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Gale J, Aizenman E. The physiological and pathophysiological roles of copper in the nervous system. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 60:3505-3543. [PMID: 38747014 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16370] [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: 11/12/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Copper is a critical trace element in biological systems due the vast number of essential enzymes that require the metal as a cofactor, including cytochrome c oxidase, superoxide dismutase and dopamine-β-hydroxylase. Due its key role in oxidative metabolism, antioxidant defence and neurotransmitter synthesis, copper is particularly important for neuronal development and proper neuronal function. Moreover, increasing evidence suggests that copper also serves important functions in synaptic and network activity, the regulation of circadian rhythms, and arousal. However, it is important to note that because of copper's ability to redox cycle and generate reactive species, cellular levels of the metal must be tightly regulated to meet cellular needs while avoiding copper-induced oxidative stress. Therefore, it is essential that the intricate system of copper transporters, exporters, copper chaperones and copper trafficking proteins function properly and in coordinate fashion. Indeed, disorders of copper metabolism such as Menkes disease and Wilson disease, as well as diseases linked to dysfunction of copper-requiring enzymes, such as SOD1-linked amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, demonstrate the dramatic neurological consequences of altered copper homeostasis. In this review, we explore the physiological importance of copper in the nervous system as well as pathologies related to improper copper handling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna Gale
- Department of Neurobiology and Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Elias Aizenman
- Department of Neurobiology and Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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2
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Leduc T, El Alami H, Bougadir K, Bélanger-Nelson E, Mongrain V. Neuroligin-2 shapes individual slow waves during slow-wave sleep and the response to sleep deprivation in mice. Mol Autism 2024; 15:13. [PMID: 38570872 PMCID: PMC10993465 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-024-00594-5] [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: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sleep disturbances are a common comorbidity to most neurodevelopmental disorders and tend to worsen disease symptomatology. It is thus crucial to understand mechanisms underlying sleep disturbances to improve patients' quality of life. Neuroligin-2 (NLGN2) is a synaptic adhesion protein regulating GABAergic transmission. It has been linked to autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia in humans, and deregulations of its expression were shown to cause epileptic-like hypersynchronized cerebral activity in rodents. Importantly, the absence of Nlgn2 (knockout: KO) was previously shown to alter sleep-wake duration and quality in mice, notably increasing slow-wave sleep (SWS) delta activity (1-4 Hz) and altering its 24-h dynamics. This type of brain oscillation is involved in memory consolidation, and is also a marker of homeostatic sleep pressure. Sleep deprivation (SD) is notably known to impair cognition and the physiological response to sleep loss involves GABAergic transmission. METHODS Using electrocorticographic (ECoG) recordings, we here first aimed to verify how individual slow wave (SW; 0.5-4 Hz) density and properties (e.g., amplitude, slope, frequency) contribute to the higher SWS delta activity and altered 24-h dynamics observed in Nlgn2 KO mice. We further investigated the response of these animals to SD. Finally, we tested whether sleep loss affects the gene expression of Nlgn2 and related GABAergic transcripts in the cerebral cortex of wild-type mice using RNA sequencing. RESULTS Our results show that Nlgn2 KO mice have both greater SW amplitude and density, and that SW density is the main property contributing to the altered 24-h dynamics. We also found the absence of Nlgn2 to accelerate paradoxical sleep recovery following SD, together with profound alterations in ECoG activity across vigilance states. Sleep loss, however, did not modify the 24-h distribution of the hypersynchronized ECoG events observed in these mice. Finally, RNA sequencing confirmed an overall decrease in cortical expression of Nlgn2 and related GABAergic transcripts following SD in wild-type mice. CONCLUSIONS This work brings further insight into potential mechanisms of sleep duration and quality deregulation in neurodevelopmental disorders, notably involving NLGN2 and GABAergic neurotransmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Leduc
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre d'études avancées en médecine du sommeil (CÉAMS), Recherche - Centre intégré universitaire de santé et services sociaux du Nord-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, 900, St-Denis street, Tour Viger Montréal, Montreal, QC, H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - Hiba El Alami
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre d'études avancées en médecine du sommeil (CÉAMS), Recherche - Centre intégré universitaire de santé et services sociaux du Nord-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Khadija Bougadir
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre d'études avancées en médecine du sommeil (CÉAMS), Recherche - Centre intégré universitaire de santé et services sociaux du Nord-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Erika Bélanger-Nelson
- Centre d'études avancées en médecine du sommeil (CÉAMS), Recherche - Centre intégré universitaire de santé et services sociaux du Nord-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Pfizer Canada ULC, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Valérie Mongrain
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Centre d'études avancées en médecine du sommeil (CÉAMS), Recherche - Centre intégré universitaire de santé et services sociaux du Nord-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, 900, St-Denis street, Tour Viger Montréal, Montreal, QC, H2X 0A9, Canada.
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3
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Yuste R, Cossart R, Yaksi E. Neuronal ensembles: Building blocks of neural circuits. Neuron 2024; 112:875-892. [PMID: 38262413 PMCID: PMC10957317 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.12.008] [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: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Neuronal ensembles, defined as groups of neurons displaying recurring patterns of coordinated activity, represent an intermediate functional level between individual neurons and brain areas. Novel methods to measure and optically manipulate the activity of neuronal populations have provided evidence of ensembles in the neocortex and hippocampus. Ensembles can be activated intrinsically or in response to sensory stimuli and play a causal role in perception and behavior. Here we review ensemble phenomenology, developmental origin, biophysical and synaptic mechanisms, and potential functional roles across different brain areas and species, including humans. As modular units of neural circuits, ensembles could provide a mechanistic underpinning of fundamental brain processes, including neural coding, motor planning, decision-making, learning, and adaptability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Yuste
- NeuroTechnology Center, Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Rosa Cossart
- Inserm, INMED, Turing Center for Living Systems Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.
| | - Emre Yaksi
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine, Koç University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
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4
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Nikolić D. Where is the mind within the brain? Transient selection of subnetworks by metabotropic receptors and G protein-gated ion channels. Comput Biol Chem 2023; 103:107820. [PMID: 36724606 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2023.107820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Perhaps the most important question posed by brain research is: How the brain gives rise to the mind. To answer this question, we have primarily relied on the connectionist paradigm: The brain's entire knowledge and thinking skills are thought to be stored in the connections; and the mental operations are executed by network computations. I propose here an alternative paradigm: Our knowledge and skills are stored in metabotropic receptors (MRs) and the G protein-gated ion channels (GPGICs). Here, mental operations are assumed to be executed by the functions of MRs and GPGICs. As GPGICs have the capacity to close or open branches of dendritic trees and axon terminals, their states transiently re-route neural activity throughout the nervous system. First, MRs detect ligands that signal the need to activate GPGICs. Next, GPGICs transiently select a subnetwork within the brain. The process of selecting this new subnetwork is what constitutes a mental operation - be it in a form of directed attention, perception or making a decision. Synaptic connections and network computations play only a secondary role, supporting MRs and GPGICs. According to this new paradigm, the mind emerges within the brain as the function of MRs and GPGICs whose primary function is to continually select the pathways over which neural activity will be allowed to pass. It is argued that MRs and GPGICs solve the scaling problem of intelligence from which the connectionism paradigm suffers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danko Nikolić
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Germany; evocenta GmbH, Germany; Robots Go Mental UG, Germany.
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5
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Fransson P, Strindberg M. Brain network integration, segregation and quasi-periodic activation and deactivation during tasks and rest. Neuroimage 2023; 268:119890. [PMID: 36681135 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.119890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that a re-organization of the brain's functional connectome expressed in terms of network integration and segregation may play a pivotal role for brain function. However, it has been proven difficult to fully capture both processes independently in a single methodological framework. In this study, by starting from pair-wise assessments of instantaneous phase synchronization and community membership, we assemble spatiotemporally flexible networks that reflect changes in integration/segregation that occur at a spectrum of spatial as well as temporal scales. This is achieved by iteratively assembling smaller networks into larger units under the constraint that the smaller units should be internally integrated, i.e. belong to the same community. The assembled subnetworks can be partly overlapping and differ in size across time. Our results show that subnetwork integration and segregation occur simultaneously in the brain. During task performance, global changes in synchronization between networks arise that are tied to the underlying temporal design of the experiment. We show that a hallmark property of the dynamics of the brain's functional connectome is a presence of quasi-periodic patterns of network activation and deactivation, which during task performance becomes intertwined with the underlying temporal structure of the experimental paradigm. Additionally, we show that the degree of network integration throughout a n-back working memory task is correlated to performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Fransson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.
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6
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Miehl C, Onasch S, Festa D, Gjorgjieva J. Formation and computational implications of assemblies in neural circuits. J Physiol 2022. [PMID: 36068723 DOI: 10.1113/jp282750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
In the brain, patterns of neural activity represent sensory information and store it in non-random synaptic connectivity. A prominent theoretical hypothesis states that assemblies, groups of neurons that are strongly connected to each other, are the key computational units underlying perception and memory formation. Compatible with these hypothesised assemblies, experiments have revealed groups of neurons that display synchronous activity, either spontaneously or upon stimulus presentation, and exhibit behavioural relevance. While it remains unclear how assemblies form in the brain, theoretical work has vastly contributed to the understanding of various interacting mechanisms in this process. Here, we review the recent theoretical literature on assembly formation by categorising the involved mechanisms into four components: synaptic plasticity, symmetry breaking, competition and stability. We highlight different approaches and assumptions behind assembly formation and discuss recent ideas of assemblies as the key computational unit in the brain. Abstract figure legend Assembly Formation. Assemblies are groups of strongly connected neurons formed by the interaction of multiple mechanisms and with vast computational implications. Four interacting components are thought to drive assembly formation: synaptic plasticity, symmetry breaking, competition and stability. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Miehl
- Computation in Neural Circuits, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany.,School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 85354, Freising, Germany
| | - Sebastian Onasch
- Computation in Neural Circuits, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany.,School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 85354, Freising, Germany
| | - Dylan Festa
- Computation in Neural Circuits, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany.,School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 85354, Freising, Germany
| | - Julijana Gjorgjieva
- Computation in Neural Circuits, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany.,School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 85354, Freising, Germany
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7
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Abstract
Binary decision models have been the subject of renewed research in recent years. In these models, agents follow a stochastic evolution where they must choose between two possible choices by taking into account the choices of their peers. Kirman explained the process of ant social herding using a simple model, and he conducted an interesting simulation. The fat-tail distribution in the security market is well known, but its causes have not been sufficiently clarified. The aim of this article is to clarify them by a very simple model. In this article, by establishing a simple security market model and by applying the model of Kirman, the fat tail observed for price fluctuations is reproduced. Recent research in neuroscience has shown that noise plays a positive roll and enables us to have a deeper understanding of a natural commonality between ants and traders. The beauty competition of Keynes is kept in mind, and it is shown that a cause of the fat tail is the balance between independence and interdependence of the economic agents. Using a natural computing algorithm called Kirman’s ant model, I conducted a time series analysis of finance that appears when simplifying the human “behavior of imitating others”. The results show that natural fat tails appear.
