151
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Kerlin A, Mohar B, Flickinger D, MacLennan BJ, Dean MB, Davis C, Spruston N, Svoboda K. Functional clustering of dendritic activity during decision-making. eLife 2019; 8:46966. [PMID: 31663507 PMCID: PMC6821494 DOI: 10.7554/elife.46966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The active properties of dendrites can support local nonlinear operations, but previous imaging and electrophysiological measurements have produced conflicting views regarding the prevalence and selectivity of local nonlinearities in vivo. We imaged calcium signals in pyramidal cell dendrites in the motor cortex of mice performing a tactile decision task. A custom microscope allowed us to image the soma and up to 300 μm of contiguous dendrite at 15 Hz, while resolving individual spines. New analysis methods were used to estimate the frequency and spatial scales of activity in dendritic branches and spines. The majority of dendritic calcium transients were coincident with global events. However, task-associated calcium signals in dendrites and spines were compartmentalized by dendritic branching and clustered within branches over approximately 10 μm. Diverse behavior-related signals were intermingled and distributed throughout the dendritic arbor, potentially supporting a large learning capacity in individual neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Kerlin
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Boaz Mohar
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Daniel Flickinger
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Bryan J MacLennan
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Matthew B Dean
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Courtney Davis
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Nelson Spruston
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Karel Svoboda
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
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152
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Sigl-Glöckner J, Maier E, Takahashi N, Sachdev R, Larkum M, Brecht M. Effects of Sexual Experience and Puberty on Mouse Genital Cortex revealed by Chronic Imaging. Curr Biol 2019; 29:3588-3599.e4. [PMID: 31630949 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.08.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The topographic map in layer 4 of somatosensory cortex is usually specified early postnatally and stable thereafter. Genital cortex, however, undergoes a sex-hormone- and sexual-touch-dependent pubertal expansion. Here, we image pubertal development of genital cortex in Scnn1a-Tg3-Cre mice, where transgene expression has been shown to be restricted to layer 4 neurons with primary sensory cortex identity. Interestingly, during puberty, the number of Scnn1a+ neurons roughly doubled within genital cortex. The increase of Scnn1a+ neurons was gradual and rapidly advanced by initial sexual experience. Neurons that gained Scnn1a expression comprised stellate and pyramidal neurons in layer 4. Unlike during neonatal development, pyramids did not retract their apical dendrites during puberty. Calcium imaging revealed stronger genital-touch responses in Scnn1a+ neurons in males versus females and a developmental increase in responsiveness in females. The first sexual interaction is a unique physical experience that often creates long-lasting memories. We suggest such experience uniquely alters somatosensory body maps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Sigl-Glöckner
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Philippstr. 13, Haus 6, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Eduard Maier
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Philippstr. 13, Haus 6, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Naoya Takahashi
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10437 Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Sachdev
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10437 Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthew Larkum
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10437 Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Brecht
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Philippstr. 13, Haus 6, 10115 Berlin, Germany.
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153
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Augusto E, Gambino F. Can NMDA Spikes Dictate Computations of Local Networks and Behavior? Front Mol Neurosci 2019; 12:238. [PMID: 31611774 PMCID: PMC6777373 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2019.00238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Intelligence is the ability to learn appropriate responses to stimuli and the capacity to master new skills. Synaptic integration at the dendritic level is thought to be essential for this ability through linear and non-linear processing, by allowing neurons to be tuned to relevant information and to maximize adaptive behavior. Showing that dendrites are able to generate local computations that influence how animals perceive the world, form a new memory or learn a new skill was a break-through in neuroscience, since in the past they were seen as passive elements of the neurons, just funneling information to the soma. Here, we provide an overview of the role of dendritic integration in improving the neuronal network and behavioral performance. We focus on how NMDA spikes are generated and their role in neuronal computation for optimal behavioral output based on recent in vivo studies on rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabete Augusto
- UMR5297 CNRS Centre Broca Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Interdisciplinary Institute for NeuroScience, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Frédéric Gambino
- UMR5297 CNRS Centre Broca Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Interdisciplinary Institute for NeuroScience, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
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154
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D'Souza RD, Bista P, Meier AM, Ji W, Burkhalter A. Spatial Clustering of Inhibition in Mouse Primary Visual Cortex. Neuron 2019; 104:588-600.e5. [PMID: 31623918 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Whether mouse visual cortex contains orderly feature maps is debated. The overlapping pattern of geniculocortical inputs with M2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor-rich patches in layer 1 (L1) suggests a non-random architecture. Here, we found that L1 inputs from the lateral posterior thalamus (LP) avoid patches and target interpatches. Channelrhodopsin-2-assisted mapping of excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) in L2/3 shows that the relative excitation of parvalbumin-expressing interneurons (PVs) and pyramidal neurons (PNs) by dLGN, LP, and cortical feedback is distinct and depends on whether the neurons reside in clusters aligned with patches or interpatches. Paired recordings from PVs and PNs show that unitary inhibitory postsynaptic currents (uIPSCs) are larger in interpatches than in patches. The spatial clustering of inhibition is matched by dense clustering of PV terminals in interpatches. The results show that the excitation/inhibition balance across V1 is organized into patch and interpatch subnetworks, which receive distinct long-range inputs and are specialized for the processing of distinct spatiotemporal features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rinaldo D D'Souza
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Pawan Bista
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Andrew M Meier
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Weiqing Ji
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Andreas Burkhalter
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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155
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Scene Representations Conveyed by Cortical Feedback to Early Visual Cortex Can Be Described by Line Drawings. J Neurosci 2019; 39:9410-9423. [PMID: 31611306 PMCID: PMC6867807 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0852-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Human behavior is dependent on the ability of neuronal circuits to predict the outside world. Neuronal circuits in early visual areas make these predictions based on internal models that are delivered via non-feedforward connections. Despite our extensive knowledge of the feedforward sensory features that drive cortical neurons, we have a limited grasp on the structure of the brain's internal models. Progress in neuroscience therefore depends on our ability to replicate the models that the brain creates internally. Here we record human fMRI data while presenting partially occluded visual scenes. Visual occlusion allows us to experimentally control sensory input to subregions of visual cortex while internal models continue to influence activity in these regions. Because the observed activity is dependent on internal models, but not on sensory input, we have the opportunity to map visual features conveyed by the brain's internal models. Our results show that activity related to internal models in early visual cortex are more related to scene-specific features than to categorical or depth features. We further demonstrate that behavioral line drawings provide a good description of internal model structure representing scene-specific features. These findings extend our understanding of internal models, showing that line drawings provide a window into our brains' internal models of vision. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We find that fMRI activity patterns corresponding to occluded visual information in early visual cortex fill in scene-specific features. Line drawings of the missing scene information correlate with our recorded activity patterns, and thus to internal models. Despite our extensive knowledge of the sensory features that drive cortical neurons, we have a limited grasp on the structure of our brains' internal models. These results therefore constitute an advance to the field of neuroscience by extending our knowledge about the models that our brains construct to efficiently represent and predict the world. Moreover, they link a behavioral measure to these internal models, which play an active role in many components of human behavior, including visual predictions, action planning, and decision making.
