51
|
Lenzi SC, Cossell L, Grainger B, Olesen SF, Branco T, Margrie TW. Threat history controls flexible escape behavior in mice. Curr Biol 2022; 32:2972-2979.e3. [PMID: 35659863 PMCID: PMC9616793 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
In many instances, external sensory-evoked neuronal activity is used by the brain to select the most appropriate behavioral response. Predator-avoidance behaviors such as freezing and escape1,2 are of particular interest since these stimulus-evoked responses are behavioral manifestations of a decision-making process that is fundamental to survival.3,4 Over the lifespan of an individual, however, the threat value of agents in the environment is believed to undergo constant revision,5 and in some cases, repeated avoidance of certain stimuli may no longer be an optimal behavioral strategy.6 To begin to study this type of adaptive control of decision-making, we devised an experimental paradigm to probe the properties of threat escape in the laboratory mouse Mus musculus. First, we found that while robust escape to visual looming stimuli can be observed after 2 days of social isolation, mice can also rapidly learn that such stimuli are non-threatening. This learned suppression of escape (LSE) is extremely robust and can persist for weeks and is not a generalized adaptation, since flight responses to novel live prey and auditory threat stimuli in the same environmental context were maintained. We also show that LSE cannot be explained by trial number or a simple form of stimulus desensitization since it is dependent on threat-escape history. We propose that the action selection process mediating escape behavior is constantly updated by recent threat history and that LSE can be used as a robust model system to understand the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying experience-dependent decision-making. Individually housed, but not group-housed, mice show robust escape to looming stimuli Mice can learn to suppress escape, and LSE memory is long lasting LSE is not a general adaptation since it is stimulus specific LSE is not simply habituation and is dependent on recent threat-escape experience
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen C Lenzi
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, 25 Howland Street, London W1T 4JG, UK
| | - Lee Cossell
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, 25 Howland Street, London W1T 4JG, UK
| | - Benjamin Grainger
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, 25 Howland Street, London W1T 4JG, UK
| | - Sarah F Olesen
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, 25 Howland Street, London W1T 4JG, UK
| | - Tiago Branco
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, 25 Howland Street, London W1T 4JG, UK
| | - Troy W Margrie
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, 25 Howland Street, London W1T 4JG, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
52
|
Claudi F, Campagner D, Branco T. Innate heuristics and fast learning support escape route selection in mice. Curr Biol 2022; 32:2980-2987.e5. [PMID: 35617953 PMCID: PMC9616796 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
When faced with imminent danger, animals must rapidly take defensive actions to reach safety. Mice can react to threatening stimuli in ∼250 milliseconds1 and, in simple environments, use spatial memory to quickly escape to shelter.2,3 Natural habitats, however, often offer multiple routes to safety that animals must identify and choose from.4 This is challenging because although rodents can learn to navigate complex mazes,5,6 learning the value of different routes through trial and error during escape could be deadly. Here, we investigated how mice learn to choose between different escape routes. Using environments with paths to shelter of varying length and geometry, we find that mice prefer options that minimize path distance and angle relative to the shelter. This strategy is already present during the first threat encounter and after only ∼10 minutes of exploration in a novel environment, indicating that route selection does not require experience of escaping. Instead, an innate heuristic assigns survival value to each path after rapidly learning the spatial environment. This route selection process is flexible and allows quick adaptation to arenas with dynamic geometries. Computational modeling shows that model-based reinforcement learning agents replicate the observed behavior in environments where the shelter location is rewarding during exploration. These results show that mice combine fast spatial learning with innate heuristics to choose escape routes with the highest survival value. The results further suggest that integrating prior knowledge acquired through evolution with knowledge learned from experience supports adaptation to changing environments and minimizes the need for trial and error when the errors are costly. Mice learn to escape via the fastest route after ∼10 minutes in a new environment Escape routes are learned during exploration and do not require threat exposure Mice prefer escape routes that minimize path distance and angle to shelter Fast route learning can be replicated by model-based reinforcement learning agents
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Federico Claudi
- UCL Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, London W1T 4JG, UK
| | - Dario Campagner
- UCL Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, London W1T 4JG, UK; Gatsby Unit, UCL, London W1T 4JG, UK
| | - Tiago Branco
- UCL Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, London W1T 4JG, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
53
|
Bloch S, Holleran KM, Kash TL, Vazey EM, Rinker JA, Lebonville CL, O'Hara K, Lopez MF, Jones SR, Grant KA, Becker HC, Mulholland PJ. Assessing negative affect in mice during abstinence from alcohol drinking: Limitations and future challenges. Alcohol 2022; 100:41-56. [PMID: 35181404 PMCID: PMC8983487 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2022.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is frequently comorbid with mood disorders, and these co-occurring neuropsychiatric disorders contribute to the development and maintenance of alcohol dependence and relapse. In preclinical models, mice chronically exposed to alcohol display anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors during acute withdrawal and protracted abstinence. However, in total, results from studies using voluntary alcohol-drinking paradigms show variable behavioral outcomes in assays measuring negative affective behaviors. Thus, the main objective of this review is to summarize the literature on the variability of negative affective behaviors in mice after chronic alcohol exposure. We compare the behavioral phenotypes that emerge during abstinence across different exposure models, including models of alcohol and stress interactions. The complicated outcomes from these studies highlight the difficulties of assessing negative affective behaviors in mouse models designed for the study of AUD. We discuss new behavioral assays, comprehensive platforms, and unbiased machine-learning algorithms as promising approaches to better understand the interaction between alcohol and negative affect in mice. New data-driven approaches in the understanding of mouse behavior hold promise for improving the identification of mechanisms, cell subtypes, and neurocircuits that mediate negative affect. In turn, improving our understanding of the neurobehavioral basis of alcohol-associated negative affect will provide a platform to test hypotheses in mouse models that aim to improve the development of more effective strategies for treating individuals with AUD and co-occurring mood disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Solal Bloch
- Department of Neuroscience, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, United States
| | - Katherine M Holleran
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, United States
| | - Thomas L Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Elena M Vazey
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - Jennifer A Rinker
- Department of Neuroscience, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, United States
| | - Christina L Lebonville
- Department of Neuroscience, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, United States
| | - Krysten O'Hara
- Department of Neuroscience, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, United States
| | - Marcelo F Lopez
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, United States
| | - Sara R Jones
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, United States
| | - Kathleen A Grant
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, United States
| | - Howard C Becker
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, United States
| | - Patrick J Mulholland
- Department of Neuroscience, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
54
|
Wheatcroft T, Saleem AB, Solomon SG. Functional Organisation of the Mouse Superior Colliculus. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:792959. [PMID: 35601532 PMCID: PMC9118347 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.792959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The superior colliculus (SC) is a highly conserved area of the mammalian midbrain that is widely implicated in the organisation and control of behaviour. SC receives input from a large number of brain areas, and provides outputs to a large number of areas. The convergence and divergence of anatomical connections with different areas and systems provides challenges for understanding how SC contributes to behaviour. Recent work in mouse has provided large anatomical datasets, and a wealth of new data from experiments that identify and manipulate different cells within SC, and their inputs and outputs, during simple behaviours. These data offer an opportunity to better understand the roles that SC plays in these behaviours. However, some of the observations appear, at first sight, to be contradictory. Here we review this recent work and hypothesise a simple framework which can capture the observations, that requires only a small change to previous models. Specifically, the functional organisation of SC can be explained by supposing that three largely distinct circuits support three largely distinct classes of simple behaviours-arrest, turning towards, and the triggering of escape or capture. These behaviours are hypothesised to be supported by the optic, intermediate and deep layers, respectively.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Samuel G. Solomon
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
55
|
Lang MM, Bertrand OC, San Martin Flores G, Law CJ, Abdul‐Sater J, Spakowski S, Silcox MT. Scaling Patterns of Cerebellar Petrosal Lobules in Euarchontoglires: Impacts of Ecology and Phylogeny. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2022; 305:3472-3503. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.24929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Madlen M. Lang
- Department of Anthropology University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto ON Canada
| | - Ornella C. Bertrand
- School of GeoSciences University of Edinburgh, Grant Institute Edinburgh Scotland UK
| | | | - Chris J. Law
- Richard Gilder Graduate School, Department of Mammalogy, and Division of Paleontology American Museum of Natural History, 200 Central Park West New York NY
- Department of Biology University of Washington Seattle WA
- The University of Texas at Austin Austin TX
| | - Jade Abdul‐Sater
- Department of Anthropology University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto ON Canada
| | - Shayda Spakowski
- Department of Anthropology University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto ON Canada
| | - Mary T. Silcox
- Department of Anthropology University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto ON Canada
| |
Collapse
|
56
|
Abstract
Retinal circuits transform the pixel representation of photoreceptors into the feature representations of ganglion cells, whose axons transmit these representations to the brain. Functional, morphological, and transcriptomic surveys have identified more than 40 retinal ganglion cell (RGC) types in mice. RGCs extract features of varying complexity; some simply signal local differences in brightness (i.e., luminance contrast), whereas others detect specific motion trajectories. To understand the retina, we need to know how retinal circuits give rise to the diverse RGC feature representations. A catalog of the RGC feature set, in turn, is fundamental to understanding visual processing in the brain. Anterograde tracing indicates that RGCs innervate more than 50 areas in the mouse brain. Current maps connecting RGC types to brain areas are rudimentary, as is our understanding of how retinal signals are transformed downstream to guide behavior. In this article, I review the feature selectivities of mouse RGCs, how they arise, and how they are utilized downstream. Not only is knowledge of the behavioral purpose of RGC signals critical for understanding the retinal contributions to vision; it can also guide us to the most relevant areas of visual feature space. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Vision Science, Volume 8 is September 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Kerschensteiner
- John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences; Department of Neuroscience; Department of Biomedical Engineering; and Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
57
|
Narushima M, Agetsuma M, Nabekura J. Development and experience-dependent modulation of the defensive behaviors of mice to visual threats. J Physiol Sci 2022; 72:5. [PMID: 35255805 PMCID: PMC10717832 DOI: 10.1186/s12576-022-00831-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Rodents demonstrate defensive behaviors such as fleeing or freezing upon recognizing a looming shadow above them. Although individuals' experiences in their habitat can modulate the defensive behavior phenotype, the effects of systematically manipulating the individual's visual experience on vision-guided defensive behaviors have not been studied. We aimed to describe the developmental process of defensive behaviors in response to visual threats and the effects of visual deprivation. We found that the probability of escape response occurrence increased 3 weeks postnatally, and then stabilized. When visual experience was perturbed by dark rearing from postnatal day (P) 21 for a week, the developmental increase in escape probability was clearly suppressed, while the freezing probability increased. Intriguingly, exposure to the looming stimuli at P28 reversed the suppression of escape response development at P35. These results clearly indicate that the development of defensive behaviors in response to looming stimuli is affected by an individual's sensory experience.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Madoka Narushima
- Division of Homeostatic Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, 38 Nishigonaka Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan.
