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Liew YJ, Dimwamwa ED, Wright NC, Zhang Y, Stanley GB. MULTIPLE DISTINCT TIMESCALES OF RAPID SENSORY ADAPATION IN THE THALAMOCORTICAL CIRCUIT. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.06.597761. [PMID: 38895470 PMCID: PMC11185625 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.06.597761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Numerous studies have shown that neuronal representations in sensory pathways are far from static but are instead strongly shaped by the complex properties of the sensory inputs they receive. Adaptation dynamically shapes the neural signaling that underlies our perception of the world yet remains poorly understood. We investigated rapid adaptation across timescales from hundreds of milliseconds to seconds through simultaneous multi-electrode recordings from the ventro-posteromedial nucleus of the thalamus (VPm) and layer 4 of the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) in male and female anesthetized mice in response to controlled, persistent whisker stimulation. Observations in VPm and S1 reveal a degree of adaptation that progresses through the pathway. Signatures of two distinct timescales of rapid adaptation in the firing rates of both thalamic and cortical neuronal populations were revealed, also reflected in the synchrony of the thalamic population and in the thalamocortical synaptic efficacy that was measured in putatively monosynaptically connected thalamocortical pairs. Controlled optogenetic activation of VPm further demonstrated that the longer timescale adaptation observed in S1 is likely inherited from slow decreases in thalamic firing rate and synchrony. Despite the degraded sensory responses, adaptation resulted in a shift in coding strategy that favors theoretical discrimination over detection across the observed timescales of adaptation. Overall, although multiple mechanisms contribute to rapid adaptation at distinct timescales, they support a unifying framework on the role of adaptation in sensory processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Juin Liew
- Wallace H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- Joint PhD Program in Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology – Emory University – Peking University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Elaida D Dimwamwa
- Wallace H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Nathaniel C Wright
- Wallace H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Yong Zhang
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education of China and National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing 100083, China
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Garrett B Stanley
- Wallace H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
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Oram TB, Tenzer A, Saraf-Sinik I, Yizhar O, Ahissar E. Co-coding of head and whisker movements by both VPM and POm thalamic neurons. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5883. [PMID: 39003286 PMCID: PMC11246487 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50039-z] [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: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Rodents continuously move their heads and whiskers in a coordinated manner while perceiving objects through whisker-touch. Studies in head-fixed rodents showed that the ventroposterior medial (VPM) and posterior medial (POm) thalamic nuclei code for whisker kinematics, with POm involvement reduced in awake animals. To examine VPM and POm involvement in coding head and whisker kinematics in awake, head-free conditions, we recorded thalamic neuronal activity and tracked head and whisker movements in male mice exploring an open arena. Using optogenetic tagging, we found that in freely moving mice, both nuclei equally coded whisker kinematics and robustly coded head kinematics. The fraction of neurons coding head kinematics increased after whisker trimming, ruling out whisker-mediated coding. Optogenetic activation of thalamic neurons evoked overt kinematic changes and increased the fraction of neurons leading changes in head kinematics. Our data suggest that VPM and POm integrate head and whisker information and can influence head kinematics during tactile perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tess Baker Oram
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Alon Tenzer
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Inbar Saraf-Sinik
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ofer Yizhar
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ehud Ahissar
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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Gao H, Ramachandran S, Yu K, He B. Transcranial focused ultrasound activates feedforward and feedback cortico-thalamo-cortical pathways by selectively activating excitatory neurons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.26.600794. [PMID: 38979359 PMCID: PMC11230429 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.26.600794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation (tFUS) has been proven capable of altering focal neuronal activities and neural circuits non-invasively in both animals and humans. The abilities of tFUS for cell-type selection within the targeted area like somatosensory cortex have been shown to be parameter related. However, how neuronal subpopulations across neural pathways are affected, for example how tFUS affected neuronal connections between brain areas remains unclear. In this study, multi-site intracranial recordings were used to quantify the neuronal responses to tFUS stimulation at somatosensory cortex (S1), motor cortex (M1) and posterior medial thalamic nucleus (POm) of cortico-thalamo-cortical (CTC) pathway. We found that when targeting at S1 or POm, only regular spiking units (RSUs, putative excitatory neurons) responded to specific tFUS parameters (duty cycle: 6%-60% and pulse repetition frequency: 1500 and 3000 Hz ) during sonication. RSUs from the directly connected area (POm or S1) showed a synchronized response, which changed the directional correlation between RSUs from POm and S1. The tFUS induced excitation of RSUs activated the feedforward and feedback loops between cortex and thalamus, eliciting delayed neuronal responses of RSUs and delayed activities of fast spiking units (FSUs) by affecting local network. Our findings indicated that tFUS can modulate the CTC pathway through both feedforward and feedback loops, which could influence larger cortical areas including motor cortex.
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Dimwamwa ED, Pala A, Chundru V, Wright NC, Stanley GB. Dynamic corticothalamic modulation of the somatosensory thalamocortical circuit during wakefulness. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3529. [PMID: 38664415 PMCID: PMC11045850 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47863-8] [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: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The feedback projections from cortical layer 6 (L6CT) to the sensory thalamus have long been implicated in playing a primary role in gating sensory signaling but remain poorly understood. To causally elucidate the full range of effects of these projections, we targeted silicon probe recordings to the whisker thalamocortical circuit of awake mice selectively expressing Channelrhodopsin-2 in L6CT neurons. Through optogenetic manipulation of L6CT neurons, multi-site electrophysiological recordings, and modeling of L6CT circuitry, we establish L6CT neurons as dynamic modulators of ongoing spiking in the ventral posteromedial nucleus of the thalamus (VPm), either suppressing or enhancing VPm spiking depending on L6CT neurons' firing rate and synchrony. Differential effects across the cortical excitatory and inhibitory sub-populations point to an overall influence of L6CT feedback on cortical excitability that could have profound implications for regulating sensory signaling across a range of ethologically relevant conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaida D Dimwamwa
- Wallace H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Aurélie Pala
- Wallace H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Vivek Chundru
- Wallace H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nathaniel C Wright
- Wallace H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Garrett B Stanley
- Wallace H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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Petty GH, Bruno RM. Attentional modulation of secondary somatosensory and visual thalamus of mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.22.586242. [PMID: 38585833 PMCID: PMC10996504 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.22.586242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Each sensory modality has its own primary and secondary thalamic nuclei. While the primary thalamic nuclei are well understood to relay sensory information from the periphery to the cortex, the role of secondary sensory nuclei is elusive. One hypothesis has been that secondary nuclei may support feature-based attention. If this is true, one would also expect the activity in different nuclei to reflect the degree to which modalities are or are not behaviorally relevant in a task. We trained head-fixed mice to attend to one sensory modality while ignoring a second modality, namely to attend to touch and ignore vision, or vice versa. Arrays were used to record simultaneously from secondary somatosensory thalamus (POm) and secondary visual thalamus (LP). In mice trained to respond to tactile stimuli and ignore visual stimuli, POm was robustly activated by touch and largely unresponsive to visual stimuli. A different pattern was observed when mice were trained to respond to visual stimuli and ignore touch, with POm now more robustly activated during visual trials. This POm activity was not explained by differences in movements (i.e., whisking, licking, pupil dilation) resulting from the two tasks. Post hoc histological reconstruction of array tracks through POm revealed that subregions varied in their degree of plasticity. LP exhibited similar phenomena. We conclude that behavioral training reshapes activity in secondary thalamic nuclei. Secondary nuclei may respond to behaviorally relevant, reward-predicting stimuli regardless of stimulus modality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon H Petty
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA
| | - Randy M Bruno
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy, & Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, United Kingdom
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Dimwamwa E, Pala A, Chundru V, Wright NC, Stanley GB. Dynamic corticothalamic modulation of the somatosensory thalamocortical circuit during wakefulness. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.07.18.549491. [PMID: 37503253 PMCID: PMC10370106 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.18.549491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The feedback projections from cortical layer 6 (L6CT) to sensory thalamus have long been implicated in playing a primary role in gating sensory signaling but remain poorly understood. To causally elucidate the full range of effects of these projections, we targeted silicon probe recordings to the whisker thalamocortical circuit of awake mice selectively expressing Channelrhodopsin-2 in L6CT neurons. Through optogenetic manipulation of L6CT neurons, multi-site electrophysiological recordings, and modeling of L6CT circuitry, we establish L6CT neurons as dynamic modulators of ongoing spiking in the ventro-posterior-medial nucleus of thalamus (VPm), either suppressing or enhancing VPm spiking depending on L6CT neurons' firing rate and synchrony. Differential effects across the cortical excitatory and inhibitory sub-populations point to an overall influence of L6CT feedback on cortical excitability that could have profound implications for regulating sensory signaling across a range of ethologically relevant conditions.
