1
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Branchi I. Uncovering the determinants of brain functioning, behavior and their interplay in the light of context. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 60:4687-4706. [PMID: 38558227 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Notwithstanding the huge progress in molecular and cellular neuroscience, our ability to understand the brain and develop effective treatments promoting mental health is still limited. This can be partially ascribed to the reductionist, deterministic and mechanistic approaches in neuroscience that struggle with the complexity of the central nervous system. Here, I introduce the Context theory of constrained systems proposing a novel role of contextual factors and genetic, molecular and neural substrates in determining brain functioning and behavior. This theory entails key conceptual implications. First, context is the main driver of behavior and mental states. Second, substrates, from genes to brain areas, have no direct causal link to complex behavioral responses as they can be combined in multiple ways to produce the same response and different responses can impinge on the same substrates. Third, context and biological substrates play distinct roles in determining behavior: context drives behavior, substrates constrain the behavioral repertoire that can be implemented. Fourth, since behavior is the interface between the central nervous system and the environment, it is a privileged level of control and orchestration of brain functioning. Such implications are illustrated through the Kitchen metaphor of the brain. This theoretical framework calls for the revision of key concepts in neuroscience and psychiatry, including causality, specificity and individuality. Moreover, at the clinical level, it proposes treatments inducing behavioral changes through contextual interventions as having the highest impact to reorganize the complexity of the human mind and to achieve a long-lasting improvement in mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Branchi
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
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2
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Scharfen HE, Memmert D. The model of the brain as a complex system: Interactions of physical, neural and mental states with neurocognitive functions. Conscious Cogn 2024; 122:103700. [PMID: 38749233 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2024.103700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
The isolated approaching of physical, neural and mental states and the binary classification into stable traits and fluctuating states previously lead to a limited understanding concerning underlying processes and possibilities to explain, measure and regulate neural and mental performance along with the interaction of mental states and neurocognitive traits. In this article these states are integrated by i) differentiating the model of the brain as a complex, self-organizing system, ii) showing possibilities to measure this model, iii) offering a classification of mental states and iv) presenting a holistic operationalization of state regulations and trait trainings to enhance neural and mental high-performance on a macro- and micro scale. This model integrates current findings from the theory of constructed emotions, the theory of thousand brains and complex systems theory and yields several testable hypotheses to provide an integrated reference frame for future research and applied target points to regulate and enhance performance.
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3
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Zhang Y, Karadas M, Liu J, Gu X, Vöröslakos M, Li Y, Tsien RW, Buzsáki G. Interaction of acetylcholine and oxytocin neuromodulation in the hippocampus. Neuron 2024; 112:1862-1875.e5. [PMID: 38537642 PMCID: PMC11156550 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
A postulated role of subcortical neuromodulators is to control brain states. Mechanisms by which different neuromodulators compete or cooperate at various temporal scales remain an open question. We investigated the interaction of acetylcholine (ACh) and oxytocin (OXT) at slow and fast timescales during various brain states. Although these neuromodulators fluctuated in parallel during NREM packets, transitions from NREM to REM were characterized by a surge of ACh but a continued decrease of OXT. OXT signaling lagged behind ACh. High ACh was correlated with population synchrony and gamma oscillations during active waking, whereas minimum ACh predicts sharp-wave ripples (SPW-Rs). Optogenetic control of ACh and OXT neurons confirmed the active role of these neuromodulators in the observed correlations. Synchronous hippocampal activity consistently reduced OXT activity, whereas inactivation of the lateral septum-hypothalamus path attenuated this effect. Our findings demonstrate how cooperative actions of these neuromodulators allow target circuits to perform specific functions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Xinyi Gu
- Neuroscience Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Yulong Li
- School of Life Science, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Richard W Tsien
- Neuroscience Institute, New York, NY, USA; Department of Neurology, Langone Medical Center, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA; Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - György Buzsáki
- Neuroscience Institute, New York, NY, USA; Department of Neurology, Langone Medical Center, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA; Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA.
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4
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Fontenele AJ, Sooter JS, Norman VK, Gautam SH, Shew WL. Low-dimensional criticality embedded in high-dimensional awake brain dynamics. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadj9303. [PMID: 38669340 PMCID: PMC11051676 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj9303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Whether cortical neurons operate in a strongly or weakly correlated dynamical regime determines fundamental information processing capabilities and has fueled decades of debate. We offer a resolution of this debate; we show that two important dynamical regimes, typically considered incompatible, can coexist in the same local cortical circuit by separating them into two different subspaces. In awake mouse motor cortex, we find a low-dimensional subspace with large fluctuations consistent with criticality-a dynamical regime with moderate correlations and multi-scale information capacity and transmission. Orthogonal to this critical subspace, we find a high-dimensional subspace containing a desynchronized dynamical regime, which may optimize input discrimination. The critical subspace is apparent only at long timescales, which explains discrepancies among some previous studies. Using a computational model, we show that the emergence of a low-dimensional critical subspace at large timescales agrees with established theory of critical dynamics. Our results suggest that the cortex leverages its high dimensionality to multiplex dynamical regimes across different subspaces.
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5
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Papadopoulos L, Jo S, Zumwalt K, Wehr M, McCormick DA, Mazzucato L. Modulation of metastable ensemble dynamics explains optimal coding at moderate arousal in auditory cortex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.04.588209. [PMID: 38617286 PMCID: PMC11014582 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.04.588209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Performance during perceptual decision-making exhibits an inverted-U relationship with arousal, but the underlying network mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we recorded from auditory cortex (A1) of behaving mice during passive tone presentation, while tracking arousal via pupillometry. We found that tone discriminability in A1 ensembles was optimal at intermediate arousal, revealing a population-level neural correlate of the inverted-U relationship. We explained this arousal-dependent coding using a spiking network model with a clustered architecture. Specifically, we show that optimal stimulus discriminability is achieved near a transition between a multi-attractor phase with metastable cluster dynamics (low arousal) and a single-attractor phase (high arousal). Additional signatures of this transition include arousal-induced reductions of overall neural variability and the extent of stimulus-induced variability quenching, which we observed in the empirical data. Altogether, this study elucidates computational principles underlying interactions between pupil-linked arousal, sensory processing, and neural variability, and suggests a role for phase transitions in explaining nonlinear modulations of cortical computations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Suhyun Jo
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
| | - Kevin Zumwalt
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
| | - Michael Wehr
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon and Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
| | - David A McCormick
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon and Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
| | - Luca Mazzucato
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
- Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
- Department of Mathematics, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon and Department of Physics, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
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6
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Noda T, Aschauer DF, Chambers AR, Seiler JPH, Rumpel S. Representational maps in the brain: concepts, approaches, and applications. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1366200. [PMID: 38584779 PMCID: PMC10995314 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1366200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Neural systems have evolved to process sensory stimuli in a way that allows for efficient and adaptive behavior in a complex environment. Recent technological advances enable us to investigate sensory processing in animal models by simultaneously recording the activity of large populations of neurons with single-cell resolution, yielding high-dimensional datasets. In this review, we discuss concepts and approaches for assessing the population-level representation of sensory stimuli in the form of a representational map. In such a map, not only are the identities of stimuli distinctly represented, but their relational similarity is also mapped onto the space of neuronal activity. We highlight example studies in which the structure of representational maps in the brain are estimated from recordings in humans as well as animals and compare their methodological approaches. Finally, we integrate these aspects and provide an outlook for how the concept of representational maps could be applied to various fields in basic and clinical neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Noda
- Institute of Physiology, Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University-Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Dominik F. Aschauer
- Institute of Physiology, Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University-Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Anna R. Chambers
- Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Eaton Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Johannes P.-H. Seiler
- Institute of Physiology, Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University-Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Simon Rumpel
- Institute of Physiology, Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University-Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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Weiss DA, Borsa AM, Pala A, Sederberg AJ, Stanley GB. A machine learning approach for real-time cortical state estimation. J Neural Eng 2024; 21:016016. [PMID: 38232377 PMCID: PMC10868597 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ad1f7b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Objective.Cortical function is under constant modulation by internally-driven, latent variables that regulate excitability, collectively known as 'cortical state'. Despite a vast literature in this area, the estimation of cortical state remains relatively ad hoc, and not amenable to real-time implementation. Here, we implement robust, data-driven, and fast algorithms that address several technical challenges for online cortical state estimation.Approach. We use unsupervised Gaussian mixture models to identify discrete, emergent clusters in spontaneous local field potential signals in cortex. We then extend our approach to a temporally-informed hidden semi-Markov model (HSMM) with Gaussian observations to better model and infer cortical state transitions. Finally, we implement our HSMM cortical state inference algorithms in a real-time system, evaluating their performance in emulation experiments.Main results. Unsupervised clustering approaches reveal emergent state-like structure in spontaneous electrophysiological data that recapitulate arousal-related cortical states as indexed by behavioral indicators. HSMMs enable cortical state inferences in a real-time context by modeling the temporal dynamics of cortical state switching. Using HSMMs provides robustness to state estimates arising from noisy, sequential electrophysiological data.Significance. To our knowledge, this work represents the first implementation of a real-time software tool for continuously decoding cortical states with high temporal resolution (40 ms). The software tools that we provide can facilitate our understanding of how cortical states dynamically modulate cortical function on a moment-by-moment basis and provide a basis for state-aware brain machine interfaces across health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Weiss
- Program in Bioengineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- Wallace H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Adriano Mf Borsa
- Program in Bioengineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Aurélie Pala
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Audrey J Sederberg
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America
- Medical Discovery Team in Optical Imaging and Brain Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America
| | - Garrett B Stanley
- Wallace H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
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8
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Suryavanshi P, Sawant-Pokam P, Clair S, Brennan KC. Increased presynaptic excitability in a migraine with aura mutation. Brain 2024; 147:680-697. [PMID: 37831655 PMCID: PMC10834252 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Migraine is a common and disabling neurological disorder. The headache and sensory amplifications of migraine are attributed to hyperexcitable sensory circuits, but a detailed understanding remains elusive. A mutation in casein kinase 1 delta (CK1δ) was identified in non-hemiplegic familial migraine with aura and advanced sleep phase syndrome. Mice carrying the CK1δT44A mutation were more susceptible to spreading depolarization (the phenomenon that underlies migraine aura), but mechanisms underlying this migraine-relevant phenotype were not known. We used a combination of whole-cell electrophysiology and multiphoton imaging, in vivo and in brain slices, to compare CK1δT44A mice (adult males) to their wild-type littermates. We found that despite comparable synaptic activity at rest, CK1δT44A neurons were more excitable upon repetitive stimulation than wild-type, with a reduction in presynaptic adaptation at excitatory but not inhibitory synapses. The mechanism of this adaptation deficit was a calcium-dependent enhancement of the size of the readily releasable pool of synaptic vesicles, and a resultant increase in glutamate release, in CK1δT44A compared to wild-type synapses. Consistent with this mechanism, CK1δT44A neurons showed an increase in the cumulative amplitude of excitatory post-synaptic currents, and a higher excitation-to-inhibition ratio during sustained activity compared to wild-type. At a local circuit level, action potential bursts elicited in CK1δT44A neurons triggered an increase in recurrent excitation compared to wild-type, and at a network level, CK1δT44A mice showed a longer duration of 'up state' activity, which is dependent on recurrent excitation. Finally, we demonstrated that the spreading depolarization susceptibility of CK1δT44A mice could be returned to wild-type levels with the same intervention (reduced extracellular calcium) that normalized presynaptic adaptation. Taken together, these findings show a stimulus-dependent presynaptic gain of function at glutamatergic synapses in a genetic model of migraine, that accounts for the increased spreading depolarization susceptibility and may also explain the sensory amplifications that are associated with the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratyush Suryavanshi
- Department of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Punam Sawant-Pokam
- Department of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
| | - Sarah Clair
- Department of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
| | - K C Brennan
- Department of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
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9
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Marzetti L, Makkinayeri S, Pieramico G, Guidotti R, D'Andrea A, Roine T, Mutanen TP, Souza VH, Kičić D, Baldassarre A, Ermolova M, Pankka H, Ilmoniemi RJ, Ziemann U, Luca Romani G, Pizzella V. Towards real-time identification of large-scale brain states for improved brain state-dependent stimulation. Clin Neurophysiol 2024; 158:196-203. [PMID: 37827877 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2023.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Marzetti
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy; Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy.
