Assessing how learned predictions of visual motion in V1 alter the perception of mice

Vacancy Reference Number

2025-SIDB-JORDAN

Closing Date

15 Jan 2025

Salary

£25,000/year

Address

Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh 1 George Square Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ

Duration

3.5 years

About the Project Applications are invited for one 3.5 year full-time fully funded PhD studentship in the lab of Dr Rebecca Jordan (https://www.predictionplasticitylab.com/) within the Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain at the University of Edinburgh. SIDB (www.sidb.org.uk) is a philanthropic Centre funded by the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (www.sfari.org). Title: Assessing how learned predictions of visual motion in V1 alter the perception of mice Background: The brain can learn to predict sensory inputs, including self-generated sensory inputs. In particular, the ability to suppress neuronal responses to highly predictable sensory inputs allows the brain to better detect the more informative unexpected sensory inputs. Recent work suggests that this occurs in the primary visual cortex of mice: extended experience of visual motion caused by running in virtual reality drives suppression of the responses to visual motion in a stimulus specific way (Jordan and Keller, eLife, 2023). This process appears to be gated by activity of the noradrenergic system (Jordan, Trends In Neurosciences, 2024). However, the perceptual effect and behavioural relevance of such plasticity is currently unknown. Aims: In this project we will design new virtual reality tasks for mice that challenge them to detect unexpected movement within a background of self-generated, predictable visual motion. We will assess how extended experience of predictable visuomotor relationships impacts subsequent performance in the task and utilise optogenetic stimulation of neuromodulatory systems to assess the impact on learning. Finally, we will determine how plasticity in the V1 circuit that acts to suppress the responses to predictable visual motion impacts the ability of mice to perform the task. Training outcomes: By the end of the project, the PhD student will be trained to build and maintain virtual reality systems for mice, design behavioural tasks and experiments, use in vivo optical methods (2-photon and 1-photon imaging, and/or optogenetics) to measure and manipulate the activity of identified neurons, analyse behavioural and neural recording data in MATLAB, and write and review scientific manuscripts. Rationale & hypothesis: We hypothesize that plasticity in V1 that acts to suppress the responses to predictable visual motion during experience in VR will improve the ability of mice to detect unexpected forms visual motion. These improvements could be in the form of increases in perceptual thresholds, reduced learning rates, or shorter reaction times. We expect that stimulation of the noradrenergic system will increase learning rates in the task, given that this stimulation gates the plasticity in V1. For a more detailed background on the scientific basis of this project, please refer to the following articles: https://elifesciences.org/reviewed-preprints/85111 https://www.cell.com/trends/neurosciences/fulltext/S0166-2236(23)00268-0 Eligibility: Applicants should meet the academic and English language entry requirements for admission to postgraduate programmes at the University of Edinburgh. Applicants should also have a good (2:1 or higher) undergraduate degree in a relevant subject (including, not limited to, neuroscience, biomedical sciences, molecular biology, genetics, or computational biology). Deadline: The deadline for applications is 20.12.2024. Interviews will be held in early 2025. Start time: The start time for the studentship is 2025.

Further Information

Funding Notes:
This is an ERC funded SIDB PhD studentship at the University of Edinburgh that will contribute to the ERC project ‘Learn2Predict’. It will provide an annual stipend for 3.5 years of £25,000 per annum, alongside tuition fees (including international). For information on SIDB studentships at the University of Edinburgh, see: https://sidb.org.uk/phds/

To apply and find out more: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/assessing-how-learned-predictions-of-visual-motion-in-v1-alter-the-perception-of-mice/?p176215

Contact Details

Please email sidbadm@ed.ac.uk to request an application form. Once you have completed the form you should return it direct, along with two references, to the same email address as above.

Please contact Rebecca Jordan as well (rjordan3@ed.ac.uk) to discuss questions and the nature of your interest in the project. In the application form you should indicate why you are interested in the project and why you would be a good fit for the project.