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Ahissar E, Nelinger G, Assa E, Karp O, Saraf-Sinik I. Thalamocortical loops as temporal demodulators across senses. Commun Biol 2023; 6:562. [PMID: 37237075 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04881-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensory information is coded in space and in time. The organization of neuronal activity in space maintains straightforward relationships with the spatial organization of the perceived environment. In contrast, the temporal organization of neuronal activity is not trivially related to external features due to sensor motion. Still, the temporal organization shares similar principles across sensory modalities. Likewise, thalamocortical circuits exhibit common features across senses. Focusing on touch, vision, and audition, we review their shared coding principles and suggest that thalamocortical systems include circuits that allow analogous recoding mechanisms in all three senses. These thalamocortical circuits constitute oscillations-based phase-locked loops, that translate temporally-coded sensory information to rate-coded cortical signals, signals that can integrate information across sensory and motor modalities. The loop also allows predictive locking to the onset of future modulations of the sensory signal. The paper thus suggests a theoretical framework in which a common thalamocortical mechanism implements temporal demodulation across senses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehud Ahissar
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.
| | - Guy Nelinger
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Eldad Assa
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Ofer Karp
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Inbar Saraf-Sinik
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
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Bayesian prediction of psychophysical detection responses from spike activity in the rat sensorimotor cortex. J Comput Neurosci 2023; 51:207-222. [PMID: 36696073 DOI: 10.1007/s10827-023-00844-0] [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: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Decoding of sensorimotor information is essential for brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) as well as in normal functioning organisms. In this study, Bayesian models were developed for the prediction of binary decisions of 10 awake freely-moving male/female rats based on neural activity in a vibrotactile yes/no detection task. The vibrotactile stimuli were 40-Hz sinusoidal displacements (amplitude: 200 µm, duration: 0.5 s) applied on the glabrous skin. The task was to depress the right lever for stimulus detection and left lever for stimulus-off condition. Spike activity was recorded from 16-channel microwire arrays implanted in the hindlimb representation of primary somatosensory cortex (S1), overlapping also with the associated representation in the primary motor cortex (M1). Single-/multi-unit average spike rate (Rd) within the stimulus analysis window was used as the predictor of the stimulus state and the behavioral response at each trial based on a Bayesian network model. Due to high neural and psychophysical response variability for each rat and also across subjects, mean Rd was not correlated with hit and false alarm rates. Despite the fluctuations in the neural data, the Bayesian model for each rat generated moderately good accuracy (0.60-0.90) and good class prediction scores (recall, precision, F1) and was also tested with subsets of data (e.g. regular vs. fast spike groups). It was generally observed that the models were better for rats with lower psychophysical performance (lower sensitivity index A'). This suggests that Bayesian inference and similar machine learning techniques may be especially helpful during the training phase of BCIs or for rehabilitation with neuroprostheses.
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Qi J, Ye C, Naskar S, Inácio AR, Lee S. Posteromedial thalamic nucleus activity significantly contributes to perceptual discrimination. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001896. [PMID: 36441759 PMCID: PMC9731480 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Higher-order sensory thalamic nuclei are densely connected with multiple cortical and subcortical areas, yet the role of these nuclei remains elusive. The posteromedial thalamic nucleus (POm), the higher-order thalamic nucleus in the rodent somatosensory system, is an anatomical hub broadly connected with multiple sensory and motor brain areas yet weakly responds to passive sensory stimulation and whisker movements. To understand the role of POm in sensory perception, we developed a self-initiated, two-alternative forced-choice task in freely moving mice during active sensing. Using optogenetic and chemogenetic manipulation, we show that POm plays a significant role in sensory perception and the projection from the primary somatosensory cortex to POm is critical for the contribution of POm in sensory perception during active sensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Qi
- Unit on Functional Neural Circuits, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Changquan Ye
- Unit on Functional Neural Circuits, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Shovan Naskar
- Unit on Functional Neural Circuits, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ana R. Inácio
- Unit on Functional Neural Circuits, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Soohyun Lee
- Unit on Functional Neural Circuits, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Toi PT, Jang HJ, Min K, Kim SP, Lee SK, Lee J, Kwag J, Park JY. In vivo direct imaging of neuronal activity at high temporospatial resolution. Science 2022; 378:160-168. [PMID: 36227975 DOI: 10.1126/science.abh4340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
There has been a long-standing demand for noninvasive neuroimaging methods that can detect neuronal activity at both high temporal and high spatial resolution. We present a two-dimensional fast line-scan approach that enables direct imaging of neuronal activity with millisecond precision while retaining the high spatial resolution of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This approach was demonstrated through in vivo mouse brain imaging at 9.4 tesla during electrical whisker-pad stimulation. In vivo spike recording and optogenetics confirmed the high correlation of the observed MRI signal with neural activity. It also captured the sequential and laminar-specific propagation of neuronal activity along the thalamocortical pathway. This high-resolution, direct imaging of neuronal activity will open up new avenues in brain science by providing a deeper understanding of the brain's functional organization, including the temporospatial dynamics of neural networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phan Tan Toi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Jae Jang
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
- Division of Computer Engineering, Baekseok University, Cheonan 31065, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyeongseon Min
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Phil Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Kyun Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Jongho Lee
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeehyun Kwag
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jang-Yeon Park
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
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Lemercier CE, Krieger P. Reducing Merkel cell activity in the whisker follicle disrupts cortical encoding of whisker movement amplitude and velocity. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2022; 13:356-363. [PMID: 36281438 PMCID: PMC9586890 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2022.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Merkel cells (MCs) and associated primary sensory afferents of the whisker follicle-sinus complex, accurately code whisker self-movement, angle, and whisk phase during whisking. However, little is known about their roles played in cortical encoding of whisker movement. To this end, the spiking activity of primary somatosensory barrel cortex (wS1) neurons was measured in response to varying the whisker deflection amplitude and velocity in transgenic mice with previously established reduced mechanoelectrical coupling at MC-associated afferents. Under reduced MC activity, wS1 neurons exhibited increased sensitivity to whisker deflection. This appeared to arise from a lack of variation in response magnitude to varying the whisker deflection amplitude and velocity. This latter effect was further indicated by weaker variation in the temporal profile of the evoked spiking activity when either whisker deflection amplitude or velocity was varied. Nevertheless, under reduced MC activity, wS1 neurons retained the ability to differentiate stimulus features based on the timing of their first post-stimulus spike. Collectively, results from this study suggest that MCs contribute to cortical encoding of both whisker amplitude and velocity, predominantly by tuning wS1 response magnitude, and by patterning the evoked spiking activity, rather than by tuning wS1 response latency. The role of Merkel cells (MCs) in cortical encoding of whisker deflection amplitude and velocity was investigated. Reducing MC synaptic activity increased barrel cortex neurons response sensitivity to whisker deflection. This effect occurred from a lack of variation in response magnitude to varying whisker deflection amplitude and velocity. However, stimuli differentiation through changes in cortical response latency was preserved. MCs are thus suggested to play a predominant role in tuning the cortical response magnitude over the response latency.