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156
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Bock T, Honnuraiah S, Stuart GJ. Paradoxical Excitatory Impact of SK Channels on Dendritic Excitability. J Neurosci 2019; 39:7826-7839. [PMID: 31420457 PMCID: PMC6774406 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0105-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendritic excitability regulates how neurons integrate synaptic inputs and thereby influences neuronal output. As active dendritic events are associated with significant calcium influx they are likely to be modulated by calcium-dependent processes, such as calcium-activated potassium channels. Here we investigate the impact of small conductance calcium-activated potassium channels (SK channels) on dendritic excitability in male and female rat cortical pyramidal neurons in vitro and in vivo Using local applications of the SK channel antagonist apamin in vitro, we show that blocking somatic SK channels enhances action potential output, whereas blocking dendritic SK channels paradoxically reduces the generation of dendritic calcium spikes and associated somatic burst firing. Opposite effects were observed using the SK channel enhancer NS309. The effect of apamin on dendritic SK channels was occluded when R-type calcium channels were blocked, indicating that the inhibitory impact of apamin on dendritic calcium spikes involved R-type calcium channels. Comparable effects were observed in vivo Intracellular application of apamin via the somatic whole-cell recording pipette reduced the medium afterhyperpolarization and increased action potential output during UP states. In contrast, extracellular application of apamin to the cortical surface to block dendritic SK channels shifted the distribution of action potentials within UP states from an initial burst to a more distributed firing pattern, while having no impact on overall action potential firing frequency or UP and DOWN states. These data indicate that somatic and dendritic SK channels have opposite effects on neuronal excitability, with dendritic SK channels counter-intuitively promoting rather than suppressing neuronal output.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neurons typically receive input from other neurons onto processes called dendrites, and use electrical events such as action potentials for signaling. As electrical events in neurons are usually associated with calcium influx they can be regulated by calcium-dependent processes. One such process is through the activation of calcium-dependent potassium channels, which usually act to reduce action potential signaling. Although this is the case for calcium-dependent potassium channels found at the cell body, we show here that calcium-dependent potassium channels in dendrites of cortical pyramidal neurons counter-intuitively promote rather than suppress action potential output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Bock
- Eccles Institute of Neuroscience and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, 2601 Australia
| | - Suraj Honnuraiah
- Eccles Institute of Neuroscience and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, 2601 Australia
| | - Greg J Stuart
- Eccles Institute of Neuroscience and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, 2601 Australia
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157
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Labarrera C, Deitcher Y, Dudai A, Weiner B, Kaduri Amichai A, Zylbermann N, London M. Adrenergic Modulation Regulates the Dendritic Excitability of Layer 5 Pyramidal Neurons In Vivo. Cell Rep 2019; 23:1034-1044. [PMID: 29694883 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.03.103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2017] [Revised: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The excitability of the apical tuft of layer 5 pyramidal neurons is thought to play a crucial role in behavioral performance and synaptic plasticity. We show that the excitability of the apical tuft is sensitive to adrenergic neuromodulation. Using two-photon dendritic Ca2+ imaging and in vivo whole-cell and extracellular recordings in awake mice, we show that application of the α2A-adrenoceptor agonist guanfacine increases the probability of dendritic Ca2+ events in the tuft and lowers the threshold for dendritic Ca2+ spikes. We further show that these effects are likely to be mediated by the dendritic current Ih. Modulation of Ih in a realistic compartmental model controlled both the generation and magnitude of dendritic calcium spikes in the apical tuft. These findings suggest that adrenergic neuromodulation may affect cognitive processes such as sensory integration, attention, and working memory by regulating the sensitivity of layer 5 pyramidal neurons to top-down inputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Labarrera
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences and Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Yair Deitcher
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences and Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Amir Dudai
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences and Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Benjamin Weiner
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences and Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Adi Kaduri Amichai
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences and Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Neta Zylbermann
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences and Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Michael London
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences and Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
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158
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Dendritic Spikes Expand the Range of Well Tolerated Population Noise Structures. J Neurosci 2019; 39:9173-9184. [PMID: 31558617 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0638-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain operates surprisingly well despite the noisy nature of individual neurons. The central mechanism for noise mitigation in the nervous system is thought to involve averaging over multiple noise-corrupted inputs. Subsequently, there has been considerable interest in identifying noise structures that can be integrated linearly in a way that preserves reliable signal encoding. By analyzing realistic synaptic integration in biophysically accurate neuronal models, I report a complementary denoising approach that is mediated by focal dendritic spikes. Dendritic spikes might seem to be unlikely candidates for noise reduction due to their miniscule integration compartments and poor averaging abilities. Nonetheless, the extra thresholding step introduced by dendritic spike generation increases neuronal tolerance for a broad category of noise structures, some of which cannot be resolved well with averaging. This property of active dendrites compensates for compartment size constraints and expands the repertoire of conditions that can be processed by neuronal populations.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Noise, or random variability, is a prominent feature of the neuronal code and poses a fundamental challenge for information processing. To reconcile the surprisingly accurate output of the brain with the inherent noisiness of biological systems, previous work examined signal integration in idealized neurons. The notion that emerged from this body of work is that accurate signal representation relies largely on input averaging in neuronal dendrites. In contrast to the prevailing view, I show that denoising in simulated neurons with realistic morphology and biophysical properties follows a different strategy: dendritic spikes act as classifiers that assist in extracting information from a variety of noise structures that have been considered before to be particularly disruptive for reliable brain function.
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159
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Shin H, Moore CI. Persistent Gamma Spiking in SI Nonsensory Fast Spiking Cells Predicts Perceptual Success. Neuron 2019; 103:1150-1163.e5. [PMID: 31327663 PMCID: PMC6763387 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Gamma oscillations (30-55 Hz) are hypothesized to temporally coordinate sensory encoding, enabling perception. However, fast spiking interneurons (FS), key gamma generators, can be highly sensory responsive, as is the gamma band local field potential (LFP). How can FS-mediated gamma act as an impartial temporal reference for sensory encoding, when the sensory drive itself presumably perturbs the pre-established rhythm? Combining tetrode recording in SI barrel cortex with controlled psychophysics, we found a unique FS subtype that was not sensory responsive and spiked regularly at gamma range intervals (gamma regular nonsensory FS [grnsFS]). Successful detection was predicted by a further increase in gamma regular spiking of grnsFS, persisting from before to after sensory onset. In contrast, broadband LFP power, including gamma, negatively predicted detection and did not cohere with gamma band spiking by grnsFS. These results suggest that a distinct FS subtype mediates perceptually relevant oscillations, independent of the LFP and sensory drive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeyoung Shin
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, USA; Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, USA.
| | - Christopher I Moore
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, USA; Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, USA.
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160
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Hofmann V, Chacron MJ. Novel Functions of Feedback in Electrosensory Processing. Front Integr Neurosci 2019; 13:52. [PMID: 31572137 PMCID: PMC6753188 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2019.00052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental signals act as input and are processed across successive stages in the brain to generate a meaningful behavioral output. However, a ubiquitous observation is that descending feedback projections from more central to more peripheral brain areas vastly outnumber ascending feedforward projections. Such projections generally act to modify how sensory neurons respond to afferent signals. Recent studies in the electrosensory system of weakly electric fish have revealed novel functions for feedback pathways in that their transformation of the afferent input generates neural firing rate responses to sensory signals mediating perception and behavior. In this review, we focus on summarizing these novel and recently uncovered functions and put them into context by describing the more "classical" functions of feedback in the electrosensory system. We further highlight the parallels between the electrosensory system and other systems as well as outline interesting future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volker Hofmann
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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161
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Aru J, Suzuki M, Rutiku R, Larkum ME, Bachmann T. Coupling the State and Contents of Consciousness. Front Syst Neurosci 2019; 13:43. [PMID: 31543762 PMCID: PMC6729974 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2019.00043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
One fundamental feature of consciousness is that the contents of consciousness depend on the state of consciousness. Here, we propose an answer to why this is so: both the state and the contents of consciousness depend on the activity of cortical layer 5 pyramidal (L5p) neurons. These neurons affect both cortical and thalamic processing, hence coupling the cortico-cortical and thalamo-cortical loops with each other. Functionally this coupling corresponds to the coupling between the state and the contents of consciousness. Together the cortico-cortical and thalamo-cortical loops form a thalamo-cortical broadcasting system, where the L5p cells are the central elements. This perspective makes one quite specific prediction: cortical processing that does not include L5p neurons will be unconscious. More generally, the present perspective suggests that L5p neurons have a central role in the mechanisms underlying consciousness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaan Aru
- Institute of Biology, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- School of Law, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Mototaka Suzuki
- Neurocure Center for Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Matthew E. Larkum
- Institute of Biology, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Neurocure Center for Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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162
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Roelfsema PR, Holtmaat A. Control of synaptic plasticity in deep cortical networks. Nat Rev Neurosci 2019; 19:166-180. [PMID: 29449713 DOI: 10.1038/nrn.2018.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Humans and many other animals have an enormous capacity to learn about sensory stimuli and to master new skills. However, many of the mechanisms that enable us to learn remain to be understood. One of the greatest challenges of systems neuroscience is to explain how synaptic connections change to support maximally adaptive behaviour. Here, we provide an overview of factors that determine the change in the strength of synapses, with a focus on synaptic plasticity in sensory cortices. We review the influence of neuromodulators and feedback connections in synaptic plasticity and suggest a specific framework in which these factors can interact to improve the functioning of the entire network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pieter R Roelfsema
- Department of Vision and Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Psychiatry Department, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Anthony Holtmaat
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, Geneva Neuroscience Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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163
