Takaki Komiyama, Ph.D.

Research

Behavior is generated by the activity of a large ensemble of individual neurons. However, little is known about the dynamics of neuronal ensembles during behavior or how they change while new memories are formed. Combining in vivo two-photon calcium imaging with behavioral experiments, we are visualizing the activity of hundreds of neurons simultaneously, while mice acquire and perform motor learning tasks over many days. This novel approach is revealing learning-related changes in the motor cortex. We are examining the time course and mechanisms of these learning-related changes in the ensemble activity of motor cortex neurons.