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Sanganahalli BG, Thompson GJ, Parent M, Verhagen JV, Blumenfeld H, Herman P, Hyder F. Thalamic activations in rat brain by fMRI during tactile (forepaw, whisker) and non-tactile (visual, olfactory) sensory stimulations. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0267916. [PMID: 35522646 PMCID: PMC9075615 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0267916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The thalamus is a crucial subcortical hub that impacts cortical activity. Tracing experiments in animals and post-mortem humans suggest rich morphological specificity of the thalamus. Very few studies reported rodent thalamic activations by functional MRI (fMRI) as compared to cortical activations for different sensory stimuli. Here, we show different portions of the rat thalamus in response to tactile (forepaw, whisker) and non-tactile (visual, olfactory) sensory stimuli with high field fMRI (11.7T) using a custom-build quadrature surface coil to capture high sensitivity signals from superficial and deep brain regions simultaneously. Results demonstrate reproducible thalamic activations during both tactile and non-tactile stimuli. Forepaw and whisker stimuli activated broader regions within the thalamus: ventral posterior lateral (VPL), ventral posterior medial (VPM), lateral posterior mediorostral (LPMR) and posterior medial (POm) thalamic nuclei. Visual stimuli activated dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (DLG) of the thalamus but also parts of the superior/inferior colliculus, whereas olfactory stimuli activated specifically the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus (MDT). BOLD activations in LGN and MDT were much stronger than in VPL, VPM, LPMR and POm. These fMRI-based thalamic activations suggest that forepaw and whisker (i.e., tactile) stimuli engage VPL, VPM, LPMR and POm whereas visual and olfactory (i.e., non-tactile) stimuli, respectively, recruit DLG and MDT exclusively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basavaraju G. Sanganahalli
- Magnetic Resonance Research Center (MRRC), Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Garth J. Thompson
- Magnetic Resonance Research Center (MRRC), Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Maxime Parent
- Magnetic Resonance Research Center (MRRC), Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Justus V. Verhagen
- The John B. Pierce Laboratory, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Hal Blumenfeld
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Peter Herman
- Magnetic Resonance Research Center (MRRC), Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Fahmeed Hyder
- Magnetic Resonance Research Center (MRRC), Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
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Tactile information from the vibrissal system modulates hippocampal functioning. CURRENT RESEARCH IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 3. [DOI: 10.1016/j.crneur.2022.100034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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Castejon C, Martin-Cortecero J, Nuñez A. Higher-Order Thalamic Encoding of Somatosensory Patterns and Bilateral Events. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:752804. [PMID: 34759802 PMCID: PMC8573422 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.752804] [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: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The function of the higher-order sensory thalamus remains unclear. Here, the posterior medial (POm) nucleus of the thalamus was examined by in vivo extracellular recordings in anesthetized rats across a variety of contralateral, ipsilateral, and bilateral whisker sensory patterns. We found that POm was highly sensitive to multiwhisker stimuli involving diverse spatiotemporal interactions. Accurate increases in POm activity were produced during the overlapping time between spatial signals reflecting changes in the spatiotemporal structure of sensory patterns. In addition, our results showed for first time that POm was also able to respond to tactile stimulation of ipsilateral whiskers. This finding challenges the notion that the somatosensory thalamus only computes unilateral stimuli. We found that POm also integrates signals from both whisker pads and described how this integration is generated. Our results showed that ipsilateral activity reached one POm indirectly from the other POm and demonstrated a transmission of sensory activity between both nuclei through a functional POm-POm loop formed by thalamocortical, interhemispheric, and corticothalamic projections. The implication of different cortical areas was investigated revealing that S1 plays a central role in this POm-POm loop. Accordingly, the subcortical and cortical inputs allow POm but not the ventral posteromedial thalamic nucleus (VPM) to have sensory information from both sides of the body. This finding is in agreement with the higher-order nature of POm and can be considered to functionally differentiate and classify these thalamic nuclei. A possible functional role of these higher-order thalamic patterns of integrated activity in brain function is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Castejon
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, Autónoma de Madrid University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesus Martin-Cortecero
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, Autónoma de Madrid University, Madrid, Spain.,Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical Biophysics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Angel Nuñez
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, Autónoma de Madrid University, Madrid, Spain
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15
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Adibi M, Lampl I. Sensory Adaptation in the Whisker-Mediated Tactile System: Physiology, Theory, and Function. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:770011. [PMID: 34776857 PMCID: PMC8586522 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.770011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In the natural environment, organisms are constantly exposed to a continuous stream of sensory input. The dynamics of sensory input changes with organism's behaviour and environmental context. The contextual variations may induce >100-fold change in the parameters of the stimulation that an animal experiences. Thus, it is vital for the organism to adapt to the new diet of stimulation. The response properties of neurons, in turn, dynamically adjust to the prevailing properties of sensory stimulation, a process known as "neuronal adaptation." Neuronal adaptation is a ubiquitous phenomenon across all sensory modalities and occurs at different stages of processing from periphery to cortex. In spite of the wealth of research on contextual modulation and neuronal adaptation in visual and auditory systems, the neuronal and computational basis of sensory adaptation in somatosensory system is less understood. Here, we summarise the recent finding and views about the neuronal adaptation in the rodent whisker-mediated tactile system and further summarise the functional effect of neuronal adaptation on the response dynamics and encoding efficiency of neurons at single cell and population levels along the whisker-mediated touch system in rodents. Based on direct and indirect pieces of evidence presented here, we suggest sensory adaptation provides context-dependent functional mechanisms for noise reduction in sensory processing, salience processing and deviant stimulus detection, shift between integration and coincidence detection, band-pass frequency filtering, adjusting neuronal receptive fields, enhancing neural coding and improving discriminability around adapting stimuli, energy conservation, and disambiguating encoding of principal features of tactile stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Adibi
- Department of Physiology and Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Department of Neuroscience and Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Ilan Lampl
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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16
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Kim N, Bahn S, Choi JH, Kim JS, Rah JC. Synapses from the Motor Cortex and a High-Order Thalamic Nucleus are Spatially Clustered in Proximity to Each Other in the Distal Tuft Dendrites of Mouse Somatosensory Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:737-754. [PMID: 34355731 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The posterior medial nucleus of the thalamus (POm) and vibrissal primary motor cortex (vM1) convey essential information to the barrel cortex (S1BF) regarding whisker position and movement. Therefore, understanding the relative spatial relationship of these two inputs is a critical prerequisite for acquiring insights into how S1BF synthesizes information to interpret the location of an object. Using array tomography, we identified the locations of synapses from vM1 and POm on distal tuft dendrites of L5 pyramidal neurons where the two inputs are combined. Synapses from vM1 and POm did not show a significant branchlet preference and impinged on the same set of dendritic branchlets. Within dendritic branches, on the other hand, the two inputs formed robust spatial clusters of their own type. Furthermore, we also observed POm clusters in proximity to vM1 clusters. This work constitutes the first detailed description of the relative distribution of synapses from POm and vM1, which is crucial to elucidate the synaptic integration of whisker-based sensory information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nari Kim
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41067, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangkyu Bahn
- Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41067, Republic of Korea
| | - Joon Ho Choi
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41067, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinseop S Kim
- Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41067, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Cheol Rah
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41067, Republic of Korea.,Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science & Technology, Daegu 42988, Republic of Korea
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17
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de Kock CPJ, Pie J, Pieneman AW, Mease RA, Bast A, Guest JM, Oberlaender M, Mansvelder HD, Sakmann B. High-frequency burst spiking in layer 5 thick-tufted pyramids of rat primary somatosensory cortex encodes exploratory touch. Commun Biol 2021; 4:709. [PMID: 34112934 PMCID: PMC8192911 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02241-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Diversity of cell-types that collectively shape the cortical microcircuit ensures the necessary computational richness to orchestrate a wide variety of behaviors. The information content embedded in spiking activity of identified cell-types remain unclear to a large extent. Here, we recorded spike responses upon whisker touch of anatomically identified excitatory cell-types in primary somatosensory cortex in naive, untrained rats. We find major differences across layers and cell-types. The temporal structure of spontaneous spiking contains high-frequency bursts (≥100 Hz) in all morphological cell-types but a significant increase upon whisker touch is restricted to layer L5 thick-tufted pyramids (L5tts) and thus provides a distinct neurophysiological signature. We find that whisker touch can also be decoded from L5tt bursting, but not from other cell-types. We observed high-frequency bursts in L5tts projecting to different subcortical regions, including thalamus, midbrain and brainstem. We conclude that bursts in L5tts allow accurate coding and decoding of exploratory whisker touch. In order to investigate the information encoded by spiking activity in different neuronal cell types in the primary somatosensory cortex, de Kock et al performed electrophysiological recordings in untrained rats. They demonstrated that an increase in high-frequency burst spiking in thick tufted pyramids in layer 5 of the cortex allow accurate encoding of exploratory whisker touch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiaan P J de Kock
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Jean Pie
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,University of Amsterdam, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Anton W Pieneman
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Rebecca A Mease
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Arco Bast
- Max Planck Group: In Silico Brain Sciences, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jason M Guest
- Max Planck Group: In Silico Brain Sciences, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, Bonn, Germany
| | - Marcel Oberlaender
- Max Planck Group: In Silico Brain Sciences, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, Bonn, Germany
| | - Huibert D Mansvelder
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Bert Sakmann
- Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology, Martinsried, Germany
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18
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Liew YJ, Pala A, Whitmire CJ, Stoy WA, Forest CR, Stanley GB. Inferring thalamocortical monosynaptic connectivity in vivo. J Neurophysiol 2021; 125:2408-2431. [PMID: 33978507 PMCID: PMC8285656 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00591.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
As the tools to simultaneously record electrophysiological signals from large numbers of neurons within and across brain regions become increasingly available, this opens up for the first time the possibility of establishing the details of causal relationships between monosynaptically connected neurons and the patterns of neural activation that underlie perception and behavior. Although recorded activity across synaptically connected neurons has served as the cornerstone for much of what we know about synaptic transmission and plasticity, this has largely been relegated to ex vivo preparations that enable precise targeting under relatively well-controlled conditions. Analogous studies in vivo, where image-guided targeting is often not yet possible, rely on indirect, data-driven measures, and as a result such studies have been sparse and the dependence upon important experimental parameters has not been well studied. Here, using in vivo extracellular single-unit recordings in the topographically aligned rodent thalamocortical pathway, we sought to establish a general experimental and computational framework for inferring synaptic connectivity. Specifically, attacking this problem within a statistical signal detection framework utilizing experimentally recorded data in the ventral-posterior medial (VPm) region of the thalamus and the homologous region in layer 4 of primary somatosensory cortex (S1) revealed a trade-off between network activity levels needed for the data-driven inference and synchronization of nearby neurons within the population that results in masking of synaptic relationships. Here, we provide a framework for establishing connectivity in multisite, multielectrode recordings based on statistical inference, setting the stage for large-scale assessment of synaptic connectivity within and across brain structures.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Despite the fact that all brain function relies on the long-range transfer of information across different regions, the tools enabling us to measure connectivity across brain structures are lacking. Here, we provide a statistical framework for identifying and assessing potential monosynaptic connectivity across neuronal circuits from population spiking activity that generalizes to large-scale recording technologies that will help us to better understand the signaling within networks that underlies perception and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Juin Liew
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Joint PhD Program in Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology-Emory University-Peking University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Aurélie Pala
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Clarissa J Whitmire
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - William A Stoy
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Craig R Forest
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Garrett B Stanley
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
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19
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Leong ATL, Wang X, Wong EC, Dong CM, Wu EX. Neural activity temporal pattern dictates long-range propagation targets. Neuroimage 2021; 235:118032. [PMID: 33836268 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain possesses a complex spatiotemporal architecture for efficient information processing and computing. However, it remains unknown how neural signal propagates to its intended targets brain-wide. Using optogenetics and functional MRI, we arbitrarily initiated various discrete neural activity pulse trains with different temporal patterns and revealed their distinct long-range propagation targets within the well-defined, topographically organized somatosensory thalamo-cortical circuit. We further observed that such neural activity propagation over long range could modulate brain-wide sensory functions. Electrophysiological analysis indicated that distinct propagation pathways arose from system level neural adaptation and facilitation in response to the neural activity temporal characteristics. Together, our findings provide fundamental insights into the long-range information transfer and processing. They directly support that temporal coding underpins the whole brain functional architecture in presence of the vast and relatively static anatomical architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex T L Leong
- Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Signal Processing, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR; Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Xunda Wang
- Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Signal Processing, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR; Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Eddie C Wong
- Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Signal Processing, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR; Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Celia M Dong
- Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Signal Processing, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR; Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Ed X Wu
- Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Signal Processing, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR; Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR; School of Biomedical Sciences, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR.
