1
|
Gabriel CJ, Gupta T, Sanchez-Fuentes A, Zeidler Z, Wilke SA, DeNardo LA. Transformations in prefrontal ensemble activity underlying rapid threat avoidance learning. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.28.610165. [PMID: 39257764 PMCID: PMC11383712 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.28.610165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2024]
Abstract
The capacity to learn cues that predict aversive outcomes, and understand how to avoid those outcomes, is critical for adaptive behavior. Naturalistic avoidance often means accessing a safe location, but whether a location is safe depends on the nature of the impending threat. These relationships must be rapidly learned if animals are to survive. The prelimbic subregion (PL) of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) integrates learned associations to influence these threat avoidance strategies. Prior work has focused on the role of PL activity in avoidance behaviors that are fully established, leaving the prefrontal mechanisms that drive rapid avoidance learning poorly understood. To determine when and how these learning-related changes emerge, we recorded PL neural activity using miniscope calcium imaging as mice rapidly learned to avoid a threatening cue by accessing a safe location. Over the course of learning, we observed enhanced modulation of PL activity representing intersections of a threatening cue with safe or risky locations and movements between them. We observed rapid changes in PL population dynamics that preceded changes observable in the encoding of individual neurons. Successful avoidance could be predicted from cue-related population dynamics during early learning. Population dynamics during specific epochs of the conditioned tone period correlated with the modeled learning rates of individual animals. In contrast, changes in single-neuron encoding occurred later, once an avoidance strategy had stabilized. Together, our findings reveal the sequence of PL changes that characterize rapid threat avoidance learning.
Collapse
|
2
|
Tye KM, Miller EK, Taschbach FH, Benna MK, Rigotti M, Fusi S. Mixed selectivity: Cellular computations for complexity. Neuron 2024; 112:2289-2303. [PMID: 38729151 PMCID: PMC11257803 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.04.017] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
The property of mixed selectivity has been discussed at a computational level and offers a strategy to maximize computational power by adding versatility to the functional role of each neuron. Here, we offer a biologically grounded implementational-level mechanistic explanation for mixed selectivity in neural circuits. We define pure, linear, and nonlinear mixed selectivity and discuss how these response properties can be obtained in simple neural circuits. Neurons that respond to multiple, statistically independent variables display mixed selectivity. If their activity can be expressed as a weighted sum, then they exhibit linear mixed selectivity; otherwise, they exhibit nonlinear mixed selectivity. Neural representations based on diverse nonlinear mixed selectivity are high dimensional; hence, they confer enormous flexibility to a simple downstream readout neural circuit. However, a simple neural circuit cannot possibly encode all possible mixtures of variables simultaneously, as this would require a combinatorially large number of mixed selectivity neurons. Gating mechanisms like oscillations and neuromodulation can solve this problem by dynamically selecting which variables are mixed and transmitted to the readout.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kay M Tye
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, La Jolla, CA; Department of Neurobiology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - Earl K Miller
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Felix H Taschbach
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA; Biological Science Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Neurobiology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| | - Marcus K Benna
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| | | | - Stefano Fusi
- Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Kavli Institute for Brain Science, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Karami B, Schwiedrzik CM. Visual perceptual learning of feature conjunctions leverages non-linear mixed selectivity. NPJ SCIENCE OF LEARNING 2024; 9:13. [PMID: 38429339 PMCID: PMC10907723 DOI: 10.1038/s41539-024-00226-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Visual objects are often defined by multiple features. Therefore, learning novel objects entails learning feature conjunctions. Visual cortex is organized into distinct anatomical compartments, each of which is devoted to processing a single feature. A prime example are neurons purely selective to color and orientation, respectively. However, neurons that jointly encode multiple features (mixed selectivity) also exist across the brain and play critical roles in a multitude of tasks. Here, we sought to uncover the optimal policy that our brain adapts to achieve conjunction learning using these available resources. 59 human subjects practiced orientation-color conjunction learning in four psychophysical experiments designed to nudge the visual system towards using one or the other resource. We find that conjunction learning is possible by linear mixing of pure color and orientation information, but that more and faster learning takes place when both pure and mixed selectivity representations are involved. We also find that learning with mixed selectivity confers advantages in performing an untrained "exclusive or" (XOR) task several months after learning the original conjunction task. This study sheds light on possible mechanisms underlying conjunction learning and highlights the importance of learning by mixed selectivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Behnam Karami
