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Protti-Sánchez F, Corrales Parada CD, Mayer U, Rowland HM. Activation of the Nucleus Taeniae of the Amygdala by Umami Taste in Domestic Chicks (Gallus gallus). Front Physiol 2022; 13:897931. [PMID: 35694389 PMCID: PMC9178096 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.897931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In chickens, the sense of taste plays an important role in detecting nutrients and choosing feed. The molecular mechanisms underlying the taste-sensing system of chickens are well studied, but the neural mechanisms underlying taste reactivity have received less attention. Here we report the short-term taste behaviour of chickens towards umami and bitter (quinine) taste solutions and the associated neural activity in the nucleus taeniae of the amygdala, nucleus accumbens and lateral septum. We found that chickens had more contact with and drank greater volumes of umami than bitter or a water control, and that chicks displayed increased head shaking in response to bitter compared to the other tastes. We found that there was a higher neural activity, measured as c-Fos activation, in response to umami taste in the right hemisphere of the nucleus taeniae of the amygdala. In the left hemisphere, there was a higher c-Fos activation of the nucleus taeniae of the amygdala in response to bitter than in the right hemisphere. Our findings provide clear evidence that chickens respond differently to umami and bitter tastes, that there is a lateralised response to tastes at the neural level, and reveals a new function of the avian nucleus taeniae of the amygdala as a region processing reward information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Protti-Sánchez
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
- *Correspondence: Francesca Protti-Sánchez,
| | | | - Uwe Mayer
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
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Lattin CR, Kelly TR, Kelly MW, Johnson KM. Constitutive gene expression differs in three brain regions important for cognition in neophobic and non-neophobic house sparrows (Passer domesticus). PLoS One 2022; 17:e0267180. [PMID: 35536842 PMCID: PMC9089922 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0267180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neophobia (aversion to new objects, food, and environments) is a personality trait that affects the ability of wildlife to adapt to new challenges and opportunities. Despite the ubiquity and importance of this trait, the molecular mechanisms underlying repeatable individual differences in neophobia in wild animals are poorly understood. We evaluated wild-caught house sparrows (Passer domesticus) for neophobia in the lab using novel object tests. We then selected a subset of neophobic and non-neophobic individuals (n = 3 of each, all females) and extracted RNA from four brain regions involved in learning, memory, threat perception, and executive function: striatum, caudal dorsomedial hippocampus, medial ventral arcopallium, and caudolateral nidopallium (NCL). Our analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) used 11,889 gene regions annotated in the house sparrow reference genome for which we had an average of 25.7 million mapped reads/sample. PERMANOVA identified significant effects of brain region, phenotype (neophobic vs. non-neophobic), and a brain region by phenotype interaction. Comparing neophobic and non-neophobic birds revealed constitutive differences in DEGs in three of the four brain regions examined: hippocampus (12% of the transcriptome significantly differentially expressed), striatum (4%) and NCL (3%). DEGs included important known neuroendocrine mediators of learning, memory, executive function, and anxiety behavior, including serotonin receptor 5A, dopamine receptors 1, 2 and 5 (downregulated in neophobic birds), and estrogen receptor beta (upregulated in neophobic birds). These results suggest that some of the behavioral differences between phenotypes may be due to underlying gene expression differences in the brain. The large number of DEGs in neophobic and non-neophobic birds also implies that there are major differences in neural function between the two phenotypes that could affect a wide variety of behavioral traits beyond neophobia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine R. Lattin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Tosha R. Kelly
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States of America
| | - Morgan W. Kelly
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States of America
| | - Kevin M. Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States of America
- Center for Coastal Marine Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, United States of America
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3
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Kimball MG, Gautreaux EB, Couvillion KE, Kelly TR, Stansberry KR, Lattin CR. Novel objects alter immediate early gene expression globally for ZENK and regionally for c-Fos in neophobic and non-neophobic house sparrows. Behav Brain Res 2022; 428:113863. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.113863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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Morandi-Raikova A, Mayer U. Selective activation of the right hippocampus during navigation by spatial cues in domestic chicks (Gallus gallus). Neurobiol Learn Mem 2020; 177:107344. [PMID: 33242588 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In different vertebrate species, hippocampus plays a crucial role for spatial orientation. However, even though cognitive lateralization is widespread in the animal kingdom, the lateralization of this hippocampal function has been poorly studied. The aim of the present study was to investigate the lateralization of hippocampal activation in domestic chicks, during spatial navigation in relation to free-standing objects. Two groups of chicks were trained to find food in one of the feeders located in a large circular arena. Chicks of one group solved the task using the relational spatial information provided by free-standing objects present in the arena, while the other group used the local appearance of the baited feeder as a beacon. The immediate early gene product c-Fos was employed to map neural activation of hippocampus and medial striatum of both hemispheres. Chicks that used spatial cues for navigation showed higher activation of the right hippocampus compared to chicks that oriented by local features and compared to the left hippocampus. Such differences between the two groups were not present in the left hippocampus or in the medial striatum. Relational spatial information seems thus to be selectively processed by the right hippocampus in domestic chicks. The results are discussed in light of existing evidence of hippocampal lateralization of spatial processing in chicks, with particular attention to the contrasting evidence found in pigeons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Morandi-Raikova
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC), University of Trento, Piazza Manifattura 1, I-38068 Rovereto (TN), Italy
| | - Uwe Mayer
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC), University of Trento, Piazza Manifattura 1, I-38068 Rovereto (TN), Italy.