| | - Masakazu Agetsuma
- Division of Homeostatic Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, 38 Nishigonaka Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan
| | - Junichi Nabekura
- Division of Homeostatic Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, 38 Nishigonaka Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
58
|
Han Y, Huang K, Chen K, Pan H, Ju F, Long Y, Gao G, Wu R, Wang A, Wang L, Wei P. MouseVenue3D: A Markerless Three-Dimension Behavioral Tracking System for Matching Two-Photon Brain Imaging in Free-Moving Mice. Neurosci Bull 2022; 38:303-317. [PMID: 34637091 PMCID: PMC8975979 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-021-00778-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the connection between brain and behavior in animals requires precise monitoring of their behaviors in three-dimensional (3-D) space. However, there is no available three-dimensional behavior capture system that focuses on rodents. Here, we present MouseVenue3D, an automated and low-cost system for the efficient capture of 3-D skeleton trajectories in markerless rodents. We improved the most time-consuming step in 3-D behavior capturing by developing an automatic calibration module. Then, we validated this process in behavior recognition tasks, and showed that 3-D behavioral data achieved higher accuracy than 2-D data. Subsequently, MouseVenue3D was combined with fast high-resolution miniature two-photon microscopy for synchronous neural recording and behavioral tracking in the freely-moving mouse. Finally, we successfully decoded spontaneous neuronal activity from the 3-D behavior of mice. Our findings reveal that subtle, spontaneous behavior modules are strongly correlated with spontaneous neuronal activity patterns.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yaning Han
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Modulation and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Kang Huang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Modulation and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ke Chen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Modulation and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hongli Pan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Modulation and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Furong Ju
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Modulation and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yueyue Long
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Modulation and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14627, USA
| | - Gao Gao
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Modulation and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Honam University, Gwangju, 62399, South Korea
| | - Runlong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Aimin Wang
- Department of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Optical Communication Systems and Networks, Peking University, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Liping Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Modulation and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Pengfei Wei
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Modulation and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| |
Collapse
|
59
|
Murra D, Hilde KL, Fitzpatrick A, Maras PM, Watson SJ, Akil H. Characterizing the behavioral and neuroendocrine features of susceptibility and resilience to social stress. Neurobiol Stress 2022; 17:100437. [PMID: 35242893 PMCID: PMC8857076 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Evaluating and coping with stressful social events as they unfold is a critical strategy in overcoming them without long-lasting detrimental effects. Individuals display a wide range of responses to stress, which can manifest in a variety of outcomes for the brain as well as subsequent behavior. Chronic Social Defeat Stress (CSDS) in mice has been widely used to model individual variation following a social stressor. Following a course of repeated intermittent psychological and physical stress, mice diverge into separate populations of social reactivity: resilient (socially interactive) and susceptible (socially avoidant) animals. A rich body of work reveals distinct neurobiological and behavioral consequences of this experience that map onto the resilient and susceptible groups. However, the range of factors that emerge over the course of defeat have not been fully described. Therefore, in the current study, we focused on characterizing behavioral, physiological, and neuroendocrine profiles of mice in three separate phases: before, during, and following CSDS. We found that following CSDS, traditional read-outs of anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors do not map on to the resilient and susceptible groups. By contrast, behavioral coping strategies used during the initial social stress encounter better predict which mice will eventually become resilient or susceptible. In particular, mice that will emerge as susceptible display greater escape behavior on Day 1 of social defeat than those that will emerge as resilient, indicating early differences in coping mechanisms used between the two groups. We further show that the social avoidance phenotype in susceptible mice is specific to the aggressor strain and does not generalize to conspecifics or other strains, indicating that there may be features of threat discrimination that are specific to the susceptible mice. Our findings suggest that there are costs and benefits to both the resilient and susceptible outcomes, reflected in their ability to cope and adapt to the social stressor.
Collapse
|
60
|
Cai X, Li L, Liu W, Du N, Zhao Y, Han Y, Liu C, Yin Y, Fu X, Sheng D, Yin L, Wang L, Wei P, Sheng X. A dual-channel optogenetic stimulator selectively modulates distinct defensive behaviors. iScience 2022; 25:103681. [PMID: 35036871 PMCID: PMC8749196 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Implantable devices and systems have been emerging as powerful tools for neuroscience research and medical applications. Here we report a wireless, dual-channel optoelectronic system for functional optogenetic interrogation of superior colliculus (SC), a layered structure pertinent to defensive behaviors, in rodents. Specifically, a flexible and injectable probe comprises two thin-film microscale light-emitting diodes (micro-LEDs) at different depths, providing spatially resolved optical illuminations within the tissue. Under remote control, these micro-LEDs interrogate the intermediate layer and the deep layer of the SC (ILSC and DLSC) of the same mice, and deterministically evoke distinct freezing and flight behaviors, respectively. Furthermore, the system allows synchronized optical stimulations in both regions, and we discover that the flight response dominates animals' behaviors in our experiments. In addition, c-Fos immunostaining results further elucidate the functional hierarchy of the SC. These demonstrations provide a viable route to unraveling complex brain structures and functions. A wireless implant with two micro-LEDs enables dual-channel optogenetic stimulations Two micro-LEDs stimulate the intermediate and the deep layers of superior colliculus Dual-channel stimulations selectively evoke suppressed or promoted moving behaviors Synchronized stimulations in the intermediate and the deep layers are achieved
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xue Cai
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology, Center for Flexible Electronics Technology, and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Lizhu Li
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology, Center for Flexible Electronics Technology, and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Wenhao Liu
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Neuropsychiatric Modulation and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Nianzhen Du
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology, Center for Flexible Electronics Technology, and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yu Zhao
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology, Center for Flexible Electronics Technology, and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yaning Han
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Neuropsychiatric Modulation and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China.,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Changbo Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hangzhou Innovation Institute, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Yan Yin
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology, Center for Flexible Electronics Technology, and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xin Fu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Dawid Sheng
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology, Center for Flexible Electronics Technology, and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Lan Yin
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Liping Wang
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Neuropsychiatric Modulation and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Pengfei Wei
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Neuropsychiatric Modulation and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xing Sheng
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology, Center for Flexible Electronics Technology, and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| |
Collapse
|
61
|
Tseng YT, Zhao B, Chen S, Ye J, Liu J, Liang L, Ding H, Schaefke B, Yang Q, Wang L, Wang F, Wang L. The subthalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone neurons mediate adaptive REM-sleep responses to threat. Neuron 2022; 110:1223-1239.e8. [PMID: 35065715 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.12.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
When an animal faces a threatening situation while asleep, rapid arousal is the essential prerequisite for an adequate response. Here, we find that predator stimuli induce immediate arousal from REM sleep compared with NREM sleep. Using in vivo neural activity recording and cell-type-specific manipulations, we identify neurons in the medial subthalamic nucleus (mSTN) expressing corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) that mediate arousal and defensive responses to acute predator threats received through multiple sensory modalities across REM sleep and wakefulness. We observe involvement of the same neurons in the normal regulation of REM sleep and the adaptive increase in REM sleep induced by sustained predator stress. Projections to the lateral globus pallidus (LGP) are the effector pathway for the threat-coping responses and REM-sleep expression. Together, our findings suggest adaptive REM-sleep responses could be protective against threats and uncover a critical component of the neural circuitry at their basis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ting Tseng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Binghao Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Shanping Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jialin Ye
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jingjing Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lisha Liang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hui Ding
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Bernhard Schaefke
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Qin Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Lina Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Feng Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Liping Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| |
Collapse
|
62
|
Reward and aversion encoding in the lateral habenula for innate and learned behaviours. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:3. [PMID: 35013094 PMCID: PMC8748902 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01774-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Throughout life, individuals experience a vast array of positive and aversive events that trigger adaptive behavioural responses. These events are often unpredicted and engage actions that are likely anchored on innate behavioural programs expressed by each individual member of virtually all animal species. In a second step, environmental cues, that are initially neutral, acquire value through the association with external sensory stimuli, and become instrumental to predict upcoming positive or negative events. This process ultimately prompts learned goal-directed actions allowing the pursuit of rewarding experience or the avoidance of a danger. Both innate and learned behavioural programs are evolutionarily conserved and fundamental for survival. Among the brain structures participating in the encoding of positive/negative stimuli and contributing to innate and learned behaviours is the epithalamic lateral habenula (LHb). The LHb provides top-down control of monoaminergic systems, responds to unexpected appetitive/aversive stimuli as well as external cues that predict the upcoming rewards or punishments. Accordingly, the LHb controls a number of behaviours that are innate (originating from unpredicted stimuli), and learned (stemming from predictive cues). In this review, we will discuss the progresses that rodent's experimental work made in identifying how LHb activity governs these vital processes, and we will provide a view on how these findings integrate within a complex circuit connectivity.