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Disrupted Cacna1c gene expression perturbs spontaneous Ca 2+ activity causing abnormal brain development and increased anxiety. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2108768119. [PMID: 35135875 PMCID: PMC8851547 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2108768119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The gene CACNA1C encodes for a calcium channel that has been linked to various psychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, through hitherto unknown cellular mechanisms. Here, we report that deletion of Cacna1c in neurons of the developing brain disrupts spontaneous calcium activity and causes abnormal brain development and anxiety. Our results indicate that marginally alterations in the expression level of Cacna1c have major effects on the intrinsic spontaneous calcium activity of neural progenitors that play a crucial role in brain development. Thus, Cacna1c acts as a molecular switch that can increase susceptibility to psychiatric disease. The L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channel gene CACNA1C is a risk gene for various psychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. However, the cellular mechanism by which CACNA1C contributes to psychiatric disorders has not been elucidated. Here, we report that the embryonic deletion of Cacna1c in neurons destined for the cerebral cortex using an Emx1-Cre strategy disturbs spontaneous Ca2+ activity and causes abnormal brain development and anxiety. By combining computational modeling with electrophysiological membrane potential manipulation, we found that neural network activity was driven by intrinsic spontaneous Ca2+ activity in distinct progenitor cells expressing marginally increased levels of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. MRI examination of the Cacna1c knockout mouse brains revealed volumetric differences in the neocortex, hippocampus, and periaqueductal gray. These results suggest that Cacna1c acts as a molecular switch and that its disruption during embryogenesis can perturb Ca2+ handling and neural development, which may increase susceptibility to psychiatric disease.
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9
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Resurgent Na + currents promote ultrafast spiking in projection neurons that drive fine motor control. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6762. [PMID: 34799550 PMCID: PMC8604930 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26521-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The underlying mechanisms that promote precise spiking in upper motor neurons controlling fine motor skills are not well understood. Here we report that projection neurons in the adult zebra finch song nucleus RA display robust high-frequency firing, ultra-narrow spike waveforms, superfast Na+ current inactivation kinetics, and large resurgent Na+ currents (INaR). These properties of songbird pallial motor neurons closely resemble those of specialized large pyramidal neurons in mammalian primary motor cortex. They emerge during the early phases of song development in males, but not females, coinciding with a complete switch of Na+ channel subunit expression from Navβ3 to Navβ4. Dynamic clamping and dialysis of Navβ4's C-terminal peptide into juvenile RA neurons provide evidence that Navβ4, and its associated INaR, promote neuronal excitability. We thus propose that INaR modulates the excitability of upper motor neurons that are required for the execution of fine motor skills.
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10
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Identification of Pattern Completion Neurons in Neuronal Ensembles Using Probabilistic Graphical Models. J Neurosci 2021; 41:8577-8588. [PMID: 34413204 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0051-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuronal ensembles are groups of neurons with coordinated activity that could represent sensory, motor, or cognitive states. The study of how neuronal ensembles are built, recalled, and involved in the guiding of complex behaviors has been limited by the lack of experimental and analytical tools to reliably identify and manipulate neurons that have the ability to activate entire ensembles. Such pattern completion neurons have also been proposed as key elements of artificial and biological neural networks. Indeed, the relevance of pattern completion neurons is highlighted by growing evidence that targeting them can activate neuronal ensembles and trigger behavior. As a method to reliably detect pattern completion neurons, we use conditional random fields (CRFs), a type of probabilistic graphical model. We apply CRFs to identify pattern completion neurons in ensembles in experiments using in vivo two-photon calcium imaging from primary visual cortex of male mice and confirm the CRFs predictions with two-photon optogenetics. To test the broader applicability of CRFs we also analyze publicly available calcium imaging data (Allen Institute Brain Observatory dataset) and demonstrate that CRFs can reliably identify neurons that predict specific features of visual stimuli. Finally, to explore the scalability of CRFs we apply them to in silico network simulations and show that CRFs-identified pattern completion neurons have increased functional connectivity. These results demonstrate the potential of CRFs to characterize and selectively manipulate neural circuits.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We describe a graph theory method to identify and optically manipulate neurons with pattern completion capability in mouse cortical circuits. Using calcium imaging and two-photon optogenetics in vivo we confirm that key neurons identified by this method can recall entire neuronal ensembles. This method could be broadly applied to manipulate neuronal ensemble activity to trigger behavior or for therapeutic applications in brain prostheses.
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11
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Zendrikov D, Paraskevov A. Emergent population activity in metric-free and metric networks of neurons with stochastic spontaneous spikes and dynamic synapses. Neurocomputing 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neucom.2020.11.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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12
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Mishra A, Marzban N, Cohen MX, Englitz B. Dynamics of Neural Microstates in the VTA-Striatal-Prefrontal Loop during Novelty Exploration in the Rat. J Neurosci 2021; 41:6864-6877. [PMID: 34193560 PMCID: PMC8360694 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2256-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural activity at the large-scale population level has been suggested to be consistent with a sequence of brief, quasistable spatial patterns. These "microstates" and their temporal dynamics have been linked to myriad cognitive functions and brain diseases. Most of this research has been performed using EEG, leaving many questions, such as the existence, dynamics, and behavioral relevance of microstates at the level of local field potentials (LFPs), unaddressed. Here, we adapted the standard EEG microstate analysis to triple-area LFP recordings from 192 electrodes in rats to investigate the mesoscopic dynamics of neural microstates within and across brain regions during novelty exploration. We performed simultaneous recordings from the prefrontal cortex, striatum, and ventral tegmental area in male rats during awake behavior (object novelty and exploration). We found that the LFP data can be accounted for by multiple, recurring microstates that were stable for ∼60-100 ms. The simultaneous microstate activity across brain regions revealed rhythmic patterns of coactivations, which we interpret as a novel indicator of inter-regional, mesoscale synchronization. Furthermore, these rhythmic coactivation patterns across microstates were modulated by behavioral states such as movement and exploration of a novel object. These results support the existence of a functional mesoscopic organization across multiple brain areas and present a possible link of the origin of macroscopic EEG microstates to zero-lag neuronal synchronization within and between brain areas, which is of particular interest to the human research community.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The coordination of neural activity across the entire brain has remained elusive. Here we combine large-scale neural recordings at fine spatial resolution with the analysis of microstates (i.e., short-lived, recurring spatial patterns of neural activity). We demonstrate that the local activity in different brain areas can be accounted for by only a few microstates per region. These microstates exhibited temporal dynamics that were correlated across regions in rhythmic patterns. We demonstrate that these microstates are linked to behavior and exhibit different properties in the frequency domain during different behavioral states. In summary, LFP microstates provide an insightful approach to studying both mesoscopic and large-scale brain activation within and across regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashutosh Mishra
- Synchronisation in Neural Systems Laboratory, Department of Neuroinformatics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Computational Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Neurophysiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nader Marzban
- Synchronisation in Neural Systems Laboratory, Department of Neuroinformatics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Michael X Cohen
- Synchronisation in Neural Systems Laboratory, Department of Neuroinformatics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Bernhard Englitz
- Computational Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Neurophysiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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13
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Xing W, de Lima AD, Voigt T. The Structural E/I Balance Constrains the Early Development of Cortical Network Activity. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:687306. [PMID: 34349623 PMCID: PMC8326976 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.687306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Neocortical networks have a characteristic constant ratio in the number of glutamatergic projection neurons (PN) and GABAergic interneurons (IN), and deviations in this ratio are often associated with developmental neuropathologies. Cultured networks with defined cellular content allowed us to ask if initial PN/IN ratios change the developmental population dynamics, and how different ratios impact the physiological excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) balance and the network activity development. During the first week in vitro, the IN content modulated PN numbers, increasing their proliferation in networks with higher IN proportions. The proportion of INs in each network set remained similar to the initial plating ratio during the 4 weeks cultivation period. Results from additional networks generated with more diverse cellular composition, including early-born GABA neurons, suggest that a GABA-dependent mechanism may decrease the survival of additional INs. A large variation of the PN/IN ratio did not change the balance between isolated spontaneous glutamatergic and GABAergic postsynaptic currents charge transfer (E/I balance) measured in PNs or INs. In contrast, the E/I balance of multisynaptic bursts reflected differences in IN content. Additionally, the spontaneous activity recorded by calcium imaging showed that higher IN ratios were associated with increased frequency of network bursts combined with a decrease of participating neurons per event. In the 4th week in vitro, bursting activity was stereotypically synchronized in networks with very few INs but was more desynchronized in networks with higher IN proportions. These results suggest that the E/I balance of isolated postsynaptic currents in single cells may be regulated independently of PN/IN proportions, but the network bursts E/I balance and the maturation of spontaneous network activity critically depends upon the structural PN/IN ratio.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxi Xing