- Neural Circuits and Cognition Lab, European Neuroscience Institute Göttingen - A Joint Initiative of the University Medical Center Göttingen and the Max Planck Society, Grisebachstraße 5, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Perception and Plasticity Group, German Primate Center - Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Caspar M Schwiedrzik
- Neural Circuits and Cognition Lab, European Neuroscience Institute Göttingen - A Joint Initiative of the University Medical Center Göttingen and the Max Planck Society, Grisebachstraße 5, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
- Perception and Plasticity Group, German Primate Center - Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Stagkourakis S, Spigolon G, Marks M, Feyder M, Kim J, Perona P, Pachitariu M, Anderson DJ. Anatomically distributed neural representations of instincts in the hypothalamus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.21.568163. [PMID: 38045312 PMCID: PMC10690204 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.21.568163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Artificial activation of anatomically localized, genetically defined hypothalamic neuron populations is known to trigger distinct innate behaviors, suggesting a hypothalamic nucleus-centered organization of behavior control. To assess whether the encoding of behavior is similarly anatomically confined, we performed simultaneous neuron recordings across twenty hypothalamic regions in freely moving animals. Here we show that distinct but anatomically distributed neuron ensembles encode the social and fear behavior classes, primarily through mixed selectivity. While behavior class-encoding ensembles were spatially distributed, individual ensembles exhibited strong localization bias. Encoding models identified that behavior actions, but not motion-related variables, explained a large fraction of hypothalamic neuron activity variance. These results identify unexpected complexity in the hypothalamic encoding of instincts and provide a foundation for understanding the role of distributed neural representations in the expression of behaviors driven by hardwired circuits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefanos Stagkourakis
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 156-29, Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Giada Spigolon
- Biological Imaging Facility, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Markus Marks
- Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Michael Feyder
- Division of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California 94305, USA
| | - Joseph Kim
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 156-29, Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Pietro Perona
- Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Marius Pachitariu
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - David J. Anderson
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 156-29, Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Blvd, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Wu K, Wang D, Wang Y, Tang P, Li X, Pan Y, Tao HW, Zhang LI, Liang F. Distinct circuits in anterior cingulate cortex encode safety assessment and mediate flexibility of fear reactions. Neuron 2023; 111:3650-3667.e6. [PMID: 37652003 PMCID: PMC10990237 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Safety assessment and threat evaluation are crucial for animals to live and survive in the wilderness. However, neural circuits underlying safety assessment and their transformation to mediate flexibility of fear-induced defensive behaviors remain largely unknown. Here, we report that distinct neuronal populations in mouse anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) encode safety status by selectively responding under different contexts of auditory threats, with one preferably activated when an animal staysing in a self-deemed safe zone and another specifically activated in more dangerous environmental settings that led to escape behavior. The safety-responding neurons preferentially target the zona incerta (ZI), which suppresses the superior colliculus (SC) via its GABAergic projection, while the danger-responding neurons preferentially target and excite SC. These distinct corticofugal pathways antagonistically modulate SC responses to threat, resulting in context-dependent expression of fear reactions. Thus, ACC serves as a critical node to encode safety/danger assessment and mediate behavioral flexibility through differential top-down circuits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaibin Wu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; Department of Anaesthesiology, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510220, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Dijia Wang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; Department of Anaesthesiology, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510220, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yuwei Wang
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Peiwen Tang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; Department of Anaesthesiology, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510220, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Xuan Li
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yidi Pan
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Huizhong W Tao
- Center for Neural Circuits & Sensory Processing Disorders, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Department of Physiology & Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Li I Zhang
