August 5, 2015
Kurt Haas, UBC
The spatial arrangement of a neuron’s synapses determines how inputs interact to perform computations, such as through recruitment of nonlinear conductances by spatially clustered activity. However, it remains poorly understood how such functional arrangements arise. We developed a random access microscope able to simultaneously record activity of every excitatory synapse, somatic firing, and dendrite morphology of an individual neuron throughout plasticity-inducing visual training in awake animals. We find that dendrite growth and pruning in the developing retinotectal system of transparent Xenopus tadpoles is regulated by sensory experience in a manner strongly dependent on each neuron’s evoked responses. We identify rules based on local dendritic activity patterns that promote clustering of synaptic inputs with shared tuning and promote processing of the specific stimuli experienced.
Kurt Haas, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Brain Research Centre Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences University of British Columbia lab website: http://www.haaslab.com/ Host: Andres Barria