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Spatiotemporal expression of IgLON family members in the developing mouse nervous system. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19536. [PMID: 34599206 PMCID: PMC8486791 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97768-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Differential expression of cell adhesion molecules in neuronal populations is one of the many mechanisms promoting the formation of functional neural circuits in the developing nervous system. The IgLON family consists of five cell surface immunoglobulin proteins that have been associated with various developmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and major depressive disorder. However, there is still limited and fragmented information about their patterns of expression in certain regions of the developing nervous system and how their expression contributes to their function. Utilizing an in situ hybridization approach, we have analyzed the spatiotemporal expression of all IgLON family members in the developing mouse brain, spinal cord, eye, olfactory epithelium, and vomeronasal organ. At one prenatal (E16) and two postnatal (P0 and P15) ages, we show that each IgLON displays distinct expression patterns in the olfactory system, cerebral cortex, midbrain, cerebellum, spinal cord, and eye, indicating that they likely contribute to the wiring of specific neuronal circuitry. These analyses will inform future functional studies aimed at identifying additional roles for these proteins in nervous system development.
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52
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Sippy T, Chaimowitz C, Crochet S, Petersen CCH. Cell Type-Specific Membrane Potential Changes in Dorsolateral Striatum Accompanying Reward-Based Sensorimotor Learning. FUNCTION (OXFORD, ENGLAND) 2021; 2:zqab049. [PMID: 35330797 PMCID: PMC8788857 DOI: 10.1093/function/zqab049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The striatum integrates sensorimotor and motivational signals, likely playing a key role in reward-based learning of goal-directed behavior. However, cell type-specific mechanisms underlying reinforcement learning remain to be precisely determined. Here, we investigated changes in membrane potential dynamics of dorsolateral striatal neurons comparing naïve mice and expert mice trained to lick a reward spout in response to whisker deflection. We recorded from three distinct cell types: (i) direct pathway striatonigral neurons, which express type 1 dopamine receptors; (ii) indirect pathway striatopallidal neurons, which express type 2 dopamine receptors; and (iii) tonically active, putative cholinergic, striatal neurons. Task learning was accompanied by cell type-specific changes in the membrane potential dynamics evoked by the whisker deflection and licking in successfully-performed trials. Both striatonigral and striatopallidal types of striatal projection neurons showed enhanced task-related depolarization across learning. Striatonigral neurons showed a prominent increase in a short latency sensory-evoked depolarization in expert compared to naïve mice. In contrast, the putative cholinergic striatal neurons developed a hyperpolarizing response across learning, driving a pause in their firing. Our results reveal cell type-specific changes in striatal membrane potential dynamics across the learning of a simple goal-directed sensorimotor transformation, helpful for furthering the understanding of the various potential roles of different basal ganglia circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Corryn Chaimowitz
- Department of Psychiatry and Physiology and Neuroscience, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
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53
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Mease RA, Gonzalez AJ. Corticothalamic Pathways From Layer 5: Emerging Roles in Computation and Pathology. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:730211. [PMID: 34566583 PMCID: PMC8458899 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.730211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Large portions of the thalamus receive strong driving input from cortical layer 5 (L5) neurons but the role of this important pathway in cortical and thalamic computations is not well understood. L5-recipient "higher-order" thalamic regions participate in cortico-thalamo-cortical (CTC) circuits that are increasingly recognized to be (1) anatomically and functionally distinct from better-studied "first-order" CTC networks, and (2) integral to cortical activity related to learning and perception. Additionally, studies are beginning to elucidate the clinical relevance of these networks, as dysfunction across these pathways have been implicated in several pathological states. In this review, we highlight recent advances in understanding L5 CTC networks across sensory modalities and brain regions, particularly studies leveraging cell-type-specific tools that allow precise experimental access to L5 CTC circuits. We aim to provide a focused and accessible summary of the anatomical, physiological, and computational properties of L5-originating CTC networks, and outline their underappreciated contribution in pathology. We particularly seek to connect single-neuron and synaptic properties to network (dys)function and emerging theories of cortical computation, and highlight information processing in L5 CTC networks as a promising focus for computational studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A. Mease
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical Biophysics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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54
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NMDA receptor-BK channel coupling regulates synaptic plasticity in the barrel cortex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2107026118. [PMID: 34453004 PMCID: PMC8536339 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2107026118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are critical triggers for neuronal plasticity. We show that large-conductance Ca2+- and voltage-gated K+ (BK) channels serve as feedback regulators of NMDA receptor–mediated calcium influx to shape NMDA receptor–mediated synaptic potentials and consequently elevate the threshold for triggering plasticity at a subset of synapses. Postsynaptic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are crucial mediators of synaptic plasticity due to their ability to act as coincidence detectors of presynaptic and postsynaptic neuronal activity. However, NMDARs exist within the molecular context of a variety of postsynaptic signaling proteins, which can fine-tune their function. Here, we describe a form of NMDAR suppression by large-conductance Ca2+- and voltage-gated K+ (BK) channels in the basal dendrites of a subset of barrel cortex layer 5 pyramidal neurons. We show that NMDAR activation increases intracellular Ca2+ in the vicinity of BK channels, thus activating K+ efflux and strong negative feedback inhibition. We further show that neurons exhibiting such NMDAR–BK coupling serve as high-pass filters for incoming synaptic inputs, precluding the induction of spike timing–dependent plasticity. Together, these data suggest that NMDAR-localized BK channels regulate synaptic integration and provide input-specific synaptic diversity to a thalamocortical circuit.