- Center for Neural Circuits & Sensory Processing Disorders, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Department of Physiology & Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Feixue Liang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; Department of Anaesthesiology, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510220, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; Department of Psychology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Chien JM, Wallis JD, Rich EL. Abstraction of Reward Context Facilitates Relative Reward Coding in Neural Populations of the Macaque Anterior Cingulate Cortex. J Neurosci 2023; 43:5944-5962. [PMID: 37495383 PMCID: PMC10436688 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0292-23.2023] [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: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is believed to be involved in many cognitive processes, including linking goals to actions and tracking decision-relevant contextual information. ACC neurons robustly encode expected outcomes, but how this relates to putative functions of ACC remains unknown. Here, we approach this question from the perspective of population codes by analyzing neural spiking data in the ventral and dorsal banks of the ACC in two male monkeys trained to perform a stimulus-motor mapping task to earn rewards or avoid losses. We found that neural populations favor a low dimensional representational geometry that emphasizes the valence of potential outcomes while also facilitating the independent, abstract representation of multiple task-relevant variables. Valence encoding persisted throughout the trial, and realized outcomes were primarily encoded in a relative sense, such that cue valence acted as a context for outcome encoding. This suggests that the population coding we observe could be a mechanism that allows feedback to be interpreted in a context-dependent manner. Together, our results point to a prominent role for ACC in context setting and relative interpretation of outcomes, facilitated by abstract, or untangled, representations of task variables.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The ability to interpret events in light of the current context is a critical facet of higher-order cognition. The ACC is suggested to be important for tracking contextual information, whereas alternate views hold that its function is more related to the motor system and linking goals to appropriate actions. We evaluated these possibilities by analyzing geometric properties of neural population activity in monkey ACC when contexts were determined by the valence of potential outcomes and found that this information was represented as a dominant, abstract concept. Ensuing outcomes were then coded relative to these contexts, suggesting an important role for these representations in context-dependent evaluation. Such mechanisms may be critical for the abstract reasoning and generalization characteristic of biological intelligence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Chien
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016
| | - Joni D Wallis
- Department of Psychology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720
| | - Erin L Rich
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Lecourtier L, Durieux L, Mathis V. Alteration of Lateral Habenula Function Prevents the Proper Exploration of a Novel Environment. Neuroscience 2023; 514:56-66. [PMID: 36716915 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The lateral habenula (LHb) is an epithalamic brain region viewed as a converging hub, integrating information from a large connectome and then projecting to few critical midbrain monoaminergic systems. Numerous studies have explored the roles of the LHb, notably in aversion and avoidance. An important recurring finding when manipulating the LHb is the induction of anxiety-related behaviours. However, its exact role in such behaviours remains poorly understood. In the present study, we used two pharmacological approaches altering LHb activity, intra-LHb infusion of either the GABA-A receptor agonist, Muscimol, or the glutamatergic AMPA receptor antagonist, 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) and exposed rats to three consecutive open field (OF) sessions. We found that both pharmacological treatments prevented rats to explore the centre of the OF, considered as the most anxiogenic part of the apparatus, across the three OF sessions. In addition, during the first, but not the two consecutive sessions, both treatments prevented a thorough exploration of the OF. Altogether, these results confirm the crucial role played by the LHb in anxiety-related behaviours and further suggest its implication in the exploration of new anxiogenic environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Lecourtier
- Université de Strasbourg, Centre National de La Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364 Strasbourg, France
| | - Laura Durieux
- Université de Strasbourg, Centre National de La Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364 Strasbourg, France
| | - Victor Mathis
- Université de Strasbourg, Centre National de La Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364 Strasbourg, France.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Padilla-Coreano N, Tye KM, Zelikowsky M. Dynamic influences on the neural encoding of social valence. Nat Rev Neurosci 2022; 23:535-550. [PMID: 35831442 PMCID: PMC9997616 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-022-00609-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Social signals can serve as potent emotional triggers with powerful impacts on processes from cognition to valence processing. How are social signals dynamically and flexibly associated with positive or negative valence? How do our past social experiences and present social standing shape our motivation to seek or avoid social contact? We discuss a model in which social attributes, social history, social memory, social rank and social isolation can flexibly influence valence assignment to social stimuli, termed here as 'social valence'. We emphasize how the brain encodes each of these four factors and highlight the neural circuits and mechanisms that play a part in the perception of social attributes, social memory and social rank, as well as how these factors affect valence systems associated with social stimuli. We highlight the impact of social isolation, dissecting the neural and behavioural mechanisms that mediate the effects of acute versus prolonged periods of social isolation. Importantly, we discuss conceptual models that may account for the potential shift in valence of social stimuli from positive to negative as the period of isolation extends in time. Collectively, this Review identifies factors that control the formation and attribution of social valence - integrating diverse areas of research and emphasizing their unique contributions to the categorization of social stimuli as positive or negative.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Padilla-Coreano