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Payeur A, Béïque JC, Naud R. Classes of dendritic information processing. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2019; 58:78-85. [PMID: 31419712 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2019.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Dendrites are much more than passive neuronal components. Mounting experimental evidence and decades of computational work have decisively shown that dendrites leverage a host of nonlinear biophysical phenomena and actively participate in sophisticated computations, at the level of the single neuron and at the level of the network. However, a coherent view of their processing power is still lacking and dendrites are largely neglected in neural network models. Here, we describe four classes of dendritic information processing and delineate their implications at the algorithmic level. We propose that beyond the well-known spatiotemporal filtering of their inputs, dendrites are capable of selecting, routing and multiplexing information. By separating dendritic processing from axonal outputs, neuron networks gain a degree of freedom with implications for perception and learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Payeur
- Ottawa Brain and Mind Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience, University of Ottawa, Canada
| | - Jean-Claude Béïque
- Ottawa Brain and Mind Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience, University of Ottawa, Canada
| | - Richard Naud
- Ottawa Brain and Mind Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience, University of Ottawa, Canada; Department of Physics, University of Ottawa, 150 Louis Pasteur Pet, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
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164
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Ujfalussy BB, Makara JK, Lengyel M, Branco T. Global and Multiplexed Dendritic Computations under In Vivo-like Conditions. Neuron 2019; 100:579-592.e5. [PMID: 30408443 PMCID: PMC6226578 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.08.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 07/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Dendrites integrate inputs nonlinearly, but it is unclear how these nonlinearities contribute to the overall input-output transformation of single neurons. We developed statistically principled methods using a hierarchical cascade of linear-nonlinear subunits (hLN) to model the dynamically evolving somatic response of neurons receiving complex, in vivo-like spatiotemporal synaptic input patterns. We used the hLN to predict the somatic membrane potential of an in vivo-validated detailed biophysical model of a L2/3 pyramidal cell. Linear input integration with a single global dendritic nonlinearity achieved above 90% prediction accuracy. A novel hLN motif, input multiplexing into parallel processing channels, could improve predictions as much as conventionally used additional layers of local nonlinearities. We obtained similar results in two other cell types. This approach provides a data-driven characterization of a key component of cortical circuit computations: the input-output transformation of neurons during in vivo-like conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balázs B Ujfalussy
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK; Laboratory of Neuronal Signaling, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary; Computational and Biological Learning Lab, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; MTA Wigner Research Center for Physics, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Judit K Makara
- Laboratory of Neuronal Signaling, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Máté Lengyel
- Computational and Biological Learning Lab, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Department of Cognitive Science, Central European University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tiago Branco
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK; Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, University College London, London, UK
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165
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Mayrhofer JM, El-Boustani S, Foustoukos G, Auffret M, Tamura K, Petersen CCH. Distinct Contributions of Whisker Sensory Cortex and Tongue-Jaw Motor Cortex in a Goal-Directed Sensorimotor Transformation. Neuron 2019; 103:1034-1043.e5. [PMID: 31402199 PMCID: PMC6859494 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The neural circuits underlying goal-directed sensorimotor transformations in the mammalian brain are incompletely understood. Here, we compared the role of primary tongue-jaw motor cortex (tjM1) and primary whisker sensory cortex (wS1) in head-restrained mice trained to lick a reward spout in response to whisker deflection. Two-photon microscopy combined with microprisms allowed imaging of neuronal network activity across cortical layers in transgenic mice expressing a genetically encoded calcium indicator. Early-phase activity in wS1 encoded the whisker sensory stimulus and was necessary for detection of whisker stimuli. Activity in tjM1 encoded licking direction during task execution and was necessary for contralateral licking. Pre-stimulus activity in tjM1, but not wS1, was predictive of lick direction and contributed causally to small preparatory jaw movements. Our data reveal a shift in coding scheme from wS1 to tjM1, consistent with the hypothesis that these areas represent cortical start and end points for this goal-directed sensorimotor transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes M Mayrhofer
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Sami El-Boustani
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Georgios Foustoukos
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Matthieu Auffret
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Keita Tamura
- 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.
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166
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Lawrence SJ, Formisano E, Muckli L, de Lange FP. Laminar fMRI: Applications for cognitive neuroscience. Neuroimage 2019; 197:785-791. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Revised: 05/04/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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167
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Abstract
Tactile sensory information from facial whiskers provides nocturnal tunnel-dwelling rodents, including mice and rats, with important spatial and textural information about their immediate surroundings. Whiskers are moved back and forth to scan the environment (whisking), and touch signals from each whisker evoke sparse patterns of neuronal activity in whisker-related primary somatosensory cortex (wS1; barrel cortex). Whisking is accompanied by desynchronized brain states and cell-type-specific changes in spontaneous and evoked neuronal activity. Tactile information, including object texture and location, appears to be computed in wS1 through integration of motor and sensory signals. wS1 also directly controls whisker movements and contributes to learned, whisker-dependent, goal-directed behaviours. The cell-type-specific neuronal circuitry in wS1 that contributes to whisker sensory perception is beginning to be defined.
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168
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Beaulieu-Laroche L, Toloza EHS, van der Goes MS, Lafourcade M, Barnagian D, Williams ZM, Eskandar EN, Frosch MP, Cash SS, Harnett MT. Enhanced Dendritic Compartmentalization in Human Cortical Neurons. Cell 2019; 175:643-651.e14. [PMID: 30340039 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.08.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The biophysical features of neurons shape information processing in the brain. Cortical neurons are larger in humans than in other species, but it is unclear how their size affects synaptic integration. Here, we perform direct electrical recordings from human dendrites and report enhanced electrical compartmentalization in layer 5 pyramidal neurons. Compared to rat dendrites, distal human dendrites provide limited excitation to the soma, even in the presence of dendritic spikes. Human somas also exhibit less bursting due to reduced recruitment of dendritic electrogenesis. Finally, we find that decreased ion channel densities result in higher input resistance and underlie the lower coupling of human dendrites. We conclude that the increased length of human neurons alters their input-output properties, which will impact cortical computation. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lou Beaulieu-Laroche
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Enrique H S Toloza
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Marie-Sophie van der Goes
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mathieu Lafourcade
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Derrick Barnagian
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ziv M Williams
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emad N Eskandar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Matthew P Frosch
- C.S. Kubik Laboratory for Neuropathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sydney S Cash
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Mark T Harnett
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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169
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Oppermann J, Fischer P, Silapetere A, Liepe B, Rodriguez-Rozada S, Flores-Uribe J, Schiewer E, Keidel A, Vierock J, Kaufmann J, Broser M, Luck M, Bartl F, Hildebrandt P, Wiegert JS, Béjà O, Hegemann P, Wietek J. MerMAIDs: a family of metagenomically discovered marine anion-conducting and intensely desensitizing channelrhodopsins. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3315. [PMID: 31346176 PMCID: PMC6658528 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11322-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Channelrhodopsins (ChRs) are algal light-gated ion channels widely used as optogenetic tools for manipulating neuronal activity. ChRs desensitize under continuous bright-light illumination, resulting in a significant decline of photocurrents. Here we describe a metagenomically identified family of phylogenetically distinct anion-conducting ChRs (designated MerMAIDs). MerMAIDs almost completely desensitize during continuous illumination due to accumulation of a late non-conducting photointermediate that disrupts the ion permeation pathway. MerMAID desensitization can be fully explained by a single photocycle in which a long-lived desensitized state follows the short-lived conducting state. A conserved cysteine is the critical factor in desensitization, as its mutation results in recovery of large stationary photocurrents. The rapid desensitization of MerMAIDs enables their use as optogenetic silencers for transient suppression of individual action potentials without affecting subsequent spiking during continuous illumination. Our results could facilitate the development of optogenetic tools from metagenomic databases and enhance general understanding of ChR function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Oppermann
- Institute for Biology, Experimental Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstraße 42, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - Paul Fischer
- Institute for Biology, Experimental Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstraße 42, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - Arita Silapetere
- Institute for Biology, Experimental Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstraße 42, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bernhard Liepe
- Institute for Biology, Experimental Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstraße 42, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - Silvia Rodriguez-Rozada
- Research Group Synaptic Wiring and Information Processing, Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg, Falkenried 94, 20251, Hamburg, Germany
| | - José Flores-Uribe
- Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 32000, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Plant Microbe Interactions, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, 50829, Germany
| | - Enrico Schiewer
- Institute for Biology, Experimental Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstraße 42, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anke Keidel
- Institute for Chemistry, Physical Chemistry/Biophysical Chemistry, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany
| | - Johannes Vierock
- Institute for Biology, Experimental Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstraße 42, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - Joel Kaufmann
- Institute for Biology, Biophysical Chemistry, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstraße 42, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthias Broser
- Institute for Biology, Experimental Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstraße 42, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - Meike Luck
- Institute for Biology, Experimental Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstraße 42, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - Franz Bartl
- Institute for Biology, Biophysical Chemistry, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstraße 42, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - Peter Hildebrandt
- Institute for Chemistry, Physical Chemistry/Biophysical Chemistry, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany
| | - J Simon Wiegert
- Research Group Synaptic Wiring and Information Processing, Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg, Falkenried 94, 20251, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Oded Béjà
- Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 32000, Haifa, Israel
| | - Peter Hegemann
- Institute for Biology, Experimental Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstraße 42, 10115, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Jonas Wietek
- Institute for Biology, Experimental Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstraße 42, 10115, Berlin, Germany.
