# Dissecting modular and redundant organization of cortical circuits

> **NIH NIH RF1** · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2024 · $409,259

## Abstract

Abstract
In many cognitive processes, information is processed in a parallel manner across many brain regions. This is
thought to make our cognitive abilities highly tolerant to perturbations or neuron-loss because disrupted
processes are compensated by other redundant neurons coding the same information. Yet, it remains poorly
understood how interconnected networks of neurons are organized into redundant representations to produce
robustness. We recently discovered that persistent activity in mouse frontal cortex during short-term memory is
remarkably robust to perturbations. The two hemispheres of cortex are organized into redundant modules where
each one can independently maintain persistent activity. When one suffers a perturbation, signals from the other
hemisphere help restore the activity. Modularity and redundancy may be a general organizing principle of
information processing and storage in cortical circuits. Understanding the neurobiology of this novel and
potentially fundamental organizing principle will have deep implications for design of neural manipulation
strategies and understanding behavioral manifestation of chronic neurodegeneration. In the proposed research,
we will establish and validate a novel framework that combines computational modeling, population recording,
and targeted optogenetic perturbations to identify, probe, and chronically track modular organization of cortical
circuits. Our goal is to dissect redundant modular organizations within and across brain areas, obtain a deeper
understanding of how multiple redundant modules coordinate information to support robust behavior, and how
such modular organization is shaped by learning to manifests in robust behavior.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10939329
- **Project number:** 3RF1NS132025-01S1
- **Recipient organization:** BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Shaul Druckmann
- **Activity code:** RF1 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $409,259
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2023-04-17 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10939329

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10939329, Dissecting modular and redundant organization of cortical circuits (3RF1NS132025-01S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10939329. Licensed CC0.

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