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55
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Kim N, Bahn S, Choi JH, Kim JS, Rah JC. Synapses from the Motor Cortex and a High-Order Thalamic Nucleus are Spatially Clustered in Proximity to Each Other in the Distal Tuft Dendrites of Mouse Somatosensory Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:737-754. [PMID: 34355731 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The posterior medial nucleus of the thalamus (POm) and vibrissal primary motor cortex (vM1) convey essential information to the barrel cortex (S1BF) regarding whisker position and movement. Therefore, understanding the relative spatial relationship of these two inputs is a critical prerequisite for acquiring insights into how S1BF synthesizes information to interpret the location of an object. Using array tomography, we identified the locations of synapses from vM1 and POm on distal tuft dendrites of L5 pyramidal neurons where the two inputs are combined. Synapses from vM1 and POm did not show a significant branchlet preference and impinged on the same set of dendritic branchlets. Within dendritic branches, on the other hand, the two inputs formed robust spatial clusters of their own type. Furthermore, we also observed POm clusters in proximity to vM1 clusters. This work constitutes the first detailed description of the relative distribution of synapses from POm and vM1, which is crucial to elucidate the synaptic integration of whisker-based sensory information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nari Kim
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41067, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangkyu Bahn
- Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41067, Republic of Korea
| | - Joon Ho Choi
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41067, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinseop S Kim
- Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41067, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Cheol Rah
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41067, Republic of Korea.,Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science & Technology, Daegu 42988, Republic of Korea
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56
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Circuit mechanisms for cortical plasticity and learning. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 125:68-75. [PMID: 34332885 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The cerebral cortex integrates sensory information with emotional states and internal representations to produce coherent percepts, form associations, and execute voluntary actions. For the cortex to optimize perception, its neuronal network needs to dynamically retrieve and encode new information. Over the last few decades, research has started to provide insight into how the cortex serves these functions. Building on classical Hebbian plasticity models, the latest hypotheses hold that throughout experience and learning, streams of feedforward, feedback, and modulatory information operate in selective and coordinated manners to alter the strength of synapses and ultimately change the response properties of cortical neurons. Here, we describe cortical plasticity mechanisms that involve the concerted action of feedforward and long-range feedback input onto pyramidal neurons as well as the implication of local disinhibitory circuit motifs in this process.
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57
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Esmaeili V, Tamura K, Muscinelli SP, Modirshanechi A, Boscaglia M, Lee AB, Oryshchuk A, Foustoukos G, Liu Y, Crochet S, Gerstner W, Petersen CCH. Rapid suppression and sustained activation of distinct cortical regions for a delayed sensory-triggered motor response. Neuron 2021; 109:2183-2201.e9. [PMID: 34077741 PMCID: PMC8285666 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The neuronal mechanisms generating a delayed motor response initiated by a sensory cue remain elusive. Here, we tracked the precise sequence of cortical activity in mice transforming a brief whisker stimulus into delayed licking using wide-field calcium imaging, multiregion high-density electrophysiology, and time-resolved optogenetic manipulation. Rapid activity evoked by whisker deflection acquired two prominent features for task performance: (1) an enhanced excitation of secondary whisker motor cortex, suggesting its important role connecting whisker sensory processing to lick motor planning; and (2) a transient reduction of activity in orofacial sensorimotor cortex, which contributed to suppressing premature licking. Subsequent widespread cortical activity during the delay period largely correlated with anticipatory movements, but when these were accounted for, a focal sustained activity remained in frontal cortex, which was causally essential for licking in the response period. Our results demonstrate key cortical nodes for motor plan generation and timely execution in delayed goal-directed licking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vahid Esmaeili
- Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Keita Tamura
- Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Samuel P Muscinelli
- Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alireza Modirshanechi
- Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Marta Boscaglia
- Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ashley B Lee
- Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anastasiia Oryshchuk
- Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Georgios Foustoukos
- Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Yanqi Liu
- Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sylvain Crochet
- Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Wulfram Gerstner
- Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Carl C H Petersen
- Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
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58
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O'Reilly C, Iavarone E, Yi J, Hill SL. Rodent somatosensory thalamocortical circuitry: Neurons, synapses, and connectivity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 126:213-235. [PMID: 33766672 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
As our understanding of the thalamocortical system deepens, the questions we face become more complex. Their investigation requires the adoption of novel experimental approaches complemented with increasingly sophisticated computational modeling. In this review, we take stock of current data and knowledge about the circuitry of the somatosensory thalamocortical loop in rodents, discussing common principles across modalities and species whenever appropriate. We review the different levels of organization, including the cells, synapses, neuroanatomy, and network connectivity. We provide a complete overview of this system that should be accessible for newcomers to this field while nevertheless being comprehensive enough to serve as a reference for seasoned neuroscientists and computational modelers studying the thalamocortical system. We further highlight key gaps in data and knowledge that constitute pressing targets for future experimental work. Filling these gaps would provide invaluable information for systematically unveiling how this system supports behavioral and cognitive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian O'Reilly
