Mapping Neurons

Mice use their whiskers to sense and explore the physical environment. Sensory information is first detected by trigeminal sensory neurons that innervate these whiskers and then processed by circuits in the brainstem, thalamus, and cortex that process information (such as the distance from or texture of an object). Whisker movement is driven by facial motor neurons, which also receive complex inputs from the brain. The Wang lab is mapping the detailed neural connectivity in this sensorimotor system using combinations of genetic and viral tools, as well as in vivo recording and functional manipulations of defined populations of neurons in this system. Through these approaches, her team is determining the roles that specific neural populations play in touch perception and touch-guided behaviors.