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20
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Whitmire CJ, Liew YJ, Stanley GB. Thalamic state influences timing precision in the thalamocortical circuit. J Neurophysiol 2021; 125:1833-1850. [PMID: 33760642 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00261.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory signals from the outside world are transduced at the periphery, passing through thalamus before reaching cortex, ultimately giving rise to the sensory representations that enable us to perceive the world. The thalamocortical circuit is particularly sensitive to the temporal precision of thalamic spiking due to highly convergent synaptic connectivity. Thalamic neurons can exhibit burst and tonic modes of firing that strongly influence timing within the thalamus. The impact of these changes in thalamic state on sensory encoding in the cortex, however, remains unclear. Here, we investigated the role of thalamic state on timing in the thalamocortical circuit of the vibrissa pathway in the anesthetized rat. We optogenetically hyperpolarized thalamus while recording single unit activity in both thalamus and cortex. Tonic spike-triggered analysis revealed temporally precise thalamic spiking that was locked to weak white-noise sensory stimuli, whereas thalamic burst spiking was associated with a loss in stimulus-locked temporal precision. These thalamic state-dependent changes propagated to cortex such that the cortical timing precision was diminished during the hyperpolarized (burst biased) thalamic state. Although still sensory driven, the cortical neurons became significantly less precisely locked to the weak white-noise stimulus. The results here suggests a state-dependent differential regulation of spike timing precision in the thalamus that could gate what signals are ultimately propagated to cortex.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The majority of sensory signals are transmitted through the thalamus. There is growing evidence of complex thalamic gating through coordinated firing modes that have a strong impact on cortical sensory representations. Optogenetic hyperpolarization of thalamus pushed it into burst firing that disrupted precise time-locked sensory signaling, with a direct impact on the downstream cortical encoding, setting the stage for a timing-based thalamic gate of sensory signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa J Whitmire
- Wallace H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Yi Juin Liew
- Wallace H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.,Joint PhD Program in Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology-Emory University-Peking University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Garrett B Stanley
- Wallace H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
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21
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Burns TF, Rajan R. Sensing and processing whisker deflections in rodents. PeerJ 2021; 9:e10730. [PMID: 33665005 PMCID: PMC7906041 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The classical view of sensory information mainly flowing into barrel cortex at layer IV, moving up for complex feature processing and lateral interactions in layers II and III, then down to layers V and VI for output and corticothalamic feedback is becoming increasingly undermined by new evidence. We review the neurophysiology of sensing and processing whisker deflections, emphasizing the general processing and organisational principles present along the entire sensory pathway—from the site of physical deflection at the whiskers to the encoding of deflections in the barrel cortex. Many of these principles support the classical view. However, we also highlight the growing number of exceptions to these general principles, which complexify the system and which investigators should be mindful of when interpreting their results. We identify gaps in the literature for experimentalists and theorists to investigate, not just to better understand whisker sensation but also to better understand sensory and cortical processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas F Burns
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ramesh Rajan
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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22
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Basso JC, Satyal MK, Rugh R. Dance on the Brain: Enhancing Intra- and Inter-Brain Synchrony. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 14:584312. [PMID: 33505255 PMCID: PMC7832346 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.584312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Dance has traditionally been viewed from a Eurocentric perspective as a mode of self-expression that involves the human body moving through space, performed for the purposes of art, and viewed by an audience. In this Hypothesis and Theory article, we synthesize findings from anthropology, sociology, psychology, dance pedagogy, and neuroscience to propose The Synchronicity Hypothesis of Dance, which states that humans dance to enhance both intra- and inter-brain synchrony. We outline a neurocentric definition of dance, which suggests that dance involves neurobehavioral processes in seven distinct areas including sensory, motor, cognitive, social, emotional, rhythmic, and creative. We explore The Synchronicity Hypothesis of Dance through several avenues. First, we examine evolutionary theories of dance, which suggest that dance drives interpersonal coordination. Second, we examine fundamental movement patterns, which emerge throughout development and are omnipresent across cultures of the world. Third, we examine how each of the seven neurobehaviors increases intra- and inter-brain synchrony. Fourth, we examine the neuroimaging literature on dance to identify the brain regions most involved in and affected by dance. The findings presented here support our hypothesis that we engage in dance for the purpose of intrinsic reward, which as a result of dance-induced increases in neural synchrony, leads to enhanced interpersonal coordination. This hypothesis suggests that dance may be helpful to repattern oscillatory activity, leading to clinical improvements in autism spectrum disorder and other disorders with oscillatory activity impairments. Finally, we offer suggestions for future directions and discuss the idea that our consciousness can be redefined not just as an individual process but as a shared experience that we can positively influence by dancing together.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia C Basso
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States.,Center for Transformative Research on Health Behaviors, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States.,School of Neuroscience, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Medha K Satyal
- Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Rachel Rugh
- Center for Communicating Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States.,School of Performing Arts, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
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23
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Kim C, Chacron MJ. Lower Baseline Variability Gives Rise to Lower Detection Thresholds in Midbrain than Hindbrain Electrosensory Neurons. Neuroscience 2020; 448:43-54. [PMID: 32926952 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.09.011] [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: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how the brain decodes sensory information to give rise to behaviour remains an important problem in systems neuroscience. Across various sensory modalities (e.g. auditory, visual), the time-varying contrast of natural stimuli has been shown to carry behaviourally relevant information. However, it is unclear how such information is actually decoded by the brain to evoke perception and behaviour. Here we investigated how midbrain electrosensory neurons respond to weak contrasts in the electrosensory system of the weakly electric fish Apteronotus leptorhynchus. We found that these neurons displayed lower detection thresholds than their afferent hindbrain electrosensory neurons. Further analysis revealed that the lower detection thresholds of midbrain neurons were not due to increased sensitivity to the stimulus. Rather, these were due to the fact that midbrain neurons displayed lower variability in their firing activities in the absence of stimulation, which is due to lower firing rates. Our results suggest that midbrain neurons play an active role towards enabling the detection of weak stimulus contrasts, which in turn leads to perception and behavioral responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea Kim
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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24
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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: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [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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25
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Howard CW, Toossi A, Mushahwar VK. Variety Is the Spice of Life: Positive and Negative Effects of Noise in Electrical Stimulation of the Nervous System. Neuroscientist 2020; 27:529-543. [DOI: 10.1177/1073858420951155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Noisy stimuli may hold the key for optimal electrical stimulation of the nervous system. Possible mechanisms of noise’s impact upon neuronal function are discussed, including intracellular, extracellular, and systems-level mechanisms. Specifically, channel resonance, stochastic resonance, high conductance states, and network binding are investigated. These mechanisms are examined and possible directions of growth for the field are discussed, with examples of applications provided from the fields of deep brain stimulation or spinal cord injury. Together, this review highlights the theoretical basis and evidence base for the use of noise to enhance current stimulation paradigms of the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calvin W. Howard
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Sensory Motor Adaptive Rehabilitation Technology (SMART) Network, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Amirali Toossi
- Sensory Motor Adaptive Rehabilitation Technology (SMART) Network, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Vivian K. Mushahwar
- Sensory Motor Adaptive Rehabilitation Technology (SMART) Network, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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26
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Ansorge J, Humanes‐Valera D, Pauzin FP, Schwarz MK, Krieger P. Cortical layer 6 control of sensory responses in higher‐order thalamus. J Physiol 2020; 598:3973-4001. [DOI: 10.1113/jp279915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Josephine Ansorge
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Systems Neuroscience Ruhr University Bochum Bochum Germany
| | - Desire Humanes‐Valera
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Systems Neuroscience Ruhr University Bochum Bochum Germany
| | - François P. Pauzin
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Systems Neuroscience Ruhr University Bochum Bochum Germany
| | - Martin K. Schwarz
- Institute of Experimental Epileptology and Cognition Research University of Bonn Medical School Bonn Germany
| | - Patrik Krieger
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Systems Neuroscience Ruhr University Bochum Bochum Germany
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27
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Liu J, Whiteway MR, Sheikhattar A, Butts DA, Babadi B, Kanold PO. Parallel Processing of Sound Dynamics across Mouse Auditory Cortex via Spatially Patterned Thalamic Inputs and Distinct Areal Intracortical Circuits. Cell Rep 2020; 27:872-885.e7. [PMID: 30995483 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.03.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural sounds have rich spectrotemporal dynamics. Spectral information is spatially represented in the auditory cortex (ACX) via large-scale maps. However, the representation of temporal information, e.g., sound offset, is unclear. We perform multiscale imaging of neuronal and thalamic activity evoked by sound onset and offset in awake mouse ACX. ACX areas differed in onset responses (On-Rs) and offset responses (Off-Rs). Most excitatory L2/3 neurons show either On-Rs or Off-Rs, and ACX areas are characterized by differing fractions of On and Off-R neurons. Somatostatin and parvalbumin interneurons show distinct temporal dynamics, potentially amplifying Off-Rs. Functional network analysis shows that ACX areas contain distinct parallel onset and offset networks. Thalamic (MGB) terminals show either On-Rs or Off-Rs, indicating a thalamic origin of On and Off-R pathways. Thus, ACX areas spatially represent temporal features, and this representation is created by spatial convergence and co-activation of distinct MGB inputs and is refined by specific intracortical connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Liu