- Medizinische Fakultät, Institut für Physiologie, Otto-von-Guericke Universität, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Ana Dolabela de Lima
- Medizinische Fakultät, Institut für Physiologie, Otto-von-Guericke Universität, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Voigt
- Medizinische Fakultät, Institut für Physiologie, Otto-von-Guericke Universität, Magdeburg, Germany
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14
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Simpson S, Chen Y, Wellmeyer E, Smith LC, Aragon Montes B, George O, Kimbrough A. The Hidden Brain: Uncovering Previously Overlooked Brain Regions by Employing Novel Preclinical Unbiased Network Approaches. Front Syst Neurosci 2021; 15:595507. [PMID: 33967705 PMCID: PMC8097000 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2021.595507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A large focus of modern neuroscience has revolved around preselected brain regions of interest based on prior studies. While there are reasons to focus on brain regions implicated in prior work, the result has been a biased assessment of brain function. Thus, many brain regions that may prove crucial in a wide range of neurobiological problems, including neurodegenerative diseases and neuropsychiatric disorders, have been neglected. Advances in neuroimaging and computational neuroscience have made it possible to make unbiased assessments of whole-brain function and identify previously overlooked regions of the brain. This review will discuss the tools that have been developed to advance neuroscience and network-based computational approaches used to further analyze the interconnectivity of the brain. Furthermore, it will survey examples of neural network approaches that assess connectivity in clinical (i.e., human) and preclinical (i.e., animal model) studies and discuss how preclinical studies of neurodegenerative diseases and neuropsychiatric disorders can greatly benefit from the unbiased nature of whole-brain imaging and network neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sierra Simpson
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Yueyi Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States.,Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Emma Wellmeyer
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Lauren C Smith
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Brianna Aragon Montes
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Olivier George
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Adam Kimbrough
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States.,Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States.,Purdue Institute for Inflammation, Immunology, and Infectious Disease, West Lafayette, IN, United States
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15
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Pedreschi N, Bernard C, Clawson W, Quilichini P, Barrat A, Battaglia D. Dynamic core-periphery structure of information sharing networks in entorhinal cortex and hippocampus. Netw Neurosci 2021; 4:946-975. [PMID: 33615098 PMCID: PMC7888487 DOI: 10.1162/netn_a_00142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural computation is associated with the emergence, reconfiguration, and dissolution of cell assemblies in the context of varying oscillatory states. Here, we describe the complex spatiotemporal dynamics of cell assemblies through temporal network formalism. We use a sliding window approach to extract sequences of networks of information sharing among single units in hippocampus and entorhinal cortex during anesthesia and study how global and node-wise functional connectivity properties evolve through time and as a function of changing global brain state (theta vs. slow-wave oscillations). First, we find that information sharing networks display, at any time, a core-periphery structure in which an integrated core of more tightly functionally interconnected units links to more loosely connected network leaves. However the units participating to the core or to the periphery substantially change across time windows, with units entering and leaving the core in a smooth way. Second, we find that discrete network states can be defined on top of this continuously ongoing liquid core-periphery reorganization. Switching between network states results in a more abrupt modification of the units belonging to the core and is only loosely linked to transitions between global oscillatory states. Third, we characterize different styles of temporal connectivity that cells can exhibit within each state of the sharing network. While inhibitory cells tend to be central, we show that, otherwise, anatomical localization only poorly influences the patterns of temporal connectivity of the different cells. Furthermore, cells can change temporal connectivity style when the network changes state. Altogether, these findings reveal that the sharing of information mediated by the intrinsic dynamics of hippocampal and entorhinal cortex cell assemblies have a rich spatiotemporal structure, which could not have been identified by more conventional time- or state-averaged analyses of functional connectivity. It is generally thought that computations performed by local brain circuits rely on complex neural processes, associated with the flexible waxing and waning of cell assemblies, that is, an ensemble of cells firing in tight synchrony. Although cell assembly formation is inherently and unavoidably dynamical, it is still common to find studies in which essentially “static” approaches are used to characterize this process. In the present study, we adopt instead a temporal network approach. Avoiding usual time-averaging procedures, we reveal that hub neurons are not hardwired but that cells vary smoothly their degree of integration within the assembly core. Furthermore, our temporal network framework enables the definition of alternative possible styles of “hubness.” Some cells may share information with a multitude of other units but only in an intermittent manner, as “activists” in a flash mob. In contrast, some other cells may share information in a steadier manner, as resolute “lobbyists.” Finally, by avoiding averages over preimposed states, we show that within each global oscillatory state rich switching dynamics can take place between a repertoire of many available network states. We thus show that the temporal network framework provides a natural and effective language to rigorously describe the rich spatiotemporal patterns of information sharing instantiated by cell assembly evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Pedreschi
- Aix-Marseille University, Université de Toulon, CNRS, CPT, Turing Center for Living Systems, Marseille, France
| | - Christophe Bernard
- Aix-Marseille University, Inserm, INS, Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes, Marseille, France
| | - Wesley Clawson
- Aix-Marseille University, Inserm, INS, Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes, Marseille, France
| | - Pascale Quilichini
- Aix-Marseille University, Inserm, INS, Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes, Marseille, France
| | - Alain Barrat
- Aix-Marseille University, Université de Toulon, CNRS, CPT, Turing Center for Living Systems, Marseille, France
| | - Demian Battaglia
- Aix-Marseille University, Inserm, INS, Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes, Marseille, France
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16
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Juárez-Vidales JDJ, Pérez-Ortega J, Lorea-Hernández JJ, Méndez-Salcido F, Peña-Ortega F. Configuration and dynamics of dominant inspiratory multineuronal activity patterns during eupnea and gasping generation in vitro. J Neurophysiol 2021; 125:1289-1306. [PMID: 33502956 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00563.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The pre-Bötzinger complex (preBötC), located within the ventral respiratory column, produces inspiratory bursts in varying degrees of synchronization/amplitude. This wide range of population burst patterns reflects the flexibility of the preBötC neurons, which is expressed in variations in the onset/offset times of their activations and their activity during the population bursts, with respiratory neurons exhibiting a large cycle-to-cycle timing jitter both at the population activity onset and at the population activity peak, suggesting that respiratory neurons are stochastically activated before and during the inspiratory bursts. However, it is still unknown whether this stochasticity is maintained while evaluating the coactivity of respiratory neuronal ensembles. Moreover, the preBötC topology also remains unknown. In this study, by simultaneously recording tens of preBötC neurons and using coactivation analysis during the inspiratory periods, we found that the preBötC has a scale-free configuration (mixture of not many highly connected nodes, hubs, with abundant poorly connected elements) exhibiting the rich-club phenomenon (hubs more likely interconnected with each other). PreBötC neurons also produce multineuronal activity patterns (MAPs) that are highly stable and change during the hypoxia-induced reconfiguration. Moreover, preBötC contains a coactivating core network shared by all its MAPs. Finally, we found a distinctive pattern of sequential coactivation of core network neurons at the beginning of the inspiratory periods, indicating that, when evaluated at the multicellular level, the coactivation of respiratory neurons seems not to be stochastic.NEW & NOTEWORTHY By means of multielectrode recordings of preBötC neurons, we evaluated their configuration in normoxia and hypoxia, finding that the preBötC exhibits a scale-free configuration with a rich-club phenomenon. preBötC neurons produce multineuronal activity patterns that are highly stable but change during hypoxia. The preBötC contains a coactivating core network that exhibit a distinctive pattern of coactivation at the beginning of inspirations. These results reveal some network basis of inspiratory rhythm generation and its reconfiguration during hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josué de Jesús Juárez-Vidales
- Departamento de Neurobiología del Desarrollo y Neurofisiología, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Jesús Pérez-Ortega
- Departamento de Neurobiología del Desarrollo y Neurofisiología, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Jonathan Julio Lorea-Hernández
- Departamento de Neurobiología del Desarrollo y Neurofisiología, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Felipe Méndez-Salcido
- Departamento de Neurobiología del Desarrollo y Neurofisiología, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Fernando Peña-Ortega
- Departamento de Neurobiología del Desarrollo y Neurofisiología, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Queretaro, Mexico
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17
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Identification and quantification of neuronal ensembles in optical imaging experiments. J Neurosci Methods 2020; 351:109046. [PMID: 33359231 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2020.109046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Recent technical advances in molecular biology and optical imaging have made it possible to record from up to thousands of densely packed neurons in superficial and deep brain regions in vivo, with cellular subtype specificity and high spatiotemporal fidelity. Such optical neurotechnologies are enabling increasingly fine-scaled studies of neuronal circuits and reliably co-active groups of neurons, so-called ensembles. Neuronal ensembles are thought to constitute the basic functional building blocks of brain systems, potentially exhibiting collective computational properties. While the technical framework of in vivo optical imaging and quantification of neuronal activity follows certain widely held standards, analytical methods for study of neuronal co-activity and ensembles lack consensus and are highly varied across the field. Here we provide a comprehensive step-by-step overview of theoretical, experimental, and analytical considerations for the identification and quantification of neuronal ensemble dynamics in high-resolution in vivo optical imaging studies.