| | - Saeed Makkinayeri
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy
| | - Giulia Pieramico
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy
| | - Roberto Guidotti
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy
| | - Antea D'Andrea
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy
| | - Timo Roine
- Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland; Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; BioMag Laboratory, HUS Medical Imaging Center, University of Helsinki, Aalto University and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tuomas P Mutanen
- Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | - Victor H Souza
- Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland; BioMag Laboratory, HUS Medical Imaging Center, University of Helsinki, Aalto University and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Dubravko Kičić
- Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland; BioMag Laboratory, HUS Medical Imaging Center, University of Helsinki, Aalto University and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Antonello Baldassarre
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy
| | - Maria Ermolova
- Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany; Department of Neurology & Stroke, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Hanna Pankka
- Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | - Risto J Ilmoniemi
- Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | - Ulf Ziemann
- Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany; Department of Neurology & Stroke, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Gian Luca Romani
- Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy
| | - Vittorio Pizzella
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy; Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy
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10
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Mishra W, Kheradpezhouh E, Arabzadeh E. Activation of M1 cholinergic receptors in mouse somatosensory cortex enhances information processing and detection behaviour. Commun Biol 2024; 7:3. [PMID: 38168628 PMCID: PMC10761830 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05699-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
To optimise sensory representations based on environmental demands, the activity of cortical neurons is regulated by neuromodulators such as Acetylcholine (ACh). ACh is implicated in cognitive functions including attention, arousal and sleep cycles. However, it is not clear how specific ACh receptors shape the activity of cortical neurons in response to sensory stimuli. Here, we investigate the role of a densely expressed muscarinic ACh receptor M1 in information processing in the mouse primary somatosensory cortex and its influence on the animal's sensitivity to detect vibrotactile stimuli. We show that M1 activation results in faster and more reliable neuronal responses, manifested by a significant reduction in response latencies and the trial-to-trial variability. At the population level, M1 activation reduces the network synchrony, and thus enhances the capacity of cortical neurons in conveying sensory information. Consistent with the neuronal findings, we show that M1 activation significantly improves performances in a vibriotactile detection task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wricha Mishra
- Eccles Institute of Neuroscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Ehsan Kheradpezhouh
- Eccles Institute of Neuroscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Ehsan Arabzadeh
- Eccles Institute of Neuroscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
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11
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Dearnley B, Jones M, Dervinis M, Okun M. Brain state transitions primarily impact the spontaneous rate of slow-firing neurons. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113185. [PMID: 37773749 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The spontaneous firing of neurons is modulated by brain state. Here, we examine how such modulation impacts the overall distribution of firing rates in neuronal populations of neocortical, hippocampal, and thalamic areas across natural and pharmacologically driven brain state transitions. We report that across all the examined combinations of brain area and state transition category, the structure of rate modulation is similar, with almost all fast-firing neurons experiencing proportionally weak modulation, while slow-firing neurons exhibit high inter-neuron variability in the modulation magnitude, leading to a stronger modulation on average. We further demonstrate that this modulation structure is linked to the left-skewed distribution of firing rates on the logarithmic scale and is recapitulated by bivariate log-gamma, but not Gaussian, distributions. Our findings indicate that a preconfigured log-rate distribution with rigid fast-firing neurons and a long left tail of malleable slow-firing neurons is a generic property of forebrain neuronal circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley Dearnley
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK; School of Biological Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Melissa Jones
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK; School of Biological Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Martynas Dervinis
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK; School of Biological Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Michael Okun
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK; School of Biological Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK; School of Life Sciences, Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK.
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12
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Baracchini G, Zhou Y, da Silva Castanheira J, Hansen JY, Rieck J, Turner GR, Grady CL, Misic B, Nomi J, Uddin LQ, Spreng RN. The biological role of local and global fMRI BOLD signal variability in human brain organization. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.22.563476. [PMID: 37961684 PMCID: PMC10634715 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.22.563476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Variability drives the organization and behavior of complex systems, including the human brain. Understanding the variability of brain signals is thus necessary to broaden our window into brain function and behavior. Few empirical investigations of macroscale brain signal variability have yet been undertaken, given the difficulty in separating biological sources of variance from artefactual noise. Here, we characterize the temporal variability of the most predominant macroscale brain signal, the fMRI BOLD signal, and systematically investigate its statistical, topographical and neurobiological properties. We contrast fMRI acquisition protocols, and integrate across histology, microstructure, transcriptomics, neurotransmitter receptor and metabolic data, fMRI static connectivity, and empirical and simulated magnetoencephalography data. We show that BOLD signal variability represents a spatially heterogeneous, central property of multi-scale multi-modal brain organization, distinct from noise. Our work establishes the biological relevance of BOLD signal variability and provides a lens on brain stochasticity across spatial and temporal scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Baracchini
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Yigu Zhou
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jason da Silva Castanheira
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Justine Y. Hansen
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Gary R. Turner
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Cheryl L. Grady
- Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest, and Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Bratislav Misic
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jason Nomi
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Lucina Q. Uddin
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
| | - R. Nathan Spreng
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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13
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Parajuli A, Gutnisky D, Tandon N, Dragoi V. Endogenous fluctuations in cortical state selectively enhance different modes of sensory processing in human temporal lobe. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5591. [PMID: 37696880 PMCID: PMC10495466 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41406-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The degree of synchronized fluctuations in neocortical network activity can vary widely during alertness. One influential idea that has emerged over the past few decades is that perceptual decisions are more accurate when the state of population activity is desynchronized. This suggests that optimal task performance may occur during a particular cortical state - the desynchronized state. Here we show that, contrary to this view, cortical state can both facilitate and suppress perceptual performance in a task-dependent manner. We performed electrical recordings from surface-implanted grid electrodes in the temporal lobe while human subjects completed two perceptual tasks. We found that when local population activity is in a synchronized state, network and perceptual performance are enhanced in a detection task and impaired in a discrimination task, but these modulatory effects are reversed when population activity is desynchronized. These findings indicate that the brain has adapted to take advantage of endogenous fluctuations in the state of neural populations in temporal cortex to selectively enhance different modes of sensory processing during perception in a state-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun Parajuli
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Diego Gutnisky
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Nitin Tandon
- Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Medical School, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Valentin Dragoi
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
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14
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Shahsavarani S, Thibodeaux DN, Xu W, Kim SH, Lodgher F, Nwokeabia C, Cambareri M, Yagielski AJ, Zhao HT, Handwerker DA, Gonzalez-Castillo J, Bandettini PA, Hillman EMC. Cortex-wide neural dynamics predict behavioral states and provide a neural basis for resting-state dynamic functional connectivity. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112527. [PMID: 37243588 PMCID: PMC10592480 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Although resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have observed dynamically changing brain-wide networks of correlated activity, fMRI's dependence on hemodynamic signals makes results challenging to interpret. Meanwhile, emerging techniques for real-time recording of large populations of neurons have revealed compelling fluctuations in neuronal activity across the brain that are obscured by traditional trial averaging. To reconcile these observations, we use wide-field optical mapping to simultaneously record pan-cortical neuronal and hemodynamic activity in awake, spontaneously behaving mice. Some components of observed neuronal activity clearly represent sensory and motor function. However, particularly during quiet rest, strongly fluctuating patterns of activity across diverse brain regions contribute greatly to interregional correlations. Dynamic changes in these correlations coincide with changes in arousal state. Simultaneously acquired hemodynamics depict similar brain-state-dependent correlation shifts. These results support a neural basis for dynamic resting-state fMRI, while highlighting the importance of brain-wide neuronal fluctuations in the study of brain state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somayeh Shahsavarani
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Section on Functional Imaging Methods, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - David N Thibodeaux
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Weihao Xu
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sharon H Kim