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Kay M Tye
- HHMI-Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Moriel Zelikowsky
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Contreras CM, Gutiérrez-García AG. 2-Heptanone reduces inhibitory control of the amygdala over the prelimbic region in rats. Neurosci Lett 2021; 764:136201. [PMID: 34469712 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.136201] [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: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Basolateral amygdala (BLA) nuclei and their reciprocal connections with prelimbic (PL) and infralimbic (IL) regions of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) are involved in the regulation of fear. 2-Heptanone is released in urine in stressed rats, and the olfactory detection of this odor produces immediate avoidance and alarm reactions and modifies neuronal activity in limbic connections in non-stressed rats. If 2-heptanone acts as a danger signal, then long-lasting actions would be expected. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the forced inhalation of 2-heptanone modifies the response capacity of the BLA-mPFC circuit in the long term (48 h). Single-unit extracellular recordings were obtained from the PL and IL during electrical stimulation of the BLA (square-wave pulses; 1 ms, 20 µA, 0.3 Hz, 110 stimuli over a total duration of 360 s) in three groups of Wistar rats: control group (no sensory stimulation), unpredictable auditory stimulation group, and 2-heptanone stimulation group. A brief-latency (1 ms), short-duration (5 ms) paucisynaptic response followed BLA stimulation and was unaffected by any sensorial stimulation. The paucisynaptic response was followed by a mostly inhibitory and long-lasting (>750 ms) afterdischarge in the control and auditory stimulation groups. In the 2-heptanone group, the inhibitory afterdischarge shifted to an excitatory afterdischarge after ∼250 ms in the PL and after ∼500 ms in the IL. Importantly, the rats that were included in this study were born in local housing facilities. Thus, these animals were never in contact with predators and instead in contact with only conspecifics. These results indicate that the forced inhalation of 2-heptanone is able to modify BLA-mPFC responsivity in the long term. 2-Heptanone decreases inhibitory control of the amygdala over mPFC activity. Disinhibition of the mPFC may lead to the adaptive expression of defensive behaviors, even in animals that are not in the presence of predators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos M Contreras
- Unidad Periférica del Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Xalapa, Veracruz 91190, Mexico.
| | - Ana G Gutiérrez-García
- Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología, Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz 91190, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
A specialized spinal circuit for command amplification and directionality during escape behavior. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2106785118. [PMID: 34663699 PMCID: PMC8545473 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2106785118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We are constantly faced with a choice moving to the left or right; understanding how the brain solves the selection of action direction is of tremendous interest both from biological and clinical perspectives. In vertebrates, action selection is often considered to be the realm of higher cognitive processing. However, by combining electrophysiology, serial block-face electron microscopy, and behavioral analyses in zebrafish, we have revealed a pivotal role, as well as the full functional connectome of a specialized spinal circuit relying on strong axo-axonic synaptic connections. This includes identifying a class of cholinergic V2a interneurons and establishing that they act as a segmentally repeating hub that receives and amplifies escape commands from the brain to ensure the appropriate escape directionality. In vertebrates, action selection often involves higher cognition entailing an evaluative process. However, urgent tasks, such as defensive escape, require an immediate implementation of the directionality of escape trajectory, necessitating local circuits. Here we reveal a specialized spinal circuit for the execution of escape direction in adult zebrafish. A central component of this circuit is a unique class of segmentally repeating cholinergic V2a interneurons expressing the transcription factor Chx10. These interneurons amplify brainstem-initiated escape commands and rapidly deliver the excitation via a feedforward circuit to all fast motor neurons and commissural interneurons to direct the escape maneuver. The information transfer within this circuit relies on fast and reliable axo-axonic synaptic connections, bypassing soma and dendrites. Unilateral ablation of cholinergic V2a interneurons eliminated escape command propagation. Thus, in vertebrates, local spinal circuits can implement directionality of urgent motor actions vital for survival.
