The rockefeller university

Event Details

Type

Center for Studies in Physics and Biology Seminars

Speaker(s)

Arseny Finkelstein, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Tel Aviv University

Speaker bio(s)

Regulation of information flow in neuronal circuits is fundamental to flexible, goal-directed behavior. Using naturalistic multi-directional reaching in mice, combined with two-photon calcium imaging and causal connectivity mapping, we identified functional connectivity motifs and structured population dynamics across cortical circuits at micro- and meso-scales. In motor cortex, neural ensembles encoded movement timing, target location, and reward outcomes, and were organized into functional mini-columns. Two-photon photostimulation revealed subpopulations with distinct, like-to-like connectivity, suggesting a role for local recurrence in shaping task-related activity. At the mesoscale, imaging ~1,000,000 neurons across cortical regions showed that within-area activity remained high-dimensional, while global cortical activity was quenched during task performance via synchronized inter-areal communication. Notably, short-term memory for target location was embedded in high-dimensional population activity within and across areas. Together, these findings reveal how cortical networks flexibly reconfigure across spatial scales to support cognition.

Open to

Public

Reception

Refreshments, 3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., Lower Level Greenberg Building (CRC)

Phone

(212) 327-8636

Sponsor

Melanie Lee
(212) 327-8636
leem@rockefeller.edu