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Fatema Lodgher
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chinwendu Nwokeabia
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Morgan Cambareri
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alexis J Yagielski
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hanzhi T Zhao
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniel A Handwerker
- Section on Functional Imaging Methods, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Javier Gonzalez-Castillo
- Section on Functional Imaging Methods, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Peter A Bandettini
- Section on Functional Imaging Methods, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Functional MRI Core Facility, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Elizabeth M C Hillman
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Radiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
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15
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Hirosawa T, Soma D, Miyagishi Y, Furutani N, Yoshimura Y, Kameya M, Yamaguchi Y, Yaoi K, Sano M, Kitamura K, Takahashi T, Kikuchi M. Effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on the functionality of 40 Hz auditory steady state response brain network: graph theory approach. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1156617. [PMID: 37363170 PMCID: PMC10288104 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1156617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Measuring whole-brain networks of the 40 Hz auditory steady state response (ASSR) is a promising approach to describe the after-effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of tDCS on the brain network of 40 Hz ASSR in healthy adult males using graph theory. The second objective was to identify a population in which tDCS effectively modulates the brain network of 40 Hz ASSR. Methods This study used a randomized, sham-controlled, double-blinded crossover approach. Twenty-five adult males (20-24 years old) completed two sessions at least 1 month apart. The participants underwent cathodal or sham tDCS of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, after which 40 Hz ASSR was measured using magnetoencephalography. After the signal sources were mapped onto the Desikan-Killiany brain atlas, the statistical relationships between localized activities were evaluated in terms of the debiased weighted phase lag index (dbWPLI). Weighted and undirected graphs were constructed for the tDCS and sham conditions based on the dbWPLI. Weighted characteristic path lengths and clustering coefficients were then measured and compared between the tDCS and sham conditions using mixed linear models. Results The characteristic path length was significantly lower post-tDCS simulation (p = 0.04) than after sham stimulation. This indicates that after tDCS simulation, the whole-brain networks of 40 Hz ASSR show a significant functional integration. Simple linear regression showed a higher characteristic path length at baseline, which was associated with a larger reduction in characteristic path length after tDCS. Hence, a pronounced effect of tDCS is expected for those who have a less functionally integrated network of 40 Hz ASSR. Discussion Given that the healthy brain is functionally integrated, we conclude that tDCS could effectively normalize less functionally integrated brain networks rather than enhance functional integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsu Hirosawa
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Daiki Soma
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Miyagishi
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Naoki Furutani
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Yuko Yoshimura
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
- Faculty of Education, Institute of Human and Social Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Masafumi Kameya
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Yohei Yamaguchi
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Ken Yaoi
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Masuhiko Sano
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Koji Kitamura
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Takahashi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Kikuchi
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
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16
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Mäki-Marttunen V. Influence of vigilance-related arousal on brain dynamics: Potentials of new approaches. Neuroimage 2023; 270:119963. [PMID: 36822247 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.119963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Growing research has focused on how mesoscopic activity in the brain develops over time and space. Recent influential studies using functional imaging have characterized brain dynamics in terms of the spread of activation across the brain following a unimodal to transmodal axis. In parallel, a number of studies have assessed changes of brain connectivity in terms of vigilance-linked arousal. Here I offer a view on how these two lines of research can lead to a deeper understanding of how arousal shapes the brain's dynamic behavior. This knowledge could have great impact on the investigation of mental disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Mäki-Marttunen
- Cognitive Psychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, AK, Leiden 2333, The Netherlands.
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17
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Zhang Z, Zagha E. Motor cortex gates distractor stimulus encoding in sensory cortex. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2097. [PMID: 37055425 PMCID: PMC10102016 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37848-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Suppressing responses to distractor stimuli is a fundamental cognitive function, essential for performing goal-directed tasks. A common framework for the neuronal implementation of distractor suppression is the attenuation of distractor stimuli from early sensory to higher-order processing. However, details of the localization and mechanisms of attenuation are poorly understood. We trained mice to selectively respond to target stimuli in one whisker field and ignore distractor stimuli in the opposite whisker field. During expert task performance, optogenetic inhibition of whisker motor cortex increased the overall tendency to respond and the detection of distractor whisker stimuli. Within sensory cortex, optogenetic inhibition of whisker motor cortex enhanced the propagation of distractor stimuli into target-preferring neurons. Single unit analyses revealed that whisker motor cortex (wMC) decorrelates target and distractor stimulus encoding in target-preferring primary somatosensory cortex (S1) neurons, which likely improves selective target stimulus detection by downstream readers. Moreover, we observed proactive top-down modulation from wMC to S1, through the differential activation of putative excitatory and inhibitory neurons before stimulus onset. Overall, our studies support a contribution of motor cortex to sensory selection, in suppressing behavioral responses to distractor stimuli by gating distractor stimulus propagation within sensory cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoran Zhang
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Edward Zagha
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA.
- Department of Psychology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA.
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18
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Mao X, Liu M, Li Q, Fan C, Zuo X. DNA-Based Molecular Machines. JACS AU 2022; 2:2381-2399. [PMID: 36465542 PMCID: PMC9709946 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.2c00292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Artificial molecular machines have found widespread applications ranging from fundamental studies to biomedicine. More recent advances in exploiting unique physical and chemical properties of DNA have led to the development of DNA-based artificial molecular machines. The unprecedented programmability of DNA provides a powerful means to design complex and sophisticated DNA-based molecular machines that can exert mechanical force or motion to realize complex tasks in a controllable, modular fashion. This Perspective highlights the potential and strategies to construct artificial molecular machines using double-stranded DNA, functional nucleic acids, and DNA frameworks, which enable improved control over reaction pathways and motion behaviors. We also outline the challenges and opportunities of using DNA-based molecular machines for biophysics, biosensing, and biocomputing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuhai Mao
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Mengmeng Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Qian Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules and National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Chunhai Fan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules and National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xiaolei Zuo
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules and National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
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19
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Maness EB, Burk JA, McKenna JT, Schiffino FL, Strecker RE, McCoy JG. Role of the locus coeruleus and basal forebrain in arousal and attention. Brain Res Bull 2022; 188:47-58. [PMID: 35878679 PMCID: PMC9514025 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2022.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Experimental evidence has implicated multiple neurotransmitter systems in either the direct or indirect modulation of cortical arousal and attention circuitry. In this review, we selectively focus on three such systems: 1) norepinephrine (NE)-containing neurons of the locus coeruleus (LC), 2) acetylcholine (ACh)-containing neurons of the basal forebrain (BF), and 3) parvalbumin (PV)-containing gamma-aminobutyric acid neurons of the BF. Whereas BF-PV neurons serve as a rapid and transient arousal system, LC-NE and BF-ACh neuromodulation are typically activated on slower but longer-lasting timescales. Recent findings suggest that the BF-PV system serves to rapidly respond to even subtle sensory stimuli with a microarousal. We posit that salient sensory stimuli, such as those that are threatening or predict the need for a response, will quickly activate the BF-PV system and subsequently activate both the BF-ACh and LC-NE systems if the circumstances require longer periods of arousal and vigilance. We suggest that NE and ACh have overlapping psychological functions with the main difference being the precise internal/environmental sensory situations/contexts that recruit each neurotransmitter system - a goal for future research to determine. Implications of dysfunction of each of these three attentional systems for our understanding of neuropsychiatric conditions are considered. Finally, the contemporary availability of research tools to selectively manipulate and measure the activity of these distinctive neuronal populations promises to answer longstanding questions, such as how various arousal systems influence downstream decision-making and motor responding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eden B Maness
- VA Boston Healthcare System and Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, West Roxbury, MA 02132, USA.
| | - Joshua A Burk
- Department of Psychological Sciences, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23187, USA
| | - James T McKenna
- VA Boston Healthcare System and Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, West Roxbury, MA 02132, USA
| | - Felipe L Schiffino
- VA Boston Healthcare System and Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, West Roxbury, MA 02132, USA; Genetics and Aging Research Unit, McCance Center for Brain Health, Mass General Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Robert E Strecker
- VA Boston Healthcare System and Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, West Roxbury, MA 02132, USA.
| | - John G McCoy
- Department of Psychology, Stonehill College, Easton, MA 02357, USA.