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001, Rehovot, Israel.
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170
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Cellular Specificity of Cortico-Thalamic Loops for Motor Planning. J Neurosci 2019; 39:2577-2580. [PMID: 30944235 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2964-18.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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171
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Amunts K, Knoll AC, Lippert T, Pennartz CMA, Ryvlin P, Destexhe A, Jirsa VK, D’Angelo E, Bjaalie JG. The Human Brain Project-Synergy between neuroscience, computing, informatics, and brain-inspired technologies. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000344. [PMID: 31260438 PMCID: PMC6625714 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The Human Brain Project (HBP) is a European flagship project with a 10-year horizon aiming to understand the human brain and to translate neuroscience knowledge into medicine and technology. To achieve such aims, the HBP explores the multilevel complexity of the brain in space and time; transfers the acquired knowledge to brain-derived applications in health, computing, and technology; and provides shared and open computing tools and data through the HBP European brain research infrastructure. We discuss how the HBP creates a transdisciplinary community of researchers united by the quest to understand the brain, with fascinating perspectives on societal benefits. This Community Page article presents the Human Brain Project; a European Flagship project with a ten-year horizon aiming to understand the human brain and translate neuroscience knowledge into medicine and technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Amunts
- Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany
- C. and O. Vogt Institute for Brain Research, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Alois C. Knoll
- Institut für Informatik VI, Technische Universität München, Garching bei München, Germany
| | - Thomas Lippert
- Jülich Supercomputing Centre, Institute for Advanced Simulation, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany
| | - Cyriel M. A. Pennartz
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Philippe Ryvlin
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alain Destexhe
- Unité de Neurosciences, Information & Complexité (UNIC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Viktor K. Jirsa
- Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes, Inserm UMR1106, Aix-Marseille Université, Faculté de Médecine, Marseille, France
| | - Egidio D’Angelo
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Science, Unit of Neurophysiology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Jan G. Bjaalie
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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172
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Beaulieu-Laroche L, Toloza EHS, Brown NJ, Harnett MT. Widespread and Highly Correlated Somato-dendritic Activity in Cortical Layer 5 Neurons. Neuron 2019; 103:235-241.e4. [PMID: 31178115 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2018] [Revised: 03/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Dendritic integration can expand the information-processing capabilities of neurons. However, the recruitment of active dendritic processing in vivo and its relationship to somatic activity remain poorly understood. Here, we use two-photon GCaMP6f imaging to simultaneously monitor dendritic and somatic compartments in the awake primary visual cortex. Activity in layer 5 pyramidal neuron somata and distal apical trunk dendrites shows surprisingly high functional correlation. This strong coupling persists across neural activity levels and is unchanged by visual stimuli and locomotion. Ex vivo combined somato-dendritic patch-clamp and GCaMP6f recordings indicate that dendritic signals specifically reflect local electrogenesis triggered by dendritic inputs or high-frequency bursts of somatic action potentials. In contrast to the view that dendrites are only sparsely recruited under highly specific conditions in vivo, our results provide evidence that active dendritic integration is a widespread and intrinsic feature of cortical computation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lou Beaulieu-Laroche
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Enrique H S Toloza
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Norma J Brown
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Mark T Harnett
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
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173
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Texture Identification by Bounded Integration of Sensory Cortical Signals. Curr Biol 2019; 29:1425-1435.e5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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174
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Romano M, Bucklin M, Gritton H, Mehrotra D, Kessel R, Han X. A Teensy microcontroller-based interface for optical imaging camera control during behavioral experiments. J Neurosci Methods 2019; 320:107-115. [PMID: 30946877 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Systems neuroscience experiments often require the integration of precisely timed data acquisition and behavioral monitoring. While specialized commercial systems have been designed to meet various needs of data acquisition and device control, they often fail to offer flexibility to interface with new instruments and variable behavioral experimental designs. NEW METHOD We developed a Teensy 3.2 microcontroller-based interface that is easily programmable, and offers high-speed, precisely timed behavioral data acquisition and digital and analog outputs for controlling sCMOS cameras and other devices. RESULTS We demonstrate the flexibility and the temporal precision of the Teensy interface in two experimental settings. In one example, we used the Teensy interface to record an animal's directional movement on a spherical treadmill, while delivering repeated digital pulses that can be used to control image acquisition from a sCMOS camera. In another example, we used the Teensy interface to deliver an auditory stimulus and a gentle eye puff at precise times in a trace conditioning eye blink behavioral paradigm, while delivering repeated digital pulses to trigger camera image acquisition. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS This interface allows high-speed and temporally precise digital data acquisition and device control during diverse behavioral experiments. CONCLUSION The Teensy interface, consisting of a Teensy 3.2 and custom software functions, provides a temporally precise, low-cost, and flexible platform to integrate sCMOS camera control into behavioral experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Romano
- Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, MA 02215, United States
| | - Mark Bucklin
- Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, MA 02215, United States
| | - Howard Gritton
- Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, MA 02215, United States
| | - Dev Mehrotra
- Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, MA 02215, United States
| | - Robb Kessel
- Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, MA 02215, United States
| | - Xue Han
- Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, MA 02215, United States.
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175
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In Vivo Submillisecond Two-Photon Optogenetics with Temporally Focused Patterned Light. J Neurosci 2019; 39:3484-3497. [PMID: 30833505 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1785-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Revised: 12/08/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
To better examine circuit mechanisms underlying perception and behavior, researchers need tools to enable temporally precise control of action-potential generation of individual cells from neuronal ensembles. Here we demonstrate that such precision can be achieved with two-photon (2P) temporally focused computer-generated holography to control neuronal excitability at the supragranular layers of anesthetized and awake visual cortex in both male and female mice. Using 2P-guided whole-cell or cell-attached recordings in positive neurons expressing any of the three opsins ReaChR, CoChR, or ChrimsonR, we investigated the dependence of spiking activity on the opsin's channel kinetics. We found that in all cases the use of brief illumination (≤10 ms) induces spikes of millisecond temporal resolution and submillisecond precision, which were preserved upon repetitive illuminations up to tens of hertz. To reach high temporal precision, we used a large illumination spot covering the entire cell body and an amplified laser at high peak power and low excitation intensity (on average ≤0.2 mW/μm2), thus minimizing the risk for nonlinear photodamage effects. Finally, by combining 2P holographic excitation with electrophysiological recordings and calcium imaging using GCaMP6s, we investigated the factors, including illumination shape and intensity, opsin distribution in the target cell, and cell morphology, which affect the spatial selectivity of single-cell and multicell holographic activation. Parallel optical control of neuronal activity with cellular resolution and millisecond temporal precision should make it easier to investigate neuronal connections and find further links between connectivity, microcircuit dynamics, and brain functions.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Recent developments in the field of optogenetics has enabled researchers to probe the neuronal microcircuit with light by optically actuating genetically encoded light-sensitive opsins expressed in the target cells. Here, we applied holographic light shaping and temporal focusing to simultaneously deliver axially confined holographic patterns to opsin-positive cells in the living mouse cortex. Parallel illumination efficiently induced action potentials with high temporal resolution and precision for three opsins of different kinetics. We extended the parallel optogenetic activation at low intensity to multiple neurons and concurrently monitored their calcium dynamics. These results demonstrate fast and temporally precise in vivo control of a neuronal subpopulation, opening new opportunities for revealing circuit mechanisms underlying brain functions.