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Matthew R Whiteway
- Applied Mathematics and Statistics and Scientific Computation Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Alireza Sheikhattar
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Daniel A Butts
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Applied Mathematics and Statistics and Scientific Computation Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Behtash Babadi
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Patrick O Kanold
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
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28
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Vardar B, Güçlü B. Effects of basal forebrain stimulation on the vibrotactile responses of neurons from the hindpaw representation in the rat SI cortex. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 225:1761-1776. [PMID: 32495132 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02091-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Basal forebrain (BF) cholinergic system is important for attention and modulates sensory processing. We focused on the hindpaw representation in rat primary somatosensory cortex (S1), which receives inputs related to mechanoreceptors identical to those in human glabrous skin. Spike data were recorded from S1 tactile neurons (n = 87) with (ON condition: 0.5-ms bipolar current pulses at 100 Hz; amplitude 50 μA, duration 0.5 s at each trial) and without (OFF condition) electrical stimulation of BF in anesthetized rats. We expected that prior activation of BF would induce changes in the vibrotactile responses of neurons during sinusoidal (5, 40, and 250 Hz) mechanical stimulation of the glabrous skin. The experiment consisted of sequential OFF-ON conditions in two-time blocks separated by 30 min to test possible remaining effects. Average firing rates (AFRs) and vector strengths of spike phases (VS) were analyzed for different neuron types [regular spiking (RS) and fast spiking (FS)] in different cortical layers (III-VI). Immediate effect of BF activation was only significant by increasing synchronization to 5-Hz vibrotactile stimulus within the second block. Regardless of frequency, ON-OFF paired VS differences were significantly higher in the second block compared to the first, more prominent for RS neurons, and in general for neurons in layers III and VI. No such effects could be found on AFRs. The results suggest that cholinergic activation induces some changes in the hindpaw area, enabling relatively higher increases in synchronization to vibrotactile inputs with subsequent BF modulation. In addition, this modulation depends on neuron type and layer, which may be related to detailed projection pattern from BF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bige Vardar
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Boğaziçi University, Kandilli Campus, Çengelköy, 34684, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Burak Güçlü
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Boğaziçi University, Kandilli Campus, Çengelköy, 34684, Istanbul, Turkey.
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29
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Hofmann V, Chacron MJ. Novel Functions of Feedback in Electrosensory Processing. Front Integr Neurosci 2019; 13:52. [PMID: 31572137 PMCID: PMC6753188 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2019.00052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental signals act as input and are processed across successive stages in the brain to generate a meaningful behavioral output. However, a ubiquitous observation is that descending feedback projections from more central to more peripheral brain areas vastly outnumber ascending feedforward projections. Such projections generally act to modify how sensory neurons respond to afferent signals. Recent studies in the electrosensory system of weakly electric fish have revealed novel functions for feedback pathways in that their transformation of the afferent input generates neural firing rate responses to sensory signals mediating perception and behavior. In this review, we focus on summarizing these novel and recently uncovered functions and put them into context by describing the more "classical" functions of feedback in the electrosensory system. We further highlight the parallels between the electrosensory system and other systems as well as outline interesting future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volker Hofmann
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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30
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Barral J, Wang XJ, Reyes AD. Propagation of temporal and rate signals in cultured multilayer networks. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3969. [PMID: 31481671 PMCID: PMC6722076 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11851-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [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: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Analyses of idealized feedforward networks suggest that several conditions have to be satisfied in order for activity to propagate faithfully across layers. Verifying these concepts experimentally has been difficult owing to the vast number of variables that must be controlled. Here, we cultured cortical neurons in a chamber with sequentially connected compartments, optogenetically stimulated individual neurons in the first layer with high spatiotemporal resolution, and then monitored the subthreshold and suprathreshold potentials in subsequent layers. Brief stimuli delivered to the first layer evoked a short-latency transient response followed by sustained activity. Rate signals, carried by the sustained component, propagated reliably through 4 layers, unlike idealized feedforward networks, which tended strongly towards synchrony. Moreover, temporal jitter in the stimulus was transformed into a rate code and transmitted to the last layer. This novel mode of propagation occurred in the balanced excitatory-inhibitory regime and is mediated by NMDA-mediated receptors and recurrent activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérémie Barral
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
- Institut de l'Audition, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alex D Reyes
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
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31
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Roelfsema PR, Holtmaat A. Control of synaptic plasticity in deep cortical networks. Nat Rev Neurosci 2019; 19:166-180. [PMID: 29449713 DOI: 10.1038/nrn.2018.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Humans and many other animals have an enormous capacity to learn about sensory stimuli and to master new skills. However, many of the mechanisms that enable us to learn remain to be understood. One of the greatest challenges of systems neuroscience is to explain how synaptic connections change to support maximally adaptive behaviour. Here, we provide an overview of factors that determine the change in the strength of synapses, with a focus on synaptic plasticity in sensory cortices. We review the influence of neuromodulators and feedback connections in synaptic plasticity and suggest a specific framework in which these factors can interact to improve the functioning of the entire network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pieter R Roelfsema
- Department of Vision and Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Psychiatry Department, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Anthony Holtmaat
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, Geneva Neuroscience Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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32
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Adibi M. Whisker-Mediated Touch System in Rodents: From Neuron to Behavior. Front Syst Neurosci 2019; 13:40. [PMID: 31496942 PMCID: PMC6712080 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2019.00040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
A key question in systems neuroscience is to identify how sensory stimuli are represented in neuronal activity, and how the activity of sensory neurons in turn is “read out” by downstream neurons and give rise to behavior. The choice of a proper model system to address these questions, is therefore a crucial step. Over the past decade, the increasingly powerful array of experimental approaches that has become available in non-primate models (e.g., optogenetics and two-photon imaging) has spurred a renewed interest for the use of rodent models in systems neuroscience research. Here, I introduce the rodent whisker-mediated touch system as a structurally well-established and well-organized model system which, despite its simplicity, gives rise to complex behaviors. This system serves as a behaviorally efficient model system; known as nocturnal animals, along with their olfaction, rodents rely on their whisker-mediated touch system to collect information about their surrounding environment. Moreover, this system represents a well-studied circuitry with a somatotopic organization. At every stage of processing, one can identify anatomical and functional topographic maps of whiskers; “barrelettes” in the brainstem nuclei, “barreloids” in the sensory thalamus, and “barrels” in the cortex. This article provides a brief review on the basic anatomy and function of the whisker system in rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Adibi
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Tactile Perception and Learning Lab, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy.,Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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Functional Architecture and Encoding of Tactile Sensorimotor Behavior in Rat Posterior Parietal Cortex. J Neurosci 2019; 39:7332-7343. [PMID: 31332000 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0693-19.2019] [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: 03/03/2019] [Revised: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 07/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The posterior parietal cortex (PPC) in rodents is reciprocally connected to primary somatosensory and vibrissal motor cortices. The PPC neuronal circuitry could thus encode and potentially integrate incoming somatosensory information and whisker motor output. However, the information encoded across PPC layers during refined sensorimotor behavior remains largely unknown. To uncover the sensorimotor features represented in PPC during voluntary whisking and object touch, we performed loose-patch single-unit recordings and extracellular recordings of ensemble activity, covering all layers of PPC in anesthetized and awake, behaving male rats. First, using single-cell receptive field mapping, we revealed the presence of coarse somatotopy along the mediolateral axis in PPC. Second, we found that spiking activity was modulated during exploratory whisking in layers 2-4 and layer 6, but not in layer 5 of awake, behaving rats. Population spiking activity preceded actual movement, and whisker trajectory endpoints could be decoded by population spiking, suggesting that PPC is involved in movement planning. Finally, population spiking activity further increased in response to active whisker touch but only in PPC layers 2-4. Thus, we find layer-specific processing, which emphasizes the computational role of PPC during whisker sensorimotor behavior.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The posterior parietal cortex (PPC) is thought to merge information on motor output and sensory input to orchestrate interaction with the environment, but the function of different PPC microcircuit components is poorly understood. We recorded neuronal activity in rat PPC during sensorimotor behavior involving motor and sensory pathways. We uncovered that PPC layers have dedicated function: motor and sensory information is merged in layers 2-4; layer 6 predominantly represents motor information. Collectively, PPC activity predicts future motor output, thus entailing a motor plan. Our results are important for understanding how PPC computationally processes motor output and sensory input. This understanding may facilitate decoding of brain activity when using brain-machine interfaces to overcome loss of function after, for instance, spinal cord injury.