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20
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Mäki-Marttunen T, Mäki-Marttunen V. Excitatory and inhibitory effects of HCN channel modulation on excitability of layer V pyramidal cells. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1010506. [PMID: 36099307 PMCID: PMC9506642 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendrites of cortical pyramidal cells are densely populated by hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels, a.k.a. Ih channels. Ih channels are targeted by multiple neuromodulatory pathways, and thus are one of the key ion-channel populations regulating the pyramidal cell activity. Previous observations and theories attribute opposing effects of the Ih channels on neuronal excitability due to their mildly hyperpolarized reversal potential. These effects are difficult to measure experimentally due to the fine spatiotemporal landscape of the Ih activity in the dendrites, but computational models provide an efficient tool for studying this question in a reduced but generalizable setting. In this work, we build upon existing biophysically detailed models of thick-tufted layer V pyramidal cells and model the effects of over- and under-expression of Ih channels as well as their neuromodulation. We show that Ih channels facilitate the action potentials of layer V pyramidal cells in response to proximal dendritic stimulus while they hinder the action potentials in response to distal dendritic stimulus at the apical dendrite. We also show that the inhibitory action of the Ih channels in layer V pyramidal cells is due to the interactions between Ih channels and a hot zone of low voltage-activated Ca2+ channels at the apical dendrite. Our simulations suggest that a combination of Ih-enhancing neuromodulation at the proximal part of the apical dendrite and Ih-inhibiting modulation at the distal part of the apical dendrite can increase the layer V pyramidal excitability more than either of the two alone. Our analyses uncover the effects of Ih-channel neuromodulation of layer V pyramidal cells at a single-cell level and shed light on how these neurons integrate information and enable higher-order functions of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuomo Mäki-Marttunen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Simula Research Laboratory, Oslo, Norway
- * E-mail:
| | - Verónica Mäki-Marttunen
- Cognitive Psychology Unit, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Leiden, Leiden, Netherlands
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21
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Lee K, Horien C, O’Connor D, Garand-Sheridan B, Tokoglu F, Scheinost D, Lake EM, Constable RT. Arousal impacts distributed hubs modulating the integration of brain functional connectivity. Neuroimage 2022; 258:119364. [PMID: 35690257 PMCID: PMC9341222 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Even when subjects are at rest, it is thought that brain activity is organized into distinct brain states during which reproducible patterns are observable. Yet, it is unclear how to define or distinguish different brain states. A potential source of brain state variation is arousal, which may play a role in modulating functional interactions between brain regions. Here, we use simultaneous resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and pupillometry to study the impact of arousal levels indexed by pupil area on the integration of large-scale brain networks. We employ a novel sparse dictionary learning-based method to identify hub regions participating in between-network integration stratified by arousal, by measuring k-hubness, the number (k) of functionally overlapping networks in each brain region. We show evidence of a brain-wide decrease in between-network integration and inter-subject variability at low relative to high arousal, with differences emerging across regions of the frontoparietal, default mode, motor, limbic, and cerebellum networks. State-dependent changes in k-hubness relate to the actual patterns of network integration within these hubs, suggesting a brain state transition from high to low arousal characterized by global synchronization and reduced network overlaps. We demonstrate that arousal is not limited to specific brain areas known to be directly associated with arousal regulation, but instead has a brain-wide impact that involves high-level between-network communications. Lastly, we show a systematic change in pairwise fMRI signal correlation structures in the arousal state-stratified data, and demonstrate that the choice of global signal regression could result in different conclusions in conventional graph theoretical analysis and in the analysis of k-hubness when studying arousal modulations. Together, our results suggest the presence of global and local effects of pupil-linked arousal modulations on resting state brain functional connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangjoo Lee
- Department of Radiology and Bioimaging Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, United States.
| | - Corey Horien
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University
School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, United States
| | - David O’Connor
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New
Haven, CT 06520, United States
| | | | - Fuyuze Tokoglu
- Department of Radiology and Bioimaging Sciences, Yale
University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, United States
| | - Dustin Scheinost
- Department of Radiology and Bioimaging Sciences, Yale
University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, United States,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New
Haven, CT 06520, United States,The Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine,
New Haven, CT 06520, United States,Department of Statistics and Data Science, Yale University,
New Haven, CT 06511, United States
| | - Evelyn M.R. Lake
- Department of Radiology and Bioimaging Sciences, Yale
University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, United States
| | - R. Todd Constable
- Department of Radiology and Bioimaging Sciences, Yale
University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, United States,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New
Haven, CT 06520, United States,Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of
Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, United States
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22
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Avitan L, Stringer C. Not so spontaneous: Multi-dimensional representations of behaviors and context in sensory areas. Neuron 2022; 110:3064-3075. [PMID: 35863344 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Sensory areas are spontaneously active in the absence of sensory stimuli. This spontaneous activity has long been studied; however, its functional role remains largely unknown. Recent advances in technology, allowing large-scale neural recordings in the awake and behaving animal, have transformed our understanding of spontaneous activity. Studies using these recordings have discovered high-dimensional spontaneous activity patterns, correlation between spontaneous activity and behavior, and dissimilarity between spontaneous and sensory-driven activity patterns. These findings are supported by evidence from developing animals, where a transition toward these characteristics is observed as the circuit matures, as well as by evidence from mature animals across species. These newly revealed characteristics call for the formulation of a new role for spontaneous activity in neural sensory computation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilach Avitan
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel.
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23
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Miller CT, Gire D, Hoke K, Huk AC, Kelley D, Leopold DA, Smear MC, Theunissen F, Yartsev M, Niell CM. Natural behavior is the language of the brain. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R482-R493. [PMID: 35609550 PMCID: PMC10082559 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.03.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The breadth and complexity of natural behaviors inspires awe. Understanding how our perceptions, actions, and internal thoughts arise from evolved circuits in the brain has motivated neuroscientists for generations. Researchers have traditionally approached this question by focusing on stereotyped behaviors, either natural or trained, in a limited number of model species. This approach has allowed for the isolation and systematic study of specific brain operations, which has greatly advanced our understanding of the circuits involved. At the same time, the emphasis on experimental reductionism has left most aspects of the natural behaviors that have shaped the evolution of the brain largely unexplored. However, emerging technologies and analytical tools make it possible to comprehensively link natural behaviors to neural activity across a broad range of ethological contexts and timescales, heralding new modes of neuroscience focused on natural behaviors. Here we describe a three-part roadmap that aims to leverage the wealth of behaviors in their naturally occurring distributions, linking their variance with that of underlying neural processes to understand how the brain is able to successfully navigate the everyday challenges of animals' social and ecological landscapes. To achieve this aim, experimenters must harness one challenge faced by all neurobiological systems, namely variability, in order to gain new insights into the language of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cory T Miller
- Cortical Systems and Behavior Laboratory, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92039, USA.
| | - David Gire
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Guthrie Hall, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Kim Hoke
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, 1878 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Alexander C Huk
- Center for Perceptual Systems, Departments of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, 116 Inner Campus Drive, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Darcy Kelley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, 1212 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - David A Leopold
- Section of Cognitive Neurophysiology and Imaging, National Institute of Mental Health, 49 Convent Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Matthew C Smear
- Department of Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, 1227 University Street, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Frederic Theunissen
- Department of Psychology, University of California Berkeley, 2121 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Michael Yartsev
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Berkeley, 306 Stanley Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Cristopher M Niell
- Department of Biology and Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, 222 Huestis Hall, Eugene, OR 97403, USA.
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24
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State-dependent effects of neural stimulation on brain function and cognition. Nat Rev Neurosci 2022; 23:459-475. [PMID: 35577959 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-022-00598-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Invasive and non-invasive brain stimulation methods are widely used in neuroscience to establish causal relationships between distinct brain regions and the sensory, cognitive and motor functions they subserve. When combined with concurrent brain imaging, such stimulation methods can reveal patterns of neuronal activity responsible for regulating simple and complex behaviours at the level of local circuits and across widespread networks. Understanding how fluctuations in physiological states and task demands might influence the effects of brain stimulation on neural activity and behaviour is at the heart of how we use these tools to understand cognition. Here we review the concept of such 'state-dependent' changes in brain activity in response to neural stimulation, and consider examples from research on altered states of consciousness (for example, sleep and anaesthesia) and from task-based manipulations of selective attention and working memory. We relate relevant findings from non-invasive methods used in humans to those obtained from direct electrical and optogenetic stimulation of neuronal ensembles in animal models. Given the widespread use of brain stimulation as a research tool in the laboratory and as a means of augmenting or restoring brain function, consideration of the influence of changing physiological and cognitive states is crucial for increasing the reliability of these interventions.