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5
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Heimovics SA, Prior NH, Ma C, Soma KK. Rapid Effects of an Aggressive Interaction on Dehydroepiandrosterone, Testosterone and Oestradiol Levels in the Male Song Sparrow Brain: a Seasonal Comparison. J Neuroendocrinol 2016; 28:12345. [PMID: 26648568 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Revised: 11/10/2015] [Accepted: 11/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Across vertebrates, aggression is robustly expressed during the breeding season when circulating testosterone is elevated, and testosterone activates aggression either directly or after aromatisation into 17β-oestradiol (E2 ) in the brain. In some species, such as the song sparrow, aggressive behaviour is also expressed at high levels during the nonbreeding season, when circulating testosterone is non-detectable. At this time, the androgen precursor dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is metabolised within the brain into testosterone and/or E2 to promote aggression. In the present study, we used captive male song sparrows to test the hypothesis that an acute agonistic interaction during the nonbreeding season, but not during the breeding season, would alter steroid levels in the brain. Nonbreeding and breeding subjects were exposed to either a laboratory simulated territorial intrusion (L-STI) or an empty cage for only 5 min. Immediately afterwards, the brain was rapidly collected and flash frozen. The Palkovits punch technique was used to microdissect specific brain regions implicated in aggressive behaviour. Solid phase extraction followed by radioimmunoassay was used to quantify DHEA, testosterone and E2 in punches. Overall, levels of DHEA, testosterone and E2 were higher in brain tissue than in plasma. Local testosterone and E2 levels in the preoptic area, anterior hypothalamus and nucleus taeniae of the amygdala were significantly higher in the breeding season than the nonbreeding season and were not affected by the L-STI. Unexpectedly, subjects that were dominant in the L-STI had lower levels of DHEA in the anterior hypothalamus and medial striatum in both seasons and lower levels of DHEA in the nucleus taeniae of the amygdala in the breeding season only. Taken together, these data suggest that local levels of DHEA in the brain are very rapidly modulated by social interactions in a context and region-specific pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- S A Heimovics
- Department of Biology, University of St. Thomas, St Paul, MN, USA
| | - N H Prior
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - C Ma
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - K K Soma
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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Ogura Y, Izumi T, Yoshioka M, Matsushima T. Dissociation of the neural substrates of foraging effort and its social facilitation in the domestic chick. Behav Brain Res 2015; 294:162-76. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.07.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Revised: 07/04/2015] [Accepted: 07/27/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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Mayer U, Pecchia T, Bingman VP, Flore M, Vallortigara G. Hippocampus and medial striatum dissociation during goal navigation by geometry or features in the domestic chick: An immediate early gene study. Hippocampus 2015; 26:27-40. [DOI: 10.1002/hipo.22486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/24/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Uwe Mayer
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC); University of Trento; Piazza Manifattura 1 Rovereto (TN) Italy
| | - Tommaso Pecchia
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC); University of Trento; Piazza Manifattura 1 Rovereto (TN) Italy
| | - Verner Peter Bingman
- Department of Psychology and J.P. Scott Center for Neuroscience; Mind and Behavior, Bowling Green State University; Bowling Green Ohio
| | - Michele Flore
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC); University of Trento; Piazza Manifattura 1 Rovereto (TN) Italy
| | - Giorgio Vallortigara
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC); University of Trento; Piazza Manifattura 1 Rovereto (TN) Italy
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Visual object categorization in birds and primates: integrating behavioral, neurobiological, and computational evidence within a "general process" framework. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2012; 12:220-40. [PMID: 22086545 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-011-0070-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Previous comparative work has suggested that the mechanisms of object categorization differ importantly for birds and primates. However, behavioral and neurobiological differences do not preclude the possibility that at least some of those mechanisms are shared across these evolutionarily distant groups. The present study integrates behavioral, neurobiological, and computational evidence concerning the "general processes" that are involved in object recognition in vertebrates. We start by reviewing work implicating error-driven learning in object categorization by birds and primates, and also consider neurobiological evidence suggesting that the basal ganglia might implement this process. We then turn to work with a computational model showing that principles of visual processing discovered in the primate brain can account for key behavioral findings in object recognition by pigeons, including cases in which pigeons' behavior differs from that of people. These results provide a proof of concept that the basic principles of visual shape processing are similar across distantly related vertebrate species, thereby offering important insights into the evolution of visual cognition.
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Zachar G, Wagner Z, Tábi T, Bálint E, Szökő É, Csillag A. Differential Changes of Extracellular Aspartate and Glutamate in the Striatum of Domestic Chicken Evoked by High Potassium or Distress: An In Vivo Microdialysis Study. Neurochem Res 2012; 37:1730-7. [DOI: 10.1007/s11064-012-0783-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2011] [Revised: 04/01/2012] [Accepted: 04/12/2012] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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10
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He X, Xiao L, Sui N. Effects of SCH23390 and spiperone administered into medial striatum and intermediate medial mesopallium on rewarding effects of morphine in day-old chicks. Eur J Pharmacol 2010; 627:136-41. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2009.10.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2009] [Revised: 09/23/2009] [Accepted: 10/14/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Gibbs ME, Hutchinson D, Hertz L. Astrocytic involvement in learning and memory consolidation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2008; 32:927-44. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2008.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2007] [Revised: 02/17/2008] [Accepted: 02/18/2008] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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12
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The organisation of the basal ganglia in the domestic chick (Gallus domesticus): Anatomical localisation of DARPP-32 in relation to glutamate. Brain Res Bull 2008; 76:183-91. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2008.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2007] [Revised: 01/10/2008] [Accepted: 02/11/2008] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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13
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Izawa EI, Aoki N, Matsushima T. Neural correlates of the proximity and quantity of anticipated food rewards in the ventral striatum of domestic chicks. Eur J Neurosci 2006; 22:1502-12. [PMID: 16190903 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2005.04311.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
To identify the neuro-cognitive substrates of valuation and choice, we analysed the neural correlates of anticipated food rewards in the ventral striatum of freely behaving chicks. One-week-old chicks were trained in a color-discrimination task using four color cues (red, yellow, green and blue), each of which was associated with a different food reward. Choosing a red bead was immediately rewarded with a large amount of food, choosing a yellow bead resulted in an immediate-small food reward, and choosing a green bead resulted in a late-large food reward. We selected chicks that consistently chose a large and immediate food reward (red over yellow, and red over green), with the proximity of the food valued higher than the size of the food reward (yellow over green). Of the 47 neurons recorded from the ventral striatum of these chicks, 20 neurons selectively showed cue-period responses to cues associated with food rewards. Five of these 20 neurons responded differentially during the cue period according to the expected delay to reward, and were thus assumed to code for the proximity of the reward. Additionally, three other neurons responded to the quantity of the reward. Furthermore, in the post-operant delay period, many of these 20 neurons showed reward-related activities that were linked to the proximity or presence of the food reward. We therefore propose that impulsive choice and behavioral perseveration observed after lesions of the ventral striatum could be due to impaired anticipation of rewards in the cue and delay periods, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ei-Ichi Izawa
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-601, Japan
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14