Collapse
|
63
|
Mechanically evoked defensive attack is controlled by GABAergic neurons in the anterior hypothalamic nucleus. Nat Neurosci 2022; 25:72-85. [PMID: 34980925 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-021-00985-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Innate defensive behaviors triggered by environmental threats are important for animal survival. Among these behaviors, defensive attack toward threatening stimuli (for example, predators) is often the last line of defense. How the brain regulates defensive attack remains poorly understood. Here we show that noxious mechanical force in an inescapable context is a key stimulus for triggering defensive attack in laboratory mice. Mechanically evoked defensive attacks were abrogated by photoinhibition of vGAT+ neurons in the anterior hypothalamic nucleus (AHN). The vGAT+ AHN neurons encoded the intensity of mechanical force and were innervated by brain areas relevant to pain and attack. Activation of these neurons triggered biting attacks toward a predator while suppressing ongoing behaviors. The projection from vGAT+ AHN neurons to the periaqueductal gray might be one AHN pathway participating in mechanically evoked defensive attack. Together, these data reveal that vGAT+ AHN neurons encode noxious mechanical stimuli and regulate defensive attack in mice.
Collapse
|
64
|
Ichinose T, Habib S. ON and OFF Signaling Pathways in the Retina and the Visual System. FRONTIERS IN OPHTHALMOLOGY 2022; 2:989002. [PMID: 36926308 PMCID: PMC10016624 DOI: 10.3389/fopht.2022.989002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Visual processing starts at the retina of the eye, and signals are then transferred primarily to the visual cortex and the tectum. In the retina, multiple neural networks encode different aspects of visual input, such as color and motion. Subsequently, multiple neural streams in parallel convey unique aspects of visual information to cortical and subcortical regions. Bipolar cells, which are the second order neurons of the retina, separate visual signals evoked by light and dark contrasts and encode them to ON and OFF pathways, respectively. The interplay between ON and OFF neural signals is the foundation for visual processing for object contrast which underlies higher order stimulus processing. ON and OFF pathways have been classically thought to signal in a mirror-symmetric manner. However, while these two pathways contribute synergistically to visual perception in some instances, they have pronounced asymmetries suggesting independent operation in other cases. In this review, we summarize the role of the ON-OFF dichotomy in visual signaling, aiming to contribute to the understanding of visual recognition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tomomi Ichinose
- Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Correspondence: Tomomi Ichinose, MD, PhD,
| | - Samar Habib
- Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Mansoura Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
65
|
Sato N, Shidara H, Ogawa H. Action selection based on multiple-stimulus aspects in wind-elicited escape behavior of crickets. Heliyon 2022; 8:e08800. [PMID: 35111985 PMCID: PMC8790502 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Escape behavior is essential for animals to avoid attacks by predators. In some species, multiple escape responses could be employed. However, it remains unknown what aspects of threat stimuli affect the choice of an escape response. We focused on two distinct escape responses (running and jumping) to short airflow in crickets and examined the effects of multiple stimulus aspects including the angle, velocity, and duration on the choice between these responses. The faster and longer the airflow, the more frequently the crickets jumped. This meant that the choice of an escape response depends on both the velocity and duration of the stimulus and suggests that the neural basis for choosing an escape response includes the integration process of multiple stimulus parameters. In addition, the moving speed and distance changed depending on the stimulus velocity and duration for running but not for jumping. Running away would be more adaptive escape behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nodoka Sato
- Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan
| | - Hisashi Shidara
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan
| | - Hiroto Ogawa
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
66
|
Ruat J, Heinz DE, Binder FP, Stark T, Neuner R, Hartmann A, Kaplick PM, Chen A, Czisch M, Wotjak CT. Structural correlates of trauma-induced hyperarousal in mice. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 111:110404. [PMID: 34303744 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic disease caused by traumatic incidents. Numerous studies have revealed grey matter volume differences in affected individuals. The nature of the disease renders it difficult to distinguish between a priori versus a posteriori changes. To overcome this difficulty, we studied the consequences of a traumatic event on brain morphology in mice before and 4 weeks after exposure to brief foot shocks (or sham treatment), and correlated morphology with symptoms of hyperarousal. In the latter context, we assessed hyperarousal upon confrontation with acoustic, visual, or composite (acoustic/visual/tactile) threats and integrated the individual readouts into a single Hyperarousal Score using logistic regression analysis. MRI scans with subsequent whole-brain deformation-based morphometry (DBM) analysis revealed a volume decrease of the dorsal hippocampus and an increase of the reticular nucleus in shocked mice when compared to non-shocked controls. Using the Hyperarousal Score as regressor for the post-exposure MRI measurement, we observed negative correlations with several brain structures including the dorsal hippocampus. If the development of changes with respect to the basal MRI was considered, reduction in globus pallidus volume reflected hyperarousal severity. Our findings demonstrate that a brief traumatic incident can cause volume changes in defined brain structures and suggest the globus pallidus as an important hub for the control of fear responses to threatening stimuli of different sensory modalities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julia Ruat
- Department Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel E Heinz
- Research Group Neuronal Plasticity, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; Max Planck School of Cognition, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Florian P Binder
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), 80804 Munich, Germany; Department Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Tibor Stark
- Scientific Core Unit Neuroimaging, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czechia
| | - Robert Neuner
- Research Group Neuronal Plasticity, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Alice Hartmann
- Research Group Neuronal Plasticity, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Paul M Kaplick
- Research Group Neuronal Plasticity, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Alon Chen
- Department Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Michael Czisch
- Scientific Core Unit Neuroimaging, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Carsten T Wotjak
- Research Group Neuronal Plasticity, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; Max Planck School of Cognition, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Central Nervous System Diseases Research (CNSDR), Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co KG, 88397, Biberach an der Riss, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
67
|
Should I stay or should I go? A thalamic circuit for modulating behavioral responses to visual threat. Neuron 2021; 109:3717-3719. [PMID: 34856131 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In this issue of Neuron and in Cell Reports, Fratzl et al. (2021) and Salay and Huberman (2021) identify the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (vLGN) of the thalamus as a key regulator for adjusting defensive behaviors according to the level of perceived visual threat.
