Título: Computational steps towards unwrapping the role of myelin in olfactory signal processing

Palestrante: Diego Restrepo (University of Colorado, EUA)

Data e local: Quarta-feira, 03 de julho de 2019 às 16:00, Santo André, Bloco A, S-211-0

Resumo: 

The olfactory system has the daunting task of responding quickly to a multidimensional sensory input made up of thousands of independent degrees of freedom. In this presentation I will address the role of myelin in successful processing of information on odor identity. I will review our computational studies of oscillations in the olfactory bulb and how they relate to decoding of odor identity. Our modeling shows that gamma oscillations are coupled to slow theta oscillations linked to respiration (phase amplitude coupling or PAC). Importantly, PAC changes as an animal learns to differentiate odorants, changing the ability to decode odorant identity based on theta phase-referenced local field potential gamma power. Interestingly, there is a sharp change in dimensionality of these phase-referenced oscillations. In the second section of the talk I will address how our understanding of odor identity decoding is directly relevant to understanding the role of myelin in odor identification. I will present a study showing that mild demyelination alters olfactory signal processing and I will speculate on how myelin affects sensory processing.

Biografia:

Dr. Restrepo is a systems neuroscientist with a background in biophysics. Dr. Restrepo has a B.Sc. in Physics at University of British Columbia and a Ph.D in Biophysics at University of Rochester.  Dr. Restrepo´s goal is to understand how brain circuits mediate decision  making to complex sensory input. Dr. Restrepo´s lab study how sensory processing areas of the olfactory and somatosensory systems handle information relevant to decision-making, and how they interact with downstream regions such as piriform cortex and amygdala. Dr. Restrepo  uses an interdisciplinary approach employing awake behaving tetrode and advanced optical recording, closed loop optogenetics and computational neuroscience. His laboratory is involved in developing novel approaches to study circuit function in robust collaborations with physicists and engineers. Dr. Restrepo uses computational modeling as a predictive tool to guide experimental studies and a multidisciplinary approach to tackle challenging questions in systems neuroscience.