Collapse
|
12
|
Le Merre P, Ährlund-Richter S, Carlén M. The mouse prefrontal cortex: Unity in diversity. Neuron 2021; 109:1925-1944. [PMID: 33894133 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.03.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is considered to constitute the highest stage of neural integration and to be devoted to representation and production of actions. Studies in primates have laid the foundation for theories regarding the principles of prefrontal function and provided mechanistic insights. The recent surge of studies of the PFC in mice holds promise for evolvement of present theories and development of novel concepts, particularly regarding principles shared across mammals. Here we review recent empirical work on the mouse PFC capitalizing on the experimental toolbox currently privileged to studies in this species. We conclude that this line of research has revealed cellular and structural distinctions of the PFC and neuronal activity with direct relevance to theories regarding the functions of the PFC. We foresee that data-rich mouse studies will be key to shed light on the general prefrontal architecture and mechanisms underlying cognitive aspects of organized actions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Le Merre
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Marie Carlén
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Reinert S, Hübener M, Bonhoeffer T, Goltstein PM. Mouse prefrontal cortex represents learned rules for categorization. Nature 2021; 593:411-417. [PMID: 33883745 PMCID: PMC8131197 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03452-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
The ability to categorize sensory stimuli is crucial for an animal’s survival in a complex environment. Memorizing categories instead of individual exemplars enables greater behavioural flexibility and is computationally advantageous. Neurons that show category selectivity have been found in several areas of the mammalian neocortex1–4, but the prefrontal cortex seems to have a prominent role4,5 in this context. Specifically, in primates that are extensively trained on a categorization task, neurons in the prefrontal cortex rapidly and flexibly represent learned categories6,7. However, how these representations first emerge in naive animals remains unexplored, leaving it unclear whether flexible representations are gradually built up as part of semantic memory or assigned more or less instantly during task execution8,9. Here we investigate the formation of a neuronal category representation throughout the entire learning process by repeatedly imaging individual cells in the mouse medial prefrontal cortex. We show that mice readily learn rule-based categorization and generalize to novel stimuli. Over the course of learning, neurons in the prefrontal cortex display distinct dynamics in acquiring category selectivity and are differentially engaged during a later switch in rules. A subset of neurons selectively and uniquely respond to categories and reflect generalization behaviour. Thus, a category representation in the mouse prefrontal cortex is gradually acquired during learning rather than recruited ad hoc. This gradual process suggests that neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex are part of a specific semantic memory for visual categories. Neurons in the mouse medial prefrontal cortex acquire category-selective responses with learning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Reinert
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Martinsried, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Mark Hübener
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Martinsried, Germany
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Coley AA, Padilla-Coreano N, Patel R, Tye KM. Valence processing in the PFC: Reconciling circuit-level and systems-level views. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 158:171-212. [PMID: 33785145 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2020.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
An essential component in animal behavior is the ability to process emotion and dissociate among positive and negative valence in response to a rewarding or aversive stimulus. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC)-responsible for higher order executive functions that include cognition, learning, and working memory; and is also involved in sociability-plays a major role in emotional processing and control. Although the amygdala is widely regarded as the "emotional hub," the mPFC encodes for context-specific salience and elicits top-down control over limbic circuitry. The mPFC can then conduct behavioral responses, via cortico-striatal and cortico-brainstem pathways, that correspond to emotional stimuli. Evidence shows that abnormalities within the mPFC lead to sociability deficits, working memory impairments, and drug-seeking behavior that include addiction and compulsive disorders; as well as conditions such as anhedonia. Recent studies investigate the effects of aberrant salience processing on cortical circuitry and neuronal populations associated with these behaviors. In this chapter, we discuss mPFC valence processing, neuroanatomical connections, and physiological substrates involved in mPFC-associated behavior. We review neurocomputational and theoretical models such as "mixed selectivity," that describe cognitive control, attentiveness, and motivational drives. Using this knowledge, we describe the effects of valence imbalances and its influence on mPFC neural pathways that contribute to deficits in social cognition, while understanding the effects in addiction/compulsive behaviors and anhedonia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Austin A Coley
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | | | - Reesha Patel
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Kay M Tye
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Absence Makes the Mind Grow Fonder: Reconceptualizing Studies of Safety Learning in Translational Research on Anxiety. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 21:1-13. [PMID: 33420710 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-020-00855-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Overgeneralized fear (OGF), or indiscriminate fear responses to signals of threat and nonthreat, is a well-studied cognitive mechanism in human anxiety. Anxiety-related OGF has been studied primarily through fear-learning paradigms and conceptualized as overly exaggerated learning of cues signaling imminent threat. However, the role of safety learning in OGF has not only received much less empirical attention but has been fundamentally conceptualized as learning about the absence of threat rather than the presence of safety. As a result, the relative contributions of exaggerated fear learning and weakened safety learning to anxiety-related OGF remain poorly understood, as do the potentially unique biological and behavioral underpinnings of safety learning. The present review outlines these gaps by, first, summarizing animal and human research on safety learning related to anxiety and OGF. Second, we outline innovations in methods to tease apart unique biological and behavioral contributions of safety learning to OGF. Lastly, we describe clinical and treatment implications of this framework for translational research relevant to human anxiety.
