Visual selection through learning and attention in visual and parietal cortex for decision-making and action

The capacity of the brain is limited. Selective processing of those sensory features most relevant for behaviour is crucial for successful sensory-guided decision-making and actions, but the mechanisms are not well understood. Impaired sensory selection is associated with learning and attentional impairments and neurodevelopmental disorders including autism and schizophrenia. The aim of this project is to identify the circuit mechanisms of sensory selection in the visual system. We will build on data implicating both cortical inhibition (in particular PV interneurons) and feedback projections in sensory selection. We will establish the role of different cell types and projections by simultaneous recordings in the primary visual cortex (V1) and posterior parietal cortex (PPC). We will innovatively combine imaging, electrophysiology and optogenetics, in-vivo and ex-vivo approaches in matched cells, advanced behavioural methods to probe learning, attention and visual discrimination in both head-fixed mice and freely behaving mice, and an integrated computational framework to dynamically characterize behaviour and neural circuit computations. This approach will reveal the role of different cell types and interareal projections in the encoding of visual features, long-term and flexible selection of information through learning and attention, and reward-guided modifications of neural circuits, providing a mechanistic account of visually-guided decision-making.