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25
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Oliveira JF, Araque A. Astrocyte regulation of neural circuit activity and network states. Glia 2022; 70:1455-1466. [PMID: 35460131 PMCID: PMC9232995 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes are known to influence neuronal activity through different mechanisms, including the homeostatic control of extracellular levels of ions and neurotransmitters and the exchange of signaling molecules that regulate synaptic formation, structure, and function. While a great effort done in the past has defined many molecular mechanisms and cellular processes involved in astrocyte-neuron interactions at the cellular level, the consequences of these interactions at the network level in vivo have only relatively recently been identified. This review describes and discusses recent findings on the regulatory effects of astrocytes on the activity of neuronal networks in vivo. Accumulating but still limited, evidence indicates that astrocytes regulate neuronal network rhythmic activity and synchronization as well as brain states. These studies demonstrate a critical contribution of astrocytes to brain activity and are paving the way for a more thorough understanding of the cellular bases of brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Filipe Oliveira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal.,IPCA-EST-2Ai, Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave, Applied Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Campus of IPCA, Barcelos, Portugal
| | - Alfonso Araque
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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26
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Grossman CD, Cohen JY. Neuromodulation and Neurophysiology on the Timescale of Learning and Decision-Making. Annu Rev Neurosci 2022; 45:317-337. [PMID: 35363533 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-092021-125059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Nervous systems evolved to effectively navigate the dynamics of the environment to achieve their goals. One framework used to study this fundamental problem arose in the study of learning and decision-making. In this framework, the demands of effective behavior require slow dynamics-on the scale of seconds to minutes-of networks of neurons. Here, we review the phenomena and mechanisms involved. Using vignettes from a few species and areas of the nervous system, we view neuromodulators as key substrates for temporal scaling of neuronal dynamics. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Neuroscience, Volume 45 is July 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cooper D Grossman
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Brain Science Institute, and Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA;
| | - Jeremiah Y Cohen
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Brain Science Institute, and Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA;
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27
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Spacek MA, Crombie D, Bauer Y, Born G, Liu X, Katzner S, Busse L. Robust effects of corticothalamic feedback and behavioral state on movie responses in mouse dLGN. eLife 2022; 11:e70469. [PMID: 35315775 PMCID: PMC9020820 DOI: 10.7554/elife.70469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons in the dorsolateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) of the thalamus receive a substantial proportion of modulatory inputs from corticothalamic (CT) feedback and brain stem nuclei. Hypothesizing that these modulatory influences might be differentially engaged depending on the visual stimulus and behavioral state, we performed in vivo extracellular recordings from mouse dLGN while optogenetically suppressing CT feedback and monitoring behavioral state by locomotion and pupil dilation. For naturalistic movie clips, we found CT feedback to consistently increase dLGN response gain and promote tonic firing. In contrast, for gratings, CT feedback effects on firing rates were mixed. For both stimulus types, the neural signatures of CT feedback closely resembled those of behavioral state, yet effects of behavioral state on responses to movies persisted even when CT feedback was suppressed. We conclude that CT feedback modulates visual information on its way to cortex in a stimulus-dependent manner, but largely independently of behavioral state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin A Spacek
- Division of Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology, LMU MunichPlanegg-MartinsriedGermany
| | - Davide Crombie
- Division of Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology, LMU MunichPlanegg-MartinsriedGermany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, LMU MunichMunichGermany
| | - Yannik Bauer
- Division of Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology, LMU MunichPlanegg-MartinsriedGermany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, LMU MunichMunichGermany
| | - Gregory Born
- Division of Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology, LMU MunichPlanegg-MartinsriedGermany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, LMU MunichMunichGermany
| | - Xinyu Liu
- Division of Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology, LMU MunichPlanegg-MartinsriedGermany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, LMU MunichMunichGermany
| | - Steffen Katzner
- Division of Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology, LMU MunichPlanegg-MartinsriedGermany
| | - Laura Busse
- Division of Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology, LMU MunichPlanegg-MartinsriedGermany
- Bernstein Centre for Computational NeuroscienceMunichGermany
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28
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Gq neuromodulation of BLA parvalbumin interneurons induces burst firing and mediates fear-associated network and behavioral state transition in mice. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1290. [PMID: 35277502 PMCID: PMC8917207 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28928-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Patterned coordination of network activity in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) is important for fear expression. Neuromodulatory systems play an essential role in regulating changes between behavioral states, however the mechanisms underlying this neuromodulatory control of transitions between brain and behavioral states remain largely unknown. We show that chemogenetic Gq activation and α1 adrenoreceptor activation in mouse BLA parvalbumin (PV) interneurons induces a previously undescribed, stereotyped phasic bursting in PV neurons and time-locked synchronized bursts of inhibitory postsynaptic currents and phasic firing in BLA principal neurons. This Gq-coupled receptor activation in PV neurons suppresses gamma oscillations in vivo and in an ex vivo slice model, and facilitates fear memory recall, which is consistent with BLA gamma suppression during conditioned fear expression. Thus, here we identify a neuromodulatory mechanism in PV inhibitory interneurons of the BLA which regulates BLA network oscillations and fear memory recall. The authors study mechanisms underlying neuromodulatory control of transitions between brain and behavioral states. They identify a mechanism whereby modulation of Gq activity in basolateral amygdala parvalbumin interneurons mediates the transition to a fear-associated network and behavioral state.
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29
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Pfeffer T, Keitel C, Kluger DS, Keitel A, Russmann A, Thut G, Donner TH, Gross J. Coupling of pupil- and neuronal population dynamics reveals diverse influences of arousal on cortical processing. eLife 2022; 11:e71890. [PMID: 35133276 PMCID: PMC8853659 DOI: 10.7554/elife.71890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluctuations in arousal, controlled by subcortical neuromodulatory systems, continuously shape cortical state, with profound consequences for information processing. Yet, how arousal signals influence cortical population activity in detail has so far only been characterized for a few selected brain regions. Traditional accounts conceptualize arousal as a homogeneous modulator of neural population activity across the cerebral cortex. Recent insights, however, point to a higher specificity of arousal effects on different components of neural activity and across cortical regions. Here, we provide a comprehensive account of the relationships between fluctuations in arousal and neuronal population activity across the human brain. Exploiting the established link between pupil size and central arousal systems, we performed concurrent magnetoencephalographic (MEG) and pupillographic recordings in a large number of participants, pooled across three laboratories. We found a cascade of effects relative to the peak timing of spontaneous pupil dilations: Decreases in low-frequency (2-8 Hz) activity in temporal and lateral frontal cortex, followed by increased high-frequency (>64 Hz) activity in mid-frontal regions, followed by monotonic and inverted U relationships with intermediate frequency-range activity (8-32 Hz) in occipito-parietal regions. Pupil-linked arousal also coincided with widespread changes in the structure of the aperiodic component of cortical population activity, indicative of changes in the excitation-inhibition balance in underlying microcircuits. Our results provide a novel basis for studying the arousal modulation of cognitive computations in cortical circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Pfeffer
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Center for Brain and Cognition, Computational Neuroscience GroupBarcelonaSpain
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Department of Neurophysiology and PathophysiologyHamburgGermany
| | - Christian Keitel
- University of Stirling, PsychologyStirlingUnited Kingdom
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of GlasgowGlasgowUnited Kingdom
| | - Daniel S Kluger
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignal Analysis, University of Münster, MalmedywegMuensterGermany
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of MünsterMuensterGermany
| | - Anne Keitel
- University of Dundee, PsychologyDundeeUnited Kingdom
| | - Alena Russmann
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Department of Neurophysiology and PathophysiologyHamburgGermany
| | - Gregor Thut
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of GlasgowGlasgowUnited Kingdom
| | - Tobias H Donner
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Department of Neurophysiology and PathophysiologyHamburgGermany
| | - Joachim Gross
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of GlasgowGlasgowUnited Kingdom
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignal Analysis, University of Münster, MalmedywegMuensterGermany
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of MünsterMuensterGermany
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30
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Megemont M, McBurney-Lin J, Yang H. Pupil diameter is not an accurate real-time readout of locus coeruleus activity. eLife 2022; 11:70510. [PMID: 35107419 PMCID: PMC8809893 DOI: 10.7554/elife.70510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Pupil diameter is often treated as a noninvasive readout of activity in the locus coeruleus (LC). However, how accurately it can be used to index LC activity is not known. To address this question, we established a graded relationship between pupil size changes and LC spiking activity in mice, where pupil dilation increased monotonically with the number of LC spikes. However, this relationship exists with substantial variability such that pupil diameter can only be used to accurately predict a small fraction of LC activity on a moment-by-moment basis. In addition, pupil exhibited large session-to-session fluctuations in response to identical optical stimulation in the LC. The variations in the pupil–LC relationship were strongly correlated with decision bias-related behavioral variables. Together, our data show that substantial variability exists in an overall graded relationship between pupil diameter and LC activity, and further suggest that the pupil–LC relationship is dynamically modulated by brain states, supporting and extending our previous findings (Yang et al., 2021).
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Megemont
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, United States
| | - Jim McBurney-Lin
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, United States.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, United States
| | - Hongdian Yang
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, United States.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, United States
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31
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Balanced expression of G protein-coupled receptor subtypes in the mouse, macaque, and human cerebral cortex. Neuroscience 2022; 487:107-119. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.01.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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32
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Nestvogel DB, McCormick DA. Visual thalamocortical mechanisms of waking state-dependent activity and alpha oscillations. Neuron 2022; 110:120-138.e4. [PMID: 34687663 PMCID: PMC8815448 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The brain exhibits distinct patterns of recurrent activity closely related to behavioral state. The neural mechanisms that underlie state-dependent activity in the awake animal are incompletely understood. Here, we demonstrate that two types of state-dependent activity, rapid arousal/movement-related signals and a 3-5 Hz alpha-like rhythm, in the primary visual cortex (V1) of mice strongly correlate with activity in the visual thalamus. Inactivation of V1 does not interrupt arousal/movement signals in most visual thalamic neurons, but it abolishes the 3-5 Hz oscillation. Silencing of the visual thalamus similarly eradicates the alpha-like rhythm and perturbs arousal/movement-related activation in V1. Intracellular recordings in thalamic neurons reveal the 3-5 Hz oscillation to be associated with rhythmic low-threshold Ca2+ spikes. Our results indicate that thalamocortical interactions through ionotropic signaling, together with cell-intrinsic properties of thalamocortical cells, play a crucial role in shaping state-dependent activity in V1 of the awake animal.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David A McCormick
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA.