Collapse
|
68
|
Fratzl A, Koltchev AM, Vissers N, Tan YL, Marques-Smith A, Stempel AV, Branco T, Hofer SB. Flexible inhibitory control of visually evoked defensive behavior by the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus. Neuron 2021; 109:3810-3822.e9. [PMID: 34614420 PMCID: PMC8648186 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Animals can choose to act upon, or to ignore, sensory stimuli, depending on circumstance and prior knowledge. This flexibility is thought to depend on neural inhibition, through suppression of inappropriate and disinhibition of appropriate actions. Here, we identified the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (vLGN), an inhibitory prethalamic area, as a critical node for control of visually evoked defensive responses in mice. The activity of vLGN projections to the medial superior colliculus (mSC) is modulated by previous experience of threatening stimuli, tracks the perceived threat level in the environment, and is low prior to escape from a visual threat. Optogenetic stimulation of the vLGN abolishes escape responses, and suppressing its activity lowers the threshold for escape and increases risk-avoidance behavior. The vLGN most strongly affects visual threat responses, potentially via modality-specific inhibition of mSC circuits. Thus, inhibitory vLGN circuits control defensive behavior, depending on an animal’s prior experience and its anticipation of danger in the environment. Activity of vLGN axons in the mSC reflects the previous experience of threat The vLGN bidirectionally controls escape from visual threat Activating the vLGN specifically reduces the activity of visual units in mSC Activating vLGN axons in the mSC specifically suppresses escape from visual threat
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alex Fratzl
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, London, UK
| | - Alice M Koltchev
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, London, UK
| | - Nicole Vissers
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, London, UK
| | - Yu Lin Tan
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andre Marques-Smith
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, London, UK
| | - A Vanessa Stempel
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tiago Branco
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sonja B Hofer
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
69
|
Rößler DC, De Agrò M, Kim K, Shamble PS. Static visual predator recognition in jumping spiders. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniela C. Rößler
- John Harvard Distinguished Science Fellows Program Harvard University Cambridge MA USA
- Zukunftskolleg University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Department of Collective Behavior Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Konstanz Germany
| | - Massimo De Agrò
- John Harvard Distinguished Science Fellows Program Harvard University Cambridge MA USA
- Institute of Zoology University of Regensburg Regensburg Germany
| | - Kris Kim
- John Harvard Distinguished Science Fellows Program Harvard University Cambridge MA USA
| | - Paul S. Shamble
- John Harvard Distinguished Science Fellows Program Harvard University Cambridge MA USA
| |
Collapse
|
70
|
Threat induces cardiac and metabolic changes that negatively impact survival in flies. Curr Biol 2021; 31:5462-5472.e4. [PMID: 34710349 PMCID: PMC8699741 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Adjusting to a dynamic environment involves fast changes in the body’s internal state, characterized by coordinated alterations in brain activity and physiological and motor responses. Threat-induced defensive states are a classic case of coordinated adjustment of bodily responses, cardiac regulation being one of the best characterized examples in vertebrates. A great deal is known regarding the neural basis of invertebrate defensive behaviors, mainly in Drosophila melanogaster. However, whether physiological changes accompany these remains unknown. Here, we set out to describe the internal bodily state of fruit flies upon an inescapable threat and found cardiac acceleration during running and deceleration during freezing. In addition, we found that freezing leads to increased cardiac pumping from the abdomen toward the head-thorax, suggesting mobilization of energy resources. Concordantly, threat-triggered freezing reduces sugar levels in the hemolymph and renders flies less resistant to starvation. The cardiac responses observed during freezing were absent during spontaneous immobility, underscoring the active nature of freezing response. Finally, we show that baseline cardiac activity predicts the amount of freezing upon threat. This work reveals a remarkable similarity with the cardiac responses of vertebrates, suggesting an evolutionarily convergent defensive state in flies. Our findings are at odds with the widespread view that cardiac deceleration while freezing has first evolved in vertebrates and that it is energy sparing. Investigating the physiological changes coupled to defensive behaviors in the fruit fly has revealed that freezing is costly yet accompanied by cardiac deceleration and points to heart activity as a key modulator of defensive behaviors. Flies show tight coupling between defensive behaviors and cardiac activity Flies bias cardiac pumping toward the head and thorax during defensive behaviors After prolonged freezing, sugar levels and resistance to starvation are decreased Cardiac reversal rate and rate variability are predictive of freezing intensity
Collapse
|
71
|
Salay LD, Huberman AD. Divergent outputs of the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus mediate visually evoked defensive behaviors. Cell Rep 2021; 37:109792. [PMID: 34610302 PMCID: PMC10954303 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid alternations between exploration and defensive reactions require ongoing risk assessment. How visual cues and internal states flexibly modulate the selection of behaviors remains incompletely understood. Here, we show that the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (vLGN)-a major retinorecipient structure-is a critical node in the network controlling defensive behaviors to visual threats. We find that vLGNGABA neuron activity scales with the intensity of environmental illumination and is modulated by behavioral state. Chemogenetic activation of vLGNGABA neurons reduces freezing, whereas inactivation dramatically extends the duration of freezing to visual threats. Perturbations of vLGN activity disrupt exploration in brightly illuminated environments. We describe both a vLGN→nucleus reuniens (Re) circuit and a vLGN→superior colliculus (SC) circuit, which exert opposite influences on defensive responses. These findings reveal roles for genetic- and projection-defined vLGN subpopulations in modulating the expression of behavioral threat responses according to internal state.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey D Salay
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Andrew D Huberman
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; BioX, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
72
|
Speed A, Haider B. Probing mechanisms of visual spatial attention in mice. Trends Neurosci 2021; 44:822-836. [PMID: 34446296 PMCID: PMC8484049 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The role of spatial attention for visual perception has been thoroughly studied in primates, but less so in mice. Several behavioral tasks in mice reveal spatial attentional effects, with similarities to observations in primates. Pairing these tasks with large-scale, cell-type-specific techniques could enable deeper access to underlying mechanisms, and help define the utility and limitations of resolving attentional effects on visual perception and neural activity in mice. In this Review, we evaluate behavioral and neural evidence for visual spatial attention in mice; assess how specializations of the mouse visual system and behavioral repertoire impact interpretation of spatial attentional effects; and outline how several measurement and manipulation techniques in mice could precisely test and refine models of attentional modulation across scales.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anderson Speed
- Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Bilal Haider
- Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
73
|
Williams B, Del Rosario J, Muzzu T, Peelman K, Coletta S, Bichler EK, Speed A, Meyer-Baese L, Saleem AB, Haider B. Spatial modulation of dark versus bright stimulus responses in the mouse visual system. Curr Biol 2021; 31:4172-4179.e6. [PMID: 34314675 PMCID: PMC8478832 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.06.094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
A fundamental task of the visual system is to respond to both increases and decreases of luminance with action potentials (ON and OFF responses1-4). OFF responses are stronger, faster, and more salient than ON responses in primary visual cortex (V1) of both cats5,6 and primates,7,8 but in ferrets9 and mice,10 ON responses can be stronger, weaker,11 or balanced12 in comparison to OFF responses. These discrepancies could arise from differences in species, experimental techniques, or stimulus properties, particularly retinotopic location in the visual field, as has been speculated;9 however, the role of retinotopy for ON/OFF dominance has not been systematically tested across multiple scales of neural activity within species. Here, we measured OFF versus ON responses across large portions of visual space with silicon probe and whole-cell patch-clamp recordings in mouse V1 and lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). We found that OFF responses dominated in the central visual field, whereas ON and OFF responses were more balanced in the periphery. These findings were consistent across local field potential (LFP), spikes, and subthreshold membrane potential in V1, and were aligned with spatial biases in ON and OFF responses in LGN. Our findings reveal that retinotopy may provide a common organizing principle for spatial modulation of OFF versus ON processing in mammalian visual systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brice Williams
- Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Joseph Del Rosario
- Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Tomaso Muzzu
- UCL Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, London WC1H 0AP, UK
| | - Kayla Peelman
- Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Stefano Coletta
- Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Edyta K Bichler
- Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Anderson Speed
- Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lisa Meyer-Baese
- Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Aman B Saleem
- UCL Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, London WC1H 0AP, UK
| | - Bilal Haider
- Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
74
|
Ma J, du Hoffmann J, Kindel M, Beas BS, Chudasama Y, Penzo MA. Divergent projections of the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus mediate the selection of passive and active defensive behaviors. Nat Neurosci 2021; 24:1429-1440. [PMID: 34413514 PMCID: PMC8484052 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-021-00912-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The appropriate selection of passive and active defensive behaviors in threatening situations is essential for survival. Previous studies have shown that passive defensive responses depend on activity of the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), whereas active ones primarily rely on the nucleus accumbens (NAc). However, the mechanisms underlying flexible switching between these two types of responses remain unknown. Here, we show in mice that the paraventricular thalamus (PVT) mediates the selection of defensive behaviors through its interaction with the CeA and the NAc. We show that the PVT–CeA pathway drives conditioned freezing responses, whereas the PVT–NAc pathway is inhibited during freezing and instead signals active avoidance events. Optogenetic manipulations revealed that activity in the PVT–CeA or PVT–NAc pathway biases behavior toward the selection of passive or active defensive responses, respectively. These findings provide evidence that the PVT mediates flexible switching between opposing defensive behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jun Ma
- Unit on the Neurobiology of Affective Memory, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Johann du Hoffmann
- Central Nervous System Diseases Research, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riß, Germany.,Rodent Behavioral Core, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Morgan Kindel
- Unit on the Neurobiology of Affective Memory, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - B Sofia Beas
- Unit on the Neurobiology of Affective Memory, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yogita Chudasama
- Rodent Behavioral Core, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.,Section on Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mario A Penzo
- Unit on the Neurobiology of Affective Memory, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
75
|
Let's get wild: A review of free-ranging rat assays as context-enriched supplements to traditional laboratory models. J Neurosci Methods 2021; 362:109303. [PMID: 34352335 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
More than 24,000 rodent studies are published annually, with the vast majority of these studies focused on genetically undiverse animals in highly-controlled laboratory settings. However, findings from the laboratory have become increasingly unreliable for predicting outcomes in field and clinical settings, leading to a perceived crisis in translational research. One cause of this disparity might be that most human societies, in contrast to laboratory rodents, are genetically diverse and live in super-enriched environments. Methods for importing wild rats into the laboratory, and also exporting laboratory-style chambers into natural environments are not well-known outside their respective disciplines. Therefore, we have reviewed the current status of supplements to the laboratory rodent assay. We progress logically from highly-controlled experiments with natural breeding colonies to purely naturalistic approaches with free-ranging rats. We then highlight a number of approaches that allow genetically-diverse wild rats to be utilized in context-enriched paradigms. While considering the benefits and shortcomings of each available approach, we detail protocols for random sampling, remote-sensing, and deployment of laboratory chambers in the field. As supplements to standardized laboratory trials, some of these assays could offer key insights to help unify outcomes between laboratory and field studies. However, we note several outstanding questions that must be addressed such as: the trade-off between control and context, possible reductions in sample size, ramifications for the 'standardization fallacy', and ethical dilemmas of working with wild animals. Given these challenges, further innovation will be required before supplemental assays can be made broadly-accessible and thus, transferrable across disciplines.