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176
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Superficial Layers Suppress the Deep Layers to Fine-tune Cortical Coding. J Neurosci 2019; 39:2052-2064. [PMID: 30651326 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1459-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The descending microcircuit from layer 2/3 (L2/3) to layer 5 (L5) is one of the strongest excitatory pathways in the cortex, presumably forming a core component of its feedforward hierarchy. To date, however, no experiments have selectively tested the impact of L2/3 activity on L5 during active sensation. We used optogenetic, cell-type-specific manipulation of L2/3 neurons in the barrel cortex of actively sensing mice (of either sex) to elucidate the significance of this pathway to sensory coding in L5. Contrary to standard models, activating L2/3 predominantly suppressed spontaneous activity in L5, whereas deactivating L2/3 mainly facilitated touch responses in L5. Somatostatin interneurons are likely important to this suppression because their optogenetic deactivation significantly altered the functional impact of L2/3 onto L5. The net effect of L2/3 was to enhance the stimulus selectivity and expand the range of L5 output. These data imply that the core cortical pathway increases the selectivity and expands the range of cortical output through feedforward inhibition.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The primary sensory cortex contains six distinct layers that interact to form the basis of our perception. While rudimentary patterns of connectivity between the layers have been outlined quite extensively in vitro, functional relationships in vivo, particularly during active sensation, remain poorly understood. We used cell-type-specific optogenetics to test the functional relationship between layer 2/3 and layer 5. Surprisingly, we discovered that L2/3 primarily suppresses cortical output from L5. The recruitment of somatostatin-positive interneurons is likely fundamental to this relationship. The net effect of this translaminar suppression is to enhance the selectivity and expand the range of receptive fields, therefore potentially sharpening the perception of space.
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177
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Fletcher LN, Williams SR. Neocortical Topology Governs the Dendritic Integrative Capacity of Layer 5 Pyramidal Neurons. Neuron 2019; 101:76-90.e4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.10.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Revised: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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178
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Williams SR, Fletcher LN. A Dendritic Substrate for the Cholinergic Control of Neocortical Output Neurons. Neuron 2018; 101:486-499.e4. [PMID: 30594427 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.11.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The ascending cholinergic system dynamically regulates sensory perception and cognitive function, but it remains unclear how this modulation is executed in neocortical circuits. Here, we demonstrate that the cholinergic system controls the integrative operations of neocortical principal neurons by modulating dendritic excitability. Direct dendritic recordings revealed that the optogenetic-evoked release of acetylcholine (ACh) transformed the pattern of dendritic integration in layer 5B pyramidal neurons, leading to the generation of dendritic plateau potentials which powerfully drove repetitive action potential output. In contrast, the synaptic release of ACh did not positively modulate axo-somatic excitability. Mechanistically, the transformation of dendritic integration was mediated by the muscarinic ACh receptor-dependent enhancement of dendritic R-type calcium channel activity, a compartment-dependent modulation which decisively controlled the associative computations executed by layer 5B pyramidal neurons. Our findings therefore reveal a biophysical mechanism by which the cholinergic system controls dendritic computations causally linked to perceptual detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen R Williams
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Lee N Fletcher
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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179
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Abe K, Yawo H. Quantitative study of the somatosensory sensitization underlying cross-modal plasticity. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0208089. [PMID: 30517160 PMCID: PMC6281227 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Loss of one sensory modality can cause other types to become more perceptive (cross-modal plasticity). To test the hypothesis that the loss of vision changes the perceptual threshold in the somatosensory system, we applied optogenetics to directly manipulate the afferent inputs involved in the whisker-barrel system using a transgenic rat (W-TChR2V4) that expresses channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) selectively in the large mechanoreceptive neurons in the trigeminal ganglion (TG) and their peripheral nerve terminals. The licking behavior of W-TChR2V4 rat was conditioned to a blue LED light cue on the whisker area while the magnitude and duration of light pulses were varied. The perceptual threshold was thus quantitatively determined for each rat according to the relationship between the magnitude/duration of light and the reaction time between the LED light cue and the first licking event after it. We found that the perceptual threshold was more significantly reduced than the control non-deprived rats when the rats were visually deprived at postnatal 26-30 days (P26-30, early VD group), but not at P58-66 (late VD group). However, the sensory threshold of a late VD animal was similar to that of a control. Our results suggest the presence of cross-modal plasticity by which the loss of vision at the juvenile period increased the sensitivity of the somatosensory system involved in the touch of whiskers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenta Abe
- Department of Development Biology and Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Life Science, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hiromu Yawo
- Department of Development Biology and Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Life Science, Sendai, Japan.,Center for Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
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180
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Takahashi N. Synaptic topography - Converging connections and emerging function. Neurosci Res 2018; 141:29-35. [PMID: 30468748 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2018.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2018] [Revised: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Brain circuits are constituted of individual neurons that are interconnected with a vast array of synapses. In order to understand how brain function emerges from this complex synaptic network, immense efforts have been made to trace the synaptic topography, i.e. arrangement of synaptic connections, of the network. In addition to anatomically elaborating the synaptic layout at multiple levels across brain regions, recent studies have attempted to elucidate the fundamental wiring principles that govern neural information processing in the brain, establishing a link between anatomy and function. In this review, I will discuss recent discoveries on the topographical organization of synaptic connections at the cell-to-cell and subcellular levels in the cortex and hippocampus. Accumulating evidence leads us to acknowledge the highly structured, non-random synaptic connectivity that emerges together with sensory feature preferences of neurons and synchronous neuronal activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Takahashi
- Institute for Biology, Neuronal Plasticity, Humboldt University of Berlin, D-10117, Berlin, Germany.
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181
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Ranganathan GN, Apostolides PF, Harnett MT, Xu NL, Druckmann S, Magee JC. Active dendritic integration and mixed neocortical network representations during an adaptive sensing behavior. Nat Neurosci 2018; 21:1583-1590. [PMID: 30349100 PMCID: PMC6203624 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-018-0254-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 09/13/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Animals strategically scan the environment to form an accurate perception of their surroundings. Here we investigated the neuronal representations that mediate this behavior. Ca2+ imaging and selective optogenetic manipulation during an active sensing task reveals that layer 5 pyramidal neurons in the vibrissae cortex produce a diverse and distributed representation that is required for mice to adapt their whisking motor strategy to changing sensory cues. The optogenetic perturbation degraded single-neuron selectivity and network population encoding through a selective inhibition of active dendritic integration. Together the data indicate that active dendritic integration in pyramidal neurons produces a nonlinearly mixed network representation of joint sensorimotor parameters that is used to transform sensory information into motor commands during adaptive behavior. The prevalence of the layer 5 cortical circuit motif suggests that this is a general circuit computation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pierre F Apostolides
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, USA.,Kresge Hearing Research Institute Department of Otolaryngology, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Mark T Harnett
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ning-Long Xu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Shaul Druckmann
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Jeffrey C Magee
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, USA. .,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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182
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Olcese U, Oude Lohuis MN, Pennartz CMA. Sensory Processing Across Conscious and Nonconscious Brain States: From Single Neurons to Distributed Networks for Inferential Representation. Front Syst Neurosci 2018; 12:49. [PMID: 30364373 PMCID: PMC6193318 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2018.00049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal activity is markedly different across brain states: it varies from desynchronized activity during wakefulness to the synchronous alternation between active and silent states characteristic of deep sleep. Surprisingly, limited attention has been paid to investigating how brain states affect sensory processing. While it was long assumed that the brain was mostly disconnected from external stimuli during sleep, an increasing number of studies indicates that sensory stimuli continue to be processed across all brain states-albeit differently. In this review article, we first discuss what constitutes a brain state. We argue that-next to global, behavioral states such as wakefulness and sleep-there is a concomitant need to distinguish bouts of oscillatory dynamics with specific global/local activity patterns and lasting for a few hundreds of milliseconds, as these can lead to the same sensory stimulus being either perceived or not. We define these short-lasting bouts as micro-states. We proceed to characterize how sensory-evoked neural responses vary between conscious and nonconscious states. We focus on two complementary aspects: neuronal ensembles and inter-areal communication. First, we review which features of ensemble activity are conducive to perception, and how these features vary across brain states. Properties such as heterogeneity, sparsity and synchronicity in neuronal ensembles will especially be considered as essential correlates of conscious processing. Second, we discuss how inter-areal communication varies across brain states and how this may affect brain operations and sensory processing. Finally, we discuss predictive coding (PC) and the concept of multi-level representations as a key framework for understanding conscious sensory processing. In this framework the brain implements conscious representations as inferences about world states across multiple representational levels. In this representational hierarchy, low-level inference may be carried out nonconsciously, whereas high levels integrate across different sensory modalities and larger spatial scales, correlating with conscious processing. This inferential framework is used to interpret several cellular and population-level findings in the context of brain states, and we briefly compare its implications to two other theories of consciousness. In conclusion, this review article, provides foundations to guide future studies aiming to uncover the mechanisms of sensory processing and perception across brain states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umberto Olcese
- Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Group, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Research Priority Area Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Matthijs N. Oude Lohuis
- Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Group, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Research Priority Area Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Cyriel M. A. Pennartz
- Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Group, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Research Priority Area Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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183
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Huang CG, Metzen MG, Chacron MJ. Feedback optimizes neural coding and perception of natural stimuli. eLife 2018; 7:e38935. [PMID: 30289387 PMCID: PMC6181564 DOI: 10.7554/elife.38935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence suggests that sensory neurons achieve optimal encoding by matching their tuning properties to the natural stimulus statistics. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here we demonstrate that feedback pathways from higher brain areas mediate optimized encoding of naturalistic stimuli via temporal whitening in the weakly electric fish Apteronotus leptorhynchus. While one source of direct feedback uniformly enhances neural responses, a separate source of indirect feedback selectively attenuates responses to low frequencies, thus creating a high-pass neural tuning curve that opposes the decaying spectral power of natural stimuli. Additionally, we recorded from two populations of higher brain neurons responsible for the direct and indirect descending inputs. While one population displayed broadband tuning, the other displayed high-pass tuning and thus performed temporal whitening. Hence, our results demonstrate a novel function for descending input in optimizing neural responses to sensory input through temporal whitening that is likely to be conserved across systems and species.
