# Exploratory research to identify pulvinar contributions to cortical network activity and vision

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · 2020 · $196,250

## Abstract

Project Summary
Few structures in the brain are as prominent, yet poorly understood, as the pulvinar nucleus of the thalamus.
The pulvinar is both large and complex, having undergone more expansion with primate evolution than any
other thalamic nucleus. Based on its reciprocal connections with the full extent of the visual hierarchy, from
primary visual cortex through inferotemporal cortex, the pulvinar is strategically positioned to influence and
facilitate the processing of visual signals in the brain. Despite the prominence of the pulvinar and its strategic
connections, we know remarkably little about how the pulvinar contributes to vision. The primary goal of the
experiments presented in this proposal is to determine how the primary visual cortex and the pulvinar interact
to influence visual processing. The study involves two sets of experiments. The first major series of
experiments will identify pulvinar neurons that receive direct input from primary visual cortex, characterize
their physiology, and test the hypothesis that primary visual cortex drives pulvinar activity. It will also
determine the role of cortico-pulvinar pathways in stimulus detection. The second series of experiments will
determine the influence of pulvinar activity on cortical network interactions and spatial attention. Given the
severe financial and quality-of-life consequences that follow from disruption in the ability of thalamus and
cortex to communicate properly with each other, such as occurs with many forms of epilepsy and illnesses
affecting vision and corticothalamic function, it is important that we understand how the thalamus and cortex
interact to meet the processing needs of the brain.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9838223
- **Project number:** 5R21EY029880-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS
- **Principal Investigator:** W MARTIN USREY
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $196,250
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-01-01 → 2021-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9838223

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9838223, Exploratory research to identify pulvinar contributions to cortical network activity and vision (5R21EY029880-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9838223. Licensed CC0.

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