1
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Olianezhad F, Jin J, Najafian S, Pons C, Mazade R, Kremkow J, Alonso JM. Binocular receptive-field construction in the primary visual cortex. Curr Biol 2024; 34:2474-2486.e5. [PMID: 38772362 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.04.058] [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: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
ON and OFF thalamic afferents from the two eyes converge in the primary visual cortex to form binocular receptive fields. The receptive fields need to be diverse to sample our visual world but also similar across eyes to achieve binocular fusion. It is currently unknown how the cortex balances these competing needs between receptive-field diversity and similarity. Our results demonstrate that receptive fields in the cat visual cortex are binocularly matched with exquisite precision for retinotopy, orientation/direction preference, orientation/direction selectivity, response latency, and ON-OFF polarity/structure. Specifically, the average binocular mismatches in retinotopy and ON-OFF structure are tightly restricted to 1/20 and 1/5 of the average receptive-field size but are still large enough to generate all types of binocular disparity tuning. Based on these results, we conclude that cortical receptive fields are binocularly matched with the high precision needed to facilitate binocular fusion while allowing restricted mismatches to process visual depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farzaneh Olianezhad
- Department of Biological and Visual Sciences, SUNY Optometry, New York, NY 10036, USA
| | - Jianzhong Jin
- Department of Biological and Visual Sciences, SUNY Optometry, New York, NY 10036, USA
| | - Sohrab Najafian
- Department of Biological and Visual Sciences, SUNY Optometry, New York, NY 10036, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Carmen Pons
- Department of Biological and Visual Sciences, SUNY Optometry, New York, NY 10036, USA; Neurological Surgery, University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Reece Mazade
- Department of Biological and Visual Sciences, SUNY Optometry, New York, NY 10036, USA; Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Jens Kremkow
- Department of Biological and Visual Sciences, SUNY Optometry, New York, NY 10036, USA; Neuroscience Research Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, 10117 Berlin, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jose-Manuel Alonso
- Department of Biological and Visual Sciences, SUNY Optometry, New York, NY 10036, USA.
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2
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Garcia-Marin V, Kelly JG, Hawken MJ. Neuronal composition of processing modules in human V1: laminar density for neuronal and non-neuronal populations and a comparison with macaque. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhad512. [PMID: 38183210 PMCID: PMC10839852 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The neuronal composition of homologous brain regions in different primates is important for understanding their processing capacities. Primary visual cortex (V1) has been widely studied in different members of the catarrhines. Neuronal density is considered to be central in defining the structure-function relationship. In human, there are large variations in the reported neuronal density from prior studies. We found the neuronal density in human V1 was 79,000 neurons/mm3, which is 35% of the neuronal density previously determined in macaque V1. Laminar density was proportionally similar between human and macaque. In V1, the ocular dominance column (ODC) contains the circuits for the emergence of orientation preference and spatial processing of a point image in many mammalian species. Analysis of the total neurons in an ODC and of the full number of neurons in macular vision (the central 15°) indicates that humans have 1.3× more neurons than macaques even though the density of neurons in macaque is 3× the density in human V1. We propose that the number of neurons in a functional processing unit rather than the number of neurons under a mm2 of cortex is more appropriate for cortical comparisons across species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jenna G Kelly
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York City, NY 10003, United States
| | - Michael J Hawken
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York City, NY 10003, United States
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3
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Li H, Zhou Q, Chen Y, Hu H, Gao L, Takahata T. Three-dimensional topography of eye-specific domains in the lateral geniculate nucleus of pigmented and albino rats. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:9599-9615. [PMID: 37415460 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
