物听皮层的在体植入式记录方法，探索了建立大鼠特定听觉经验的行为学实验模式和参数，应用该系统研究了大鼠mPFC和初级听皮层在不同听觉经验背景下的神经元活动模式。同时比较了植物人在唤名和音乐等不同声音刺激下脑电及脑区响应差异。研究结果有助于分析前额叶识别、编码听觉信息的刺激特征，探索在声音识别过程中高级联合皮层mPFC神经元编码听感觉信息的神经活动模式，建立前额叶认知声音信息的生理学模型和数学模型。通过项目的实施，共发表研究论文及会议摘要共4篇，其中SCI 收录1篇，一级核心期刊研究论文及核心期刊论文各1篇。