Collapse
|
76
|
Xie Z, Wang M, Liu Z, Shang C, Zhang C, Sun L, Gu H, Ran G, Pei Q, Ma Q, Huang M, Zhang J, Lin R, Zhou Y, Zhang J, Zhao M, Luo M, Wu Q, Cao P, Wang X. Transcriptomic encoding of sensorimotor transformation in the midbrain. eLife 2021; 10:e69825. [PMID: 34318750 PMCID: PMC8341986 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensorimotor transformation, a process that converts sensory stimuli into motor actions, is critical for the brain to initiate behaviors. Although the circuitry involved in sensorimotor transformation has been well delineated, the molecular logic behind this process remains poorly understood. Here, we performed high-throughput and circuit-specific single-cell transcriptomic analyses of neurons in the superior colliculus (SC), a midbrain structure implicated in early sensorimotor transformation. We found that SC neurons in distinct laminae expressed discrete marker genes. Of particular interest, Cbln2 and Pitx2 were key markers that define glutamatergic projection neurons in the optic nerve (Op) and intermediate gray (InG) layers, respectively. The Cbln2+ neurons responded to visual stimuli mimicking cruising predators, while the Pitx2+ neurons encoded prey-derived vibrissal tactile cues. By forming distinct input and output connections with other brain areas, these neuronal subtypes independently mediated behaviors of predator avoidance and prey capture. Our results reveal that, in the midbrain, sensorimotor transformation for different behaviors may be performed by separate circuit modules that are molecularly defined by distinct transcriptomic codes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyong Xie
- National Institute of Biological SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Mengdi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (Shanghai), Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Zeyuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (Shanghai), Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Congping Shang
- Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory)GuangzhouChina
| | - Changjiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (Shanghai), Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Le Sun
- Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Huating Gu
- National Institute of Biological SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Gengxin Ran
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (Shanghai), Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Qing Pei
- National Institute of Biological SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Qiang Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (Shanghai), Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Meizhu Huang
- Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory)GuangzhouChina
| | - Junjing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Rui Lin
- National Institute of Biological SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Youtong Zhou
- National Institute of Biological SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Jiyao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Miao Zhao
- National Institute of Biological SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Minmin Luo
- National Institute of Biological SciencesBeijingChina
- Chinese Institute for Brain ResearchBeijingChina
| | - Qian Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Peng Cao
- National Institute of Biological SciencesBeijingChina
- Tsinghua Institute of Multidisciplinary Biomedical Research, Tsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Xiaoqun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (Shanghai), Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory)GuangzhouChina
- Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Chinese Institute for Brain ResearchBeijingChina
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Big Data-Based Precision Medicine, Beihang University & Capital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| |
Collapse
|
77
|
Cooper B, McPeek RM. Role of the Superior Colliculus in Guiding Movements Not Made by the Eyes. Annu Rev Vis Sci 2021; 7:279-300. [PMID: 34102067 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-vision-012521-102314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The superior colliculus (SC) has long been associated with the neural control of eye movements. Over seventy years ago, the orderly topography of saccade vectors and corresponding visual field locations was discovered in the cat SC. Since then, numerous high-impact studies have investigated and manipulated the relationship between visuotopic space and saccade vector across this topography to better understand the physiological underpinnings of the sensorimotor signal transformation. However, less attention has been paid to the other motor responses that may be associated with SC activity, ranging in complexity from concerted movements of skeletomotor muscle groups, such as arm-reaching movements, to behaviors that involve whole-body movement sequences, such as fight-or-flight responses in murine models. This review surveys these more complex movements associated with SC (optic tectum in nonmammalian species) activity and, where possible, provides phylogenetic and ethological perspective. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Vision Science, Volume 7 is September 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie Cooper
- Graduate Center for Vision Research, SUNY College of Optometry, New York, New York 10036, USA; ,
| | - Robert M McPeek
- Graduate Center for Vision Research, SUNY College of Optometry, New York, New York 10036, USA; ,
| |
Collapse
|
78
|
Lin X, Zou X, Ji Z, Huang T, Wu S, Mi Y. A brain-inspired computational model for spatio-temporal information processing. Neural Netw 2021; 143:74-87. [PMID: 34091238 DOI: 10.1016/j.neunet.2021.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Spatio-temporal information processing is fundamental in both brain functions and AI applications. Current strategies for spatio-temporal pattern recognition usually involve explicit feature extraction followed by feature aggregation, which requires a large amount of labeled data. In the present study, motivated by the subcortical visual pathway and early stages of the auditory pathway for motion and sound processing, we propose a novel brain-inspired computational model for generic spatio-temporal pattern recognition. The model consists of two modules, a reservoir module and a decision-making module. The former projects complex spatio-temporal patterns into spatially separated neural representations via its recurrent dynamics, the latter reads out neural representations via integrating information over time, and the two modules are linked together using known examples. Using synthetic data, we demonstrate that the model can extract the frequency and order information of temporal inputs. We apply the model to reproduce the looming pattern discrimination behavior as observed in experiments successfully. Furthermore, we apply the model to the gait recognition task, and demonstrate that our model accomplishes the recognition in an event-based manner and outperforms deep learning counterparts when training data is limited.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohan Lin
- School of Electronics Engineering and Computer Science, Peking University, No.5 Yiheyuan Road Haidian District, Beijing 100871, PR China.
| | - Xiaolong Zou
- School of Electronics Engineering and Computer Science, Peking University, No.5 Yiheyuan Road Haidian District, Beijing 100871, PR China; School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, PKU-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, No.5 Yiheyuan Road Haidian District, Beijing 100871, PR China.
| | - Zilong Ji
- School of Electronics Engineering and Computer Science, Peking University, No.5 Yiheyuan Road Haidian District, Beijing 100871, PR China; School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, PKU-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, No.5 Yiheyuan Road Haidian District, Beijing 100871, PR China.
| | - Tiejun Huang
- School of Electronics Engineering and Computer Science, Peking University, No.5 Yiheyuan Road Haidian District, Beijing 100871, PR China.
| | - Si Wu
- School of Electronics Engineering and Computer Science, Peking University, No.5 Yiheyuan Road Haidian District, Beijing 100871, PR China; School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, PKU-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, No.5 Yiheyuan Road Haidian District, Beijing 100871, PR China.
| | - Yuanyuan Mi
- Center for Neurointelligence, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, No.174 Shazhengjie, Shapingba, Chongqing 400044, PR China; AI Research Center, Peng Cheng Laboratory, No.2, Xingke First Street, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518005, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
79
|
Sumner-Rooney L, Kirwan JD, Lüter C, Ullrich-Lüter E. Run and hide: visual performance in a brittle star. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:jeb236653. [PMID: 34100540 PMCID: PMC8214828 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.236653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Spatial vision was recently reported in a brittle star, Ophiomastix wendtii, which lacks discrete eyes, but little is known about its visual ecology. Our aim was to better characterize the vision and visual ecology of this unusual visual system. We tested animal orientation relative to vertical bar stimuli at a range of angular widths and contrasts, to identify limits of angular and contrast detection. We also presented dynamic shadow stimuli, either looming towards or passing the animal overhead, to test for potential defensive responses. Finally, we presented animals lacking a single arm with a vertical bar stimulus known to elicit a response in intact animals. We found that O. wendtii orients to large (≥50 deg), high-contrast vertical bar stimuli, consistent with a shelter-seeking role and with photoreceptor acceptance angles estimated from morphology. We calculate poor optical sensitivity for individual photoreceptors, and predict dramatic oversampling for photoreceptor arrays. We also report responses to dark stimuli moving against a bright background - this is the first report of responses to moving stimuli in brittle stars and suggests additional defensive uses for vision in echinoderms. Finally, we found that animals missing a single arm orient less well to static stimuli, which requires further investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Sumner-Rooney
- Oxford University Museum of Natural History, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PW, UK
| | - John D. Kirwan
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Via Francesco Caracciolo, 333, 80122 Naples, Italy
| | - Carsten Lüter
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Invalidenstrasse 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Esther Ullrich-Lüter
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Invalidenstrasse 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
80
|
Memories are not written in stone: Re-writing fear memories by means of non-invasive brain stimulation and optogenetic manipulations. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 127:334-352. [PMID: 33964307 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.04.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The acquisition of fear associative memory requires brain processes of coordinated neural activity within the amygdala, prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus, thalamus and brainstem. After fear consolidation, a suppression of fear memory in the absence of danger is crucial to permit adaptive coping behavior. Acquisition and maintenance of fear extinction critically depend on amygdala-PFC projections. The robust correspondence between the brain networks encompassed cortical and subcortical hubs involved into fear processing in humans and in other species underscores the potential utility of comparing the modulation of brain circuitry in humans and animals, as a crucial step to inform the comprehension of fear mechanisms and the development of treatments for fear-related disorders. The present review is aimed at providing a comprehensive description of the literature on recent clinical and experimental researches regarding the noninvasive brain stimulation and optogenetics. These innovative manipulations applied over specific hubs of fear matrix during fear acquisition, consolidation, reconsolidation and extinction allow an accurate characterization of specific brain circuits and their peculiar interaction within the specific fear processing.
