# The role of corticostriatal circuits in visually-guided behavior

> **NIH NIH F32** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $64,926

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 The neocortex, including primary visual areas, sends massive projections to the striatum where they
are thought to influence activity in the basal ganglia and, ultimately, goal-directed behavior. Despite the link
between basal ganglia dysfunction and neurological disorders such as Huntington’s and Parkinson’s disease,
the organization and function of corticostriatal circuits is not well understood. For example, to what extent do
sensory maps in the neocortex transfer to the striatum? How is activity between cortical areas that send
converging inputs to striatal subregions coordinated during behavior? Addressing these questions requires
innovative approaches to tracing neural circuits and monitoring neuronal activity across multiple spatial scales
in behaving animals. Here, I take advantage of several novel methodologies developed by our labs to
investigate visual corticostriatal function in sensory-guided behavior. In Aim 1, I will map the fine-scale
organization of visual inputs to the dorsomedial striatum. I will then monitor the activity of corticostriatal
neurons in vivo to determine what visual information they represent and how they coordinate with large-scale
cortical networks, making use of dual 2-photon and wide-field mesoscopic calcium imaging. In Aim 2, I will
investigate the activity of corticostriatal cells and their associated large-scale networks in a visual detection
task, combining these studies with optogenetic manipulations to causally test the role of these circuits in
sensory-guided behavior. My results will generate fundamental insights into the organization of corticostriatal
circuits. Moreover, these studies will provide me with an outstanding training opportunity to broaden my
conceptual and methodological skills, supporting my long-term goal to become an independent scientist.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9874752
- **Project number:** 1F32EY031133-01
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Andrew Moberly
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $64,926
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-01-01 → 2022-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9874752

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9874752, The role of corticostriatal circuits in visually-guided behavior (1F32EY031133-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9874752. Licensed CC0.

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