Developing a Neural Interface for Controlling the Perception of Sound in Mice
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Liang, Zijing
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Abstract
Current auditory neuroprosthetics have shown promise in restoring sensory function, but facing challenges in producing auditory perceptions containing precise spatial information. This project investigates the ability of optogenetic stimulation at the auditory pathway to manipulate the perception of sound location in mice. The goal of this project was to develop a neural interface capable of artificially producing auditory perfection through optogenetic stimulation of the auditory cortex.
Mice were trained on a head-fix wheel turning task, which required the mice to identify the speaker that played the sound stimuli and turn the wheel accordingly. Water rewards were rewarded when the mice turned the wheel correctly. After behavioral training, optogenetic stimulation experiments were performed using viral expression of channelrhodopsins along the auditory pathway. Injection volumes and dilutions were optimized by comparing different combinations before the experimental injections. Electrophysiological recordings were then conducted to evaluate how the stimulation affected the neural activity and influenced the mice’s behaviors to localize the sounds. Data from behavioral training and neural recordings were analyzed to examine the effects of optogenetic stimulation sites, viral expression and stimulation parameters on auditory responses.
Results from the viral injection experiments showed that dilution had a greater impact on the extent of expression than volume. Neural recording data demonstrated distinct response patterns depending on the stimulation and recording sites, indicating both local activation and possible interhemispheric inhibitory interactions involving auditory circuits.
Overall, this project studied manipulation of auditory perception in mice with behavioral tasks, optogenetic stimulation, and electrophysiology, suggesting a potential in contributing to future auditory neuroprosthetic development.
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Date
2026-12
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Text
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Undergraduate Thesis