Anderson Speed
BME PhD Defense Presentation

Date:2022-08-01
Time: 1:30pm
Location / Meeting Link: McIntire Conference Room (Whitaker), https://gatech.zoom.us/j/99634214307?pwd=R3VINDNCaE0xT2NqSjdGK2NFak9Qdz09

Committee Members:
Dr. Bilal Haider (adviser) Dr. Gordon Berman Dr. Dieter Jaeger Dr. Dan O’Connor (Johns Hopkins) Dr. Chethan Pandarinath


Title: Contextual Modulation of Visuomotor Signals in the Mouse Cortex

Abstract:
Sensorimotor transformations are a hallmark of natural behaviors. Organisms must modulate their responses to stimuli in their environment based on contextual cues. The mechanisms by which sensory information is taken in, processed, and transformed into a motor action are not well understood. In this thesis, we explore first the relationship between spontaneous fluctuations in the state of the cortex and behavioral performance in a visual detection task. We next identify neural and behavioral signatures of contextual modulation which are consistent with previously reported effects of spatial attention classically measured in primates. Finally, we follow visual signals along their feedforward path and determine how spatial context affects the propagation of visual signals to premotor areas. By making use of large scale neural population recordings and well controlled quantitative behavioral tasks, we have begun to elucidate the mechanisms by which mice use spatial contextual cues to modulate visuomotor processing.