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184
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Batista-Brito R, Zagha E, Ratliff JM, Vinck M. Modulation of cortical circuits by top-down processing and arousal state in health and disease. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2018; 52:172-181. [DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2018.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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185
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Learning-Related Plasticity in Dendrite-Targeting Layer 1 Interneurons. Neuron 2018; 100:684-699.e6. [PMID: 30269988 PMCID: PMC6226614 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Revised: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
A wealth of data has elucidated the mechanisms by which sensory inputs are encoded in the neocortex, but how these processes are regulated by the behavioral relevance of sensory information is less understood. Here, we focus on neocortical layer 1 (L1), a key location for processing of such top-down information. Using Neuron-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (NDNF) as a selective marker of L1 interneurons (INs) and in vivo 2-photon calcium imaging, electrophysiology, viral tracing, optogenetics, and associative memory, we find that L1 NDNF-INs mediate a prolonged form of inhibition in distal pyramidal neuron dendrites that correlates with the strength of the memory trace. Conversely, inhibition from Martinotti cells remains unchanged after conditioning but in turn tightly controls sensory responses in NDNF-INs. These results define a genetically addressable form of dendritic inhibition that is highly experience dependent and indicate that in addition to disinhibition, salient stimuli are encoded at elevated levels of distal dendritic inhibition. Video Abstract
NDNF is a selective marker for neocortical layer 1 interneurons NDNF interneurons mediate prolonged inhibition of distal pyramidal neuron dendrites Inhibition from Martinotti cells tightly controls NDNF interneuron responses Dendritic inhibition by NDNF interneurons is highly experience dependent
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186
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Convergent Metabotropic Signaling Pathways Inhibit SK Channels to Promote Synaptic Plasticity in the Hippocampus. J Neurosci 2018; 38:9252-9262. [PMID: 30242046 PMCID: PMC6199408 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1160-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Revised: 07/16/2018] [Accepted: 08/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Hebbian synaptic plasticity at hippocampal Schaffer collateral synapses is tightly regulated by postsynaptic small conductance (SK) channels that restrict NMDA receptor activity. SK channels are themselves modulated by G-protein-coupled signaling pathways, but it is not clear under what conditions these are activated to enable synaptic plasticity. Here, we show that muscarinic M1 receptor (M1R) and type 1 metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR1) signaling pathways, which are known to inhibit SK channels and thereby disinhibit NMDA receptors, converge to facilitate spine calcium transients during the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) at hippocampal Schaffer collateral synapses onto CA1 pyramidal neurons of male rats. Furthermore, mGluR1 activation is required for LTP induced by reactivated place-cell firing patterns that occur in sharp-wave ripple events during rest or sleep. In contrast, M1R activation is required for LTP induced by place-cell firing patterns during exploration. Thus, we describe a common mechanism that enables synaptic plasticity during both encoding and consolidation of memories within hippocampal circuits.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Memory ensembles in the hippocampus are formed during active exploration and consolidated during rest or sleep. These two distinct phases each require strengthening of synaptic connections by long-term potentiation (LTP). The neuronal activity patterns in each phase are very different, which makes it hard to map generalized rules for LTP induction onto both formation and consolidation phases. In this study, we show that inhibition of postsynaptic SK channels is a common necessary feature of LTP induction and that SK channel inhibition is achieved by separate but convergent metabotropic signaling pathways. Thus, we reveal a common mechanism for enabling LTP under distinct behavioral conditions.
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187
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Richards BA, Lillicrap TP. Dendritic solutions to the credit assignment problem. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2018; 54:28-36. [PMID: 30205266 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2018.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Revised: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Guaranteeing that synaptic plasticity leads to effective learning requires a means for assigning credit to each neuron for its contribution to behavior. The 'credit assignment problem' refers to the fact that credit assignment is non-trivial in hierarchical networks with multiple stages of processing. One difficulty is that if credit signals are integrated with other inputs, then it is hard for synaptic plasticity rules to distinguish credit-related activity from non-credit-related activity. A potential solution is to use the spatial layout and non-linear properties of dendrites to distinguish credit signals from other inputs. In cortical pyramidal neurons, evidence hints that top-down feedback signals are integrated in the distal apical dendrites and have a distinct impact on spike-firing and synaptic plasticity. This suggests that the distal apical dendrites of pyramidal neurons help the brain to solve the credit assignment problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake A Richards
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Learning in Machines and Brains Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
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188
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Pala A, Petersen CC. State-dependent cell-type-specific membrane potential dynamics and unitary synaptic inputs in awake mice. eLife 2018; 7:35869. [PMID: 30052198 PMCID: PMC6063730 DOI: 10.7554/elife.35869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The cellular and synaptic mechanisms driving cell-type-specific function during various cortical network activities and behaviors are poorly understood. Here, we targeted whole-cell recordings to two classes of inhibitory GABAergic neurons in layer 2/3 of the barrel cortex of awake head-restrained mice and correlated spontaneous membrane potential dynamics with cortical state and whisking behavior. Using optogenetic stimulation of single layer 2/3 excitatory neurons we measured unitary excitatory postsynaptic potentials (uEPSPs) across states. During active states, characterized by whisking and reduced low-frequency activity in the local field potential, parvalbumin-expressing neurons depolarized and, albeit in a small number of recordings, received uEPSPs with increased amplitude. In contrast, somatostatin-expressing neurons hyperpolarized and reduced firing rates during active states without consistent change in uEPSP amplitude. These results further our understanding of neocortical inhibitory neuron function in awake mice and are consistent with the hypothesis that distinct genetically-defined cell classes have different state-dependent patterns of activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Pala
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.,Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, United States
| | - Carl Ch Petersen
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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189
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Larkum ME, Petro LS, Sachdev RNS, Muckli L. A Perspective on Cortical Layering and Layer-Spanning Neuronal Elements. Front Neuroanat 2018; 12:56. [PMID: 30065634 PMCID: PMC6056619 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2018.00056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
This review article addresses the function of the layers of the cerebral cortex. We develop the perspective that cortical layering needs to be understood in terms of its functional anatomy, i.e., the terminations of synaptic inputs on distinct cellular compartments and their effect on cortical activity. The cortex is a hierarchical structure in which feed forward and feedback pathways have a layer-specific termination pattern. We take the view that the influence of synaptic inputs arriving at different cortical layers can only be understood in terms of their complex interaction with cellular biophysics and the subsequent computation that occurs at the cellular level. We use high-resolution fMRI, which can resolve activity across layers, as a case study for implementing this approach by describing how cognitive events arising from the laminar distribution of inputs can be interpreted by taking into account the properties of neurons that span different layers. This perspective is based on recent advances in measuring subcellular activity in distinct feed-forward and feedback axons and in dendrites as they span across layers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew E Larkum
- Neurocure Center for Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin & Humboldt Universität, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lucy S Petro
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Robert N S Sachdev
- Neurocure Center for Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin & Humboldt Universität, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lars Muckli
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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190