We previously revealed the presence of ocular dominance columns (ODCs) in the primary visual cortex (V1) of pigmented rats. On the other hand, previous studies have shown that the ipsilateral-eye domains of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) are segregated into a handful of patches in pigmented rats. To investigate the three-dimensional (3D) topography of the eye-specific patches of the dLGN and its relationship with ODCs, we injected different tracers into the right and left eyes and examined strain difference, development, and plasticity of the patches. Furthermore, we applied the tissue clearing technique to reveal the 3D morphology of the LGN and were able to observe entire retinotopic map of the rat dLGN at a certain angle. Our results show that the ipsilateral domains of the dLGN appear mesh-like at any angle and are developed at around time of eye-opening. Their development was moderately affected by abnormal visual experience, but the patch formation was not disrupted. In albino Wistar rats, ipsilateral patches were observed in the dLGN, but they were much fewer, especially near the central visual field. These results provide insights into how ipsilateral patches of the dLGN arise, and how the geniculo-cortical arrangement is different between rodents and primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hangqi Li
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, P. R. China
- Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, P. R. China
| | - Qiuying Zhou
- Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, P. R. China
- Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, P. R. China
| | - Yanlu Chen
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, P.R. China
| | - Huijie Hu
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, P.R. China
| | - Liang Gao
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, P.R. China
| | - Toru Takahata
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, P. R. China
- Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, P. R. China
- Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, P. R. China
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4
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Tring E, Ringach DL. Thalamocortical boutons cluster by ON/OFF responses in mouse primary visual cortex. J Neurophysiol 2023; 129:184-190. [PMID: 36515419 PMCID: PMC9844974 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00412.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In higher mammals, the thalamic afferents to primary visual cortex cluster according to their responses to increases (ON) or decreases (OFF) in luminance. This feature of thalamocortical wiring is thought to create columnar, ON/OFF domains in V1. We have recently shown that mice also have ON/OFF cortical domains, but the organization of their thalamic afferents remains unknown. Here we measured the visual responses of thalamocortical boutons with two-photon imaging and found that they also cluster in space according to ON/OFF responses. Moreover, fluctuations in the relative density of ON/OFF boutons mirror fluctuations in the relative density of ON/OFF receptive field positions on the visual field. These findings indicate a segregation of ON/OFF signals already present in the thalamic input. We propose that ON/OFF clustering may reflect the spatial distribution of ON/OFF responses in retinal ganglion cell mosaics.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Neurons in primary visual cortex cluster into ON and OFF domains, which have been shown to be linked to the organization of receptive fields and cortical maps. Here we show that in the mouse such clustering is already present in the geniculate input, suggesting that the cortical architecture may be shaped by the representation of ON/OFF signals in the thalamus and the retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine Tring
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Dario L Ringach
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Department of Psychology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
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5
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Lanjewar AL, Jagetia S, Khan ZM, Eagleson KL, Levitt P. Subclass-specific expression patterns of MET receptor tyrosine kinase during development in medial prefrontal and visual cortices. J Comp Neurol 2023; 531:132-148. [PMID: 36201439 PMCID: PMC9691614 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25418] [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: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Met encodes a receptor tyrosine kinase (MET) that is expressed during development and regulates cortical synapse maturation. Conditional deletion of Met in the nervous system during embryonic development leads to deficits in adult contextual fear learning, a medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC)-dependent cognitive task. MET also regulates the timing of critical period plasticity for ocular dominance in primary visual cortex (V1). However, the underlying circuitry responsible remains unknown. Therefore, this study determines the broad expression patterns of MET throughout postnatal development in mPFC and V1 projection neurons (PNs), providing insight into similarities and differences in the neuronal subtypes and temporal patterns of MET expression between cortical areas. Using a transgenic mouse line that expresses green fluorescent protein (GFP) in Met+ neurons, immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy were performed to visualize MET-GFP+ cell bodies and PN subclass-specific protein markers. Analyses reveal that the MET expression is highly enriched in infragranular layers of mPFC, but in supragranular layers of V1. Interestingly, temporal regulation of the percentage of MET+ neurons across development not only differs between cortical regions but also is distinct between lamina within a cortical region. Further, MET is expressed predominantly in the subcerebral PN subclass in mPFC, but the intratelencephalic PN subclass in V1. The data suggest that MET signaling influences the development of distinct circuits in mPFC and V1 that underlie subcerebral and intracortical functional deficits following Met deletion, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra L. Lanjewar
