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Synaptic mechanisms of history-dependent visual processing

Award Number: R01EY038046
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2026
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2030

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Synaptic mechanisms of history-dependent visual processing - Abstract Adaptation dynamically regulates sensory systems to account for the statistics of recent experience. This retuning of sensory responses is proposed to have diverse computational consequences ranging from novelty detection to redundancy reduction. These diverse computations are mediated by diverse cellular, synaptic and circuit mechanisms. For instance, synaptic mechanisms such as short-term depression enables selective suppression of responses to recently experienced stimuli, whereas intrinsic mechanisms such as the activation of voltage- or calcium-gated conductances enables selective suppression of recently active populations. Thus, while synaptic mechanisms can support novelty detection, cell-intrinsic mechanisms may be more relevant for redundancy reduction. Here we will test the hypothesis that cell-intrinsic, synaptic and circuit mechanisms of adaptation are differentially engaged in primary visual cortex according to the temporal and spatial properties of sensory input. Indeed, we find that different mechanisms are engaged on different timescales: synaptic mechanisms are rapidly engaged while intrinsic mechanisms require more sustained input. In addition, we find that the magnitude of adaptation depends on specific stimulus features: gratings drive significantly more adaptation than natural images. It is therefore critical to determine the mechanisms engaged by adaptation, and how this depends on the temporal and spatial statistics of the environment, to determine how recent experience shapes current computations. In Aim 1 we will use whole-cell in vivo recordings to examine the intrinsic, synaptic and circuit mechanisms engaged across the broad range of time scales experienced during natural vision. This will reveal how mechanisms such as short-term depression, synaptic inhibition and intrinsic conductances combine to shape visual processing. In addition we will use causal approaches to test the role of pre-cortical circuits and cortical short-term depression across the range of temporal statistics. In Aim 2, we will test how these mechanisms are engaged by the feature content of stimuli. We will use both parametric stimuli to systematically explore feature space as well as natural scenes and textures to match the statistics to which the visual system is optimized. We will also use glutamate imaging to monitor the dynamics of individual synapses, and causal approaches to test the role of synapse-specific short-term depression. These experiments will reveal how distinct forms of normalization are engaged by recent experience, and thereby establish critical mechanistic links between the properties of sensory input and the cortical computations that support perception.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $485,871 )
2026	2026	DUKE UNIVERSITY	2200 W MAIN ST	DURHAM	NC	27705	DURHAM	USA	Vision Research	000	1	8/27/2026	NEW	$485,871
														Subtotal = $485,871

Grand Total All Awards = $485,871

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Synaptic mechanisms of history-dependent visual processing

Award Number: R01EY038046

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2026

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2030

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