Collapse
|
16
|
Kaminska B, Caballero JP, Moorman DE. Integration of value and action in medial prefrontal neural systems. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2020; 158:57-82. [PMID: 33785156 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2020.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The rodent medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) plays a key role in regulating cognition, emotion, and behavior. mPFC neurons are activated in diverse experimental paradigms, raising the questions of whether there are specific task elements or dimensions encoded by mPFC neurons, and whether these encoded parameters are selective to neurons in particular mPFC subregions or networks. Here, we consider the role of mPFC neurons in processing appetitive and aversive cues, outcomes, and related behaviors. mPFC neurons are strongly activated in tasks probing value and outcome-associated actions, but these responses vary across experimental paradigms. Can we identify specific categories of responses (e.g., positive or negative value), or do mPFC neurons exhibit response properties that are too heterogeneous/complex to cluster into distinct conceptual groups? Based on a review of relevant studies, we consider what has been done and what needs to be further explored in order to address these questions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Beata Kaminska
- Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Jessica P Caballero
- Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - David E Moorman
- Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Huda R, Sipe GO, Breton-Provencher V, Cruz KG, Pho GN, Adam E, Gunter LM, Sullins A, Wickersham IR, Sur M. Distinct prefrontal top-down circuits differentially modulate sensorimotor behavior. Nat Commun 2020; 11:6007. [PMID: 33243980 PMCID: PMC7691329 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19772-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensorimotor behaviors require processing of behaviorally relevant sensory cues and the ability to select appropriate responses from a vast behavioral repertoire. Modulation by the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is thought to be key for both processes, but the precise role of specific circuits remains unclear. We examined the sensorimotor function of anatomically distinct outputs from a subdivision of the mouse PFC, the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Using a visually guided two-choice behavioral paradigm with multiple cue-response mappings, we dissociated the sensory and motor response components of sensorimotor control. Projection-specific two-photon calcium imaging and optogenetic manipulations show that ACC outputs to the superior colliculus, a key midbrain structure for response selection, principally coordinate specific motor responses. Importantly, ACC outputs exert control by reducing the innate response bias of the superior colliculus. In contrast, ACC outputs to the visual cortex facilitate sensory processing of visual cues. Our results ascribe motor and sensory roles to ACC projections to the superior colliculus and the visual cortex and demonstrate for the first time a circuit motif for PFC function wherein anatomically non-overlapping output pathways coordinate complementary but distinct aspects of visual sensorimotor behavior. The neural circuit mechanisms for sensorimotor control by the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are unclear. Here, the authors show that PFC outputs to the visual cortex and superior colliculus respectively facilitate sensory processing and action selection, allowing the PFC to independently control complementary but distinct behavioral functions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rafiq Huda
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
| | - Grayson O Sipe
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Vincent Breton-Provencher
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - K Guadalupe Cruz
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Gerald N Pho
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Elie Adam
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Liadan M Gunter
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Austin Sullins
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Ian R Wickersham
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Mriganka Sur
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Allene C, Kalalou K, Durand F, Thomas F, Januel D. Acute and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders: A biased nervous system. Rev Neurol (Paris) 2020; 177:23-38. [PMID: 32800536 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurol.2020.05.010] [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: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Acute stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder are generally triggered by an exceptionally intense threat. The consequences of this traumatogenic situation are explored here in chronological order, from exposure to the threat to development of symptoms. Such a situation may disrupt the equilibrium between two fundamental brain circuits, referred to as the "defensive" and "cognitive". The defensive circuit triggers the stress response as well as the formation of implicit memory. The cognitive circuit triggers the voluntary response and the formation of explicit autobiographical memory. During a traumatogenic situation, the defensive circuit could be over-activated while cognitive circuit is under-activated. In the most severe cases, overactivation of the defensive circuit may cause its brutal deactivation, resulting in dissociation. Here, we address the underlying neurobiological mechanisms at every scale: from neurons to behaviors, providing a detailed explanatory model of trauma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C Allene
- Unité de recherche clinique, établissement public de santé Ville-Evrard, 202, avenue Jean-Jaurès, 93332 Neuilly-sur-Marne, France; Centre de psychothérapie, établissement public de santé Ville-Evrard, 5, rue du Docteur-Delafontaine, 93200 Saint-Denis, France.