- Azrieli Centre for Autism Research, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Ronin Institute, Montclair, NJ, USA; Blue Brain Project, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Elisabetta Iavarone
- Blue Brain Project, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jane Yi
- Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sean L Hill
- Blue Brain Project, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.
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59
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Doron G, Shin JN, Takahashi N, Drüke M, Bocklisch C, Skenderi S, de Mont L, Toumazou M, Ledderose J, Brecht M, Naud R, Larkum ME. Perirhinal input to neocortical layer 1 controls learning. Science 2021; 370:370/6523/eaaz3136. [PMID: 33335033 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaz3136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Hippocampal output influences memory formation in the neocortex, but this process is poorly understood because the precise anatomical location and the underlying cellular mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we show that perirhinal input, predominantly to sensory cortical layer 1 (L1), controls hippocampal-dependent associative learning in rodents. This process was marked by the emergence of distinct firing responses in defined subpopulations of layer 5 (L5) pyramidal neurons whose tuft dendrites receive perirhinal inputs in L1. Learning correlated with burst firing and the enhancement of dendritic excitability, and it was suppressed by disruption of dendritic activity. Furthermore, bursts, but not regular spike trains, were sufficient to retrieve learned behavior. We conclude that hippocampal information arriving at L5 tuft dendrites in neocortical L1 mediates memory formation in the neocortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy Doron
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-10117 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Jiyun N Shin
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Naoya Takahashi
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Moritz Drüke
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christina Bocklisch
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Salina Skenderi
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Lisa de Mont
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Maria Toumazou
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Julia Ledderose
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Brecht
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-10115 Berlin, Germany.,NeuroCure Cluster, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Richard Naud
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Institute, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada.,Department of Physics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Matthew E Larkum
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-10117 Berlin, Germany. .,NeuroCure Cluster, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
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60
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Akondi V, Kowalski B, Burns SA, Dubra A. Dynamic distortion in resonant galvanometric optical scanners. OPTICA 2020; 7:1506-1513. [PMID: 34368405 PMCID: PMC8345821 DOI: 10.1364/optica.405187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
High-speed optical systems are revolutionizing biomedical imaging in microscopy, DNA sequencing, and flow cytometry, as well as numerous other applications, including data storage, display technologies, printing, and autonomous vehicles. These systems often achieve the necessary imaging or sensing speed through the use of resonant galvanometric optical scanners. Here, we show that the optical performance of these devices suffers due to the dynamic mirror distortion that arises from the variation in torque with angular displacement. In one of two scanners tested, these distortions result in a variation of signal-to-noise (Strehl) ratio by an order of magnitude across the field of view, degrading transverse resolution by more than a factor of 2. This mirror distortion could be mitigated through the use of stiffer materials, such as beryllium or silicon carbide, at the expense of surface roughness, as these cannot be polished to the same degree of smoothness as common optical glasses. The repeatability of the dynamic distortion indicates that computational and optical corrective methods are also possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vyas Akondi
- Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California 94303, USA
- Corresponding author:
| | | | - Stephen A. Burns
- Indiana University School of Optometry, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA
| | - Alfredo Dubra
- Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California 94303, USA
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61
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Esmaeili V, Tamura K, Foustoukos G, Oryshchuk A, Crochet S, Petersen CC. Cortical circuits for transforming whisker sensation into goal-directed licking. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2020; 65:38-48. [PMID: 33065332 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2020.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Animals can learn to use sensory stimuli to generate motor actions in order to obtain rewards. However, the precise neuronal circuits driving learning and execution of a specific goal-directed sensory-to-motor transformation remain to be elucidated. Here, we review progress in understanding the contribution of cortical neuronal circuits to a task in which head-restrained water-restricted mice learn to lick a reward spout in response to whisker deflection. We first examine 'innate' pathways for whisker sensory processing and licking motor control, and then discuss how these might become linked through reward-based learning, perhaps enabled by cholinergic-gated and dopaminergic-gated plasticity. The aim is to uncover the synaptically connected neuronal pathways that mediate reward-based learning and execution of a well-defined sensory-to-motor transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vahid Esmaeili
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland
| | - Keita Tamura
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland
| | - Georgios Foustoukos
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland
| | - Anastasiia Oryshchuk
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland
| | - Sylvain Crochet
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland
| | - Carl Ch Petersen
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland.