Collapse
|
81
|
Sans-Dublanc A, Chrzanowska A, Reinhard K, Lemmon D, Nuttin B, Lambert T, Montaldo G, Urban A, Farrow K. Optogenetic fUSI for brain-wide mapping of neural activity mediating collicular-dependent behaviors. Neuron 2021; 109:1888-1905.e10. [PMID: 33930307 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal cell types are arranged in brain-wide circuits that guide behavior. In mice, the superior colliculus innervates a set of targets that direct orienting and defensive actions. We combined functional ultrasound imaging (fUSI) with optogenetics to reveal the network of brain regions functionally activated by four collicular cell types. Stimulating each neuronal group triggered different behaviors and activated distinct sets of brain nuclei. This included regions not previously thought to mediate defensive behaviors, for example, the posterior paralaminar nuclei of the thalamus (PPnT), which we show to play a role in suppressing habituation. Neuronal recordings with Neuropixels probes show that (1) patterns of spiking activity and fUSI signals correlate well in space and (2) neurons in downstream nuclei preferentially respond to innately threatening visual stimuli. This work provides insight into the functional organization of the networks governing innate behaviors and demonstrates an experimental approach to explore the whole-brain neuronal activity downstream of targeted cell types.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arnau Sans-Dublanc
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Anna Chrzanowska
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katja Reinhard
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dani Lemmon
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium; Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical, and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Bram Nuttin
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Théo Lambert
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium; imec, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Gabriel Montaldo
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium; imec, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alan Urban
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Karl Farrow
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Leuven, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
82
|
Lopes G, Farrell K, Horrocks EAB, Lee CY, Morimoto MM, Muzzu T, Papanikolaou A, Rodrigues FR, Wheatcroft T, Zucca S, Solomon SG, Saleem AB. Creating and controlling visual environments using BonVision. eLife 2021; 10:e65541. [PMID: 33880991 PMCID: PMC8104957 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Real-time rendering of closed-loop visual environments is important for next-generation understanding of brain function and behaviour, but is often prohibitively difficult for non-experts to implement and is limited to few laboratories worldwide. We developed BonVision as an easy-to-use open-source software for the display of virtual or augmented reality, as well as standard visual stimuli. BonVision has been tested on humans and mice, and is capable of supporting new experimental designs in other animal models of vision. As the architecture is based on the open-source Bonsai graphical programming language, BonVision benefits from native integration with experimental hardware. BonVision therefore enables easy implementation of closed-loop experiments, including real-time interaction with deep neural networks, and communication with behavioural and physiological measurement and manipulation devices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Karolina Farrell
- UCL Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Edward AB Horrocks
- UCL Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Chi-Yu Lee
- UCL Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Mai M Morimoto
- UCL Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Tomaso Muzzu
- UCL Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Amalia Papanikolaou
- UCL Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Fabio R Rodrigues
- UCL Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Thomas Wheatcroft
- UCL Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Stefano Zucca
- UCL Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Samuel G Solomon
- UCL Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Aman B Saleem
- UCL Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
83
|
OFF-transient alpha RGCs mediate looming triggered innate defensive response. Curr Biol 2021; 31:2263-2273.e3. [PMID: 33798432 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Animals respond to visual threats, such as a looming object, with innate defensive behaviors. Here, we report that a specific type of retinal ganglion cell (RGC), the OFF-transient alpha RGC, is critical for the detection of looming objects. We identified Kcnip2 as its molecular marker. The activity of the Kcnip2-expressing RGCs encodes the size of the looming object. Ablation or suppression of these RGCs abolished or severely impaired the escape and freezing behaviors of mice in response to a looming object, while activation of their somas in the retina, or their axon terminals in the superior colliculus, triggered immediate escape behavior. Our results link the activity of a single type of RGC to visually triggered innate defensive behaviors and underscore that ethologically significant visual information is encoded by a labeled line strategy as early as in the retina.
Collapse
|
84
|
Basso MA, Bickford ME, Cang J. Unraveling circuits of visual perception and cognition through the superior colliculus. Neuron 2021; 109:918-937. [PMID: 33548173 PMCID: PMC7979487 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The superior colliculus is a conserved sensorimotor structure that integrates visual and other sensory information to drive reflexive behaviors. Although the evidence for this is strong and compelling, a number of experiments reveal a role for the superior colliculus in behaviors usually associated with the cerebral cortex, such as attention and decision-making. Indeed, in addition to collicular outputs targeting brainstem regions controlling movements, the superior colliculus also has ascending projections linking it to forebrain structures including the basal ganglia and amygdala, highlighting the fact that the superior colliculus, with its vast inputs and outputs, can influence processing throughout the neuraxis. Today, modern molecular and genetic methods combined with sophisticated behavioral assessments have the potential to make significant breakthroughs in our understanding of the evolution and conservation of neuronal cell types and circuits in the superior colliculus that give rise to simple and complex behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michele A Basso
- Fuster Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | | | - Jianhua Cang
- University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
85
|
Tafreshiha A, van der Burg SA, Smits K, Blömer LA, Heimel JA. Visual stimulus-specific habituation of innate defensive behaviour in mice. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:jeb.230433. [PMID: 33568444 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.230433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Innate defensive responses such as freezing or escape are essential for animal survival. Mice show defensive behaviour to stimuli sweeping overhead, like a bird cruising the sky. Here, we tested this in young male mice and found that mice reduced their defensive freezing after sessions with a stimulus passing overhead repeatedly. This habituation is stimulus specific, as mice freeze again to a novel shape. Habituation occurs regardless of the visual field location of the repeated stimulus. The mice generalized over a range of sizes and shapes, but distinguished objects when they differed in both size and shape. Innate visual defensive responses are thus strongly influenced by previous experience as mice learn to ignore specific stimuli.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Azadeh Tafreshiha
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sven A van der Burg
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kato Smits
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Laila A Blömer
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - J Alexander Heimel
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
86
|
Motivational competition and the paraventricular thalamus. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 125:193-207. [PMID: 33609570 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Although significant progress has been made in understanding the behavioral and brain mechanisms for motivational systems, much less is known about competition between motivational states or motivational conflict (e.g., approach - avoidance conflict). Despite being produced under diverse conditions, behavior during motivational competition has two signatures: bistability and metastability. These signatures reveal the operation of positive feedback mechanisms in behavioral selection. Different neuronal architectures can instantiate this selection to achieve bistability and metastability in behavior, but each relies on circuit-level inhibition to achieve rapid and stable selection between competing tendencies. Paraventricular thalamus (PVT) is identified as critical to this circuit level inhibition, resolving motivational competition via its extensive projections to local inhibitory networks in the ventral striatum and extended amygdala, enabling adaptive responding under motivational conflict.
Collapse
|
87
|
Barriers to inclusion: Service dog handlers in science laboratories. Disabil Health J 2021; 14:101070. [PMID: 33663994 DOI: 10.1016/j.dhjo.2021.101070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Despite institutional claims of the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM, people with disabilities remain under-represented. Current policies neglect to explicitly address inclusion of the growing population of students with disabilities who rely on service dogs, specifically in accessing teaching and research laboratories. With the increase in students registering for post-secondary disability services, the science community has outgrown general policies that primarily outline steps for exclusion of student service dog handlers. Here we discuss barriers and areas in need of improvement and then outline explicit guidelines for inclusion that are currently absent from existing policies. Particular concerns arise in teaching and research laboratories where live animals are present, and we recommend further research is needed to make informed decisions. In order to realize our vision of a diverse STEM workforce, academic institutions and professionals need to recognize barriers to inclusion and consider their role in making science accessible.