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18
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Zhang K, Lian N, Ding R, Guo C, Dong X, Li Y, Wei S, Jiao Q, Yu Y, Shen H. Sleep Deprivation Aggravates Cognitive Impairment by the Alteration of Hippocampal Neuronal Activity and the Density of Dendritic Spine in Isoflurane-Exposed Mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:589176. [PMID: 33328920 PMCID: PMC7719754 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.589176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Isoflurane contributes to cognitive deficits when used as a general anesthetic, and so does sleep deprivation (SD). Patients usually suffer from insomnia before an operation due to anxiety, fear, and other factors. It remains unclear whether preoperative SD exacerbates cognitive impairment induced by isoflurane. In this study, we observed the effects of pretreated 24-h SD in adult isoflurane-exposed mice on the cognitive behaviors, the Ca2+ signals of dorsal hippocampal CA1 (dCA1) neurons in vivo with fiber photometry, and the density of dendritic spines in hippocampal neurons. Our results showed that in cognitive behavior tasks, short-term memory damages were more severe with SD followed by isoflurane exposure than that with SD or isoflurane exposure separately, and interestingly, severe long-term memory deficits were induced only by SD followed by isoflurane exposure. Only the treatment of SD followed by isoflurane exposure could reversibly decrease the amplitude of Ca2+ signals when mice were freely moving and increase the duration of Ca2+ signals during the long-term memory behavior test. The density of dendritic spines with both SD and isoflurane exposure was lower than that with SD alone. This study suggests that SD should be avoided preoperatively in patients undergoing elective surgery under isoflurane anesthesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zhang
- Department of Anesthesia, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Institute of Anesthesiology, Tianjin, China
| | - Naqi Lian
- Department of Anesthesia, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Institute of Anesthesiology, Tianjin, China
| | - Ran Ding
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing (CIBR), Beijing, China
| | - Cunle Guo
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, School of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xi Dong
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, School of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, School of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Sheng Wei
- Experimental Center, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Qingyan Jiao
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, School of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yonghao Yu
- Department of Anesthesia, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Institute of Anesthesiology, Tianjin, China
| | - Hui Shen
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, School of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,Institute of Neurology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
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19
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George R, Chiappalone M, Giugliano M, Levi T, Vassanelli S, Partzsch J, Mayr C. Plasticity and Adaptation in Neuromorphic Biohybrid Systems. iScience 2020; 23:101589. [PMID: 33083749 PMCID: PMC7554028 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuromorphic systems take inspiration from the principles of biological information processing to form hardware platforms that enable the large-scale implementation of neural networks. The recent years have seen both advances in the theoretical aspects of spiking neural networks for their use in classification and control tasks and a progress in electrophysiological methods that is pushing the frontiers of intelligent neural interfacing and signal processing technologies. At the forefront of these new technologies, artificial and biological neural networks are tightly coupled, offering a novel "biohybrid" experimental framework for engineers and neurophysiologists. Indeed, biohybrid systems can constitute a new class of neuroprostheses opening important perspectives in the treatment of neurological disorders. Moreover, the use of biologically plausible learning rules allows forming an overall fault-tolerant system of co-developing subsystems. To identify opportunities and challenges in neuromorphic biohybrid systems, we discuss the field from the perspectives of neurobiology, computational neuroscience, and neuromorphic engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard George
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Michele Giugliano
- Neuroscience Area, International School of Advanced Studies, Trieste, Italy
| | - Timothée Levi
- Laboratoire de l’Intégration du Matéeriau au Systéme, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- LIMMS/CNRS, Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Stefano Vassanelli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Johannes Partzsch
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christian Mayr
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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20
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Hu W, Pan T, Kong D, Shen W. Nonparametric matrix response regression with application to brain imaging data analysis. Biometrics 2020; 77:1227-1240. [PMID: 32869275 DOI: 10.1111/biom.13362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
With the rapid growth of neuroimaging technologies, a great effort has been dedicated recently to investigate the dynamic changes in brain activity. Examples include time course calcium imaging and dynamic brain functional connectivity. In this paper, we propose a novel nonparametric matrix response regression model to characterize the nonlinear association between 2D image outcomes and predictors such as time and patient information. Our estimation procedure can be formulated as a nuclear norm regularization problem, which can capture the underlying low-rank structure of the dynamic 2D images. We present a computationally efficient algorithm, derive the asymptotic theory, and show that the method outperforms other existing approaches in simulations. We then apply the proposed method to a calcium imaging study for estimating the change of fluorescent intensities of neurons, and an electroencephalography study for a comparison in the dynamic connectivity covariance matrices between alcoholic and control individuals. For both studies, the method leads to a substantial improvement in prediction error.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Hu
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Irvine, California
| | - Tianyu Pan
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Irvine, California
| | - Dehan Kong
- Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Weining Shen
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Irvine, California
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21
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Smith LC, Kimbrough A. Leveraging Neural Networks in Preclinical Alcohol Research. Brain Sci 2020; 10:E578. [PMID: 32825739 PMCID: PMC7565429 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10090578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder is a pervasive healthcare issue with significant socioeconomic consequences. There is a plethora of neural imaging techniques available at the clinical and preclinical level, including magnetic resonance imaging and three-dimensional (3D) tissue imaging techniques. Network-based approaches can be applied to imaging data to create neural networks that model the functional and structural connectivity of the brain. These networks can be used to changes to brain-wide neural signaling caused by brain states associated with alcohol use. Neural networks can be further used to identify key brain regions or neural "hubs" involved in alcohol drinking. Here, we briefly review the current imaging and neurocircuit manipulation methods. Then, we discuss clinical and preclinical studies using network-based approaches related to substance use disorders and alcohol drinking. Finally, we discuss how preclinical 3D imaging in combination with network approaches can be applied alone and in combination with other approaches to better understand alcohol drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren C. Smith
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, MC 0667, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA;
| | - Adam Kimbrough
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, MC 0667, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA;
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, 625 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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22
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Staiger JF, Petersen CCH. Neuronal Circuits in Barrel Cortex for Whisker Sensory Perception. Physiol Rev 2020; 101:353-415. [PMID: 32816652 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00019.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The array of whiskers on the snout provides rodents with tactile sensory information relating to the size, shape and texture of objects in their immediate environment. Rodents can use their whiskers to detect stimuli, distinguish textures, locate objects and navigate. Important aspects of whisker sensation are thought to result from neuronal computations in the whisker somatosensory cortex (wS1). Each whisker is individually represented in the somatotopic map of wS1 by an anatomical unit named a 'barrel' (hence also called barrel cortex). This allows precise investigation of sensory processing in the context of a well-defined map. Here, we first review the signaling pathways from the whiskers to wS1, and then discuss current understanding of the various types of excitatory and inhibitory neurons present within wS1. Different classes of cells can be defined according to anatomical, electrophysiological and molecular features. The synaptic connectivity of neurons within local wS1 microcircuits, as well as their long-range interactions and the impact of neuromodulators, are beginning to be understood. Recent technological progress has allowed cell-type-specific connectivity to be related to cell-type-specific activity during whisker-related behaviors. An important goal for future research is to obtain a causal and mechanistic understanding of how selected aspects of tactile sensory information are processed by specific types of neurons in the synaptically connected neuronal networks of wS1 and signaled to downstream brain areas, thus contributing to sensory-guided decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochen F Staiger
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute for Neuroanatomy, Göttingen, Germany; and Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Faculty of Life Sciences, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Carl C H Petersen
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute for Neuroanatomy, Göttingen, Germany; and Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Faculty of Life Sciences, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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23
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Oikari LE, Yu C, Okolicsanyi RK, Avgan N, Peall IW, Griffiths LR, Haupt LM. HSPGs glypican‐1 and glypican‐4 are human neuronal proteins characteristic of different neural phenotypes. J Neurosci Res 2020; 98:1619-1645. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lotta E. Oikari
- Genomics Research Centre Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation School of Biomedical Sciences Queensland University of Technology Kelvin Grove QLD Australia
| | - Chieh Yu
- Genomics Research Centre Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation School of Biomedical Sciences Queensland University of Technology Kelvin Grove QLD Australia
| | - Rachel K. Okolicsanyi
- Genomics Research Centre Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation School of Biomedical Sciences Queensland University of Technology Kelvin Grove QLD Australia
| | - Nesli Avgan
- Genomics Research Centre Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation School of Biomedical Sciences Queensland University of Technology Kelvin Grove QLD Australia
| | - Ian W. Peall
- Genomics Research Centre Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation School of Biomedical Sciences Queensland University of Technology Kelvin Grove QLD Australia
| | - Lyn R. Griffiths
- Genomics Research Centre Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation School of Biomedical Sciences Queensland University of Technology Kelvin Grove QLD Australia
| | - Larisa M. Haupt
- Genomics Research Centre Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation School of Biomedical Sciences Queensland University of Technology Kelvin Grove QLD Australia
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24
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Farouj Y, Karahanoglu FI, Van De Ville D. Deconvolution of Sustained Neural Activity From Large-Scale Calcium Imaging Data. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MEDICAL IMAGING 2020; 39:1094-1103. [PMID: 31545714 DOI: 10.1109/tmi.2019.2942765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Recent technological advances in light-sheet microscopy make it possible to perform whole-brain functional imaging at the cellular level with the use of Ca2+ indicators. The outstanding spatial extent and resolution of this type of data open unique opportunities for understanding the complex organization of neuronal circuits across the brain. However, the analysis of this data remains challenging because the observed variations in fluorescence are, in fact, noisy indirect measures of the neuronal activity. Moreover, measuring over large field-of-view negatively impact temporal resolution and signal-to-noise ratio, which further impedes conventional spike inference. Here we argue that meaningful information can be extracted from large-scale functional imaging data by deconvolving with the calcium response and by modeling moments of sustained neuronal activity instead of individual spikes. Specifically, we characterize the calcium response by a linear system of which the inverse is a differential operator. This operator is then included in a regularization term promoting sparsity of activity transients through generalized total variation. Our results illustrate the numerical performance of the algorithm on simulated signals; i.e., we show the firing rate phase transition at which our model outperforms spike inference. Finally, we apply the proposed algorithm to experimental data from zebrafish larvæ. In particular, we show that, when applied to a specific group of neurons, the algorithm retrieves neural activation that matches the locomotor behavior unknown to the method.
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25
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Betzel RF, Wood KC, Angeloni C, Neimark Geffen M, Bassett DS. Stability of spontaneous, correlated activity in mouse auditory cortex. PLoS Comput Biol 2019; 15:e1007360. [PMID: 31815941 PMCID: PMC6968873 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural systems can be modeled as complex networks in which neural elements are represented as nodes linked to one another through structural or functional connections. The resulting network can be analyzed using mathematical tools from network science and graph theory to quantify the system’s topological organization and to better understand its function. Here, we used two-photon calcium imaging to record spontaneous activity from the same set of cells in mouse auditory cortex over the course of several weeks. We reconstruct functional networks in which cells are linked to one another by edges weighted according to the correlation of their fluorescence traces. We show that the networks exhibit modular structure across multiple topological scales and that these multi-scale modules unfold as part of a hierarchy. We also show that, on average, network architecture becomes increasingly dissimilar over time, with similarity decaying monotonically with the distance (in time) between sessions. Finally, we show that a small fraction of cells maintain strongly-correlated activity over multiple days, forming a stable temporal core surrounded by a fluctuating and variable periphery. Our work indicates a framework for studying spontaneous activity measured by two-photon calcium imaging using computational methods and graphical models from network science. The methods are flexible and easily extended to additional datasets, opening the possibility of studying cellular level network organization of neural systems and how that organization is modulated by stimuli or altered in models of disease. Neurons coordinate their activity with one another, forming networks that help support adaptive, flexible behavior. Still, little is known about the organization of these networks at the cellular scale and their stability over time. Here, we reconstruct networks from calcium imaging data recorded in mouse primary auditory cortex. We show that these networks exhibit spatially constrained, hierarchical modular structure, which may facilitate specialized information processing. However, we show that connection weights and modular structure are also variable over time, changing on a timescale of days and adopting novel network configurations. Despite this, a small subset of neurons maintain their connections to one another and preserve their modular organization across time, forming a stable temporal core surrounded by a flexible periphery. These findings represent a conceptual bridge linking network analyses of macroscale and cellular-level neuroimaging data. They also represent a complementary approach to existing circuits- and systems-based interrogation of nervous system function, opening the door for deeper and more targeted analysis in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard F Betzel
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America.,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America.,Cognitive Science Program, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America.,Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America.,Network Science Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Katherine C Wood
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology: HNS, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Christopher Angeloni
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology: HNS, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Maria Neimark Geffen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology: HNS, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Danielle S Bassett
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America.,Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America.,Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America.,Department of Physics & Astronomy, College of Arts & Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America.,Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America.,Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fa, New Mexico, United States of America
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26
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Long-term real-time imaging of a voltage sensitive dye in cultured hippocampal neurons using the silver plasmonic dish. J Photochem Photobiol A Chem 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2019.111949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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27
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van den Brink RL, Pfeffer T, Donner TH. Brainstem Modulation of Large-Scale Intrinsic Cortical Activity Correlations. Front Hum Neurosci 2019; 13:340. [PMID: 31649516 PMCID: PMC6794422 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain activity fluctuates continuously, even in the absence of changes in sensory input or motor output. These intrinsic activity fluctuations are correlated across brain regions and are spatially organized in macroscale networks. Variations in the strength, topography, and topology of correlated activity occur over time, and unfold upon a backbone of long-range anatomical connections. Subcortical neuromodulatory systems send widespread ascending projections to the cortex, and are thus ideally situated to shape the temporal and spatial structure of intrinsic correlations. These systems are also the targets of the pharmacological treatment of major neurological and psychiatric disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, depression, and schizophrenia. Here, we review recent work that has investigated how neuromodulatory systems shape correlations of intrinsic fluctuations of large-scale cortical activity. We discuss studies in the human, monkey, and rodent brain, with a focus on non-invasive recordings of human brain activity. We provide a structured but selective overview of this work and distil a number of emerging principles. Future efforts to chart the effect of specific neuromodulators and, in particular, specific receptors, on intrinsic correlations may help identify shared or antagonistic principles between different neuromodulatory systems. Such principles can inform models of healthy brain function and may provide an important reference for understanding altered cortical dynamics that are evident in neurological and psychiatric disorders, potentially paving the way for mechanistically inspired biomarkers and individualized treatments of these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. L. van den Brink
- Department of Neurophysiology and Pathophysiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - T. Pfeffer
- Department of Neurophysiology and Pathophysiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - T. H. Donner
- Department of Neurophysiology and Pathophysiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Center for Brain and Cognition, Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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28
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Oh J, Lee C, Kaang BK. Imaging and analysis of genetically encoded calcium indicators linking neural circuits and behaviors. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY AND THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF PHARMACOLOGY 2019; 23:237-249. [PMID: 31297008 PMCID: PMC6609268 DOI: 10.4196/kjpp.2019.23.4.237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Revised: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Confirming the direct link between neural circuit activity and animal behavior has been a principal aim of neuroscience. The genetically encoded calcium indicator (GECI), which binds to calcium ions and emits fluorescence visualizing intracellular calcium concentration, enables detection of in vivo neuronal firing activity. Various GECIs have been developed and can be chosen for diverse purposes. These GECI-based signals can be acquired by several tools including two-photon microscopy and microendoscopy for precise or wide imaging at cellular to synaptic levels. In addition, the images from GECI signals can be analyzed with open source codes including constrained non-negative matrix factorization for endoscopy data (CNMF_E) and miniscope 1-photon-based calcium imaging signal extraction pipeline (MIN1PIPE), and considering parameters of the imaged brain regions (e.g., diameter or shape of soma or the resolution of recorded images), the real-time activity of each cell can be acquired and linked with animal behaviors. As a result, GECI signal analysis can be a powerful tool for revealing the functions of neuronal circuits related to specific behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihae Oh
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Chiwoo Lee
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Bong-Kiun Kaang
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
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29
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Esmaeeli S, Murphy K, Swords GM, Ibrahim BA, Brown JW, Llano DA. Visual hallucinations, thalamocortical physiology and Lewy body disease: A review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 103:337-351. [PMID: 31195000 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2018] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
One of the core diagnostic criteria for Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) is the presence of visual hallucinations. The presence of hallucinations, along with fluctuations in the level of arousal and sleep disturbance, point to potential pathological mechanisms at the level of the thalamus. However, the potential role of thalamic dysfunction in DLB, particularly as it relates to the presence of formed visual hallucinations is not known. Here, we review the literature on the pathophysiology of DLB with respect to modern theories of thalamocortical function and attempt to derive an understanding of how such hallucinations arise. Based on the available literature, we propose that combined thalamic-thalamic reticular nucleus and thalamocortical pathology may explain the phenomenology of visual hallucinations in DLB. In particular, diminished α7 cholinergic activity in the thalamic reticular nucleus may critically disinhibit thalamocortical activity. Further, concentrated pathological changes within the posterior regions of the thalamus may explain the predilection for the hallucinations to be visual in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shooka Esmaeeli
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Kathleen Murphy
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Gabriel M Swords
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Baher A Ibrahim
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Jeffrey W Brown
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Daniel A Llano
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Carle Neuroscience Institute, Urbana, IL, United States.
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30
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Han S, Yang W, Yuste R. Two-Color Volumetric Imaging of Neuronal Activity of Cortical Columns. Cell Rep 2019; 27:2229-2240.e4. [PMID: 31091458 PMCID: PMC6582979 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.04.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
To capture the emergent properties of neural circuits, high-speed volumetric imaging of neural activity at cellular resolution is needed. Here, we introduce wavelength multiplexing to perform fast volumetric two-photon imaging of cortical columns (>2,000 neurons in 10 planes at 10 vol/s), using two different calcium indicators, an electrically tunable lens and a spatial light modulator. We image the activity of neuronal populations from layers 2/3 to 5 of primary visual cortex from awake mice, finding a lack of columnar structures in orientation responses and revealing correlations between layers which differ from trial to trial. We also simultaneously image functional correlations between presynaptic layer 1 axons and postsynaptic layer 2/3 neurons. Wavelength multiplexing enhances high-speed volumetric microscopy and can be combined with other optical multiplexing methods to easily boost imaging throughput.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuting Han
- Neurotechnology Center, Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
| | - Weijian Yang
- Neurotechnology Center, Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Rafael Yuste
- Neurotechnology Center, Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
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31
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Single-Cell Membrane Potential Fluctuations Evince Network Scale-Freeness and Quasicriticality. J Neurosci 2019; 39:4738-4759. [PMID: 30952810 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3163-18.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
What information single neurons receive about general neural circuit activity is a fundamental question for neuroscience. Somatic membrane potential (V m) fluctuations are driven by the convergence of synaptic inputs from a diverse cross-section of upstream neurons. Furthermore, neural activity is often scale-free, implying that some measurements should be the same, whether taken at large or small scales. Together, convergence and scale-freeness support the hypothesis that single V m recordings carry useful information about high-dimensional cortical activity. Conveniently, the theory of "critical branching networks" (one purported explanation for scale-freeness) provides testable predictions about scale-free measurements that are readily applied to V m fluctuations. To investigate, we obtained whole-cell current-clamp recordings of pyramidal neurons in visual cortex of turtles with unknown genders. We isolated fluctuations in V m below the firing threshold and analyzed them by adapting the definition of "neuronal avalanches" (i.e., spurts of population spiking). The V m fluctuations which we analyzed were scale-free and consistent with critical branching. These findings recapitulated results from large-scale cortical population data obtained separately in complementary experiments using microelectrode arrays described previously (Shew et al., 2015). Simultaneously recorded single-unit local field potential did not provide a good match, demonstrating the specific utility of V m Modeling shows that estimation of dynamical network properties from neuronal inputs is most accurate when networks are structured as critical branching networks. In conclusion, these findings extend evidence of critical phenomena while also establishing subthreshold pyramidal neuron V m fluctuations as an informative gauge of high-dimensional cortical population activity.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The relationship between membrane potential (V m) dynamics of single neurons and population dynamics is indispensable to understanding cortical circuits. Just as important to the biophysics of computation are emergent properties such as scale-freeness, where critical branching networks offer insight. This report makes progress on both fronts by comparing statistics from single-neuron whole-cell recordings with population statistics obtained with microelectrode arrays. Not only are fluctuations of somatic V m scale-free, they match fluctuations of population activity. Thus, our results demonstrate appropriation of the brain's own subsampling method (convergence of synaptic inputs) while extending the range of fundamental evidence for critical phenomena in neural systems from the previously observed mesoscale (fMRI, LFP, population spiking) to the microscale, namely, V m fluctuations.
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32
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Perceptual phenomena in destructured sensory fields: Probing the brain’s intrinsic functional architectures. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 98:265-286. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2018] [Revised: 01/13/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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33
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Jáidar O, Carrillo-Reid L, Nakano Y, Lopez-Huerta VG, Hernandez-Cruz A, Bargas J, Garcia-Munoz M, Arbuthnott GW. Synchronized activation of striatal direct and indirect pathways underlies the behavior in unilateral dopamine-depleted mice. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 49:1512-1528. [PMID: 30633847 PMCID: PMC6767564 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Revised: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 12/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
For more than three decades it has been known, that striatal neurons become hyperactive after the loss of dopamine input, but the involvement of dopamine (DA) D1‐ or D2‐receptor‐expressing neurons has only been demonstrated indirectly. By recording neuronal activity using fluorescent calcium indicators in D1 or D2 eGFP‐expressing mice, we showed that following dopamine depletion, both types of striatal output neurons are involved in the large increase in neuronal activity generating a characteristic cell assembly of particular neurons that dominate the pattern. When we expressed channelrhodopsin in all the output neurons, light activation in freely moving animals, caused turning like that following dopamine loss. However, if the light stimulation was patterned in pulses the animals circled in the other direction. To explore the neuronal participation during this stimulation we infected normal mice with channelrhodopsin and calcium indicator in striatal output neurons. In slices made from these animals, continuous light stimulation for 15 s induced many cells to be active together and a particular dominant group of neurons, whereas light in patterned pulses activated fewer cells in more variable groups. These results suggest that the simultaneous activity of a large dominant group of striatal output neurons is intimately associated with parkinsonian symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar Jáidar
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Luis Carrillo-Reid
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Yoko Nakano
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | | | | | - José Bargas
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
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34
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Ren T, Grosshäuser B, Sridhar K, Nieland TJF, Tocchio A, Schepers U, Demirci U. 3-D geometry and irregular connectivity dictate neuronal firing in frequency domain and synchronization. Biomaterials 2019; 197:171-181. [PMID: 30660993 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2019.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 01/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The replication of the complex structure and three dimensional (3-D) interconnectivity of neurons in the brain is a great challenge. A few 3-D neuronal patterning approaches have been developed to mimic the cell distribution in the brain but none have demonstrated the relationship between 3-D neuron patterning and network connectivity. Here, we used photolithographic crosslinking to fabricate in vitro 3-D neuronal structures with distinct sizes, shapes or interconnectivities, i.e., milli-blocks, micro-stripes, separated micro-blocks and connected micro-blocks, which have spatial confinement from "Z" dimension to "XYZ" dimension. During a 4-week culture period, the 3-D neuronal system has shown high cell viability, axonal, dendritic, synaptic growth and neural network activity of cortical neurons. We further studied the calcium oscillation of neurons in different 3-D patterns and used signal processing both in Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and time domain (TD) to model the fluorescent signal variation. We observed that the firing frequency decreased as the spatial confinement in 3-D system increased. Besides, the neuronal synchronization significantly decreased by irregularly connecting micro-blocks, indicating that network connectivity can be adjusted by changing the linking conditions of 3-D gels. Earlier works showed the importance of 3-D culture over 2-D in terms of cell growth. Here, we showed that not only 3-D geometry over 2-D culture matters, but also the spatial organization of cells in 3-D dictates the neuronal firing frequency and synchronicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanchen Ren
- Bio-Acoustic MEMS in Medicine (BAMM) Laboratory, Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection, Department of Radiology, Stanford School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Bianka Grosshäuser
- Bio-Acoustic MEMS in Medicine (BAMM) Laboratory, Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection, Department of Radiology, Stanford School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA; Institute of Toxicology and Gentics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, 76344, Germany
| | - Kaushik Sridhar
- Bio-Acoustic MEMS in Medicine (BAMM) Laboratory, Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection, Department of Radiology, Stanford School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Thomas J F Nieland
- Bio-Acoustic MEMS in Medicine (BAMM) Laboratory, Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection, Department of Radiology, Stanford School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Alessandro Tocchio
- Bio-Acoustic MEMS in Medicine (BAMM) Laboratory, Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection, Department of Radiology, Stanford School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Ute Schepers
- Institute of Toxicology and Gentics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, 76344, Germany
| | - Utkan Demirci
- Bio-Acoustic MEMS in Medicine (BAMM) Laboratory, Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection, Department of Radiology, Stanford School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA.
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35
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Kada H, Teramae JN, Tokuda IT. Highly Heterogeneous Excitatory Connections Require Less Amount of Noise to Sustain Firing Activities in Cortical Networks. Front Comput Neurosci 2019; 12:104. [PMID: 30622467 PMCID: PMC6308195 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2018.00104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cortical networks both in vivo and in vitro sustain asynchronous irregular firings with extremely low frequency. To realize such self-sustained activity in neural network models, balance between excitatory and inhibitory activities is known to be one of the keys. In addition, recent theoretical studies have revealed that another feature commonly observed in cortical networks, i.e., sparse but strong connections and dense weak connections, plays an essential role. The previous studies, however, have not thoroughly considered the cooperative dynamics between a network of such heterogeneous synaptic connections and intrinsic noise. The noise stimuli, representing inherent nature of the neuronal activities, e.g., variability of presynaptic discharges, should be also of significant importance for sustaining the irregular firings in cortical networks. Here, we numerically demonstrate that highly heterogeneous distribution, typically a lognormal type, of excitatory-to-excitatory connections, reduces the amount of noise required to sustain the network firing activities. In the sense that noise consumes an energy resource, the heterogeneous network receiving less amount of noise stimuli is considered to realize an efficient dynamics in cortex. A noise-driven network of bi-modally distributed synapses further shows that many weak and a few very strong synapses are the key feature of the synaptic heterogeneity, supporting the network firing activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisashi Kada
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu-shi, Japan
| | | | - Isao T Tokuda
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu-shi, Japan
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36
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Carrillo-Medina JL, Latorre R. Detection of Activation Sequences in Spiking-Bursting Neurons by means of the Recognition of Intraburst Neural Signatures. Sci Rep 2018; 8:16726. [PMID: 30425274 PMCID: PMC6233224 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34757-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bursting activity is present in many cells of different nervous systems playing important roles in neural information processing. Multiple assemblies of bursting neurons act cooperatively to produce coordinated spatio-temporal patterns of sequential activity. A major goal in neuroscience is unveiling the mechanisms underlying neural information processing based on this sequential dynamics. Experimental findings have revealed the presence of precise cell-type-specific intraburst firing patterns in the activity of some bursting neurons. This characteristic neural signature coexists with the information encoded in other aspects of the spiking-bursting signals, and its functional meaning is still unknown. We investigate the ability of a neuron conductance-based model to detect specific presynaptic activation sequences taking advantage of intraburst fingerprints identifying the source of the signals building up a sequential pattern of activity. Our simulations point out that a reader neuron could use this information to contextualize incoming signals and accordingly compute a characteristic response by relying on precise phase relationships among the activity of different emitters. This would provide individual neurons enhanced capabilities to control and negotiate sequential dynamics. In this regard, we discuss the possible implications of the proposed contextualization mechanism for neural information processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Luis Carrillo-Medina
- Departamento de Eléctrica y Electrónica, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas - ESPE, Sangolquí, Ecuador
| | - Roberto Latorre
- Grupo de Neurocomputación Biológica, Dpto. Ingeniería Informática, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain.
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37
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Agrawal V, Cowley AB, Alfaori Q, Larremore DB, Restrepo JG, Shew WL. Robust entropy requires strong and balanced excitatory and inhibitory synapses. CHAOS (WOODBURY, N.Y.) 2018; 28:103115. [PMID: 30384653 DOI: 10.1063/1.5043429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
It is widely appreciated that balanced excitation and inhibition are necessary for proper function in neural networks. However, in principle, balance could be achieved by many possible configurations of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic strengths and relative numbers of excitatory and inhibitory neurons. For instance, a given level of excitation could be balanced by either numerous inhibitory neurons with weak synapses or a few inhibitory neurons with strong synapses. Among the continuum of different but balanced configurations, why should any particular configuration be favored? Here, we address this question in the context of the entropy of network dynamics by studying an analytically tractable network of binary neurons. We find that entropy is highest at the boundary between excitation-dominant and inhibition-dominant regimes. Entropy also varies along this boundary with a trade-off between high and robust entropy: weak synapse strengths yield high network entropy which is fragile to parameter variations, while strong synapse strengths yield a lower, but more robust, network entropy. In the case where inhibitory and excitatory synapses are constrained to have similar strength, we find that a small, but non-zero fraction of inhibitory neurons, like that seen in mammalian cortex, results in robust and relatively high entropy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vidit Agrawal
- Department of Physics, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, USA
| | - Andrew B Cowley
- Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Qusay Alfaori
- Department of Physics, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, USA
| | - Daniel B Larremore
- Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Juan G Restrepo
- Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Woodrow L Shew
- Department of Physics, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, USA
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38
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Castagnola S, Delhaye S, Folci A, Paquet A, Brau F, Duprat F, Jarjat M, Grossi M, Béal M, Martin S, Mantegazza M, Bardoni B, Maurin T. New Insights Into the Role of Ca v2 Protein Family in Calcium Flux Deregulation in Fmr1-KO Neurons. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:342. [PMID: 30319351 PMCID: PMC6170614 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common form of inherited intellectual disability (ID) and a leading cause of autism, results from the loss of expression of the Fmr1 gene which encodes the RNA-binding protein Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP). Among the thousands mRNA targets of FMRP, numerous encode regulators of ion homeostasis. It has also been described that FMRP directly interacts with Ca2+ channels modulating their activity. Collectively these findings suggest that FMRP plays critical roles in Ca2+ homeostasis during nervous system development. We carried out a functional analysis of Ca2+ regulation using a calcium imaging approach in Fmr1-KO cultured neurons and we show that these cells display impaired steady state Ca2+ concentration and an altered entry of Ca2+ after KCl-triggered depolarization. Consistent with these data, we show that the protein product of the Cacna1a gene, the pore-forming subunit of the Cav2.1 channel, is less expressed at the plasma membrane of Fmr1-KO neurons compared to wild-type (WT). Thus, our findings point out the critical role that Cav2.1 plays in the altered Ca2+ flux in Fmr1-KO neurons, impacting Ca2+ homeostasis of these cells. Remarkably, we highlight a new phenotype of cultured Fmr1-KO neurons that can be considered a novel cellular biomarker and is amenable to small molecule screening and identification of new drugs to treat FXS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Castagnola
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS UMR7275, IPMC, Valbonne, France.,CNRS LIA "Neogenex", Valbonne, France
| | - Sébastien Delhaye
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS UMR7275, IPMC, Valbonne, France.,CNRS LIA "Neogenex", Valbonne, France
| | | | - Agnès Paquet
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS UMR7275, IPMC, Valbonne, France
| | - Frédéric Brau
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS UMR7275, IPMC, Valbonne, France
| | - Fabrice Duprat
- Université Côte d'Azur, INSERM, CNRS UMR7275, IPMC, Valbonne, France
| | - Marielle Jarjat
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS UMR7275, IPMC, Valbonne, France.,CNRS LIA "Neogenex", Valbonne, France
| | - Mauro Grossi
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS UMR7275, IPMC, Valbonne, France.,CNRS LIA "Neogenex", Valbonne, France
| | - Méline Béal
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS UMR7275, IPMC, Valbonne, France.,CNRS LIA "Neogenex", Valbonne, France
| | - Stéphane Martin
- Université Côte d'Azur, INSERM, CNRS UMR7275, IPMC, Valbonne, France
| | | | - Barbara Bardoni
- CNRS LIA "Neogenex", Valbonne, France.,Université Côte d'Azur, INSERM, CNRS UMR7275, IPMC, Valbonne, France
| | - Thomas Maurin
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS UMR7275, IPMC, Valbonne, France.,CNRS LIA "Neogenex", Valbonne, France
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39
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Maksimov A, Diesmann M, van Albada SJ. Criteria on Balance, Stability, and Excitability in Cortical Networks for Constraining Computational Models. Front Comput Neurosci 2018; 12:44. [PMID: 30042668 PMCID: PMC6048296 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2018.00044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During ongoing and Up state activity, cortical circuits manifest a set of dynamical features that are conserved across these states. The present work systematizes these phenomena by three notions: excitability, the ability to sustain activity without external input; balance, precise coordination of excitatory and inhibitory neuronal inputs; and stability, maintenance of activity at a steady level. Slice preparations exhibiting Up states demonstrate that balanced activity can be maintained by small local circuits. While computational models of cortical circuits have included different combinations of excitability, balance, and stability, they have done so without a systematic quantitative comparison with experimental data. Our study provides quantitative criteria for this purpose, by analyzing in-vitro and in-vivo neuronal activity and characterizing the dynamics on the neuronal and population levels. The criteria are defined with a tolerance that allows for differences between experiments, yet are sufficient to capture commonalities between persistently depolarized cortical network states and to help validate computational models of cortex. As test cases for the derived set of criteria, we analyze three widely used models of cortical circuits and find that each model possesses some of the experimentally observed features, but none satisfies all criteria simultaneously, showing that the criteria are able to identify weak spots in computational models. The criteria described here form a starting point for the systematic validation of cortical neuronal network models, which will help improve the reliability of future models, and render them better building blocks for larger models of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei Maksimov
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-6) and Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6) and JARA BRAIN Institute I (INM-10), Jülich Research Centre, Jülich, Germany
| | - Markus Diesmann
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-6) and Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6) and JARA BRAIN Institute I (INM-10), Jülich Research Centre, Jülich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,Department of Physics, Faculty 1, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Sacha J van Albada
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-6) and Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6) and JARA BRAIN Institute I (INM-10), Jülich Research Centre, Jülich, Germany
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40
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Yin XL, Jie HQ, Liang M, Gong LN, Liu HW, Pan HL, Xing YZ, Shi HB, Li CY, Wang LY, Yin SK. Accelerated Development of the First-Order Central Auditory Neurons With Spontaneous Activity. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:183. [PMID: 29904342 PMCID: PMC5990604 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In developing sensory systems, elaborate morphological connectivity between peripheral cells and first-order central neurons emerges via genetic programming before the onset of sensory activities. However, how the first-order central neurons acquire the capacity to interface with peripheral cells remains elusive. By making patch-clamp recordings from mouse brainstem slices, we found that a subset of neurons in the cochlear nuclei, the first central station to receive peripheral acoustic impulses, exhibits spontaneous firings (SFs) as early as at birth, and the fraction of such neurons increases during the prehearing period. SFs are reduced but not eliminated by a cocktail of blockers for excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs, implicating the involvement of intrinsic pacemaker channels. Furthermore, we demonstrate that these intrinsic firings (IFs) are largely driven by hyperpolarization- and cyclic nucleotide-gated channel (HCN) mediated currents (Ih), as evidenced by their attenuation in the presence of HCN blockers or in neurons from HCN1 knockout mice. Interestingly, genetic deletion of HCN1 cannot be fully compensated by other pacemaker conductances and precludes age-dependent up regulation in the fraction of spontaneous active neurons and their firing rate. Surprisingly, neurons with SFs show accelerated development in excitability, spike waveform and firing pattern as well as synaptic pruning towards mature phenotypes compared to those without SFs. Our results imply that SFs of the first-order central neurons may reciprocally promote their wiring and firing with peripheral inputs, potentially enabling the correlated activity and crosstalk between the developing brain and external environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Lu Yin
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Sixth People's Hospital of Shanghai, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui-Qun Jie
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Sixth People's Hospital of Shanghai, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Min Liang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Sixth People's Hospital of Shanghai, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li-Na Gong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Sixth People's Hospital of Shanghai, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Han-Wei Liu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Sixth People's Hospital of Shanghai, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao-Lai Pan
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Sixth People's Hospital of Shanghai, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ya-Zhi Xing
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Sixth People's Hospital of Shanghai, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hai-Bo Shi
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Sixth People's Hospital of Shanghai, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chun-Yan Li
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Sixth People's Hospital of Shanghai, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lu-Yang Wang
- Programs in Neurosciences & Mental Health, Department of Physiology, Sick Kids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shan-Kai Yin
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Sixth People's Hospital of Shanghai, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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41
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Uncovering Neuronal Networks Defined by Consistent Between-Neuron Spike Timing from Neuronal Spike Recordings. eNeuro 2018; 5:eN-MNT-0379-17. [PMID: 29789811 PMCID: PMC5962047 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0379-17.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Revised: 04/01/2018] [Accepted: 04/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
It is widely assumed that distributed neuronal networks are fundamental to the functioning of the brain. Consistent spike timing between neurons is thought to be one of the key principles for the formation of these networks. This can involve synchronous spiking or spiking with time delays, forming spike sequences when the order of spiking is consistent. Finding networks defined by their sequence of time-shifted spikes, denoted here as spike timing networks, is a tremendous challenge. As neurons can participate in multiple spike sequences at multiple between-spike time delays, the possible complexity of networks is prohibitively large. We present a novel approach that is capable of (1) extracting spike timing networks regardless of their sequence complexity, and (2) that describes their spiking sequences with high temporal precision. We achieve this by decomposing frequency-transformed neuronal spiking into separate networks, characterizing each network’s spike sequence by a time delay per neuron, forming a spike sequence timeline. These networks provide a detailed template for an investigation of the experimental relevance of their spike sequences. Using simulated spike timing networks, we show network extraction is robust to spiking noise, spike timing jitter, and partial occurrences of the involved spike sequences. Using rat multineuron recordings, we demonstrate the approach is capable of revealing real spike timing networks with sub-millisecond temporal precision. By uncovering spike timing networks, the prevalence, structure, and function of complex spike sequences can be investigated in greater detail, allowing us to gain a better understanding of their role in neuronal functioning.
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42
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Zeki M, Moustafa AA. Persistent irregular activity is a result of rebound and coincident detection mechanisms: A computational study. Neural Netw 2017; 90:72-82. [PMID: 28390225 DOI: 10.1016/j.neunet.2017.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2015] [Revised: 10/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Persistent irregular activity is defined as elevated irregular neural discharges in the brain in such a way that while the average network activity displays high frequency oscillations, the participating neurons display irregular and low frequency oscillations. This type of activity is observed in many brain regions like prefrontal cortex that plays a role in working memory. Previous studies have shown that large networks with sparse connections, networks with strong noise and persistent inhibition and networks with structured synaptic connections display persistent-irregular activity. However, experimental studies show that, not all brain regions obey these assumptions. In this study we show that a small network of excitatory-inhibitory neurons with random synaptic connections can reproduce persistent-irregular activity. In particular, the model shows that less than perfect rebound pattern in excitatory cells, coincident-sensitive inhibitory cells and sparse synaptic inhibition can account for persistent-irregular activity in an excitatory-inhibitory neural network with randomly assigned synaptic connections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustafa Zeki
- Department of Mathematics, American University of the Middle East, Egaila, Kuwait.
| | - Ahmed A Moustafa
- Marcs Institute for Brain and Behavior, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia; School of Social Sciences and Psychology, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
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43
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Zhang Q, Yao J, Guang Y, Liang S, Guan J, Qin H, Liao X, Jin W, Zhang J, Pan J, Jia H, Yan J, Feng Z, Li W, Chen X. Locomotion-Related Population Cortical Ca 2+ Transients in Freely Behaving Mice. Front Neural Circuits 2017; 11:24. [PMID: 28439229 PMCID: PMC5383702 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2017.00024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Locomotion involves complex neural activity throughout different cortical and subcortical networks. The primary motor cortex (M1) receives a variety of projections from different brain regions and is responsible for executing movements. The primary visual cortex (V1) receives external visual stimuli and plays an important role in guiding locomotion. Understanding how exactly the M1 and the V1 are involved in locomotion requires recording the neural activities in these areas in freely moving animals. Here, we used an optical fiber-based method for the real-time monitoring of neuronal population activities in freely moving mice. We combined the bulk loading of a synthetic Ca2+ indicator and the optical fiber-based Ca2+ recordings of neuronal activities. An optical fiber 200 μm in diameter can detect the coherent activity of a subpopulation of neurons. In layer 5 of the M1 and V1, we showed that population Ca2+ transients reliably occurred preceding the impending locomotion. Interestingly, the M1 Ca2+ transients started ~100 ms earlier than that in V1. Furthermore, the population Ca2+ transients were robustly correlated with head movements. Thus, our work provides a simple but efficient approach for monitoring the cortical Ca2+ activity of a local cluster of neurons during locomotion in freely moving animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanchao Zhang
- Brain Research Center, Third Military Medical UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Jiwei Yao
- Institute of Urinary Surgery, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Yu Guang
- Department of Psychology, Third Military Medical UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Shanshan Liang
- Brain Research Center, Third Military Medical UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Jiangheng Guan
- Brain Research Center, Third Military Medical UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Han Qin
- Brain Research Center, Third Military Medical UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Xiang Liao
- Brain Research Center, Third Military Medical UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Wenjun Jin
- Brain Research Center, Third Military Medical UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Jianxiong Zhang
- Brain Research Center, Third Military Medical UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Junxia Pan
- Brain Research Center, Third Military Medical UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Hongbo Jia
- Brain Research Instrument Innovation Center, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of SciencesSuzhou, China
| | - Junan Yan
- Institute of Urinary Surgery, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Zhengzhi Feng
- Department of Psychology, Third Military Medical UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Weibing Li
- Institute of Urinary Surgery, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical UniversityChongqing, China.,Clinical Center for Urological Disease, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Xiaowei Chen
- Brain Research Center, Third Military Medical UniversityChongqing, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of SciencesShanghai, China
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44
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Carrillo-Reid L, Yang W, Kang Miller JE, Peterka DS, Yuste R. Imaging and Optically Manipulating Neuronal Ensembles. Annu Rev Biophys 2017; 46:271-293. [PMID: 28301770 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biophys-070816-033647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The neural code that relates the firing of neurons to the generation of behavior and mental states must be implemented by spatiotemporal patterns of activity across neuronal populations. These patterns engage selective groups of neurons, called neuronal ensembles, which are emergent building blocks of neural circuits. We review optical and computational methods, based on two-photon calcium imaging and two-photon optogenetics, to detect, characterize, and manipulate neuronal ensembles in three dimensions. We review data using these methods in the mammalian cortex that demonstrate the existence of neuronal ensembles in the spontaneous and evoked cortical activity in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, two-photon optogenetics enable the possibility of artificially imprinting neuronal ensembles into awake, behaving animals and of later recalling those ensembles selectively by stimulating individual cells. These methods could enable deciphering the neural code and also be used to understand the pathophysiology of and design novel therapies for neurological and mental diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Carrillo-Reid
- NeuroTechnology Center, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027.,Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - Weijian Yang
- NeuroTechnology Center, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027.,Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - Jae-Eun Kang Miller
- NeuroTechnology Center, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027.,Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - Darcy S Peterka
- NeuroTechnology Center, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027.,Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - Rafael Yuste
- NeuroTechnology Center, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027.,Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027.,Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027;
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45
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Kada H, Teramae JN, Tokuda IT. Effective Suppression of Pathological Synchronization in Cortical Networks by Highly Heterogeneous Distribution of Inhibitory Connections. Front Comput Neurosci 2016; 10:109. [PMID: 27803659 PMCID: PMC5067923 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2016.00109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2016] [Accepted: 09/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Even without external random input, cortical networks in vivo sustain asynchronous irregular firing with low firing rate. In addition to detailed balance between excitatory and inhibitory activities, recent theoretical studies have revealed that another feature commonly observed in cortical networks, i.e., long-tailed distribution of excitatory synapses implying coexistence of many weak and a few extremely strong excitatory synapses, plays an essential role in realizing the self-sustained activity in recurrent networks of biologically plausible spiking neurons. The previous studies, however, have not considered highly non-random features of the synaptic connectivity, namely, bidirectional connections between cortical neurons are more common than expected by chance and strengths of synapses are positively correlated between pre- and postsynaptic neurons. The positive correlation of synaptic connections may destabilize asynchronous activity of networks with the long-tailed synaptic distribution and induce pathological synchronized firing among neurons. It remains unclear how the cortical network avoids such pathological synchronization. Here, we demonstrate that introduction of the correlated connections indeed gives rise to synchronized firings in a cortical network model with the long-tailed distribution. By using a simplified feed-forward network model of spiking neurons, we clarify the underlying mechanism of the synchronization. We then show that the synchronization can be efficiently suppressed by highly heterogeneous distribution, typically a lognormal distribution, of inhibitory-to-excitatory connection strengths in a recurrent network model of cortical neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisashi Kada
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ritsumeikan University Kusatsu-Shi, Japan
| | - Jun-Nosuke Teramae
- Department of Bioinformatic Engineering, Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Osaka University Suita, Japan
| | - Isao T Tokuda
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ritsumeikan University Kusatsu-Shi, Japan
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46
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Kurikawa T, Kaneko K. Dynamic Organization of Hierarchical Memories. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0162640. [PMID: 27618549 PMCID: PMC5019405 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2016] [Accepted: 08/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In the brain, external objects are categorized in a hierarchical way. Although it is widely accepted that objects are represented as static attractors in neural state space, this view does not take account interaction between intrinsic neural dynamics and external input, which is essential to understand how neural system responds to inputs. Indeed, structured spontaneous neural activity without external inputs is known to exist, and its relationship with evoked activities is discussed. Then, how categorical representation is embedded into the spontaneous and evoked activities has to be uncovered. To address this question, we studied bifurcation process with increasing input after hierarchically clustered associative memories are learned. We found a “dynamic categorization”; neural activity without input wanders globally over the state space including all memories. Then with the increase of input strength, diffuse representation of higher category exhibits transitions to focused ones specific to each object. The hierarchy of memories is embedded in the transition probability from one memory to another during the spontaneous dynamics. With increased input strength, neural activity wanders over a narrower state space including a smaller set of memories, showing more specific category or memory corresponding to the applied input. Moreover, such coarse-to-fine transitions are also observed temporally during transient process under constant input, which agrees with experimental findings in the temporal cortex. These results suggest the hierarchy emerging through interaction with an external input underlies hierarchy during transient process, as well as in the spontaneous activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoki Kurikawa
- Lab for Neural Circuit Theory, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
- Research Fellow of Japan society for the Promotion of Science, Chiyoda, Tokyo, 102-0083, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Kunihiko Kaneko
- Research Center for Complex Systems Biology, University of Tokyo, Meguro, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan
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47
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Baba H, Petrenko AB, Fujiwara N. Clinically relevant concentration of pregabalin has no acute inhibitory effect on excitation of dorsal horn neurons under normal or neuropathic pain conditions: An intracellular calcium-imaging study in spinal cord slices from adult rats. Brain Res 2016; 1648:445-458. [PMID: 27543338 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2016.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Revised: 08/11/2016] [Accepted: 08/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Pregabalin is thought to exert its therapeutic effect in neuropathic pain via binding to α2δ-1 subunits of voltage-gated calcium (Ca(2+)) channels. However, the exact analgesic mechanism after its binding to α2δ-1 subunits remains largely unknown. Whether a clinical concentration of pregabalin (≈10μM) can cause acute inhibition of dorsal horn neurons in the spinal cord is controversial. To address this issue, we undertook intracellular Ca(2+)-imaging studies using spinal cord slices with an intact attached L5 dorsal root, and examined if pregabalin acutely inhibits the primary afferent stimulation-evoked excitation of dorsal horn neurons in normal rats and in rats with streptozotocin-induced painful diabetic neuropathy. Under normal conditions, stimulation of a dorsal root evoked Ca(2+) signals predominantly in the superficial dorsal horn. Clinically relevant (10μM) and a very high concentration of pregabalin (100μM) did not affect the intensity or spread of dorsal root stimulation-evoked Ca(2+) signals, whereas an extremely high dose of pregabalin (300μM) slightly but significantly attenuated Ca(2+) signals in normal rats and in diabetic neuropathic (DN) rats. There was no difference between normal rats and DN rats with regard to the extent of signal attenuation at all concentrations tested. These results suggest that the activity of dorsal horn neurons in the spinal cord is not inhibited acutely by clinical doses of pregabalin under normal or DN conditions. It is very unlikely that an acute inhibitory action in the dorsal horn is the main analgesic mechanism of pregabalin in neuropathic pain states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Baba
- Division of Anesthesiology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 1-757 Asahimachi-dori, Chuo-ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan.
| | - Andrey B Petrenko
- Division of Anesthesiology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 1-757 Asahimachi-dori, Chuo-ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Naoshi Fujiwara
- Division of Medical Technology, Niigata University Graduate School of Health Sciences, 2-746 Asahimachi-dori, Chuo-ku, Niigata 951-8518, Japan
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48
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Graded, Dynamically Routable Information Processing with Synfire-Gated Synfire Chains. PLoS Comput Biol 2016; 12:e1004979. [PMID: 27310184 PMCID: PMC4911121 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2015] [Accepted: 05/09/2016] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Coherent neural spiking and local field potentials are believed to be signatures of the binding and transfer of information in the brain. Coherent activity has now been measured experimentally in many regions of mammalian cortex. Recently experimental evidence has been presented suggesting that neural information is encoded and transferred in packets, i.e., in stereotypical, correlated spiking patterns of neural activity. Due to their relevance to coherent spiking, synfire chains are one of the main theoretical constructs that have been appealed to in order to describe coherent spiking and information transfer phenomena. However, for some time, it has been known that synchronous activity in feedforward networks asymptotically either approaches an attractor with fixed waveform and amplitude, or fails to propagate. This has limited the classical synfire chain’s ability to explain graded neuronal responses. Recently, we have shown that pulse-gated synfire chains are capable of propagating graded information coded in mean population current or firing rate amplitudes. In particular, we showed that it is possible to use one synfire chain to provide gating pulses and a second, pulse-gated synfire chain to propagate graded information. We called these circuits synfire-gated synfire chains (SGSCs). Here, we present SGSCs in which graded information can rapidly cascade through a neural circuit, and show a correspondence between this type of transfer and a mean-field model in which gating pulses overlap in time. We show that SGSCs are robust in the presence of variability in population size, pulse timing and synaptic strength. Finally, we demonstrate the computational capabilities of SGSC-based information coding by implementing a self-contained, spike-based, modular neural circuit that is triggered by streaming input, processes the input, then makes a decision based on the processed information and shuts itself down. Cognitive tasks are associated with the dynamic excitation of neural assemblies. When we consider how quickly and flexibly such collectives may be formed and incorporated in a task, a persistent question has been: how can the brain rapidly evoke and involve different neural assemblies in a computation, when synaptic coupling changes only slowly? Here, we demonstrate mechanisms whereby information may be rapidly and selectively routed through a neural circuit, and sub-circuits may be turned on and off. The resulting information processing framework achieves the goal that has been pursued, but until now largely not attained, of achieving faithful, flexible information transfer across many synapses and dynamic excitation of neural assemblies with fixed connectivities.
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49
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Wenger Combremont AL, Bayer L, Dupré A, Mühlethaler M, Serafin M. Slow Bursting Neurons of Mouse Cortical Layer 6b Are Depolarized by Hypocretin/Orexin and Major Transmitters of Arousal. Front Neurol 2016; 7:88. [PMID: 27379007 PMCID: PMC4908144 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2016.00088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 05/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons firing spontaneously in bursts in the absence of synaptic transmission have been previously recorded in different layers of cortical brain slices. It has been suggested that such neurons could contribute to the generation of alternating UP and DOWN states, a pattern of activity seen during slow-wave sleep. Here, we show that in layer 6b (L6b), known from our previous studies to contain neurons highly responsive to the wake-promoting transmitter hypocretin/orexin (hcrt/orx), there is a set of neurons, endowed with distinct intrinsic properties, which displayed a strong propensity to fire spontaneously in rhythmic bursts. In response to small depolarizing steps, they responded with a delayed firing of action potentials which, upon higher depolarizing steps, invariably inactivated and were followed by a depolarized plateau potential and a depolarizing afterpotential. These cells also displayed a strong hyperpolarization-activated rectification compatible with the presence of an Ih current. Most L6b neurons with such properties were able to fire spontaneously in bursts. Their bursting activity was of intrinsic origin as it persisted not only in presence of blockers of ionotropic glutamatergic and GABAergic receptors but also in a condition of complete synaptic blockade. However, a small number of these neurons displayed a mix of intrinsic bursting and synaptically driven recurrent UP and DOWN states. Most of the bursting L6b neurons were depolarized and excited by hcrt/orx through a direct postsynaptic mechanism that led to tonic firing and eventually inactivation. Similarly, they were directly excited by noradrenaline, histamine, dopamine, and neurotensin. Finally, the intracellular injection of these cells with dye and their subsequent Neurolucida reconstruction indicated that they were spiny non-pyramidal neurons. These results lead us to suggest that the propensity for slow rhythmic bursting of this set of L6b neurons could be directly impeded by hcrt/orx and other wake-promoting transmitters.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laurence Bayer
- Département des neurosciences fondamentales, Centre Médical Universitaire, Geneva, Switzerland; Centre de médecine du sommeil, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Anouk Dupré
- Département des neurosciences fondamentales, Centre Médical Universitaire , Geneva , Switzerland
| | - Michel Mühlethaler
- Département des neurosciences fondamentales, Centre Médical Universitaire , Geneva , Switzerland
| | - Mauro Serafin
- Département des neurosciences fondamentales, Centre Médical Universitaire , Geneva , Switzerland
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50
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Tomov P, Pena RFO, Roque AC, Zaks MA. Mechanisms of Self-Sustained Oscillatory States in Hierarchical Modular Networks with Mixtures of Electrophysiological Cell Types. Front Comput Neurosci 2016; 10:23. [PMID: 27047367 PMCID: PMC4803744 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2016.00023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In a network with a mixture of different electrophysiological types of neurons linked by excitatory and inhibitory connections, temporal evolution leads through repeated epochs of intensive global activity separated by intervals with low activity level. This behavior mimics “up” and “down” states, experimentally observed in cortical tissues in absence of external stimuli. We interpret global dynamical features in terms of individual dynamics of the neurons. In particular, we observe that the crucial role both in interruption and in resumption of global activity is played by distributions of the membrane recovery variable within the network. We also demonstrate that the behavior of neurons is more influenced by their presynaptic environment in the network than by their formal types, assigned in accordance with their response to constant current.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petar Tomov
- Institute of Mathematics, Humboldt University of Berlin Berlin, Germany
| | - Rodrigo F O Pena
- Laboratório de Sistemas Neurais, Department of Physics, School of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil; Institute of Physics, Humboldt University of BerlinBerlin, Germany
| | - Antonio C Roque
- Laboratório de Sistemas Neurais, Department of Physics, School of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Michael A Zaks
- Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam Potsdam, Germany
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