NETS & REPRESENTATIONS : Principles of areal interactions in primate visual cortex

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 99.0507

Key words (English)

Primate visual cortex; interareal feedforward and feedback connections; synaptic targets; light and electron microscopy; Life Sciences; Medicine; Health; Scientific Research

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: QLG3CT199901064

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.1.8 Generic R&D activities

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Coordinator: Institut National de la Santé, Bron (F)

Abstract (English)

We take a synthetic approach to the inter-areal processing of information in monkey visual cortex and combine quantitative anatomy with multielectrode recording, computational analysis and neuroinformatics. We shall make quantitative measurements of areal patterns of connectivity that will lead to a better-constrained computational analysis of the organization of cortical areas. We shall identify the target structures and neuronal types of inter-areal axons originating from single cortical layers. This will enable us to characterise at a synaptic level the principles of connections between areas at different levels and so provide anew basis for interpreting the likely role of intracortical connections. We shall study the neurophysiology of cortical neurons in relationship to the cortical architecture revealed by the anatomical studies. In striate and extrastriate areas we shall compare neuron responses to natural and artificial stimuli both during fixation and free viewing. We shall study the role of feedback projections in response to natural stimuli. This approach will enable us to compare the traditional model of vision-as-analysis with a vision-as-interference model.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 99.0507