- Program in Developmental Neuroscience and Neurogenetics, Children's Hospital Los AngelesThe Saban Research InstituteLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA,Department of PediatricsKeck School of Medicine of University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA,Neuroscience Graduate ProgramUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Sonum Jagetia
- Program in Developmental Neuroscience and Neurogenetics, Children's Hospital Los AngelesThe Saban Research InstituteLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA,Department of PediatricsKeck School of Medicine of University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Zuhayr M. Khan
- Program in Developmental Neuroscience and Neurogenetics, Children's Hospital Los AngelesThe Saban Research InstituteLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA,Department of PediatricsKeck School of Medicine of University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Kathie L. Eagleson
- Program in Developmental Neuroscience and Neurogenetics, Children's Hospital Los AngelesThe Saban Research InstituteLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA,Department of PediatricsKeck School of Medicine of University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Pat Levitt
- Program in Developmental Neuroscience and Neurogenetics, Children's Hospital Los AngelesThe Saban Research InstituteLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA,Department of PediatricsKeck School of Medicine of University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
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6
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Abstract
The primary visual cortex signals the onset of light and dark stimuli with ON and OFF cortical pathways. Here, we demonstrate that both pathways generate similar response increments to large homogeneous surfaces and their response average increases with surface brightness. We show that, in cat visual cortex, response dominance from ON or OFF pathways is bimodally distributed when stimuli are smaller than one receptive field center but unimodally distributed when they are larger. Moreover, whereas small bright stimuli drive opposite responses from ON and OFF pathways (increased versus suppressed activity), large bright surfaces drive similar response increments. We show that this size-brightness relation emerges because strong illumination increases the size of light surfaces in nature and both ON and OFF cortical neurons receive input from ON thalamic pathways. We conclude that visual scenes are perceived as brighter when the average response increments from ON and OFF cortical pathways become stronger. Mazade et al. find that the visual cortex encodes brightness differently for small than large stimuli. Bright small stimuli drive cortical pathways signaling lights and suppress cortical pathways signaling darks. Conversely, large surfaces drive response increments from both pathways and appear brightest when the response average is strongest.
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7
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Tring E, Duan KK, Ringach DL. ON/OFF domains shape receptive field structure in mouse visual cortex. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2466. [PMID: 35513375 PMCID: PMC9072422 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29999-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In higher mammals, thalamic afferents to primary visual cortex (area V1) segregate according to their responses to increases (ON) or decreases (OFF) in luminance. This organization induces columnar, ON/OFF domains postulated to provide a scaffold for the emergence of orientation tuning. To further test this idea, we asked whether ON/OFF domains exist in mouse V1. Here we show that mouse V1 is indeed parceled into ON/OFF domains. Interestingly, fluctuations in the relative density of ON/OFF neurons on the cortical surface mirror fluctuations in the relative density of ON/OFF receptive field centers on the visual field. Moreover, the local diversity of cortical receptive fields is explained by a model in which neurons linearly combine a small number of ON and OFF signals available in their cortical neighborhoods. These findings suggest that ON/OFF domains originate in fluctuations of the balance between ON/OFF responses across the visual field which, in turn, shapes the structure of cortical receptive fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine Tring
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Konnie K Duan
- Harvard-Westlake School, Studio City, CA, 91604, USA
| | - Dario L Ringach
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Department of Psychology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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8
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Najafian S, Koch E, Teh KL, Jin J, Rahimi-Nasrabadi H, Zaidi Q, Kremkow J, Alonso JM. A theory of cortical map formation in the visual brain. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2303. [PMID: 35484133 PMCID: PMC9050665 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29433-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The cerebral cortex receives multiple afferents from the thalamus that segregate by stimulus modality forming cortical maps for each sense. In vision, the primary visual cortex maps the multiple dimensions of the visual stimulus in patterns that vary across species for reasons unknown. Here we introduce a general theory of cortical map formation, which proposes that map diversity emerges from species variations in the thalamic afferent density sampling sensory space. In the theory, increasing afferent sampling density enlarges the cortical domains representing the same visual point, allowing the segregation of afferents and cortical targets by multiple stimulus dimensions. We illustrate the theory with an afferent-density model that accurately replicates the maps of different species through afferent segregation followed by thalamocortical convergence pruned by visual experience. Because thalamocortical pathways use similar mechanisms for axon segregation and pruning, the theory may extend to other sensory areas of the mammalian brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sohrab Najafian
- Department of Biological and Visual Sciences, SUNY College of Optometry, New York, NY, 10036, United States
| | - Erin Koch
- Department of Biological and Visual Sciences, SUNY College of Optometry, New York, NY, 10036, United States
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, Caltech, Pasadena, CA, 91125, United States
| | - Kai Lun Teh
- Neuroscience Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, Philippstraße 13, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jianzhong Jin
- Department of Biological and Visual Sciences, SUNY College of Optometry, New York, NY, 10036, United States
| | - Hamed Rahimi-Nasrabadi
- Department of Biological and Visual Sciences, SUNY College of Optometry, New York, NY, 10036, United States
| | - Qasim Zaidi
- Department of Biological and Visual Sciences, SUNY College of Optometry, New York, NY, 10036, United States
| | - Jens Kremkow
- Neuroscience Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, Philippstraße 13, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jose-Manuel Alonso
- Department of Biological and Visual Sciences, SUNY College of Optometry, New York, NY, 10036, United States.
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9
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Bhandari A, Ward TW, Smith J, Van Hook MJ. Structural and functional plasticity in the dorsolateral geniculate nucleus of mice following bilateral enucleation. Neuroscience 2022; 488:44-59. [PMID: 35131394 PMCID: PMC8960354 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.01.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Within the nervous system, plasticity mechanisms attempt to stabilize network activity following disruption by injury, disease, or degeneration. Optic nerve injury and age-related diseases can induce homeostatic-like responses in adulthood. We tested this possibility in the thalamocortical (TC) neurons in the dorsolateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) using patch-clamp electrophysiology, optogenetics, immunostaining, and single-cell dendritic analysis following loss of visual input via bilateral enucleation. We observed progressive loss of vGlut2-positive retinal terminals in the dLGN indicating degeneration post-enucleation that was coincident with changes in microglial morphology indicative of microglial activation. Consistent with the decline of vGlut2 puncta, we also observed loss of retinogeniculate (RG) synaptic function assessed using optogenetic activation of RG axons while performing whole-cell voltage clamp recordings from TC neurons in brain slices. Surprisingly, we did not detect any significant changes in the frequency of miniature post-synaptic currents (mEPSCs) or corticothalamic feedback synapses. Analysis of TC neuron dendritic structure from single-cell dye fills revealed a gradual loss of dendrites proximal to the soma, where TC neurons receive the bulk of RG inputs. Finally, analysis of action potential firing demonstrated that TC neurons have increased excitability following enucleation, firing more action potentials in response to depolarizing current injections. Our findings show that degeneration of the retinal axons/optic nerve and loss of RG synaptic inputs induces structural and functional changes in TC neurons, consistent with neuronal attempts at compensatory plasticity in the dLGN.
