Memory acquisition and consolidation in layer 1 of the neocortex

• Applicant: Professor Matthew Larkum
• Subject Area: Cognitive, Systems and Behavioural Neurobiology
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 467613712

Converging evidence suggests that neocortical layer 1 is important for learning and memory. We have preliminary evidence that the final stage of the medial-temporal loop, the perirhinal cortex connection to neocortex, is vital for learning in a simple microstimulation task. The axons of this projection terminate in layer 1 of the neocortex and affect dendritic calcium in layer 5 pyramidal neurons. Moreover, the perirhinal cortex is known to be important in the novel object recognition behavioural paradigm. Here, we propose to adapt this behavioural task to our recently developed floating-platform approach (“Air-Track”) to allow this traditionally freely-moving task to be carried out under head-fixation opening up the possibility of using approaches such as 2-photon imaging to investigate the underlying mechanisms of layer-1 dependent plasticity during behaviour.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants