Circuits in the natural environment
The University of Arizona, Department of Neuroscience
Circuits in the natural environment
The University of Arizona, Department of Neuroscience
Background
Natural Behaviors of the Echolocating Bat
Interconnected Bottom-up and Top-down Circuits
Interconnected Bottom-up and Top-down Circuits
A. The bat transitions through several discrete behavioral modes while hunting insects, transitioning from searching, to tracking, to finally intercepting the target. Each behavioral mode is typified by stereotyped control of vocal behaviors.
B. The bat makes abrupt changes in the spectrotemporal features of its vocalizations between behavioral hunting modes. Within a modes, the bat adapts each vocalization based upon instantaneous sensory updates in the form of returning echoes.
Interconnected Bottom-up and Top-down Circuits
Interconnected Bottom-up and Top-down Circuits
Interconnected Bottom-up and Top-down Circuits
We will research a circuit anchored by the midbrain superior colliculus (SC). The SC receives bottom-up afferents from the inferior colliculus (IC), and top-down afferents from auditory cortex (AC). These afferent inputs arrive at different layers within the SC. The SC projects to motor structures controlling head and ear motion (paralemniscal zone and pontine reticular formation), as well as centers for sonar vocal control (paralemniscal tegmental area).