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Camon J, Hugues S, Erlandson MA, Robbe D, Lagoun S, Marouane E, Bureau I. The Timing of Sensory-Guided Behavioral Response is Represented in the Mouse Primary Somatosensory Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2019; 29:3034-3047. [PMID: 30060069 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2018] [Revised: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Whisker-guided decision making in mice is thought to critically depend on information processing occurring in the primary somatosensory cortex. However, it is not clear if neuronal activity in this "early" sensory region contains information about the timing and speed of motor response. To address this question we designed a new task in which freely moving mice learned to associate a whisker stimulus to reward delivery. The task was tailored in such a way that a wide range of delays between whisker stimulation and reward collection were observed due to differences of motivation and perception. After training, mice were anesthetized and neuronal responses evoked by stimulating trained and untrained whiskers were recorded across several cortical columns of barrel cortex. We found a strong correlation between the delay of the mouse behavioral response and the timing of multiunit activity evoked by the trained whisker, outside its principal cortical column, in layers 4 and 5A but not in layer 2/3. Circuit mapping ex vivo revealed this effect was associated with a weakening of layer 4 to layer 2/3 projection. We conclude that the processes controlling the propagation of key sensory inputs to naive cortical columns and the timing of sensory-guided action are linked.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérémy Camon
- INMED, INSERM U1249, Université Aix-Marseille, Marseille, France
| | - Sandrine Hugues
- INMED, INSERM U1249, Université Aix-Marseille, Marseille, France
| | | | - David Robbe
- INMED, INSERM U1249, Université Aix-Marseille, Marseille, France
| | - Sabria Lagoun
- INMED, INSERM U1249, Université Aix-Marseille, Marseille, France
| | - Emna Marouane
- INMED, INSERM U1249, Université Aix-Marseille, Marseille, France
| | - Ingrid Bureau
- INMED, INSERM U1249, Université Aix-Marseille, Marseille, France
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35
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Farfán FD, Soto-Sánchez C, Pizá AG, Albarracín AL, Soletta JH, Lucianna FA, Fernández E. Comparative study of extracellular recording methods for analysis of afferent sensory information: Empirical modeling, data analysis and interpretation. J Neurosci Methods 2019; 320:116-127. [PMID: 30849435 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.03.004] [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: 11/13/2018] [Revised: 03/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Physiological studies of sensorial systems often require the acquisition and processing of data extracted from their multiple components to evaluate how the neural information changes in relation to the environment changes. In this work, a comparative study about methodological aspects of two electrophysiological approaches is described. NEW METHOD Extracellular recordings from deep vibrissal nerves were obtained by using a customized microelectrode Utah array during passive mechanical stimulation of rat´s whiskers. These recordings were compared with those obtained with bipolar electrodes. We also propose here a simplified empirical model of the electrophysiological activity obtained from a bundle of myelinated nerve fibers. RESULTS The peripheral activity of the vibrissal system was characterized through the temporal and spectral features obtained with both recording methods. The empirical model not only allows the correlation between anatomical structures and functional features, but also allows to predict changes in the CAPs morphology when the arrangement and the geometry of the electrodes changes. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD(S) This study compares two extracellular recording methods based on analysis techniques, empirical modeling and data processing of vibrissal sensory information. CONCLUSIONS This comparative study reveals a close relationship between the electrophysiological techniques and the processing methods necessary to extract sensory information. This relationship is the result of maximizing the extraction of information from recordings of sensory activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- F D Farfán
- Laboratorio de Medios e Interfases (LAMEIN), Departamento de Bioingeniería, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina; Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Tucumán, Argentina.
| | - C Soto-Sánchez
- Bioengineering Institute, Miguel Hernández University (UMH), Alicante, Spain; Biomedical Research Networking center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Zaragoza, Spain.
| | - A G Pizá
- Laboratorio de Medios e Interfases (LAMEIN), Departamento de Bioingeniería, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina; Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Tucumán, Argentina.
| | - A L Albarracín
- Laboratorio de Medios e Interfases (LAMEIN), Departamento de Bioingeniería, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina; Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Tucumán, Argentina.
| | - J H Soletta
- Laboratorio de Medios e Interfases (LAMEIN), Departamento de Bioingeniería, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina; Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Tucumán, Argentina.
| | - F A Lucianna
- Laboratorio de Medios e Interfases (LAMEIN), Departamento de Bioingeniería, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina; Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Tucumán, Argentina.
| | - E Fernández
- Bioengineering Institute, Miguel Hernández University (UMH), Alicante, Spain; Biomedical Research Networking center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Zaragoza, Spain.
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36
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Kuatsjah E, Khoshnam M, Menon C. Investigation on the effect of noisy galvanic vestibular stimulation on fine motor skills during a visuomotor task in healthy participants. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0216214. [PMID: 31048906 PMCID: PMC6497271 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Noisy galvanic vestibular stimulation (nGVS) has been shown to improve dynamic walking stability, affect postural responses, enhance balance in healthy subjects, and influence motor performance in individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Although the studies to fully characterize the effect of nGVS are still ongoing, stochastic resonance theory which states that the addition of noisy signal may enhance a weak sensory input signals transmission in a non-linear system may provide a possible explanation for the observed positive effects of nGVS. This study explores the effect of nGVS on fine tracking behavior in healthy subjects. Ten healthy participants performed a computer-based visuomotor task by controlling an object with a joystick to follow an amplitude-modulated signal path while simultaneously receiving a sham or pink noise nGVS. The stimulation was generated to have a zero-mean, linearly detrended 1/f-type power spectrum, Gaussian distribution within 0.1–10 Hz range, and a standard deviation (SD) set to 90% based on each participant’s cutaneous threshold value. Results show that simultaneous nGVS delivery statistically improved the tracking performance with a decreased root-mean-squared error of 5.71±6.20% (mean±SD), a decreased time delay of 11.88±9.66% (mean±SD), and an increased signal-to-noise ratio of 2.93% (median, interquartile range (IQR) 3.31%). This study showed evidence that nGVS may be beneficial in improving sensorimotor performance during a fine motor tracking task requiring fine wrist movement in healthy subjects. Further research with a more comprehensive subset of tasks is required to fully characterize the effects of nGVS on fine motor skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunice Kuatsjah
- Menrva Research Group, Schools of Mechatronic Systems Engineering and Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University, Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Mahta Khoshnam
- Menrva Research Group, Schools of Mechatronic Systems Engineering and Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University, Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Carlo Menon
- Menrva Research Group, Schools of Mechatronic Systems Engineering and Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University, Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- * E-mail:
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37
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Verduzco-Flores S, De Schutter E. Draculab: A Python Simulator for Firing Rate Neural Networks With Delayed Adaptive Connections. Front Neuroinform 2019; 13:18. [PMID: 31001101 PMCID: PMC6454197 DOI: 10.3389/fninf.2019.00018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Draculab is a neural simulator with a particular use scenario: firing rate units with delayed connections, using custom-made unit and synapse models, possibly controlling simulated physical systems. Draculab also has a particular design philosophy. It aims to blur the line between users and developers. Three factors help to achieve this: a simple design using Python's data structures, extensive use of standard libraries, and profusely commented source code. This paper is an introduction to Draculab's architecture and philosophy. After presenting some example networks it explains basic algorithms and data structures that constitute the essence of this approach. The relation with other simulators is discussed, as well as the reasons why connection delays and interaction with simulated physical systems are emphasized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Verduzco-Flores
- Computational Neuroscience Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Erik De Schutter
- Computational Neuroscience Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Okinawa, Japan
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38
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Response Adaptation in Barrel Cortical Neurons Facilitates Stimulus Detection during Rhythmic Whisker Stimulation in Anesthetized Mice. eNeuro 2019; 6:eN-NWR-0471-18. [PMID: 30957014 PMCID: PMC6449164 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0471-18.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Rodents use rhythmic whisker movements at frequencies between 4 and 12 Hz to sense the environment that will be disturbed when the animal touches an object. The aim of this work is to study the response adaptation to rhythmic whisker stimulation trains at 4 Hz in the barrel cortex and the sensitivity of cortical neurons to changes in the timing of the stimulation pattern. Longitudinal arrays of four iridium oxide electrodes were used to obtain single-unit recordings in supragranular, granular, and infragranular neurons in urethane anesthetized mice. The stimulation protocol consisted in a stimulation train of three air puffs (20 ms duration each) in which the time interval between the first and the third stimuli was fixed (500 ms) and the time interval between the first and the second stimuli changed (regular: 250 ms; “accelerando”: 375 ms; or “decelerando” stimulation train: 125 ms interval). Cortical neurons adapted strongly their response to regular stimulation trains. Response adaptation was reduced when accelerando or decelerando stimulation trains were applied. This facilitation of the shifted stimulus was mediated by activation of NMDA receptors because the effect was blocked by AP5. The facilitation was not observed in thalamic nuclei. Facilitation increased during periods of EEG activation induced by systemic application of IGF-I, probably by activation of NMDA receptors, as well. We suggest that response adaptation is the outcome of an intrinsic cortical information processing aimed at contributing to improve the detection of “unexpected” stimuli that disturbed the rhythmic behavior of exploration.
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39
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Casas-Torremocha D, Porrero C, Rodriguez-Moreno J, García-Amado M, Lübke JHR, Núñez Á, Clascá F. Posterior thalamic nucleus axon terminals have different structure and functional impact in the motor and somatosensory vibrissal cortices. Brain Struct Funct 2019; 224:1627-1645. [PMID: 30919051 PMCID: PMC6509070 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-019-01862-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Rodents extract information about nearby objects from the movement of their whiskers through dynamic computations that are carried out by a network of forebrain structures that includes the thalamus and the primary sensory (S1BF) and motor (M1wk) whisker cortices. The posterior nucleus (Po), a higher order thalamic nucleus, is a key hub of this network, receiving cortical and brainstem sensory inputs and innervating both motor and sensory whisker-related cortical areas. In a recent study in rats, we showed that Po inputs differently impact sensory processing in S1BF and M1wk. Here, in C57BL/6 mice, we measured Po synaptic bouton layer distribution and size, compared cortical unit response latencies to "in vivo" Po activation, and pharmacologically examined the glutamatergic receptor mechanisms involved. We found that, in S1BF, a large majority (56%) of Po axon varicosities are located in layer (L)5a and only 12% in L2-L4, whereas in M1wk this proportion is inverted to 18% and 55%, respectively. Light and electron microscopic measurements showed that Po synaptic boutons in M1wk layers 3-4 are significantly larger (~ 50%) than those in S1BF L5a. Electrical Po stimulation elicits different area-specific response patterns. In S1BF, responses show weak or no facilitation, and involve both ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors, whereas in M1wk, unit responses exhibit facilitation to repetitive stimulation and involve ionotropic NMDA glutamate receptors. Because of the different laminar distribution of axon terminals, synaptic bouton size and receptor mechanisms, the impact of Po signals on M1wk and S1BF, although simultaneous, is likely to be markedly different.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Casas-Torremocha
- Department of Anatomy and Graduate Program in Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autónoma de Madrid University, Calle Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - César Porrero
- Department of Anatomy and Graduate Program in Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autónoma de Madrid University, Calle Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Rodriguez-Moreno
- Department of Anatomy and Graduate Program in Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autónoma de Madrid University, Calle Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - María García-Amado
- Department of Anatomy and Graduate Program in Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autónoma de Madrid University, Calle Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Joachim H R Lübke
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-10, Research Centre Jülich GmbH, 52425, Jülich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,JARA-Brain Medicine, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ángel Núñez
- Department of Anatomy and Graduate Program in Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autónoma de Madrid University, Calle Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Clascá
- Department of Anatomy and Graduate Program in Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autónoma de Madrid University, Calle Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029, Madrid, Spain.
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Feed-forward information and zero-lag synchronization in the sensory thalamocortical circuit are modulated during stimulus perception. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:7513-7522. [PMID: 30910974 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1819095116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The direction of functional information flow in the sensory thalamocortical circuit may play a role in stimulus perception, but, surprisingly, this process is poorly understood. We addressed this problem by evaluating a directional information measure between simultaneously recorded neurons from somatosensory thalamus (ventral posterolateral nucleus, VPL) and somatosensory cortex (S1) sharing the same cutaneous receptive field while monkeys judged the presence or absence of a tactile stimulus. During stimulus presence, feed-forward information (VPL → S1) increased as a function of the stimulus amplitude, while pure feed-back information (S1 → VPL) was unaffected. In parallel, zero-lag interaction emerged with increasing stimulus amplitude, reflecting externally driven thalamocortical synchronization during stimulus processing. Furthermore, VPL → S1 information decreased during error trials. Also, VPL → S1 and zero-lag interaction decreased when monkeys were not required to report the stimulus presence. These findings provide evidence that both the direction of information flow and the instant synchronization in the sensory thalamocortical circuit play a role in stimulus perception.
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41
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Chaudhary R, Rema V. Deficits in Behavioral Functions of Intact Barrel Cortex Following Lesions of Homotopic Contralateral Cortex. Front Syst Neurosci 2018; 12:57. [PMID: 30524251 PMCID: PMC6262316 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2018.00057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Focal unilateral injuries to the somatosensory whisker barrel cortex have been shown cause long-lasting deficits in the activity and experience-dependent plasticity of neurons in the intact contralateral barrel cortex. However, the long-term effect of these deficits on behavioral functions of the intact contralesional cortex is not clear. In this study, we used the “Gap-crossing task” a barrel cortex-dependent, whisker-sensitive, tactile behavior to test the hypothesis that unilateral lesions of the somatosensory cortex would affect behavioral functions of the intact somatosensory cortex and degrade the execution of a bilaterally learnt behavior. Adult rats were trained to perform the Gap-crossing task using whiskers on both sides of the face. The barrel cortex was then lesioned unilaterally by subpial aspiration. As observed in other studies, when rats used whiskers that directly projected to the lesioned hemisphere the performance of Gap-crossing was drastically compromised, perhaps due to direct effect of lesion. Significant and persistent deficits were present when the lesioned rats performed Gap-crossing task using whiskers that projected to the intact cortex. The deficits were specific to performance of the task at the highest levels of sensitivity. Comparable deficits were seen when normal, bilaterally trained, rats performed the Gap-crossing task with only the whiskers on one side of the face or when they used only two rows of whiskers (D row and E row) intact on both side of the face. These findings indicate that the prolonged impairment in execution of the learnt task by rats with unilateral lesions of somatosensory cortex could be because sensory inputs from one set of whiskers to the intact cortex is insufficient to provide adequate sensory information at higher thresholds of detection. Our data suggest that optimal performance of somatosensory behavior requires dynamic activity-driven interhemispheric interactions from the entire somatosensory inputs between homotopic areas of the cerebral cortex. These results imply that focal unilateral cortical injuries, including those in humans, are likely to have widespread bilateral effects on information processing including in intact areas of the cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - V Rema
- National Brain Research Centre, Manesar, India
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42
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Azarfar A, Calcini N, Huang C, Zeldenrust F, Celikel T. Neural coding: A single neuron's perspective. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 94:238-247. [PMID: 30227142 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Revised: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
What any sensory neuron knows about the world is one of the cardinal questions in Neuroscience. Information from the sensory periphery travels across synaptically coupled neurons as each neuron encodes information by varying the rate and timing of its action potentials (spikes). Spatiotemporally correlated changes in this spiking regimen across neuronal populations are the neural basis of sensory representations. In the somatosensory cortex, however, spiking of individual (or pairs of) cortical neurons is only minimally informative about the world. Recent studies showed that one solution neurons implement to counteract this information loss is adapting their rate of information transfer to the ongoing synaptic activity by changing the membrane potential at which spike is generated. Here we first introduce the principles of information flow from the sensory periphery to the primary sensory cortex in a model sensory (whisker) system, and subsequently discuss how the adaptive spike threshold gates the intracellular information transfer from the somatic post-synaptic potential to action potentials, controlling the information content of communication across somatosensory cortical neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Azarfar
- Department of Neurophysiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour Radboud University, the Netherlands
| | - Niccoló Calcini
- Department of Neurophysiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour Radboud University, the Netherlands
| | - Chao Huang
- Department of Neurophysiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour Radboud University, the Netherlands
| | - Fleur Zeldenrust
- Department of Neurophysiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour Radboud University, the Netherlands
| | - Tansu Celikel
- Department of Neurophysiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour Radboud University, the Netherlands.
