Agree that cell types have to be discussed, as I think they are single biggest investment of the BRAIN Initiative. So we face the question, "What do all these cell types do?" There are some answers in retina hypothalamus etc. Less convinced about cortex.
@SebastianSeung
We also learned that cell types matter, a lot! BRAIN initiative tools allowed us to measure and manipulate cortical cell types with unprecedented precision. This uncovered that cells in the same area, but from different cell classes, have different roles in behavior.
3
2
19
3
3
33
Replies
@SebastianSeung
My lab recently wrote a paper showing that within the same cortical structure, superficial IT cells are not causal for perceptual decisions but deeper PT cells are. Different cell types in the same area support different computations.
1
0
16
@anne_churchland
Thanks, this is really interesting. You are leading the field to figure out functions of PyN types. What I have heard from
@AToliasLab
about visual cortex is that PyNs in different layers are statistically different in visual responses...no sharp difference. Is that true here?
1
0
2
@SebastianSeung
This
showed primates have 10X more interneuron-targeting interneurons than mouse, w no change in E-targeting ones. Suggests complex gating by webs of I-targeting I cells important to primate cognition. Can begin study of these in mouse, VIP & other types
1
0
6
@kendmil
Ah a connectomic answer to the question "What makes us human?" Or at least "What makes us primates?" Though here let's credit
@maxplanckpress
rather than
@NIH
BRAIN Initiative.
2
1
3
@SebastianSeung
Also throughout the brainstem & arising from the PNS (cell types within the vagus nerve).
0
0
1