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33
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Waschke L, Donoghue T, Fiedler L, Smith S, Garrett DD, Voytek B, Obleser J. Modality-specific tracking of attention and sensory statistics in the human electrophysiological spectral exponent. eLife 2021; 10:e70068. [PMID: 34672259 PMCID: PMC8585481 DOI: 10.7554/elife.70068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
A hallmark of electrophysiological brain activity is its 1/f-like spectrum - power decreases with increasing frequency. The steepness of this 'roll-off' is approximated by the spectral exponent, which in invasively recorded neural populations reflects the balance of excitatory to inhibitory neural activity (E:I balance). Here, we first establish that the spectral exponent of non-invasive electroencephalography (EEG) recordings is highly sensitive to general (i.e., anaesthesia-driven) changes in E:I balance. Building on the EEG spectral exponent as a viable marker of E:I, we then demonstrate its sensitivity to the focus of selective attention in an EEG experiment during which participants detected targets in simultaneous audio-visual noise. In addition to these endogenous changes in E:I balance, EEG spectral exponents over auditory and visual sensory cortices also tracked auditory and visual stimulus spectral exponents, respectively. Individuals' degree of this selective stimulus-brain coupling in spectral exponents predicted behavioural performance. Our results highlight the rich information contained in 1/f-like neural activity, providing a window into diverse neural processes previously thought to be inaccessible in non-invasive human recordings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonhard Waschke
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Max Planck Institute for Human DevelopmentBerlinGermany
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human DevelopmentBerlinGermany
| | - Thomas Donoghue
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, San DiegoLa JollaUnited States
| | | | - Sydney Smith
- Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San DiegoLa JollaUnited States
| | - Douglas D Garrett
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Max Planck Institute for Human DevelopmentBerlinGermany
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human DevelopmentBerlinGermany
| | - Bradley Voytek
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, San DiegoLa JollaUnited States
- Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San DiegoLa JollaUnited States
- Halıcıoglu Data Science Institute, University of California, San DiegoLa JollaUnited States
- Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, University of California, San DiegoLa JollaUnited States
| | - Jonas Obleser
- Department of Psychology, University of LübeckLübeckGermany
- Center of Brain, Behavior, and Metabolism, University of LübeckLübeckGermany
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34
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Waschke L, Donoghue T, Fiedler L, Smith S, Garrett DD, Voytek B, Obleser J. Modality-specific tracking of attention and sensory statistics in the human electrophysiological spectral exponent. eLife 2021; 10:70068. [PMID: 34672259 DOI: 10.1101/2021.01.13.426522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
A hallmark of electrophysiological brain activity is its 1/f-like spectrum - power decreases with increasing frequency. The steepness of this 'roll-off' is approximated by the spectral exponent, which in invasively recorded neural populations reflects the balance of excitatory to inhibitory neural activity (E:I balance). Here, we first establish that the spectral exponent of non-invasive electroencephalography (EEG) recordings is highly sensitive to general (i.e., anaesthesia-driven) changes in E:I balance. Building on the EEG spectral exponent as a viable marker of E:I, we then demonstrate its sensitivity to the focus of selective attention in an EEG experiment during which participants detected targets in simultaneous audio-visual noise. In addition to these endogenous changes in E:I balance, EEG spectral exponents over auditory and visual sensory cortices also tracked auditory and visual stimulus spectral exponents, respectively. Individuals' degree of this selective stimulus-brain coupling in spectral exponents predicted behavioural performance. Our results highlight the rich information contained in 1/f-like neural activity, providing a window into diverse neural processes previously thought to be inaccessible in non-invasive human recordings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonhard Waschke
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Donoghue
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States
| | - Lorenz Fiedler
- Eriksholm Research Centre, Oticon A/S, Snekkersten, Denmark
| | - Sydney Smith
- Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States
| | - Douglas D Garrett
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bradley Voytek
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States
- Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States
- Halıcıoglu Data Science Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States
- Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States
| | - Jonas Obleser
- Department of Psychology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
- Center of Brain, Behavior, and Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
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35
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Speed A, Haider B. Probing mechanisms of visual spatial attention in mice. Trends Neurosci 2021; 44:822-836. [PMID: 34446296 PMCID: PMC8484049 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The role of spatial attention for visual perception has been thoroughly studied in primates, but less so in mice. Several behavioral tasks in mice reveal spatial attentional effects, with similarities to observations in primates. Pairing these tasks with large-scale, cell-type-specific techniques could enable deeper access to underlying mechanisms, and help define the utility and limitations of resolving attentional effects on visual perception and neural activity in mice. In this Review, we evaluate behavioral and neural evidence for visual spatial attention in mice; assess how specializations of the mouse visual system and behavioral repertoire impact interpretation of spatial attentional effects; and outline how several measurement and manipulation techniques in mice could precisely test and refine models of attentional modulation across scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anderson Speed
- Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Bilal Haider
- Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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36
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Marrero K, Aruljothi K, Zareian B, Gao C, Zhang Z, Zagha E. Global, Low-Amplitude Cortical State Predicts Response Outcomes in a Selective Detection Task in Mice. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:2037-2053. [PMID: 34564725 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Spontaneous neuronal activity strongly impacts stimulus encoding and behavioral responses. We sought to determine the effects of neocortical prestimulus activity on stimulus detection. We trained mice in a selective whisker detection task, in which they learned to respond (lick) to target stimuli in one whisker field and ignore distractor stimuli in the contralateral whisker field. During expert task performance, we used widefield Ca2+ imaging to assess prestimulus and post-stimulus neuronal activity broadly across frontal and parietal cortices. We found that lower prestimulus activity correlated with enhanced stimulus detection: lower prestimulus activity predicted response versus no response outcomes and faster reaction times. The activity predictive of trial outcome was distributed through dorsal neocortex, rather than being restricted to whisker or licking regions. Using principal component analysis, we demonstrate that response trials are associated with a distinct and less variable prestimulus neuronal subspace. For single units, prestimulus choice probability was weak yet distributed broadly, with lower than chance choice probability correlating with stronger sensory and motor encoding. These findings support low amplitude and low variability as an optimal prestimulus cortical state for stimulus detection that presents globally and predicts response outcomes for both target and distractor stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista Marrero
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Krithiga Aruljothi
- Department of Psychology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Behzad Zareian
- Department of Psychology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Chengchun Gao
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Zhaoran Zhang
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Edward Zagha
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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37
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Lee CCY, Kheradpezhouh E, Diamond ME, Arabzadeh E. State-Dependent Changes in Perception and Coding in the Mouse Somatosensory Cortex. Cell Rep 2021; 32:108197. [PMID: 32997984 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
An animal's behavioral state is reflected in the dynamics of cortical population activity and its capacity to process sensory information. To better understand the relationship between behavioral states and information processing, mice are trained to detect varying amplitudes of whisker-deflection under two-photon calcium imaging. Layer 2/3 neurons in the vibrissal primary somatosensory cortex are imaged across different behavioral states, defined based on detection performance (low to high-state) and pupil diameter. The neurometric curve in each behavioral state mirrors the corresponding psychometric performance, with calcium signals predictive of the animal's choice. High behavioral states are associated with lower network synchrony, extending over shorter cortical distances. The decrease in correlation across neurons in high state results in enhanced information transmission capacity at the population level. The observed state-dependent changes suggest that the coding regime within the first stage of cortical processing may underlie adaptive routing of relevant information through the sensorimotor system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conrad C Y Lee
- Eccles Institute of Neuroscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, The Australian National University Node, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
| | - Ehsan Kheradpezhouh
- Eccles Institute of Neuroscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, The Australian National University Node, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Mathew E Diamond
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, The Australian National University Node, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia; Cognitive Neuroscience, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Ehsan Arabzadeh
- Eccles Institute of Neuroscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, The Australian National University Node, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
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38
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Mäki-Marttunen V. Pupil-based States of Brain Integration across Cognitive States. Neuroscience 2021; 471:61-71. [PMID: 34303781 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Arousal is a potent mechanism that provides the brain with functional flexibility and adaptability to external conditions. Within the wake state, arousal levels driven by activity in the neuromodulatory systems are related to specific signatures of neural activation and brain synchrony. However, direct evidence is still lacking on the varying effects of arousal on macroscopic brain characteristics and across a variety of cognitive states in humans. Using a concurrent fMRI-pupillometry approach, we used pupil size as a proxy for arousal and obtained patterns of brain integration associated with increasing arousal levels. We carried out this analysis on resting-state data and data from two attentional tasks implicating different cognitive processes. We found that an increasing level of arousal was related to a state of increased brain integration. This effect was prominent in the salience, visual and default-mode networks in all conditions, while other regions showed task-specificity. Increased integration in the salience network was also related to faster pupil dilation in the two attentional tasks. Furthermore, task performance was related to arousal level, with lower accuracy at higher level of arousal. Taken together, our study provides evidence in humans for pupil size as an index of brain network state, and supports the role of arousal as a switch that drives brain coordination in specific brain regions according to the cognitive state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Mäki-Marttunen
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Postboks 1094, Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway; Cognitive Psychology Unit, Faculty of Social Sciences, Leiden University, Pieter de la Court, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden, Netherlands.