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Adám AS, Csillag A. Differential distribution of L-aspartate- and L-glutamate-immunoreactive structures in the arcopallium and medial striatum of the domestic chick (Gallus domesticus). J Comp Neurol 2006; 498:266-76. [PMID: 16856140 DOI: 10.1002/cne.21056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The role of amino acid neurotransmitters in learning and memory is well established. We investigated the putative role of L-aspartate as a neurotransmitter in the arcopallial-medial striatal pathway, which is known to be involved in passive avoidance learning in domestic chicks. Double immunocytochemistry against L-aspartate and L-glutamate was performed at both light and electron microscopic levels. L-aspartate- and L-glutamate-immunoreactive neurons in the arcopallium and posterior amygdaloid pallium were identified and counted by using fluorescence microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Most labeled neurons of arcopallium were enriched in glutamate as well as aspartate. However, the arcopallium and posterior amygdaloid pallium differed from a neighboring telencephalic region (nidopallium; formerly neostriatum) by containing a substantial proportion of cells singly labeled for L-aspartate (15%, vs. 5.3% in the nidopallium). Aspartate-labeled neurons constitute approximately 20%, 25%, 42%, and 28% of total in the posterior amygdaloid pallium and the medial, dorsal, and anterior arcopallia, respectively. Immunoelectron microscopy showed that L-aspartate was enriched in terminals of the medial striatum. The labeled terminals had clear and round vesicles and asymmetric junctions; similar to those immunoreactive to L-glutamate. Axon terminals singly labeled for L-aspartate made up 17% of the total. In addition, 7% of neuronal perikarya and 26% of all dendritic profiles appeared to be labeled specifically with L-aspartate but not L-glutamate. The results indicate that L-aspartate may play a specific role (as distinct from that of L-glutamate) in the intrinsic and extrinsic circuits instrumental in avian learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agota S Adám
- Department of Anatomy, Semmelweis University, H-1450 Budapest, Hungary
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Aoki N, Suzuki R, Izawa EI, Csillag A, Matsushima T. Localized lesions of ventral striatum, but not arcopallium, enhanced impulsiveness in choices based on anticipated spatial proximity of food rewards in domestic chicks. Behav Brain Res 2005; 168:1-12. [PMID: 16310871 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2005.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2005] [Revised: 10/05/2005] [Accepted: 10/05/2005] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The effects of bilateral chemical lesions of the ventral striatum (nucleus accumbens and the surrounding areas in the medial striatum) and arcopallium (major descending area of the avian telencephalon) were examined in 1-2-weeks old domestic chicks. Using a Y-maze, we analyzed the lesion effects on the choices that subject chicks made in two tasks with identical economical consequences, i.e., a small-and-close food reward vs. a large-and-distant food reward. In task 1, red, yellow, and green beads were associated with a feeder placed at various distances from the chicks; chicks thus anticipated the spatial proximity of food by the bead's color, whereas the quantity of the food was fixed. In task 2, red and yellow flags on the feeders were associated with various amount of food; the chicks thus anticipated the quantity of food by the flag's color, whereas the proximity of the reward could be directly visually determined. In task 1, bilateral lesions of the ventral striatum (but not the arcopallium) enhanced the impulsiveness of the chicks' choices, suggesting that choices based on the anticipated proximity were selectively changed. In task 2, similar lesions of the ventral striatum did not change choices. In both experiments, motor functions of the chicks remained unchanged, suggesting that the lesions did not affect the foraging efficiency, i.e., objective values of food. Neural correlates of anticipated food rewards in the ventral striatum (but not those in the arcopallium) could allow chicks to invest appropriate amount of work-cost in approaching distant food resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Aoki
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
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16
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Ichikawa Y, Izawa EI, Matsushima T. Excitotoxic lesions of the medial striatum delay extinction of a reinforcement color discrimination operant task in domestic chicks; a functional role of reward anticipation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2004; 22:76-83. [PMID: 15561503 DOI: 10.1016/j.cogbrainres.2004.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/01/2004] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
To reveal the functional roles of the striatum, we examined the effects of excitotoxic lesions to the bilateral medial striatum (mSt) and nucleus accumbens (Ac) in a food reinforcement color discrimination operant task. With a food reward as reinforcement, 1-week-old domestic chicks were trained to peck selectively at red and yellow beads (S+) and not to peck at a blue bead (S-). Those chicks then received either lesions or sham operations and were tested in extinction training sessions, during which yellow turned out to be nonrewarding (S-), whereas red and blue remained unchanged. To further examine the effects on postoperant noninstrumental aspects of behavior, we also measured the "waiting time", during which chicks stayed at the empty feeder after pecking at yellow. Although the lesioned chicks showed significantly higher error rates in the nonrewarding yellow trials, their postoperant waiting time gradually decreased similarly to the sham controls. Furthermore, the lesioned chicks waited significantly longer than the controls, even from the first extinction block. In the blue trials, both lesioned and sham chicks consistently refrained from pecking, indicating that the delayed extinction was not due to a general disinhibition of pecking. Similarly, no effects were found in the novel training sessions, suggesting that the lesions had selective effects on the extinction of a learned operant. These results suggest that a neural representation of memory-based reward anticipation in the mSt/Ac could contribute to the anticipation error required for extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoko Ichikawa
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
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17
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Novejarque A, Lanuza E, Martínez-García F. Amygdalostriatal projections in reptiles: A tract-tracing study in the lizardPodarcis hispanica. J Comp Neurol 2004; 479:287-308. [PMID: 15457506 DOI: 10.1002/cne.20309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Whereas the lacertilian anterior dorsal ventricular ridge contains unimodal sensory areas, its posterior part (PDVR) is an associative center that projects to the hypothalamus, thus being comparable to the amygdaloid formation. To further understand the organization of the reptilian cerebral hemispheres, we have used anterograde and retrograde tracing techniques to study the projections from the PDVR and adjoining areas (dorsolateral amygdala, DLA; deep lateral cortex, dLC; nucleus sphericus, NS) to the striatum in the lizard Podarcis hispanica. This information is complemented with a detailed description of the organization of the basal telencephalon of Podarcis. The caudal aspect of the dorsal ventricular ridge projects nontopographically mainly (but not exclusively) to the ventral striatum. The NS projects bilaterally (with strong ipsilateral dominance) to the nucleus accumbens, thus recalling the posteromedial cortical amygdala of mammals. The PDVR (especially its lateral aspect) and the dLC project massively to a continuum of structures connecting the striatoamygdaloid transition area (SAT) and the nucleus accumbens (rostrally), the projection arising from the dLC being probably bilateral. Finally, the DLA projects massively and bilaterally to both the ventral and dorsal striatum, including the SAT. Our findings lend further support to the view that the PDVR and neighboring structures constitute the reptilian basolateral amygdala and indicate that an emotional brain was already present in the ancestral amniote. These results are important to understand the comparative significance of the caudal aspect of the amniote cerebral hemispheres, and specifically challenge current views on the nature of the avian caudal neostriatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amparo Novejarque
- Departament de Biologia Funcional i Antropologia Física, Facultat de Ciències Biològiques, Universitat de València, ES-46100 València, Spain
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18
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Bálint E, Kitka T, Zachar G, Adám A, Hemmings HC, Csillag A. Abundance and location of DARPP-32 in striato-tegmental circuits of domestic chicks. J Chem Neuroanat 2004; 28:27-36. [PMID: 15363488 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2004.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2003] [Revised: 05/19/2004] [Accepted: 05/20/2004] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The striatum is reciprocally connected to the brainstem dopaminergic nuclei and receives a strong dopaminergic input. In the present study the spatial relation between the dopaminergic and dopaminoceptive structures of the avian medial striatum (formerly: lobus parolfactorius) was observed by confocal laser scanning microscope in the domestic chick (Gallus domesticus). We also analysed the connections in the area ventralis tegmentalis and the substantia nigra. To label the dopaminergic structures, anti-tyrosine hydroxylase was used and DARPP-32 (dopamine and cAMP regulated phosphoprotein) was a marker of dopaminoceptive elements. The tyrosine hydroxylase positive fibres formed baskets of juxtapositions around the DARPP-32 containing cells of the medial striatum. However, such baskets were also observed to juxtapose DARPP-32 immunonegative cells. In the tegmentum, DARPP-32 was observed in axons descending from the telencephalon via the ansa lenticularis. These varicose fibers innervated the ventral tegmental area and substantia nigra and were often juxtaposed to dopaminergic neurons and dendrites. Approximately 40% of the striatal projection neurons targeting the ventral tegmentum, and 60% of striatal projection neurons targeting the nigra were immunoreactive to DARPP-32, as revealed by retrograde pathway tracing with Fast Blue. Endogenous dopamine may exert a retrograde synaptic effect on the afferent striato-tegmental fibers, apart from the reported extrasynaptic action. The abundance of juxtapositions observed in the avian brainstem and medial striatum corroborates the possibility of reciprocal striato-tegmental circuits, relevant to the reinforcement of behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Bálint
- Department of Anatomy, Semmelweis University, 58 Tuzoltó utca, H-1450 Budapest, Hungary
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Mezey SE, Csillag A. The light and electron microscopic characterisation of identified striato-ventrotegmental projection neurons in the domestic chick (Gallus domesticus). Neurosci Res 2003; 47:299-308. [PMID: 14568111 DOI: 10.1016/s0168-0102(03)00219-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
A major projection of the medial striatum (lobus parolfactorius, LPO) of birds is the striato-ventrotegmental pathway projecting to the area ventralis tegmentalis. In the present study, we investigated the morphology and connectivity of striato-ventrotegmental neurons in the medial LPO. The neurons were identified by injecting the fluorescent retrograde tracer fast blue (FB) into the area ventralis tegmentalis. FB-labelled neurons in the LPO were targeted and iontophoretically injected with lucifer yellow (LY) in paraformaldehyde fixed slices. The fluorescent LY label in the filled neurons was then photoconverted, and the ultrastructure of cells was investigated. According to our results, the soma of striato-ventrotegmental neurons is rich in organelles, in particular rough and smooth endoplasmic reticula and they possess a large, unindented and slightly eccentric nucleus. The LY-labelled cells possess relatively few, sparsely spiny dendrites, and represent a type of medium-sized spiny projection neuron characteristic of the striata of birds. Axospinous synapses on the labelled cells are asymmetric and correspond morphologically to the glutamatergic excitatory type of terminals described previously in the LPO. Both symmetric and asymmetric axodendritic and axosomatic synapses were detected. Some symmetric synapses were GABA immunolabelled, whereas some asymmetric synapses were immunopositive to glutamate. Axon collaterals of labelled cells formed symmetric or asymmetric axodendritic synapses. Direct contact without interposing glial processes was observed between one of the FB-labelled neurons and an adjacent neuronal soma. There was also a microneuron attached to one of the labelled cells, which we identified as a neurogliaform 'dwarf' cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szilvia E Mezey
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Tuzoltó u. 58, 1094 Budapest, Hungary
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Nakajima S, Izawa EI, Matsushima T. Hippocampal lesion delays the acquisition of egocentric spatial memory in chicks. Neuroreport 2003; 14:1475-80. [PMID: 12960767 DOI: 10.1097/00001756-200308060-00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Effects of bilateral chemical lesion of the hippocampus was examined in 1- to 2-week-old domestic chicks. Chicks were trained and tested in an egocentric spatial task, in which subject chicks should memorize location of a rewarding object in reference to the subject's viewpoint. Two beads were simultaneously presented on a wall, and chicks pecked at one of them based on relative location (left-right or above-below) to gain a reward. Comparison of training curves revealed that the lesion significantly delayed, but did not impair, the acquisition. Recall of the spatial cue, as well as conditioning with color cues, was not impaired. Hippocampus could thus be involved in memory formation of spatial relationships between nearby objects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinya Nakajima
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
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Aoki N, Izawa EI, Yanagihara S, Matsushima T. Neural correlates of memorized associations and cued movements in archistriatum of the domestic chick. Eur J Neurosci 2003; 17:1935-46. [PMID: 12752793 DOI: 10.1046/j.1460-9568.2003.02632.