Brain complexity: 50 types of neurons (Introduction)

by David Turell @, Friday, March 04, 2016, 01:17 (2947 days ago) @ David Turell

Recent research found many types of neurons based on genetic transcription factors:-http://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-03-neurons-brain.html-"In today's newly published research, scientists focused on a group of neurons in the spinal cord called V1 interneurons, which form connections that orchestrate the activity and output of motor neurons, the class of neurons that give us the power to move.-***-"We needed to classify the varieties of V1 interneurons in a much more systematic and detailed manner—information that would then help to decipher the circuits that underlie movement at an unprecedented organizational level."-"There are many characteristics that distinguish one type of neuron from another, such as where it is located or what it looks like. But ultimately, the researchers argue, a neuron can be defined by its genetic identity.-***-"In this research, the scientists focused on finding that fingerprint. By studying the V1 interneurons of laboratory mice, researchers first identified 19 genetic 'switches,' called transcription factors, which—when activated in a particular combination—made the genetic profile of one V1 interneuron class different from another. What the scientists needed to do next was match the unique pattern of transcription factors to a particular type of interneuron, a feat that proved difficult with traditional experimental techniques.-"Faced with this challenge, the researchers turned to theoretical neuroscientist Larry Abbott, PhD, and statistician Liam Paninski, PhD—colleagues at Columbia's Zuckerman Institute—as well as Ari Pakman, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Paninski's lab and co-first author in the second paper, to build a more powerful statistical model. Drs. Abbott and Paninski developed a mathematical approach based on Bayesian regression analysis that provides the ability to account for uncertainty in a principled way, while also incorporating the complex genetics of the 19 transcription factors. Using this statistical model the research team was able to distinguish 50 distinct types of V1 interneurons—results that withstood even the toughest statistical and experimental scrutiny.-Comment: this finding in one type of neuron that there are 50 varieties increases the complexity of the brain by more than 50 times, since the connections between them can take multiple forms.


Complete thread:

 RSS Feed of thread

powered by my little forum