Seminar by Dr Luis Carrillo Reid "Manipulation of behavioral performance induced by targeted activation of cortical ensembles"

Title
Manipulation of behavioral performance induced by targeted activation of cortical ensembles

Abstract:
Cortical activity is built by neuronal ensembles yet it is unclear if they have any functional role. Here we tested if the precise activation of neuronal ensembles with two-photon holographic photostimulation in mouse primary visual cortex could modulate behavioral performance in a visually-guided task. Two-photon optogenetic activation of selected neurons from behaviorally relevant cortical ensembles improved performance whereas activation of nonspecific cells disrupted cortical ensembles, deteriorating behavior. Optogenetic targeting of neurons with pattern completion capability improved task performance by reliably recalling behaviorally relevant ensembles. Our results demonstrate a causal role of neuronal ensembles in a visually guided behavior.