| | - K Kalalou
- Unité de recherche clinique, établissement public de santé Ville-Evrard, 202, avenue Jean-Jaurès, 93332 Neuilly-sur-Marne, France; Centre de psychothérapie, établissement public de santé Ville-Evrard, 5, rue du Docteur-Delafontaine, 93200 Saint-Denis, France.
| | - F Durand
- Unité de recherche clinique, établissement public de santé Ville-Evrard, 202, avenue Jean-Jaurès, 93332 Neuilly-sur-Marne, France; Centre de psychothérapie, établissement public de santé Ville-Evrard, 5, rue du Docteur-Delafontaine, 93200 Saint-Denis, France.
| | - F Thomas
- Unité de recherche clinique, établissement public de santé Ville-Evrard, 202, avenue Jean-Jaurès, 93332 Neuilly-sur-Marne, France.
| | - D Januel
- Unité de recherche clinique, établissement public de santé Ville-Evrard, 202, avenue Jean-Jaurès, 93332 Neuilly-sur-Marne, France.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Unanticipated Stressful and Rewarding Experiences Engage the Same Prefrontal Cortex and Ventral Tegmental Area Neuronal Populations. eNeuro 2020; 7:ENEURO.0029-20.2020. [PMID: 32385042 PMCID: PMC7294461 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0029-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain networks that mediate motivated behavior in the context of aversive and rewarding experiences involve the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and ventral tegmental area (VTA). Neurons in both regions are activated by stress and reward, and by learned cues that predict aversive or appetitive outcomes. Recent studies have proposed that separate neuronal populations and circuits in these regions encode learned aversive versus appetitive contexts. But how about the actual experience? Do the same or different PFC and VTA neurons encode unanticipated aversive and appetitive experiences? To address this, we recorded unit activity and local field potentials (LFPs) in the dorsomedial PFC (dmPFC) and VTA of male rats as they were exposed, in the same recording session, to reward (sucrose) or stress (tail pinch) spaced 1 h apart. As expected, experience-specific neuronal responses were observed. Approximately 15–25% of single units in each region responded by excitation or inhibition to either stress or reward, and only stress increased LFP theta oscillation power in both regions and coherence between regions. But the largest number of responses (29% dmPFC and 30% VTA units) involved dual-valence neurons that responded to both stress and reward exposure. Moreover, the temporal profile of neuronal population activity in dmPFC and VTA as assessed by principal component analysis (PCA) were similar during both types of experiences. These results reveal that aversive and rewarding experiences engage overlapping neuronal populations in the dmPFC and the VTA. These populations may provide a locus of vulnerability for stress-related disorders, which are often associated with anhedonia.