Collapse
|
88
|
Storchi R, Milosavljevic N, Allen AE, Zippo AG, Agnihotri A, Cootes TF, Lucas RJ. A High-Dimensional Quantification of Mouse Defensive Behaviors Reveals Enhanced Diversity and Stimulus Specificity. Curr Biol 2020; 30:4619-4630.e5. [PMID: 33007242 PMCID: PMC7728163 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Instinctive defensive behaviors, consisting of stereotyped sequences of movements and postures, are an essential component of the mouse behavioral repertoire. Since defensive behaviors can be reliably triggered by threatening sensory stimuli, the selection of the most appropriate action depends on the stimulus property. However, since the mouse has a wide repertoire of motor actions, it is not clear which set of movements and postures represent the relevant action. So far, this has been empirically identified as a change in locomotion state. However, the extent to which locomotion alone captures the diversity of defensive behaviors and their sensory specificity is unknown. To tackle this problem, we developed a method to obtain a faithful 3D reconstruction of the mouse body that enabled to quantify a wide variety of motor actions. This higher dimensional description revealed that defensive behaviors are more stimulus specific than indicated by locomotion data. Thus, responses to distinct stimuli that were equivalent in terms of locomotion (e.g., freezing induced by looming and sound) could be discriminated along other dimensions. The enhanced stimulus specificity was explained by a surprising diversity. A clustering analysis revealed that distinct combinations of movements and postures, giving rise to at least 7 different behaviors, were required to account for stimulus specificity. Moreover, each stimulus evoked more than one behavior, revealing a robust one-to-many mapping between sensations and behaviors that was not apparent from locomotion data. Our results indicate that diversity and sensory specificity of mouse defensive behaviors unfold in a higher dimensional space, spanning multiple motor actions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Storchi
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Science, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
| | - Nina Milosavljevic
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Science, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Annette E Allen
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Science, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Antonio G Zippo
- Institute of Neuroscience, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Milan, Italy
| | - Aayushi Agnihotri
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Science, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Timothy F Cootes
- Division of Informatics, Imaging & Data Science, School of Health Science, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Robert J Lucas
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Science, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| |
Collapse
|
89
|
Yilmaz Balban M, Cafaro E, Saue-Fletcher L, Washington MJ, Bijanzadeh M, Lee AM, Chang EF, Huberman AD. Human Responses to Visually Evoked Threat. Curr Biol 2020; 31:601-612.e3. [PMID: 33242389 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.11.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Vision is the primary sense humans use to evaluate and respond to threats. Understanding the biological underpinnings of the human threat response has been hindered by lack of realistic in-lab threat paradigms. We established an immersive virtual reality (VR) platform to simultaneously measure behavior, physiological state, and neural activity from the human brain using chronically implanted electrodes. Subjects with high anxiety showed increased visual scanning in response to threats as compared to healthy controls. In both healthy and anxious subjects, the amount of scanning behavior correlated with the magnitude of physiological arousal, suggesting that visual scanning behavior is directly linked to internal state. Intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) recordings from three subjects suggested that high-frequency gamma activity in the insula positively correlates with physiological arousal induced by visual threats and that low-frequency theta activity in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) negatively correlates with physiological arousal induced by visual threats. These findings reveal a key role of eye movements and suggest that distinct insula and OFC activation dynamics may be important for detecting and adjusting human stress in response to visually perceived threats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melis Yilmaz Balban
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Erin Cafaro
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Lauren Saue-Fletcher
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Marlon J Washington
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Maryam Bijanzadeh
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - A Moses Lee
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Edward F Chang
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Andrew D Huberman
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; BioX, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
90
|
Kim T, Shen N, Hsiang JC, Johnson KP, Kerschensteiner D. Dendritic and parallel processing of visual threats in the retina control defensive responses. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/47/eabc9920. [PMID: 33208370 PMCID: PMC7673819 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abc9920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Approaching predators cast expanding shadows (i.e., looming) that elicit innate defensive responses in most animals. Where looming is first detected and how critical parameters of predatory approaches are extracted are unclear. In mice, we identify a retinal interneuron (the VG3 amacrine cell) that responds robustly to looming, but not to related forms of motion. Looming-sensitive calcium transients are restricted to a specific layer of the VG3 dendrite arbor, which provides glutamatergic input to two ganglion cells (W3 and OFFα). These projection neurons combine shared excitation with dissimilar inhibition to signal approach onset and speed, respectively. Removal of VG3 amacrine cells reduces the excitation of W3 and OFFα ganglion cells and diminishes defensive responses of mice to looming without affecting other visual behaviors. Thus, the dendrites of a retinal interneuron detect visual threats, divergent circuits downstream extract critical threat parameters, and these retinal computations initiate an innate survival behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- T Kim
- John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - N Shen
- John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - J-C Hsiang
- John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - K P Johnson
- John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - D Kerschensteiner
- John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
- Department of Neurosciences, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| |
Collapse
|
91
|
Lees RN, Akbar AF, Badea TC. Retinal ganglion cell defects cause decision shifts in visually evoked defense responses. J Neurophysiol 2020; 124:1530-1549. [PMID: 32997561 PMCID: PMC8356780 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00474.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
A variety of visual cues can trigger defensive reactions in mice and other species. In mice, looming stimuli that mimic an approaching aerial predator elicit flight or freezing reactions, while sweeping stimuli that mimic an aerial predator flying parallel to the ground typically elicit freezing. The retinal ganglion cell (RGC) types involved in these circuits are largely unknown. We previously discovered that loss of RGC subpopulations in Brn3b knockout mice results in distinct visual response deficits. Here, we report that retinal or global loss of Brn3b selectively ablates the fleeing response to looming stimuli while leaving the freeze response intact. In contrast, freezing responses to sweeping stimuli are significantly affected. Genetic manipulations removing three RGC subpopulations (Brn3a+ betta RGCs, Opn4+Brn3b+, and Brn3c+Brn3b+ RGCs) result in milder phenocopies of Brn3b knockout response deficits. These findings show that flight and freezing responses to distinct visual cues are mediated by circuits that can already be separated at the level of the retina, potentially by enlisting dedicated RGC types.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Flight and freezing response choices evoked by visual stimuli are controlled by brain stem and thalamic circuits. Genetically modified mice with loss of specific retinal ganglion cell (RGC) subpopulations have altered flight versus freezing choices in response to some but not other visual stimuli. This finding suggests that "threatening" visual stimuli may be computed already at the level of the retina and communicated via dedicated pathways (RGCs) to the brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Nicole Lees
- Retinal Circuit Development and Genetics Unit, Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Armaan Fazal Akbar
- Retinal Circuit Development and Genetics Unit, Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Tudor Constantin Badea
- Retinal Circuit Development and Genetics Unit, Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| |
Collapse
|
92
|
Paz A, McDole B, Kowalko JE, Duboue ER, Keene AC. Evolution of the acoustic startle response of Mexican cavefish. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART B, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2020; 334:474-485. [PMID: 32779370 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The ability to detect threatening stimuli and initiate an escape response is essential for survival and under stringent evolutionary pressure. In diverse fish species, acoustic stimuli activate Mauthner neurons, which initiate a C-start escape response. This reflexive behavior is highly conserved across aquatic species and provides a model for investigating the neural mechanism underlying the evolution of escape behavior. Here, we characterize evolved differences in the C-start response between populations of the Mexican cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus. Cave populations of A. mexicanus inhabit an environment devoid of light and macroscopic predators, resulting in evolved differences in various morphological and behavioral traits. We find that the C-start is present in river-dwelling surface fish and multiple populations of cavefish, but that response kinematics and probability differ between populations. The Pachón population of cavefish exhibits an increased response probability, a slower response latency and speed, and reduction of the maximum bend angle, revealing evolved differences between surface and cave populations. Analysis of the responses of two other independently evolved populations of cavefish, revealed the repeated evolution of reduced angular speed. Investigation of surface-cave hybrids reveals a correlation between angular speed and peak angle, suggesting these two kinematic characteristics are related at the genetic or functional levels. Together, these findings provide support for the use of A. mexicanus as a model to investigate the evolution of escape behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Paz
- Department of Biological Science, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida, USA
| | - Brittnee McDole
- Department of Biological Science, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida, USA
| | - Johanna E Kowalko
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida, USA
| | - Erik R Duboue
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida, USA
| | - Alex C Keene
- Department of Biological Science, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida, USA
| |
Collapse
|
93
|
Farnworth B, Innes J, Davy M, Little L, Cave V, Waas JR. Antipredator responses of ship rats to visual stimuli: combining unimodal predation cues generates risk avoidance. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
|
94
|
Deichler A, Carrasco D, Lopez-Jury L, Vega-Zuniga T, Márquez N, Mpodozis J, Marín GJ. A specialized reciprocal connectivity suggests a link between the mechanisms by which the superior colliculus and parabigeminal nucleus produce defensive behaviors in rodents. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16220. [PMID: 33004866 PMCID: PMC7530999 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72848-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The parabigeminal nucleus (PBG) is the mammalian homologue to the isthmic complex of other vertebrates. Optogenetic stimulation of the PBG induces freezing and escape in mice, a result thought to be caused by a PBG projection to the central nucleus of the amygdala. However, the isthmic complex, including the PBG, has been classically considered satellite nuclei of the Superior Colliculus (SC), which upon stimulation of its medial part also triggers fear and avoidance reactions. As the PBG-SC connectivity is not well characterized, we investigated whether the topology of the PBG projection to the SC could be related to the behavioral consequences of PBG stimulation. To that end, we performed immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization and neural tracer injections in the SC and PBG in a diurnal rodent, the Octodon degus. We found that all PBG neurons expressed both glutamatergic and cholinergic markers and were distributed in clearly defined anterior (aPBG) and posterior (pPBG) subdivisions. The pPBG is connected reciprocally and topographically to the ipsilateral SC, whereas the aPBG receives afferent axons from the ipsilateral SC and projected exclusively to the contralateral SC. This contralateral projection forms a dense field of terminals that is restricted to the medial SC, in correspondence with the SC representation of the aerial binocular field which, we also found, in O. degus prompted escape reactions upon looming stimulation. Therefore, this specialized topography allows binocular interactions in the SC region controlling responses to aerial predators, suggesting a link between the mechanisms by which the SC and PBG produce defensive behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso Deichler
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología Y Biología del Conocer, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras, 3425, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Denisse Carrasco
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología Y Biología del Conocer, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras, 3425, Santiago, Chile
| | - Luciana Lopez-Jury
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología Y Biología del Conocer, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras, 3425, Santiago, Chile
| | - Tomas Vega-Zuniga
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Natalia Márquez
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología Y Biología del Conocer, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras, 3425, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jorge Mpodozis
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología Y Biología del Conocer, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras, 3425, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gonzalo J Marín
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología Y Biología del Conocer, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras, 3425, Santiago, Chile.