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10
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Li S, Yao S, Zhou Q, Takahata T. The Expression Patterns of Cytochrome Oxidase and Immediate-Early Genes Show Absence of Ocular Dominance Columns in the Striate Cortex of Squirrel Monkeys Following Monocular Inactivation. Front Neuroanat 2021; 15:751810. [PMID: 34720891 PMCID: PMC8548382 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2021.751810] [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: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Because at least some squirrel monkeys lack ocular dominance columns (ODCs) in the striate cortex (V1) that are detectable by cytochrome oxidase (CO) histochemistry, the functional importance of ODCs on stereoscopic 3-D vision has been questioned. However, conventional CO histochemistry or trans-synaptic tracer study has limited capacity to reveal cortical functional architecture, whereas the expression of immediate-early genes (IEGs), c-FOS and ZIF268, is more directly responsive to neuronal activity of cortical neurons to demonstrate ocular dominance (OD)-related domains in V1 following monocular inactivation. Thus, we wondered whether IEG expression would reveal ODCs in the squirrel monkey V1. In this study, we first examined CO histochemistry in V1 of five squirrel monkeys that were subjected to monocular enucleation or tetrodotoxin (TTX) treatment to address whether there is substantial cross-individual variation as reported previously. Then, we examined the IEG expression of the same V1 tissue to address whether OD-related domains are revealed. As a result, staining patterns of CO histochemistry were relatively homogeneous throughout layer 4 of V1. IEG expression was also moderate and homogeneous throughout layer 4 of V1 in all cases. On the other hand, the IEG expression was patchy in accordance with CO blobs outside layer 4, particularly in infragranular layers, although they may not directly represent OD clusters. Squirrel monkeys remain an exceptional species among anthropoid primates with regard to OD organization, and thus are potentially good subjects to study the development and function of ODCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuiyu Li
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Songping Yao
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiuying Zhou
- Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Toru Takahata
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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11
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Saponati M, Garcia-Ojalvo J, Cataldo E, Mazzoni A. Thalamocortical Spectral Transmission Relies on Balanced Input Strengths. Brain Topogr 2021; 35:4-18. [PMID: 34089121 PMCID: PMC8813837 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-021-00851-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The thalamus is a key element of sensory transmission in the brain, as it gates and selects sensory streams through a modulation of its internal activity. A preponderant role in these functions is played by its internal activity in the alpha range ([8–14] Hz), but the mechanism underlying this process is not completely understood. In particular, how do thalamocortical connections convey stimulus driven information selectively over the back-ground of thalamic internally generated activity? Here we investigate this issue with a spiking network model of feedforward connectivity between thalamus and primary sensory cortex reproducing the local field potential of both areas. We found that in a feedforward network, thalamic oscillations in the alpha range do not entrain cortical activity for two reasons: (i) alpha range oscillations are weaker in neurons projecting to the cortex, (ii) the gamma resonance dynamics of cortical networks hampers oscillations over the 10–20 Hz range thus weakening alpha range oscillations. This latter mechanism depends on the balance of the strength of thalamocortical connections toward excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the cortex. Our results highlight the relevance of corticothalamic feedback to sustain alpha range oscillations and pave the way toward an integrated understanding of the sensory streams traveling between the periphery and the cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Saponati
- The Biorobotics Institute, Department of Excellence in Robotics and AI, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025, Pontedera, IT, Italy.,Dipartimento di Fisica "E. Fermi", Largo Bruno Pontecorvo 3, 56127, Pisa, IT, Italy
| | - Jordi Garcia-Ojalvo
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona Biomedical Research Park Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, ES, Spain
| | - Enrico Cataldo
- Dipartimento di Fisica "E. Fermi", Largo Bruno Pontecorvo 3, 56127, Pisa, IT, Italy
| | - Alberto Mazzoni
- The Biorobotics Institute, Department of Excellence in Robotics and AI, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025, Pontedera, IT, Italy.