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39
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Barbero‐Castillo A, Riefolo F, Matera C, Caldas‐Martínez S, Mateos‐Aparicio P, Weinert JF, Garrido‐Charles A, Claro E, Sanchez‐Vives MV, Gorostiza P. Control of Brain State Transitions with a Photoswitchable Muscarinic Agonist. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2021; 8:e2005027. [PMID: 34018704 PMCID: PMC8292914 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202005027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The ability to control neural activity is essential for research not only in basic neuroscience, as spatiotemporal control of activity is a fundamental experimental tool, but also in clinical neurology for therapeutic brain interventions. Transcranial-magnetic, ultrasound, and alternating/direct current (AC/DC) stimulation are some available means of spatiotemporal controlled neuromodulation. There is also light-mediated control, such as optogenetics, which has revolutionized neuroscience research, yet its clinical translation is hampered by the need for gene manipulation. As a drug-based light-mediated control, the effect of a photoswitchable muscarinic agonist (Phthalimide-Azo-Iper (PAI)) on a brain network is evaluated in this study. First, the conditions to manipulate M2 muscarinic receptors with light in the experimental setup are determined. Next, physiological synchronous emergent cortical activity consisting of slow oscillations-as in slow wave sleep-is transformed into a higher frequency pattern in the cerebral cortex, both in vitro and in vivo, as a consequence of PAI activation with light. These results open the way to study cholinergic neuromodulation and to control spatiotemporal patterns of activity in different brain states, their transitions, and their links to cognition and behavior. The approach can be applied to different organisms and does not require genetic manipulation, which would make it translational to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fabio Riefolo
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC)The Barcelona Institute for Science and TechnologyBarcelona08028Spain
- Network Biomedical Research Center in BioengineeringBiomaterials, and Nanomedicine (CIBER‐BBN)Madrid28029Spain
| | - Carlo Matera
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC)The Barcelona Institute for Science and TechnologyBarcelona08028Spain
- Network Biomedical Research Center in BioengineeringBiomaterials, and Nanomedicine (CIBER‐BBN)Madrid28029Spain
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of MilanMilan20133Italy
| | - Sara Caldas‐Martínez
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)Barcelona08036Spain
| | - Pedro Mateos‐Aparicio
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)Barcelona08036Spain
| | - Julia F. Weinert
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)Barcelona08036Spain
| | - Aida Garrido‐Charles
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC)The Barcelona Institute for Science and TechnologyBarcelona08028Spain
- Network Biomedical Research Center in BioengineeringBiomaterials, and Nanomedicine (CIBER‐BBN)Madrid28029Spain
| | - Enrique Claro
- Institut de Neurociències and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia MolecularUnitat de Bioquímica de MedicinaUniversitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)Barcelona08193Spain
| | - Maria V. Sanchez‐Vives
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)Barcelona08036Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA)Barcelona08010Spain
| | - Pau Gorostiza
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC)The Barcelona Institute for Science and TechnologyBarcelona08028Spain
- Network Biomedical Research Center in BioengineeringBiomaterials, and Nanomedicine (CIBER‐BBN)Madrid28029Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA)Barcelona08010Spain
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40
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Jacquerie K, Drion G. Robust switches in thalamic network activity require a timescale separation between sodium and T-type calcium channel activations. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1008997. [PMID: 34003841 PMCID: PMC8162675 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Switches in brain states, synaptic plasticity and neuromodulation are fundamental processes in our brain that take place concomitantly across several spatial and timescales. All these processes target neuron intrinsic properties and connectivity to achieve specific physiological goals, raising the question of how they can operate without interfering with each other. Here, we highlight the central importance of a timescale separation in the activation of sodium and T-type calcium channels to sustain robust switches in brain states in thalamic neurons that are compatible with synaptic plasticity and neuromodulation. We quantify the role of this timescale separation by comparing the robustness of rhythms of six published conductance-based models at the cellular, circuit and network levels. We show that robust rhythm generation requires a T-type calcium channel activation whose kinetics are situated between sodium channel activation and T-type calcium channel inactivation in all models despite their quantitative differences. Our brain is constantly processing information either from the environment to quickly react to incoming events or learning from experience to shape our memory. These brain states translate a collective activity of neurons interconnected via synaptic connections. Here, we focus on the thalamic network showing a transition from an active to an oscillatory mode at the population level, reverberating a switch from tonic to bursting mode at the cellular level. We are questioning how these activity fluctuations can be robustly modeled despite synaptic plasticity affecting the network configuration and the presence of neuromodulators affecting neuron intrinsic properties. To do so, we investigate six conductance-based models and their ability to reproduce activity switches at the cellular, circuit and population levels. We highlight that the robustness requires the timescale separation between the fast activation of sodium channels compared to the slow activation of T-type calcium channels. Our results show that this kinetics difference is not a computational detail but rather makes a model suitable and robust to study the interaction between switches in brain states, synaptic plasticity and neuromodulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen Jacquerie
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium
- * E-mail:
| | - Guillaume Drion
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium
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41
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Zhang H, Chiu PW, Ip I, Liu T, Wong GHY, Song YQ, Wong SWH, Herrup K, Mak HKF. Small-World Networks and Their Relationship With Hippocampal Glutamine/Glutamate Concentration in Healthy Adults With Varying Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease. J Magn Reson Imaging 2021; 54:952-961. [PMID: 33939228 PMCID: PMC8453801 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.27632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Apolipoprotein E ɛ4 allele (ApoE4) is the most common gene polymorphism related to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Impaired synaptic dysfunction occurs in ApoE4 carriers before any clinical symptoms. It remains unknown whether ApoE4 status affects the hippocampal neuromodulation, which further influences brain network topology. Purpose To study the relationship of regional and global network properties by using graph theory analysis and glutamatergic (Glx) neuromodulation in the ApoE isoforms. Study Type Prospective. Subjects Eighty‐four cognitively normal adults (26 ApoE4 and 58 non‐ApoE4 carriers). Field Strength/Sequence Gradient‐echo echo‐planar and point resolved spectroscopy sequence at 3 T. Assessment Glx concentration in bilateral hippocampi were processed with jMRUI (4.0), and graph theory metrics (global: γ, λ, small‐worldness in whole brain; regional: nodal clustering coefficient (Ci) and nodal characteristic path length (Li)) in top 20% highly connected hubs of subgroups (low‐risk: non‐ApoE4; high‐risk: APOE4) were calculated and compared. Statistical Tests Two‐sample t test was used to compare metrics between subgroups. Correlations between regional properties and Glx by Pearson's partial correlation with false discovery rate correction. Results Significant differences (P < 0.05) in Ci between subgroups were found in hubs of left inferior frontal, bilateral inferior temporal, and bilateral precentral gyri, right parahippocampus, and bilateral precuneus. In addition, there was a significant correlation between Glx in the left hippocampus and Ci in inferior frontal gyrus (r = −0.537, P = 0.024), right inferior temporal (r = −0.478, P = 0.043), right parahippocampus (r = −0.629, P = 0.016), left precentral (r = −0.581, P = 0.022), right precentral (r = −0.651, P = 0.003), left precuneus (r = −0.545, P = 0.024), and right precuneus (r = −0.567, P = 0.022); and Li in left precuneus (r = 0.575, P = 0.032) and right precuneus (r = 0.586, P = 0.032) in the high‐risk group, but not in the low‐risk group. Data Conclusion Our results suggested that healthy ApoE4 carriers exhibit poorer local interconnectivity. Moreover, the close relationship between glutamate and small‐world network properties in ApoE4 carriers might reflect a compensatory response to the impaired network efficiency. Evidence Level 2 Technical Efficacy Stage 3
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhang
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Alzheimer's Disease Research Network, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Pui W Chiu
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Isaac Ip
- Department of Educational Psychology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Tianyin Liu
- Department of Social Work and Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Gloria H Y Wong
- Department of Social Work and Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - You-Qiang Song
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Savio W H Wong
- Department of Educational Psychology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Karl Herrup
- Alzheimer Disease Research Centre, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Henry K F Mak
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Alzheimer's Disease Research Network, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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42
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Kim E, Bari BA, Cohen JY. Subthreshold basis for reward-predictive persistent activity in mouse prefrontal cortex. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109082. [PMID: 33951442 PMCID: PMC8167820 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Nervous systems maintain information internally using persistent activity changes. The mechanisms by which this activity arises are incompletely understood. We study prefrontal cortex (PFC) in mice performing behaviors in which stimuli predicted rewards at different delays with different probabilities. We measure membrane potential (Vm) from pyramidal neurons across layers. Reward-predictive persistent firing increases arise due to sustained increases in mean and variance of Vm and are terminated by reward or via centrally generated mechanisms based on reward expectation. Other neurons show persistent decreases in firing rates, maintained by persistent hyperpolarization that is robust to intracellular perturbation. Persistent activity is layer (L)- and cell-type-specific. Neurons with persistent depolarization are primarily located in upper L5, whereas those with persistent hyperpolarization are mostly found in lower L5. L2/3 neurons do not show persistent activity. Thus, reward-predictive persistent activity in PFC is spatially organized and conveys information about internal state via synaptic mechanisms. Kim et al. show sustained changes in membrane potential and firing rates in mouse frontal cortex leading up to an expected reward. These dynamics rely on underlying changes in mean and variance, directly testing prior theoretical studies. Neurons showing increased and decreased activity changes are located in different cortical layers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunyoung Kim
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Brain Science Institute, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Bilal A Bari
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Brain Science Institute, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jeremiah Y Cohen
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Brain Science Institute, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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43
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Salkoff DB, Zagha E, McCarthy E, McCormick DA. Movement and Performance Explain Widespread Cortical Activity in a Visual Detection Task. Cereb Cortex 2021; 30:421-437. [PMID: 31711133 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Revised: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies in mice reveal widespread cortical signals during task performance; however, the various task-related and task-independent processes underlying this activity are incompletely understood. Here, we recorded wide-field neural activity, as revealed by GCaMP6s, from dorsal cortex while simultaneously monitoring orofacial movements, walking, and arousal (pupil diameter) of head-fixed mice performing a Go/NoGo visual detection task and examined the ability of task performance and spontaneous or task-related movements to predict cortical activity. A linear model was able to explain a significant fraction (33-55% of variance) of widefield dorsal cortical activity, with the largest factors being movements (facial, walk, eye), response choice (hit, miss, false alarm), and arousal and indicate that a significant fraction of trial-to-trial variability arises from both spontaneous and task-related changes in state (e.g., movements, arousal). Importantly, secondary motor cortex was highly correlated with lick rate, critical for optimal task performance (high d'), and was the first region to significantly predict the lick response on target trials. These findings suggest that secondary motor cortex is critically involved in the decision and performance of learned movements and indicate that a significant fraction of trial-to-trial variation in cortical activity results from spontaneous and task-related movements and variations in behavioral/arousal state.