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Finis Terrae, Santiago, Chile.
| |
Collapse
|
95
|
Abstract
A retina completely devoid of topographic variations would be homogenous, encoding any given feature uniformly across the visual field. In a naive view, such homogeneity would appear advantageous. However, it is now clear that retinal topographic variations exist across mammalian species in a variety of forms and patterns. We briefly review some of the more established topographic variations in retinas of different mammalian species and focus on the recent discovery that cells belonging to a single neuronal subtype may exhibit distinct topographic variations in distribution, morphology, and even function. We concentrate on the mouse retina-originally viewed as homogenous-in which genetic labeling of distinct neuronal subtypes and other advanced techniques have revealed unexpected anatomical and physiological topographic variations. Notably, different subtypes reveal different patterns of nonuniformity, which may even be opposite or orthogonal to one another. These topographic variations in the encoding of visual space should be considered when studying visual processing in the retina and beyond.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alina Sophie Heukamp
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel; , ,
| | - Rebekah Anne Warwick
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel; , ,
| | - Michal Rivlin-Etzion
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel; , ,
| |
Collapse
|
96
|
Procacci NM, Allen KM, Robb GE, Ijekah R, Lynam H, Hoy JL. Context-dependent modulation of natural approach behaviour in mice. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201189. [PMID: 32873203 PMCID: PMC7542797 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Specific features of visual objects innately draw approach responses in animals, and provide natural signals of potential reward. However, visual sampling behaviours and the detection of salient, rewarding stimuli are context and behavioural state-dependent and it remains unclear how visual perception and orienting responses change with specific expectations. To start to address this question, we employed a virtual stimulus orienting paradigm based on prey capture to quantify the conditional expression of visual stimulus-evoked innate approaches in freely moving mice. We found that specific combinations of stimulus features selectively evoked innate approach or freezing responses when stimuli were unexpected. We discovered that prey capture experience, and therefore the expectation of prey in the environment, selectively modified approach frequency, as well as altered those visual features that evoked approach. Thus, we found that mice exhibit robust and selective orienting responses to parameterized visual stimuli that can be robustly and specifically modified via natural experience. This work provides critical insight into how natural appetitive behaviours are driven by both specific features of visual motion and internal states that alter stimulus salience.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kelsey M. Allen
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Gael E. Robb
- Department of Neuroscience, University of St Thomas, St Paul, MN 55105, USA
| | - Rebecca Ijekah
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Hudson Lynam
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Jennifer L. Hoy
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| |
Collapse
|
97
|
Kim D, Jeong YC, Park C, Shin A, Min KW, Jo S, Kim D. Interactive virtual objects attract attention and induce exploratory behaviours in rats. Behav Brain Res 2020; 392:112737. [PMID: 32504729 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Animals use visual information to recognize the value of objects and respond with different behaviours, such as evasion or approach. While rodents show defensive behaviour toward an artificial looming stimulus that mimics an approaching avian predator, the visual feature that attracts them to targets with positive value, such as prey, remains unclear. Here, we reveal that rats show curiosity-related behaviours towards a virtual object on screen when it moves interactively with their movements, whereas they show less response to a static object, a regularly moving object, or interactive dislocation of the background. To mimic evading prey, we programmed the object to shrink when touched. Rats preferentially responded to interactive shrinking over interactive enlargement. These results suggest that rats exhibit a selective response to interactive objects. This would seem to be an efficient strategy for finding optimal prey using the evolutionarily conserved prey-predator relationship.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daekyum Kim
- School of Computing, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Cheol Jeong
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Chanmin Park
- School of Computing, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Anna Shin
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung Wan Min
- School of Computing, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungho Jo
- School of Computing, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Daesoo Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; KAIST Institute of Artificial Intelligence, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
98
|
Yang X, Liu Q, Zhong J, Song R, Zhang L, Wang L. A simple threat-detection strategy in mice. BMC Biol 2020; 18:93. [PMID: 32727449 PMCID: PMC7388474 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-020-00825-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Avoiding danger and accessing environmental resources are two fundamental, yet conflicting, survival instincts across species. To maintain a balance between these instincts, animals must efficiently distinguish approaching threats from low-threat cues. However, little is known about the key visual features that animals use to promptly detect such imminent danger and thus facilitate an immediate and appropriate behavioral response. RESULTS We used an automatic behavior detection system in mice to quantify innate defensive behaviors, including freezing, flight, and rearing, to a series of looming visual stimuli with varying expanding speeds and varying initial and final sizes. Looming visual stimuli within a specific "alert range" induced flight behavior in mice. Looming stimuli with an angular size of 10-40° and an expanding speed of 57-320°/s were in this range. Stimuli with relatively low expanding speeds tended to trigger freezing behavior, while those with relatively high expanding speeds tended to trigger rearing behavior. If approaching objects are in this "alert range," their visual features will trigger a flight response; however, non-threatening objects, based on object size and speed, will not. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate a simple strategy in mice that is used to detect predators and suggest countermeasures that predators may have taken to overcome these defensive strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xing Yang
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Neuropsychiatric Modulation and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Qingqing Liu
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Neuropsychiatric Modulation and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Jinling Zhong
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Neuropsychiatric Modulation and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ru Song
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Neuropsychiatric Modulation and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Lin Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Neuropsychiatric Modulation and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Liping Wang
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Neuropsychiatric Modulation and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
| |
Collapse
|
99
|
Abstract
Escape is one of the most studied animal behaviors, and there is a rich normative theory that links threat properties to evasive actions and their timing. The behavioral principles of escape are evolutionarily conserved and rely on elementary computational steps such as classifying sensory stimuli and executing appropriate movements. These are common building blocks of general adaptive behaviors. Here we consider the computational challenges required for escape behaviors to be implemented, discuss possible algorithmic solutions, and review some of the underlying neural circuits and mechanisms. We outline shared neural principles that can be implemented by evolutionarily ancient neural systems to generate escape behavior, to which cortical encephalization has been added to allow for increased sophistication and flexibility in responding to threat.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiago Branco
- UCL Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, London W1T 4JG, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Redgrave
- Department of Psychology, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 2LT, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
100
|
Tanaka R, Clark DA. Object-Displacement-Sensitive Visual Neurons Drive Freezing in Drosophila. Curr Biol 2020; 30:2532-2550.e8. [PMID: 32442466 PMCID: PMC8716191 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.04.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Visual systems are often equipped with neurons that detect small moving objects, which may represent prey, predators, or conspecifics. Although the processing properties of those neurons have been studied in diverse organisms, links between the proposed algorithms and animal behaviors or circuit mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we have investigated behavioral function, computational algorithm, and neurochemical mechanisms of an object-selective neuron, LC11, in Drosophila. With genetic silencing and optogenetic activation, we show that LC11 is necessary for a visual object-induced stopping behavior in walking flies, a form of short-term freezing, and its activity can promote stopping. We propose a new quantitative model for small object selectivity based on the physiology and anatomy of LC11 and its inputs. The model accurately reproduces LC11 responses by pooling fast-adapting, tightly size-tuned inputs. Direct visualization of neurotransmitter inputs to LC11 confirmed the model conjectures about upstream processing. Our results demonstrate how adaptation can enhance selectivity for behaviorally relevant, dynamic visual features.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryosuke Tanaka
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Damon A Clark
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
| |
Collapse
|