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Zeldenrust F, Wadman WJ, Englitz B. Neural Coding With Bursts-Current State and Future Perspectives. Front Comput Neurosci 2018; 12:48. [PMID: 30034330 PMCID: PMC6043860 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2018.00048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal action potentials or spikes provide a long-range, noise-resistant means of communication between neurons. As point processes single spikes contain little information in themselves, i.e., outside the context of spikes from other neurons. Moreover, they may fail to cross a synapse. A burst, which consists of a short, high frequency train of spikes, will more reliably cross a synapse, increasing the likelihood of eliciting a postsynaptic spike, depending on the specific short-term plasticity at that synapse. Both the number and the temporal pattern of spikes in a burst provide a coding space that lies within the temporal integration realm of single neurons. Bursts have been observed in many species, including the non-mammalian, and in brain regions that range from subcortical to cortical. Despite their widespread presence and potential relevance, the uncertainties of how to classify bursts seems to have limited the research into the coding possibilities for bursts. The present series of research articles provides new insights into the relevance and interpretation of bursts across different neural circuits, and new methods for their analysis. Here, we provide a succinct introduction to the history of burst coding and an overview of recent work on this topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fleur Zeldenrust
- Department of Neurophysiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Wytse J Wadman
- Cellular and Systems Neurobiology Lab, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Bernhard Englitz
- Department of Neurophysiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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191
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Naud R, Sprekeler H. Sparse bursts optimize information transmission in a multiplexed neural code. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E6329-E6338. [PMID: 29934400 PMCID: PMC6142200 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1720995115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Many cortical neurons combine the information ascending and descending the cortical hierarchy. In the classical view, this information is combined nonlinearly to give rise to a single firing-rate output, which collapses all input streams into one. We analyze the extent to which neurons can simultaneously represent multiple input streams by using a code that distinguishes spike timing patterns at the level of a neural ensemble. Using computational simulations constrained by experimental data, we show that cortical neurons are well suited to generate such multiplexing. Interestingly, this neural code maximizes information for short and sparse bursts, a regime consistent with in vivo recordings. Neurons can also demultiplex this information, using specific connectivity patterns. The anatomy of the adult mammalian cortex suggests that these connectivity patterns are used by the nervous system to maintain sparse bursting and optimal multiplexing. Contrary to firing-rate coding, our findings indicate that the physiology and anatomy of the cortex may be interpreted as optimizing the transmission of multiple independent signals to different targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Naud
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research 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
| | - Henning Sprekeler
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany
- Modelling of Cognitive Processes, Institute of Software Engineering and Theoretical Computer Science, Technische Universität Berlin, 10587 Berlin, Germany
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192
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Phillips WA, Bachmann T, Storm JF. Apical Function in Neocortical Pyramidal Cells: A Common Pathway by Which General Anesthetics Can Affect Mental State. Front Neural Circuits 2018; 12:50. [PMID: 30013465 PMCID: PMC6036169 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2018.00050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been argued that general anesthetics suppress the level of consciousness, or the contents of consciousness, or both. The distinction between level and content is important because, in addition to clarifying the mechanisms of anesthesia, it may help clarify the neural bases of consciousness. We assess these arguments in the light of evidence that both the level and the content of consciousness depend upon the contribution of apical input to the information processing capabilities of neocortical pyramidal cells which selectively amplify relevant signals. We summarize research suggesting that what neocortical pyramidal cells transmit information about can be distinguished from levels of arousal controlled by sub-cortical nuclei and from levels of prioritization specified by interactions within the thalamocortical system. Put simply, on the basis of the observations reviewed, we hypothesize that when conscious we have particular, directly experienced, percepts, thoughts, feelings and intentions, and that general anesthetics affect consciousness by interfering with the subcellular processes by which particular activities are selectively amplified when relevant to the current context.
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Affiliation(s)
- William A. Phillips
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom
| | - Talis Bachmann
- Department of Penal Law, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Johan F. Storm
- IBMS Department of Physiology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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193
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Eyal G, Verhoog MB, Testa-Silva G, Deitcher Y, Benavides-Piccione R, DeFelipe J, de Kock CPJ, Mansvelder HD, Segev I. Human Cortical Pyramidal Neurons: From Spines to Spikes via Models. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:181. [PMID: 30008663 PMCID: PMC6034553 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We present detailed models of pyramidal cells from human neocortex, including models on their excitatory synapses, dendritic spines, dendritic NMDA- and somatic/axonal Na+ spikes that provided new insights into signal processing and computational capabilities of these principal cells. Six human layer 2 and layer 3 pyramidal cells (HL2/L3 PCs) were modeled, integrating detailed anatomical and physiological data from both fresh and postmortem tissues from human temporal cortex. The models predicted particularly large AMPA- and NMDA-conductances per synaptic contact (0.88 and 1.31 nS, respectively) and a steep dependence of the NMDA-conductance on voltage. These estimates were based on intracellular recordings from synaptically-connected HL2/L3 pairs, combined with extra-cellular current injections and use of synaptic blockers, and the assumption of five contacts per synaptic connection. A large dataset of high-resolution reconstructed HL2/L3 dendritic spines provided estimates for the EPSPs at the spine head (12.7 ± 4.6 mV), spine base (9.7 ± 5.0 mV), and soma (0.3 ± 0.1 mV), and for the spine neck resistance (50–80 MΩ). Matching the shape and firing pattern of experimental somatic Na+-spikes provided estimates for the density of the somatic/axonal excitable membrane ion channels, predicting that 134 ± 28 simultaneously activated HL2/L3-HL2/L3 synapses are required for generating (with 50% probability) a somatic Na+ spike. Dendritic NMDA spikes were triggered in the model when 20 ± 10 excitatory spinous synapses were simultaneously activated on individual dendritic branches. The particularly large number of basal dendrites in HL2/L3 PCs and the distinctive cable elongation of their terminals imply that ~25 NMDA-spikes could be generated independently and simultaneously in these cells, as compared to ~14 in L2/3 PCs from the rat somatosensory cortex. These multi-sites non-linear signals, together with the large (~30,000) excitatory synapses/cell, equip human L2/L3 PCs with enhanced computational capabilities. Our study provides the most comprehensive model of any human neuron to-date demonstrating the biophysical and computational distinctiveness of human cortical neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy Eyal
- Department of Neurobiology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Matthijs B Verhoog
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Human Biology, Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Guilherme Testa-Silva
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Yair Deitcher
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ruth Benavides-Piccione
- Departamento de Neurobiología Funcional y de Sistemas, Instituto Cajal (CSIC), and Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales (CTB), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier DeFelipe
- Departamento de Neurobiología Funcional y de Sistemas, Instituto Cajal (CSIC), and Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales (CTB), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Christiaan P J de Kock
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Huibert D Mansvelder
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Idan Segev
- Department of Neurobiology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.,Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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194
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Deitcher Y, Eyal G, Kanari L, Verhoog MB, Atenekeng Kahou GA, Mansvelder HD, de Kock CPJ, Segev I. Comprehensive Morpho-Electrotonic Analysis Shows 2 Distinct Classes of L2 and L3 Pyramidal Neurons in Human Temporal Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:5398-5414. [PMID: 28968789 PMCID: PMC5939232 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhx226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
There have been few quantitative characterizations of the morphological, biophysical, and cable properties of neurons in the human neocortex. We employed feature-based statistical methods on a rare data set of 60 3D reconstructed pyramidal neurons from L2 and L3 in the human temporal cortex (HL2/L3 PCs) removed after brain surgery. Of these cells, 25 neurons were also characterized physiologically. Thirty-two morphological features were analyzed (e.g., dendritic surface area, 36 333 ± 18 157 μm2; number of basal trees, 5.55 ± 1.47; dendritic diameter, 0.76 ± 0.28 μm). Eighteen features showed a significant gradual increase with depth from the pia (e.g., dendritic length and soma radius). The other features showed weak or no correlation with depth (e.g., dendritic diameter). The basal dendritic terminals in HL2/L3 PCs are particularly elongated, enabling multiple nonlinear processing units in these dendrites. Unlike the morphological features, the active biophysical features (e.g., spike shapes and rates) and passive/cable features (e.g., somatic input resistance, 47.68 ± 15.26 MΩ, membrane time constant, 12.03 ± 1.79 ms, average dendritic cable length, 0.99 ± 0.24) were depth-independent. A novel descriptor for apical dendritic topology yielded 2 distinct classes, termed hereby as “slim-tufted” and “profuse-tufted” HL2/L3 PCs; the latter class tends to fire at higher rates. Thus, our morpho-electrotonic analysis shows 2 distinct classes of HL2/L3 PCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yair Deitcher