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12
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Ringach DL. Sparse thalamocortical convergence. Curr Biol 2021; 31:2199-2202.e2. [PMID: 33705713 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.02.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
How many thalamic neurons converge onto a cortical cell? This is an important question, because the organization of thalamocortical projections can influence the cortical architecture.1,2 Here, we estimate the degree of thalamocortical convergence in primary visual cortex by taking advantage of the cortical expansion-neurons within a restricted volume in primary visual cortex have overlapping receptive fields driven by a smaller set of inputs from the lateral geniculate nucleus.3-5 Under these conditions, the measurements of cortical receptive fields in a population can be used to infer the receptive fields of their geniculate inputs and the weights of their projections using non-negative matrix factorization.6 The analysis reveals sparse connectivity,7 where a handful (~2-6) of thalamic inputs account for 90% of the total synaptic weight to a cortical neuron. Together with previous findings,8 these results paint a picture consistent with the idea that convergence of a few inputs partly determine the retinotopy and tuning properties of cortical cells.8-13.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario L Ringach
- Departments of Psychology and Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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13
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Jang J, Song M, Paik SB. Retino-Cortical Mapping Ratio Predicts Columnar and Salt-and-Pepper Organization in Mammalian Visual Cortex. Cell Rep 2021; 30:3270-3279.e3. [PMID: 32160536 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.02.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 12/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In the mammalian primary visual cortex, neural tuning to stimulus orientation is organized in either columnar or salt-and-pepper patterns across species. For decades, this sharp contrast has spawned fundamental questions about the origin of functional architectures in visual cortex. However, it is unknown whether these patterns reflect disparate developmental mechanisms across mammalian taxa or simply originate from variation of biological parameters under a universal development process. In this work, after the analysis of data from eight mammalian species, we show that cortical organization is predictable by a single factor, the retino-cortical mapping ratio. Groups of species with or without columnar clustering are distinguished by the feedforward sampling ratio, and model simulations with controlled mapping conditions reproduce both types of organization. Prediction from the Nyquist theorem explains this parametric division of the patterns with high accuracy. Our results imply that evolutionary variation of physical parameters may induce development of distinct functional circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaeson Jang
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Song
- Program of Brain and Cognitive Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Se-Bum Paik
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; Program of Brain and Cognitive Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
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14
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Tinelli F, Guzzetta A, Purpura G, Pasquariello R, Cioni G, Fiori S. Structural brain damage and visual disorders in children with cerebral palsy due to periventricular leukomalacia. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2020; 28:102430. [PMID: 32980597 PMCID: PMC7519396 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
There is a strong correlation between brain lesion severity and visual function, evident also with a Structural MRI. It is confirmed the validity of MRI semi-quantitative scale published by Fiori et al. (2014). There is a frequent association of PVL with thalamic lesions with important repercussion on visual function.
Aim To systematically explore the relationship between type and severity of brain lesion on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and visual function in a large cohort of children with periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). Methods 94 children with bilateral cerebral palsy (CP) and history of PVL were recruited at Stella Maris Scientific Institute in Pisa (Italy). We included data of participants (72) with at least one MRI after the age of three years and an evaluation of visual function including fixation, following, saccades, nystagmus, acuity, visual field, stereopsis and color perception. Brain lesions location and extent were assessed by a semi-quantitative MRI-scale for children with CP. Results Brain lesion severity strongly correlated with visual function total score (global MRI score p = .000; hemispheric score p = .001 and subcortical score p = .000). Moreover, visual acuity, visual field, stereopsis and colour were compromised when a cortical damage was present, while ocular motricity (and in particular fixation and saccades) were compromised in presence of subcortical brain damage. Interpretation Structural MRI is valuable for understanding the relationship between brain lesion severity and visual function in children with CP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Tinelli
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Viale del Tirreno 331, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Andrea Guzzetta
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Viale del Tirreno 331, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Savi 10, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giulia Purpura
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Viale del Tirreno 331, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rosa Pasquariello
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Viale del Tirreno 331, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giovanni Cioni
