Probing neural processing during sensorimotor tasks

In simultaneous with head-fixed, tethered locomotion, we use electrophysiological and imaging techniques to monitor the activity dynamics of populations of genetically- or anatomically-defined groups of neurons. We apply quantitative analytical tools to correlate neural population activity with the behaviors described above, and to make predictions about the contribution of different groups of neurons to such behaviors. We examine the roles of different groups of neurons in the circuit by precise manipulations of their activity with genetic and optical techniques. These experiments are aimed at defining the functional logic of the circuitry in the context of a specific behavior. By comparing different visual-motor tasks, our research attempts to identify common principles of visual-motor transformations.