Data and Analytical Core

The thalamus plays a critical role in attention, cognitive control and decision-making, serving as an important hub of temporal integration and coordination across nodes of large-scale cortical and subcortical networks. Identification of functional connectivity between thalamocortical networks across tasks and species is key to understanding complex thalamic computation at both single-unit and population levels. The Data and Analytic Core of the Conte Center project will contribute to attaining the Center objectives in multiple directions. We will establish a data curation/sharing pipeline and develop advanced statistical and data-driven machine learning tools for analyses of various sources of neural recordings from higher-order thalamic nuclei (especially the mediodorsal thalamus and pulvinar) in both nonhuman and human primates. In Aim 1, we will establish a semi-automated human-in-the-loop pipeline for data curation, documentation, and sharing. In Aim 2, we will develop multivariate data analysis toolkits with open-access software and documentation. In Aim 3, we will develop integrated tools to test the role of higher order thalamic nuclei in regulating thalamo-cortical functional connectivity. The Data and Analytic Core will collaborate with other project PIs and provide strong support for data sharing, analysis and tool development for both animals’ electrophysiological and humans’ neuroimaging data. Accomplishment of these aims will advance our understanding of thalamo- cortical communications in healthy and diseased brains.