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Viale del Tirreno 331, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Savi 10, Pisa, Italy
| | - Simona Fiori
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Viale del Tirreno 331, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
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Ibbotson M, Jung YJ. Origins of Functional Organization in the Visual Cortex. Front Syst Neurosci 2020; 14:10. [PMID: 32194379 PMCID: PMC7063058 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2020.00010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
How are the complex maps for orientation selectivity (OS) created in the primary visual cortex (V1)? Rodents and rabbits have a random distribution of OS preferences across V1 while in cats, ferrets, and all primates cells with similar OS preferences cluster together into relatively wide cortical columns. Given other clear similarities in the organization of the visual pathways, why is it that maps coding OS preferences are so radically different? Prominent models have been created of cortical OS mapping that incorporate Hebbian plasticity, intracortical interactions, and the properties of growing axons. However, these models suggest that the maps arise primarily through intracortical interactions. Here we focus on several other features of the visual system and brain that may influence V1 structure. These are: eye divergence, the total number of cells in V1, the thalamocortical networks, the topography of the retina and phylogeny. We outline the evidence for and against these factors contributing to map formation. One promising theory is that the central-to-peripheral ratio (CP ratio) of retinal cell density can be used to predict whether or not a species has pinwheel maps. Animals with high CP ratios (>7) have orientation columns while those with low CP ratios (<4) have random OS maps. The CP ratio is related to the total number of cells in cortex, which also appears to be a reasonable contributing factor. However, while these factors correlate with map structure to some extent, there is a gray area where certain species do not fit elegantly into the theory. A problem with the existing literature is that OS maps have been investigated in only a small number of mammals, from a small fraction of the mammalian phylogenetic tree. We suggest four species (agouti, fruit bat, sheep, and wallaby) that have a range of interesting characteristics, which sit at intermediate locations between primates and rodents, that make them good targets for filling in the missing gaps in the literature. We make predictions about the map structures of these species based on the organization of their brains and visual systems and, in doing so, set possible paths for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Ibbotson
- Australian College of Optometry, National Vision Research Institute, Carlton, VIC, Australia.,Department of Optometry and Vision Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Young Jun Jung
- Australian College of Optometry, National Vision Research Institute, Carlton, VIC, Australia.,Department of Optometry and Vision Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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16
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Diversity of Ocular Dominance Patterns in Visual Cortex Originates from Variations in Local Cortical Retinotopy. J Neurosci 2019; 39:9145-9163. [PMID: 31558616 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1151-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The primary visual cortex contains a detailed map of retinal stimulus position (retinotopic map) and eye input (ocular dominance map) that results from the precise arrangement of thalamic afferents during cortical development. For reasons that remain unclear, the patterns of ocular dominance are very diverse across species and can take the shape of highly organized stripes, convoluted beads, or no pattern at all. Here, we use a new image-processing algorithm to measure ocular dominance patterns more accurately than in the past. We use these measurements to demonstrate that ocular dominance maps follow a common organizing principle that makes the cortical axis with the slowest retinotopic gradient orthogonal to the ocular dominance stripes. We demonstrate this relation in multiple regions of the primary visual cortex from individual animals, and different species. Moreover, consistent with the increase in the retinotopic gradient with visual eccentricity, we demonstrate a strong correlation between eccentricity and ocular dominance stripe width. We also show that an eye/polarity grid emerges within the visual cortical map when the representation of light and dark stimuli segregates along an axis orthogonal to the ocular dominance stripes, as recently demonstrated in cats. Based on these results, we propose a developmental model of visual cortical topography that sorts thalamic afferents by eye input and stimulus polarity, and then maximizes the binocular retinotopic match needed for depth perception and the light-dark retinotopic mismatch needed to process stimulus orientation. In this model, the different ocular dominance patterns simply emerge from differences in local retinotopic cortical topography.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Thalamocortical afferents segregate in primary visual cortex by eye input and light-dark polarity. This afferent segregation forms cortical patterns that vary greatly across species for reasons that remain unknown. Here we show that the formation of ocular dominance patterns follows a common organizing principle across species that aligns the cortical axis of ocular dominance segregation with the axis of slowest retinotopic gradient. Based on our results, we propose a model of visual cortical topography that sorts thalamic afferents by eye input and stimulus polarity along orthogonal axes with the slowest and fastest retinotopic gradients, respectively. This organization maximizes the binocular retinotopic match needed for depth perception and the light-dark retinotopic mismatch needed to process stimulus orientation in carnivores and primates.