Collapse
|
20
|
Multidimensional Neural Selectivity in the Primate Amygdala. eNeuro 2019; 6:ENEURO.0153-19.2019. [PMID: 31533960 PMCID: PMC6791828 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0153-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The amygdala contributes to multiple functions including attention allocation, sensory processing, decision-making, and the elaboration of emotional behaviors. The diversity of functions attributed to the amygdala is reflected in the response selectivity of its component neurons. Previous work claimed that subsets of neurons differentiate between broad categories of stimuli (e.g., objects vs faces, rewards vs punishment), while other subsets are narrowly specialized to respond to individual faces or facial features (e.g., eyes). Here we explored the extent to which the same neurons contribute to more than one neural subpopulation in a task that activated multiple functions of the amygdala. The subjects (Macaca mulatta) watched videos depicting conspecifics or inanimate objects, and learned by trial and error to choose the individuals or objects associated with the highest rewards. We found that the same neurons responded selectively to two or more of the following task events or stimulus features: (1) alerting, task-related stimuli (fixation icon, video start, and video end); (2) reward magnitude; (3) stimulus categories (social vs nonsocial); and (4) stimulus-unique features (faces, eyes). A disproportionate number of neurons showed selectivity for all of the examined stimulus features and task events. These results suggest that neurons that appear specialized and uniquely tuned to specific stimuli (e.g., face cells, eye cells) are likely to respond to multiple other types of stimuli or behavioral events, if/when these become behaviorally relevant in the context of a complex task. This multidimensional selectivity supports a flexible, context-dependent evaluation of inputs and subsequent decision making based on the activity of the same neural ensemble.
Collapse
|
21
|
Walters CJ, Jubran J, Sheehan A, Erickson MT, Redish AD. Avoid-approach conflict behaviors differentially affected by anxiolytics: implications for a computational model of risky decision-making. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:2513-2525. [PMID: 30863879 PMCID: PMC6697581 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05197-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Whether fear or anxiety is expressed is thought to depend on an animal's proximity to threat. In general, fear is elicited when threat is proximal, while anxiety is a response to threat that is distal and uncertain. This threat gradient model suggests that fear and anxiety involve non-overlapping neural circuitry, yet few behavioral paradigms exist that elicit both states. We studied avoid-approach conflict in rats that were behaving in a predator-inhabited foraging arena task that involved tangible threat and reward incentives. In the task, rats exhibited a variety of both fearful and anxious behaviors corresponding to proximal and distal threat, respectively. We then administered ethanol or diazepam to the rats in order to study how anxiolytics affected these fear and anxiety behaviors. We discovered that both ethanol and diazepam attenuated proximal-threat fear-like behaviors. Furthermore, we found that diazepam, but not ethanol, increased distal-threat anxiety-like behavior but also made rats less risk-averse. Finally, we describe how decisional conflict can be modeled as a partially observable Markov decision process and characterize a potential relationship between anxious behavior, diazepam's ability to suppress hippocampal theta oscillations, and hippocampal representations of the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cody J Walters
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | | | - Ayaka Sheehan
- University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | | | - A David Redish
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Mobbs D, Adolphs R, Fanselow MS, Barrett LF, LeDoux JE, Ressler K, Tye KM. Viewpoints: Approaches to defining and investigating fear. Nat Neurosci 2019; 22:1205-1216. [PMID: 31332374 PMCID: PMC6943931 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-019-0456-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
There is disagreement on how best to define and investigate fear. Nature Neuroscience asked Dean Mobbs to lead experts from the fields of human and animal affective neuroscience to discuss their viewpoints on how to define fear and how to move forward with the study of fear.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dean Mobbs
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences and Computation and Neural Systems Program, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA.
| | - Ralph Adolphs
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences and Computation and Neural Systems Program, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Michael S Fanselow
- Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Lisa Feldman Barrett
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging and Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joseph E LeDoux
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, New York, USA
- Nathan Kline Institute, New York State Office of Mental Health, New York, New York, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Medical School, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kerry Ressler
- Division of Depression & Anxiety Disorders, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kay M Tye
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Contreras CM, Gutiérrez-García AG. Reciprocal interactions between the basolateral amygdala and infralimbic and prelimbic regions of the mPFC: Actions of diazepam. Neurosci Lett 2019; 704:78-83. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.03.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Revised: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
|
24
|
Shiferaw B, Downey L, Crewther D. A review of gaze entropy as a measure of visual scanning efficiency. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 96:353-366. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|