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The archistriatum mediates a neural pathway from the medial part of intermediate hyperstriatum ventrale (in the dorsal pallium) to the lobus parolfactorius (in the medial striatum), thus is possibly involved in memory formation in the domestic chick. To elucidate the functional roles, we examined single neuron activities from archistriatum in unconstrained chicks during execution of a GO/NOGO task. In this task, a brief motor sound was given as initial cue, and immediately followed by presentation of a coloured bead. Chick was required to recall the memorized associations between the colour and reward, and pecked at the bead to gain food after a delay (GO trials) or stayed not pecking (NOGO trials). The ventral part of intermediate archistriatum proved to contain a group of neurons that selectively responded to the reward-associated colours before the reward was actually presented, possibly coding the memorized associations. Another group of neurons fired during the reward period, thus could code aspects of the food reward. Yet another group of neurons started to fire immediately on the cue sound and prior to the cued movements nonselectively in both GO and NOGO trials, thus could be involved in the sensori-motor link between the sound and the targeted body movements. It is concluded that even a subregion of archistriatum contains diverse neural codes for memorized associations and food rewards, and neural codes of movements cued by sounds, suggesting that archistriatum is a complex of different functional systems, possibly corresponding to striatum, limbic amygdala, and prefrontal cortex in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Aoki
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
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Matsushima T, Izawa EI, Aoki N, Yanagihara S. The mind through chick eyes: memory, cognition and anticipation. Zoolog Sci 2003; 20:395-408. [PMID: 12719641 DOI: 10.2108/zsj.20.395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
To understand the animal mind, we have to reconstruct how animals recognize the external world through their own eyes. For the reconstruction to be realistic, explanations must be made both in their proximate causes (brain mechanisms) as well as ultimate causes (evolutionary backgrounds). Here, we review recent advances in the behavioral, psychological, and system-neuroscience studies accomplished using the domestic chick as subjects. Diverse behavioral paradigms are compared (such as filial imprinting, sexual imprinting, one-trial passive avoidance learning, and reinforcement operant conditioning) in their behavioral characterizations (development, sensory and motor aspects of functions, fitness gains) and relevant brain mechanisms. We will stress that common brain regions are shared by these distinct paradigms, particularly those in the ventral telencephalic structures such as AIv (in the archistriatum) and LPO (in the medial striatum). Neuronal ensembles in these regions could code the chick's anticipation for forthcoming events, particularly the quality/quantity and the temporal proximity of rewards. Without the internal representation of the anticipated proximity in LPO, behavioral tolerance will be lost, and the chick makes impulsive choice for a less optimized option. Functional roles of these regions proved compatible with their anatomical counterparts in the mammalian brain, thus suggesting that the neural systems linking between the memorized past and the anticipated future have remained highly conservative through the evolution of the amniotic vertebrates during the last 300 million years. With the conservative nature in mind, research efforts should be oriented toward a unifying theory, which could explain behavioral deviations from optimized foraging, such as "naïve curiosity," "contra-freeloading," "Concorde fallacy," and "altruism."
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Localized lesion of caudal part of lobus parolfactorius caused impulsive choice in the domestic chick: evolutionarily conserved function of ventral striatum. J Neurosci 2003. [PMID: 12629194 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.23-05-01894.2003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Effects of bilateral chemical lesions of the medial basal ganglia [lobus parolfactorius (LPO)] were examined in 7- to 14-d-old domestic chicks. Chicks were trained in a color discrimination task, in which the subject had to peck one of the two colored beads associated with rewards that differed in quantity (amount of food) and/or temporal proximity (delay of food delivery from peck). In experiment 1, food was given without delay, and chicks successfully learned to choose a colored bead that was associated with a larger reward than the other. In experiment 2, a colored bead (red) was associated with a large reward delivered after a delay (D = 1, 2, or 3 sec), whereas another (yellow) was associated with a small reward delivered immediately. In intact and sham-operated conditions, chicks with a longer D chose the red bead progressively fewer times. Selective lesions to the caudal LPO (but not the rostral LPO) caused impulsive choice, and the ablated chicks chose the yellow bead and gained a small-immediate reward regardless of D. However, when retrained in a null-delay condition (D = 0 sec), the lesioned chick chose the red bead again. Ability to associate novel colors with reward was also unimpaired. These results suggest that the LPO may be responsible for the anticipation of reward proximity and involved in a suppression of impulsiveness by which animals seek immediate gains. The present results also indicate a striking similarity in functional roles between the avian LPO and the nucleus accumbens/ventral striatum in mammals.
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