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62
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Staiger JF, Petersen CCH. Neuronal Circuits in Barrel Cortex for Whisker Sensory Perception. Physiol Rev 2020; 101:353-415. [PMID: 32816652 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00019.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The array of whiskers on the snout provides rodents with tactile sensory information relating to the size, shape and texture of objects in their immediate environment. Rodents can use their whiskers to detect stimuli, distinguish textures, locate objects and navigate. Important aspects of whisker sensation are thought to result from neuronal computations in the whisker somatosensory cortex (wS1). Each whisker is individually represented in the somatotopic map of wS1 by an anatomical unit named a 'barrel' (hence also called barrel cortex). This allows precise investigation of sensory processing in the context of a well-defined map. Here, we first review the signaling pathways from the whiskers to wS1, and then discuss current understanding of the various types of excitatory and inhibitory neurons present within wS1. Different classes of cells can be defined according to anatomical, electrophysiological and molecular features. The synaptic connectivity of neurons within local wS1 microcircuits, as well as their long-range interactions and the impact of neuromodulators, are beginning to be understood. Recent technological progress has allowed cell-type-specific connectivity to be related to cell-type-specific activity during whisker-related behaviors. An important goal for future research is to obtain a causal and mechanistic understanding of how selected aspects of tactile sensory information are processed by specific types of neurons in the synaptically connected neuronal networks of wS1 and signaled to downstream brain areas, thus contributing to sensory-guided decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochen F Staiger
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute for Neuroanatomy, Göttingen, Germany; and Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Faculty of Life Sciences, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Carl C H Petersen
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute for Neuroanatomy, Göttingen, Germany; and Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Faculty of Life Sciences, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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63
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Vavladeli A, Daigle T, Zeng H, Crochet S, Petersen CCH. Projection-specific Activity of Layer 2/3 Neurons Imaged in Mouse Primary Somatosensory Barrel Cortex During a Whisker Detection Task. FUNCTION (OXFORD, ENGLAND) 2020; 1:zqaa008. [PMID: 35330741 PMCID: PMC8788860 DOI: 10.1093/function/zqaa008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 06/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The brain processes sensory information in a context- and learning-dependent manner for adaptive behavior. Through reward-based learning, relevant sensory stimuli can become linked to execution of specific actions associated with positive outcomes. The neuronal circuits involved in such goal-directed sensory-to-motor transformations remain to be precisely determined. Studying simple learned sensorimotor transformations in head-restrained mice offers the opportunity for detailed measurements of cellular activity during task performance. Here, we trained mice to lick a reward spout in response to a whisker deflection and an auditory tone. Through two-photon calcium imaging of retrogradely labeled neurons, we found that neurons located in primary whisker somatosensory barrel cortex projecting to secondary whisker somatosensory cortex had larger calcium signals than neighboring neurons projecting to primary whisker motor cortex in response to whisker deflection and auditory stimulation, as well as before spontaneous licking. Longitudinal imaging of the same neurons revealed that these projection-specific responses were relatively stable across 3 days. In addition, the activity of neurons projecting to secondary whisker somatosensory cortex was more highly correlated than for neurons projecting to primary whisker motor cortex. The large and correlated activity of neurons projecting to secondary whisker somatosensory cortex might enhance the pathway-specific signaling of important sensory information contributing to task execution. Our data support the hypothesis that communication between primary and secondary somatosensory cortex might be an early critical step in whisker sensory perception. More generally, our data suggest the importance of investigating projection-specific neuronal activity in distinct populations of intermingled excitatory neocortical neurons during task performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angeliki Vavladeli
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tanya Daigle
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Hongkui Zeng
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Sylvain Crochet
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Carl C H Petersen
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland,Corresponding author. E-mail:
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