About this Research Topic
A central goal of neuroscience is to understand how the interaction of neuronal circuits produces the computations underlying cognition and behavior. Within neocortex, environmental stimuli (i.e., visual, auditory, somatosensory inputs) are processed along feed-forward pathways, while contextual signals (i.e., motivation, attention, goal-direction, predictions) are processed along feed-back connections. For most behaviors, precise interactions between feed-forward and feed-back pathways are critical, and perturbations of either pathway may lead to the cognitive and behavioral defects experienced in neuropsychiatric disease. Research on the interactions of feed-forward and feed-back pathways spans many organizational levels, ranging from single neurons to brain-wide networks. Advancements in these studies will lead to breakthroughs in mechanistic understandings of how neural circuits generate behavior as well as neuropsychiatric health and disease.
Neuroscience research over the past 60 years has produced two key insights: first, we have developed a detailed understanding of how sensory representations emerge along feed-forward sensory pathways. This includes detailed maps of sensory cortices, region specific connectivity, and cellular- and synaptic-level understanding of sensory processing. Second, we are developing better understandings of how contextual information is generated and propagated along feed-back cortical pathways. Interactions between feed-forward and feed-back connections occur within every region of neocortex, in all mammalian species. Circuit-level studies are beginning to reveal the cell types and synaptic organizations that mediate these interactions, whereas systems-level studies are beginning to unveil how these interactions impact the generation and propagation of sensory signals. For example, recent studies demonstrate that attention, motivation, or the memory of previous choices influence receptive field properties of sensory neurons and dictate neural ensemble dynamics during behavior. However, the mechanisms underlying specific actions of feed-back on cognition and behavior are largely unknown. Moreover, how perturbations of specific feed-forward and feed-back pathways lead to neuropsychiatric disease cognitive and behavioral endophenotypes remains largely unexplored.
• Experimental data or computational modeling studies addressing feed-back – feed forward interaction in normative subjects
• Experimental data or computational modeling studies addressing the perturbation of feed-back – feed forward interaction in neuropsychiatric disorders
• Experimental data or computational modeling studies addressing feed-back – feed forward interaction at the synaptic level
• Experimental data on the anatomical and functional organization of feedforward and feedback circuits.
• Review articles addressing our current understanding of feed-back – feed forward interaction in human subjects or animal models
• Theoretical or conceptual works outlining the future directions of the field
Neuroscience research over the past 60 years has produced two key insights: first, we have developed a detailed understanding of how sensory representations emerge along feed-forward sensory pathways. This includes detailed maps of sensory cortices, region specific connectivity, and cellular- and synaptic-level understanding of sensory processing. Second, we are developing better understandings of how contextual information is generated and propagated along feed-back cortical pathways. Interactions between feed-forward and feed-back connections occur within every region of neocortex, in all mammalian species. Circuit-level studies are beginning to reveal the cell types and synaptic organizations that mediate these interactions, whereas systems-level studies are beginning to unveil how these interactions impact the generation and propagation of sensory signals. For example, recent studies demonstrate that attention, motivation, or the memory of previous choices influence receptive field properties of sensory neurons and dictate neural ensemble dynamics during behavior. However, the mechanisms underlying specific actions of feed-back on cognition and behavior are largely unknown. Moreover, how perturbations of specific feed-forward and feed-back pathways lead to neuropsychiatric disease cognitive and behavioral endophenotypes remains largely unexplored.
• Experimental data or computational modeling studies addressing feed-back – feed forward interaction in normative subjects
• Experimental data or computational modeling studies addressing the perturbation of feed-back – feed forward interaction in neuropsychiatric disorders
• Experimental data or computational modeling studies addressing feed-back – feed forward interaction at the synaptic level
• Experimental data on the anatomical and functional organization of feedforward and feedback circuits.
• Review articles addressing our current understanding of feed-back – feed forward interaction in human subjects or animal models
• Theoretical or conceptual works outlining the future directions of the field
Keywords: Feed-forward processing, cortical feed-back, sensory processing, cortical connectivity, synaptic integration
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