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Published on: February 8, 2018
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Neural and Behavioral Perturbations via Optogenetic Inhibition of the Posterior Parietal Cortex during Motor Planning
Summary
Optogenetic inhibition in non-human primates disrupted motor planning by altering neural activity in the posterior parietal cortex (PPC). This neurostimulation approach offers insights into brain network dynamics for neurorehabilitation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Systems Neuroscience
- Neural Engineering
Background:
- Understanding neurostimulation's neural effects is key for neurorehabilitation.
- Neural perturbations to behavior-related activity require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate optogenetic inhibition's impact on motor activity and task-related neural activity in the posterior parietal cortex (PPC).
- Explore modulations in neural dynamics during motor planning using a large-scale optogenetic interface.
Main Methods:
- Transfected posterior parietal cortex (PPC) regions in non-human primates (NHPs) with the inhibitory opsin JAWS.
- Applied optogenetic inhibition during a center-out reaching task while monitoring local field potentials (LFPs).
- Analyzed neural features including theta power, theta-gamma phase amplitude coupling (PAC), and coherence.
Main Results:
- Optogenetic inhibition significantly prolonged reach times.
- Increased theta power, theta-gamma PAC, and coherence were observed near the interparietal sulcus (IPS).
- Inhibition caused local network decoupling, with increased theta/gamma power, decreased gamma coherence, and diminished theta-gamma PAC in opsin-expressing regions.
Conclusions:
- Optogenetic inhibition induces local network decoupling of task-related neural activity.
- This study demonstrates a large-scale optogenetic interface for studying neurostimulation effects.
- Findings suggest potential for targeted inhibition in neurological disorder treatment.
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