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17
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Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is a crucial cortical region that integrates information from numerous cortical and subcortical areas and converges updated information to output structures. It plays essential roles in the cognitive process, regulation of emotion, motivation, and sociability. Dysfunction of the mPFC has been found in various neurological and psychiatric disorders, such as depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and addiction. In the present review, we summarize the preclinical and clinical studies to illustrate the role of the mPFC in these neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Xu
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Ai Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan China
| | - Yipeng Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Xuezhi Xing
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Hui Lu
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia
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18
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Tozzi A, Peters JF. Points and lines inside human brains. Cogn Neurodyn 2019; 13:417-428. [PMID: 31565087 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-019-09539-8] [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: 01/13/2019] [Revised: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Starting from the tenets of human imagination, i.e., the concepts of lines, points and infinity, we provide a biological demonstration that the skeptical claim "human beings cannot attain knowledge of the world" holds true. We show that the Euclidean account of the point as "that of which there is no part" is just a conceptual device produced by our brain, untenable in our physical/biological realm: currently used terms like "lines, surfaces and volumes" label non-existent, arbitrary properties. We elucidate the psychological and neuroscientific features hardwired in our brain that lead us humans to think to points and lines as truly occurring in our environment. Therefore, our current scientific descriptions of objects' shapes, graphs and biological trajectories in phase spaces need to be revisited, leading to a proper portrayal of the real world's events: miniscule bounded physical surface regions stand for the basic objects in a traversal of spacetime, instead of the usual Euclidean points. Our account makes it possible to erase of a painstaking problem that causes many theories to break down and/or being incapable of describing extreme events: the unwanted occurrence of infinite values in equations. We propose a novel approach, based on point-free geometrical standpoints, that banishes infinitesimals, leads to a tenable physical/biological geometry compatible with human reasoning and provides a region-based topological account of the power laws endowed in nervous activities. We conclude that points, lines, volumes and infinity do not describe the world, rather they are fictions introduced by ancient surveyors of land surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arturo Tozzi
- 1Center for Nonlinear Science, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #311427, Denton, TX 76203-5017 USA
| | - James F Peters
- 2Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Manitoba, 75A Chancellor's Circle, Winnipeg, MB R3T 5V6 Canada
- 3Department of Mathematics, Adıyaman University, 02040 Adıyaman, Turkey
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Jimenez LO, Tring E, Trachtenberg JT, Ringach DL. Local tuning biases in mouse primary visual cortex. J Neurophysiol 2018; 120:274-280. [PMID: 29668380 PMCID: PMC6093950 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00150.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons in primary visual cortex are selective to the orientation and spatial frequency of sinusoidal gratings. In the classic model of cortical organization, a population of neurons responding to the same region of the visual field but tuned to all possible feature combinations provides a detailed representation of the local image. Such a functional module is assumed to be replicated across primary visual cortex to provide a uniform representation of the image across the entire visual field. In contrast, it has been hypothesized that the tiling properties of ON- and OFF-center receptive fields in the retina, largely mirrored in the geniculate, may constrain cortical tuning at each location in the visual field. This model predicts the existence of local biases in tuning that vary across the visual field and would prevent the cortex from developing a uniform, modular representation as postulated by the classic model. Here, we confirm the existence of local tuning biases in the primary visual cortex of the mouse, lending support to the notion that cortical tuning may be constrained by signals from the periphery. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Populations of cortical neurons responding to the same part of the visual field are shown to have similar tuning. Such local biases are consistent with the hypothesis that cortical tuning, in mouse primary visual cortex, is constrained by signals from the periphery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis O Jimenez
- Department of Psychology, University of California , Los Angeles, California
| | - Elaine Tring
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California , Los Angeles, California
| | - Joshua T Trachtenberg
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California , Los Angeles, California
| | - Dario L Ringach
- Department of Psychology, University of California , Los Angeles, California
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California , Los Angeles, California
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Abstract
The thalamocortical pathway is the main route of communication between the eye and the cerebral cortex. During embryonic development, thalamocortical afferents travel to L4 and are sorted by receptive field position, eye of origin, and contrast polarity (i.e., preference for light or dark stimuli). In primates and carnivores, this sorting involves numerous afferents, most of which sample a limited region of the binocular field. Devoting abundant thalamocortical resources to process a limited visual field has a clear advantage: It allows many stimulus combinations to be sampled at each spatial location. Moreover, the sampling efficiency can be further enhanced by organizing the afferents in a cortical grid for eye input and contrast polarity. We argue that thalamocortical interactions within this eye-polarity grid can be used to represent multiple stimulus combinations found in nature and to build an accurate cortical map for multidimensional stimulus space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Kremkow
- Neuroscience Research Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany.,Institute for Theoretical Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jose-Manuel Alonso
- Department of Biological and Visual Sciences, College of Optometry, State University of New York, New York, NY 10036, USA;
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