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Affiliation(s)
- David B Salkoff
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Edward Zagha
- Department of Psychology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Erin McCarthy
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - David A McCormick
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.,Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
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44
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Waschke L, Kloosterman NA, Obleser J, Garrett DD. Behavior needs neural variability. Neuron 2021; 109:751-766. [PMID: 33596406 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Human and non-human animal behavior is highly malleable and adapts successfully to internal and external demands. Such behavioral success stands in striking contrast to the apparent instability in neural activity (i.e., variability) from which it arises. Here, we summon the considerable evidence across scales, species, and imaging modalities that neural variability represents a key, undervalued dimension for understanding brain-behavior relationships at inter- and intra-individual levels. We believe that only by incorporating a specific focus on variability will the neural foundation of behavior be comprehensively understood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonhard Waschke
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Niels A Kloosterman
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jonas Obleser
- Department of Psychology, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany; Center of Brain, Behavior, and Metabolism, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Douglas D Garrett
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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45
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Liu Y, Narasimhan S, Schriver BJ, Wang Q. Perceptual Behavior Depends Differently on Pupil-Linked Arousal and Heartbeat Dynamics-Linked Arousal in Rats Performing Tactile Discrimination Tasks. Front Syst Neurosci 2021; 14:614248. [PMID: 33505252 PMCID: PMC7829454 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2020.614248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Several physiology signals, including heart rate and pupil size, have been widely used as peripheral indices of arousal to evaluate the effects of arousal on brain functions. However, whether behavior depends differently on arousal indexed by these physiological signals remains unclear. We simultaneously recorded electrocardiogram (ECG) and pupil size in head-fixed rats performing tactile discrimination tasks. We found both heartbeat dynamics and pupil size co-varied with behavioral outcomes, indicating behavior was dependent upon arousal indexed by the two physiological signals. To estimate the potential difference between the effects of pupil-linked arousal and heart rate-linked arousal on behavior, we constructed a Bayesian decoder to predict animals' behavior from pupil size and heart rate prior to stimulus presentation. The performance of the decoder was significantly better when using both heart rate and pupil size as inputs than when using either of them alone, suggesting the effects of the two arousal systems on behavior are not completely redundant. Supporting this notion, we found that, on a substantial portion of trials correctly predicted by the heart rate-based decoder, the pupil size-based decoder failed to correctly predict animals' behavior. Taken together, these results suggest that pupil-linked and heart rate-linked arousal systems exert different influences on animals' behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxiang Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Shreya Narasimhan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Brian J Schriver
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Qi Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
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46
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Jacobs EAK, Steinmetz NA, Peters AJ, Carandini M, Harris KD. Cortical State Fluctuations during Sensory Decision Making. Curr Biol 2020; 30:4944-4955.e7. [PMID: 33096037 PMCID: PMC7758730 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.09.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
In many behavioral tasks, cortex enters a desynchronized state where low-frequency fluctuations in population activity are suppressed. The precise behavioral correlates of desynchronization and its global organization are unclear. One hypothesis holds that desynchronization enhances stimulus coding in the relevant sensory cortex. Another hypothesis holds that desynchronization reflects global arousal, such as task engagement. Here, we trained mice on tasks where task engagement could be distinguished from sensory accuracy. Using widefield calcium imaging, we found that performance-related desynchronization was global and correlated better with engagement than with accuracy. Consistent with this link between desynchronization and engagement, rewards had a long-lasting desynchronizing effect. To determine whether engagement-related state changes depended on the relevant sensory modality, we trained mice on visual and auditory tasks and found that in both cases desynchronization was global, including regions such as somatomotor cortex. We conclude that variations in low-frequency fluctuations are predominately global and related to task engagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elina A K Jacobs
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
| | - Nicholas A Steinmetz
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Andrew J Peters
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Matteo Carandini
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Kenneth D Harris
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
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47
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O'Callaghan C, Walpola IC, Shine JM. Neuromodulation of the mind-wandering brain state: the interaction between neuromodulatory tone, sharp wave-ripples and spontaneous thought. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 376:20190699. [PMID: 33308063 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mind-wandering has become a captivating topic for cognitive neuroscientists. By now, it is reasonably well described in terms of its phenomenology and the large-scale neural networks that support it. However, we know very little about what neurobiological mechanisms trigger a mind-wandering episode and sustain the mind-wandering brain state. Here, we focus on the role of ascending neuromodulatory systems (i.e. acetylcholine, noradrenaline, serotonin and dopamine) in shaping mind-wandering. We advance the hypothesis that the hippocampal sharp wave-ripple (SWR) is a compelling candidate for a brain state that can trigger mind-wandering episodes. This hippocampal rhythm, which occurs spontaneously in quiescent behavioural states, is capable of propagating widespread activity in the default network and is functionally associated with recollective, associative, imagination and simulation processes. The occurrence of the SWR is heavily dependent on hippocampal neuromodulatory tone. We describe how the interplay of neuromodulators may promote the hippocampal SWR and trigger mind-wandering episodes. We then identify the global neuromodulatory signatures that shape the evolution of the mind-wandering brain state. Under our proposed framework, mind-wandering emerges due to the interplay between neuromodulatory systems that influence the transitions between brain states, which either facilitate, or impede, a wandering mind. This article is part of the theme issue 'Offline perception: voluntary and spontaneous perceptual experiences without matching external stimulation'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire O'Callaghan
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ishan C Walpola
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - James M Shine
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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48
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Sadeh S, Clopath C. Inhibitory stabilization and cortical computation. Nat Rev Neurosci 2020; 22:21-37. [PMID: 33177630 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-020-00390-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal networks with strong recurrent connectivity provide the brain with a powerful means to perform complex computational tasks. However, high-gain excitatory networks are susceptible to instability, which can lead to runaway activity, as manifested in pathological regimes such as epilepsy. Inhibitory stabilization offers a dynamic, fast and flexible compensatory mechanism to balance otherwise unstable networks, thus enabling the brain to operate in its most efficient regimes. Here we review recent experimental evidence for the presence of such inhibition-stabilized dynamics in the brain and discuss their consequences for cortical computation. We show how the study of inhibition-stabilized networks in the brain has been facilitated by recent advances in the technological toolbox and perturbative techniques, as well as a concomitant development of biologically realistic computational models. By outlining future avenues, we suggest that inhibitory stabilization can offer an exemplary case of how experimental neuroscience can progress in tandem with technology and theory to advance our understanding of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadra Sadeh
- Bioengineering Department, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Claudia Clopath
- Bioengineering Department, Imperial College London, London, UK.
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49
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Aru J, Siclari F, Phillips WA, Storm JF. Apical drive-A cellular mechanism of dreaming? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 119:440-455. [PMID: 33002561 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Dreams are internally generated experiences that occur independently of current sensory input. Here we argue, based on cortical anatomy and function, that dream experiences are tightly related to the workings of a specific part of cortical pyramidal neurons, the apical integration zone (AIZ). The AIZ receives and processes contextual information from diverse sources and could constitute a major switch point for transitioning from externally to internally generated experiences such as dreams. We propose that during dreams the output of certain pyramidal neurons is mainly driven by input into the AIZ. We call this mode of functioning "apical drive". Our hypothesis is based on the evidence that the cholinergic and adrenergic arousal systems, which show different dynamics between waking, slow wave sleep, and rapid eye movement sleep, have specific effects on the AIZ. We suggest that apical drive may also contribute to waking experiences, such as mental imagery. Future studies, investigating the different modes of apical function and their regulation during sleep and wakefulness are likely to be richly rewarded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaan Aru
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Estonia; Institute of Biology, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany.
| | - Francesca Siclari
- Center for Investigation and Research on Sleep, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland; Faculty of Natural Sciences, Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom.
| | - William A Phillips
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom.
| | - Johan F Storm
- Brain Signalling Group, Section for Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Domus Medica, University of Oslo, PB 1104 Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway.
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50
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Augustinaite S, Kuhn B. Complementary Ca 2+ Activity of Sensory Activated and Suppressed Layer 6 Corticothalamic Neurons Reflects Behavioral State. Curr Biol 2020; 30:3945-3960.e5. [PMID: 32822605 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.07.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Layer 6 (L6) corticothalamic neurons project to thalamus, where they are thought to regulate sensory information transmission to cortex. However, the activity of these neurons during different behavioral states has not been described. Here, we imaged calcium changes in visual cortex L6 primary corticothalamic neurons with two-photon microscopy in head-fixed mice in response to passive viewing during a range of behavioral states, from locomotion to sleep. In addition to a substantial fraction of quiet neurons, we found sensory-activated and suppressed neurons, comprising two functionally distinct L6 feedback channels. Quiet neurons could be dynamically recruited to one or another functional channel, and the opposite, functional neurons could become quiet under different stimulation conditions or behavior states. The state dependence of neuronal activity was heterogeneous with respect to locomotion or level of alertness, although the average activity was largest during highest vigilance within populations of functional neurons. Interestingly, complementary activity of these distinct populations kept the overall corticothalamic feedback relatively constant during any given behavioral state. Thereby, in addition to sensory and non-sensory information, a constant activity level characteristic of behavioral state is conveyed to thalamus, where it can regulate signal transmission from the periphery to cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sigita Augustinaite
- Optical Neuroimaging Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, 904-0495 Okinawa, Japan.
| | - Bernd Kuhn
- Optical Neuroimaging Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, 904-0495 Okinawa, Japan.
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