- Department of Neurobiology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.,Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Guy Eyal
- Department of Neurobiology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Lida Kanari
- Blue Brain Project, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Campus Biotech, Chemin de Mines, 9, Geneva 1202, Switzerland
| | - Matthijs B Verhoog
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam NL-1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Guy Antoine Atenekeng Kahou
- Blue Brain Project, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Campus Biotech, Chemin de Mines, 9, Geneva 1202, Switzerland
| | - Huibert D Mansvelder
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam NL-1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Christiaan P J de Kock
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam NL-1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Idan Segev
- Department of Neurobiology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.,Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
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195
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Serotonin Selectively Increases Detectability of Motion Stimuli in the Electrosensory System. eNeuro 2018; 5:eN-NWR-0013-18. [PMID: 29845105 PMCID: PMC5969320 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0013-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Serotonergic innervation of sensory areas is found ubiquitously across the central nervous system of vertebrates. Here, we used a system's level approach to investigate the role of serotonin on processing motion stimuli in the electrosensory system of the weakly electric fish Apteronotus albifrons. We found that exogenous serotonin application increased the firing activity of pyramidal neural responses to both looming and receding motion. Separating spikes belonging to bursts from those that were isolated revealed that this effect was primarily due to increased burst firing. Moreover, when investigating whether firing activity during stimulation could be discriminated from baseline (i.e., in the absence of stimulation), we found that serotonin increased stimulus discriminability only for some stimuli. This is because increased burst firing was most prominent for these. Further, the effects of serotonin were highly heterogeneous, with some neurons displaying large while others instead displaying minimal changes in responsiveness following serotonin application. Further analysis revealed that serotonin application had the greatest effect on neurons with low baseline firing rates and little to no effect on neurons with high baseline firing rates. Finally, the effects of serotonin on sensory neuron responses were largely independent of object velocity. Our results therefore reveal a novel function for the serotonergic system in selectively enhancing discriminability for motion stimuli.
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196
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Khan AG, Poort J, Chadwick A, Blot A, Sahani M, Mrsic-Flogel TD, Hofer SB. Distinct learning-induced changes in stimulus selectivity and interactions of GABAergic interneuron classes in visual cortex. Nat Neurosci 2018; 21:851-859. [PMID: 29786081 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-018-0143-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
How learning enhances neural representations for behaviorally relevant stimuli via activity changes of cortical cell types remains unclear. We simultaneously imaged responses of pyramidal cells (PYR) along with parvalbumin (PV), somatostatin (SOM), and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) inhibitory interneurons in primary visual cortex while mice learned to discriminate visual patterns. Learning increased selectivity for task-relevant stimuli of PYR, PV and SOM subsets but not VIP cells. Strikingly, PV neurons became as selective as PYR cells, and their functional interactions reorganized, leading to the emergence of stimulus-selective PYR-PV ensembles. Conversely, SOM activity became strongly decorrelated from the network, and PYR-SOM coupling before learning predicted selectivity increases in individual PYR cells. Thus, learning differentially shapes the activity and interactions of multiple cell classes: while SOM inhibition may gate selectivity changes, PV interneurons become recruited into stimulus-specific ensembles and provide more selective inhibition as the network becomes better at discriminating behaviorally relevant stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adil G Khan
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. .,Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Jasper Poort
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Angus Chadwick
- Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Antonin Blot
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, London, UK
| | - Maneesh Sahani
- Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Thomas D Mrsic-Flogel
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. .,Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Sonja B Hofer
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. .,Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, London, UK.
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197
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Govorunova EG, Sineshchekov OA, Hemmati R, Janz R, Morelle O, Melkonian M, Wong GKS, Spudich JL. Extending the Time Domain of Neuronal Silencing with Cryptophyte Anion Channelrhodopsins. eNeuro 2018; 5:ENEURO.0174-18.2018. [PMID: 30027111 PMCID: PMC6051594 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0174-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [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: 05/02/2018] [Revised: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Optogenetic inhibition of specific neuronal types in the brain enables analysis of neural circuitry and is promising for the treatment of a number of neurological disorders. Anion channelrhodopsins (ACRs) from the cryptophyte alga Guillardia theta generate larger photocurrents than other available inhibitory optogenetic tools, but more rapid channels are needed for temporally precise inhibition, such as single-spike suppression, of high-frequency firing neurons. Faster ACRs have been reported, but their potential advantages for time-resolved inhibitory optogenetics have not so far been verified in neurons. We report RapACR, nicknamed so for "rapid," an ACR from Rhodomonas salina, that exhibits channel half-closing times below 10 ms and achieves equivalent inhibition at 50-fold lower light intensity in lentivirally transduced cultured mouse hippocampal neurons as the second-generation engineered Cl--conducting channelrhodopsin iC++. The upper limit of the time resolution of neuronal silencing with RapACR determined by measuring the dependence of spiking recovery after photoinhibition on the light intensity was calculated to be 100 Hz, whereas that with the faster of the two G. theta ACRs was 13 Hz. Further acceleration of RapACR channel kinetics was achieved by site-directed mutagenesis of a single residue in transmembrane helix 3 (Thr111 to Cys). We also show that mutation of another ACR (Cys to Ala at the same position) with a greatly extended lifetime of the channel open state acts as a bistable photochromic tool in mammalian neurons. These molecules extend the time domain of optogenetic neuronal silencing while retaining the high light sensitivity of Guillardia ACRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena G. Govorunova
- Center for Membrane Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Oleg A. Sineshchekov
- Center for Membrane Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Raheleh Hemmati
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Roger Janz
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Olivier Morelle
- Institute of Botany, Cologne Biocenter, University of Cologne, Cologne D-50674, Germany
| | - Michael Melkonian
- Institute of Botany, Cologne Biocenter, University of Cologne, Cologne D-50674, Germany
| | - Gane K.-S. Wong
- Departments of Biological Sciences and of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1, Canada
- Beijing Genomics Institute-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - John L. Spudich
- Center for Membrane Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX 77030
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198
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Collins DP, Anastasiades PG, Marlin JJ, Carter AG. Reciprocal Circuits Linking the Prefrontal Cortex with Dorsal and Ventral Thalamic Nuclei. Neuron 2018; 98:366-379.e4. [PMID: 29628187 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Reciprocal interactions between the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and thalamus play a critical role in cognition, but the underlying circuits remain poorly understood. Here we use optogenetics to dissect the specificity and dynamics of cortico-thalamo-cortical networks in the mouse brain. We find that cortico-thalamic (CT) neurons in prelimbic PFC project to both mediodorsal (MD) and ventromedial (VM) thalamus, where layer 5 and 6 inputs activate thalamo-cortical (TC) neurons with distinct temporal profiles. We show that TC neurons in MD and VM in turn make distinct connections in PFC, with MD preferentially and strongly activating layer 2/3 cortico-cortical (CC) neurons. Finally, we assess local connections from superficial CC to deep CT neurons, which link thalamo-cortical and cortico-thalamic networks within the PFC. Together our findings indicate that PFC strongly drives neurons in the thalamus, whereas MD and VM indirectly influence reciprocally connected neurons in the PFC, providing a mechanistic understanding of these circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- David P Collins
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Paul G Anastasiades
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Joseph J Marlin
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Adam G Carter
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003, USA.
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199
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The logistics of afferent cortical specification in mice and men. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2018; 76:112-119. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.08.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2017] [Revised: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 08/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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200
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