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43
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Crandall SR, Patrick SL, Cruikshank SJ, Connors BW. Infrabarrels Are Layer 6 Circuit Modules in the Barrel Cortex that Link Long-Range Inputs and Outputs. Cell Rep 2018; 21:3065-3078. [PMID: 29241536 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.11.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2017] [Revised: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The rodent somatosensory cortex includes well-defined examples of cortical columns-the barrel columns-that extend throughout the cortical depth and are defined by discrete clusters of neurons in layer 4 (L4) called barrels. Using the cell-type-specific Ntsr1-Cre mouse line, we found that L6 contains infrabarrels, readily identifiable units that align with the L4 barrels. Corticothalamic (CT) neurons and their local axons cluster within the infrabarrels, whereas corticocortical (CC) neurons are densest between infrabarrels. Optogenetic experiments showed that CC cells received robust input from somatosensory thalamic nuclei, whereas CT cells received much weaker thalamic inputs. We also found that CT neurons are intrinsically less excitable, revealing that both synaptic and intrinsic mechanisms contribute to the low firing rates of CT neurons often reported in vivo. In summary, infrabarrels are discrete cortical circuit modules containing two partially separated excitatory networks that link long-distance thalamic inputs with specific outputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shane R Crandall
- Department of Neuroscience, Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
| | - Saundra L Patrick
- Department of Neuroscience, Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Scott J Cruikshank
- Department of Neuroscience, Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Barry W Connors
- Department of Neuroscience, Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
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44
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Wallrafen R, Dresbach T. The Presynaptic Protein Mover Is Differentially Expressed Across Brain Areas and Synapse Types. Front Neuroanat 2018; 12:58. [PMID: 30057527 PMCID: PMC6053503 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2018.00058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The assembly and function of presynaptic nerve terminals relies on evolutionarily conserved proteins. A small number of presynaptic proteins occurs only in vertebrates. These proteins may add specialized functions to certain synapses, thus increasing synaptic heterogeneity. Here, we show that the vertebrate-specific synaptic vesicle (SV) protein mover is differentially distributed in the forebrain and cerebellum of the adult mouse. Using a quantitative immunofluorescence approach, we compare the expression of mover to the expression of the general SV marker synaptophysin in 16 brain areas. We find that mover is particularly abundant in the septal nuclei (SNu), ventral pallidum (VPa), amygdala and hippocampus. Within the hippocampus, mover is predominantly associated with excitatory synapses. Its levels are low in layers that receive afferent input from the entorhinal cortex, and high in layers harboring intra-hippocampal circuits. In contrast, mover levels are high in all nuclei of the amygdala, and mover is associated with inhibitory synapses in the medioposterior amygdala. Our data reveal a striking heterogeneity in the abundance of mover on three levels, i.e., between brain areas, within individual brain areas and between synapse types. This distribution suggests a role for mover in providing specialization to subsets of synapses, thereby contributing to the functional diversity of brain areas.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas Dresbach
- Synaptogenesis Group, Institute of Anatomy and Embryology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
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Devilbiss DM. Consequences of tuning network function by tonic and phasic locus coeruleus output and stress: Regulating detection and discrimination of peripheral stimuli. Brain Res 2018; 1709:16-27. [PMID: 29908165 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Flexible and adaptive behaviors have evolved with increasing complexity and numbers of neuromodulator systems. The neuromodulatory locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system is central to regulating cognitive function in a behaviorally-relevant and arousal-dependent manner. Through its nearly ubiquitous efferent projections, the LC-NE system acts to modulate neuron function on a cell-by-cell basis and exert a spectrum of actions across different brain regions to optimize target circuit function. As LC neuron activity, NE signaling, and arousal level increases, cognitive performance improves over an inverted-U shaped curve. Additionally, LC neurons burst phasically in relation to novel or salient sensory stimuli and top-down decision- or response-related processes. Together, the variety of LC activity patterns and complex actions of the LC-NE system indicate that the LC-NE system may dynamically regulate the function of target neural circuits. The manner in which neural networks encode, represent, and perform neurocomputations continue to be revealed. This has improved our ability to understand the optimization of neural circuits by NE and generation of flexible and adaptive goal-directed behaviors. In this review, the rat vibrissa somatosensory system is explored as a model neural circuit to bridge known modulatory actions of NE and changes in cognitive function. It is argued that fluid transitions between neural computational states reflect the ability of this sensory system to shift between two principal functions: detection of novel or salient sensory information and detailed descriptions of sensory information. Such flexibility in circuit function is likely critical for producing context-appropriate sensory signal processing. Nonetheless, many challenges remain including providing a causal link between NE mediated changes in sensory neural coding and perceptual changes, as well as extending these principles to higher cognitive functions including behavioral flexibility and decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Devilbiss
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Stratford, NJ 08084, United States.
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46
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Antic SD, Hines M, Lytton WW. Embedded ensemble encoding hypothesis: The role of the "Prepared" cell. J Neurosci Res 2018; 96:1543-1559. [PMID: 29633330 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2017] [Revised: 03/10/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
We here reconsider current theories of neural ensembles in the context of recent discoveries about neuronal dendritic physiology. The key physiological observation is that the dendritic plateau potential produces sustained depolarization of the cell body (amplitude 10-20 mV, duration 200-500 ms). Our central hypothesis is that synaptically-evoked dendritic plateau potentials lead to a prepared state of a neuron that favors spike generation. The plateau both depolarizes the cell toward spike threshold, and provides faster response to inputs through a shortened membrane time constant. As a result, the speed of synaptic-to-action potential (AP) transfer is faster during the plateau phase. Our hypothesis relates the changes from "resting" to "depolarized" neuronal state to changes in ensemble dynamics and in network information flow. The plateau provides the Prepared state (sustained depolarization of the cell body) with a time window of 200-500 ms. During this time, a neuron can tune into ongoing network activity and synchronize spiking with other neurons to provide a coordinated Active state (robust firing of somatic APs), which would permit "binding" of signals through coordination of neural activity across a population. The transient Active ensemble of neurons is embedded in the longer-lasting Prepared ensemble of neurons. We hypothesize that "embedded ensemble encoding" may be an important organizing principle in networks of neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srdjan D Antic
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute for Systems Genomics, Stem Cell Institute, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut
| | - Michael Hines
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - William W Lytton
- Physiology and Pharmacology, Neurology, Biomedical Engineering, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York.,Department of Neurology, Kings County Hospital, Brooklyn, New York
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Du ZJ, Bi GQ, Cui XT. Electrically Controlled Neurochemical Release from Dual-Layer Conducting Polymer Films for Precise Modulation of Neural Network Activity in Rat Barrel Cortex. ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS 2018; 28:1703988. [PMID: 30467460 PMCID: PMC6242295 DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201703988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Implantable microelectrode arrays (MEAs) are important tools for investigating functional neural circuits and treating neurological diseases. Precise modulation of neural activity may be achieved by controlled delivery of neurochemicals directly from coatings on MEA electrode sites. In this study, a novel dual-layer conductive polymer/acid functionalized carbon nanotube (fCNT) microelectrode coating is developed to better facilitate the loading and controlled delivery of the neurochemical 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (DNQX). The base layer coating is consisted of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene/fCNT and the top layer is consisted of polypyrrole/fCNT/DNQX. The dual-layer coating is capable of both loading and electrically releasing DNQX and the release dynamic is characterized with fluorescence microscopy and mathematical modeling. In vivo DNQX release is demonstrated in rat somatosensory cortex. Sensory-evoked neural activity is immediately (<1s) and locally (<446 µm) suppressed by electrically triggered DNQX release. Furthermore, a single DNQX-loaded, dual-layer coating is capable of inducing effective neural inhibition for at least 26 times without observable degradation in efficacy. Incorporation of the novel drug releasing coating onto individual MEA electrodes offers many advantages over alternative methods by increasing spatial-temporal precision and improving drug selection flexibility without increasing the device's size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanhong Jeff Du
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 5057 Biomedical Science Tower 3, 3501 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Guo-Qiang Bi
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence, Technology and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Xinyan Tracy Cui
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 5057 Biomedical Science Tower 3, 3501 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
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48
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Convergence of Primary Sensory Cortex and Cerebellar Nuclei Pathways in the Whisker System. Neuroscience 2018; 368:229-239. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.07.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Revised: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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Allitt BJ, Alwis DS, Rajan R. Laminar-specific encoding of texture elements in rat barrel cortex. J Physiol 2017; 595:7223-7247. [PMID: 28929510 PMCID: PMC5709323 DOI: 10.1113/jp274865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 09/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS For rats texture discrimination is signalled by the large face whiskers by stick-slip events. Neural encoding of repetitive stick-slip events will be influenced by intrinsic properties of adaptation. We show that texture coding in the barrel cortex is laminar specific and follows a power function. Our results also show layer 2 codes for novel feature elements via robust firing rates and temporal fidelity. We conclude that texture coding relies on a subtle neural ensemble to provide important object information. ABSTRACT Texture discrimination by rats is exquisitely guided by fine-grain mechanical stick-slip motions of the face whiskers as they encounter, stick to and slip past successive texture-defining surface features such as bumps and grooves. Neural encoding of successive stick-slip texture events will be shaped by adaptation, common to all sensory systems, whereby receptor and neural responses to a stimulus are affected by responses to preceding stimuli, allowing resetting to signal novel information. Additionally, when a whisker is actively moved to contact and brush over surfaces, that motion itself generates neural responses that could cause adaptation of responses to subsequent stick-slip events. Nothing is known about encoding in the rat whisker system of stick-slip events defining textures of different grain or the influence of adaptation from whisker protraction or successive texture-defining stick-slip events. Here we recorded responses from halothane-anaesthetized rats in response to texture-defining stimuli applied to passive whiskers. We demonstrate that: across the columnar network of the whisker-recipient barrel cortex, adaptation in response to repetitive stick-slip events is strongest in uppermost layers and equally lower thereafter; neither whisker protraction speed nor stick-slip frequency impede encoding of stick-slip events at rates up to 34.08 Hz; and layer 2 normalizes responses to whisker protraction to resist effects on texture signalling. Thus, within laminar-specific response patterns, barrel cortex reliably encodes texture-defining elements even to high frequencies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dasuni S. Alwis
- Department of PhysiologyMonash UniversityClaytonVIC3800Australia
| | - Ramesh Rajan
- Department of PhysiologyMonash UniversityClaytonVIC3800Australia
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50
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Rojas-Piloni G, Guest JM, Egger R, Johnson AS, Sakmann B, Oberlaender M. Relationships between structure, in vivo function and long-range axonal target of cortical pyramidal tract neurons. Nat Commun 2017; 8:870. [PMID: 29021587 PMCID: PMC5636900 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00971-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Pyramidal tract neurons (PTs) represent the major output cell type of the neocortex. To investigate principles of how the results of cortical processing are broadcasted to different downstream targets thus requires experimental approaches, which provide access to the in vivo electrophysiology of PTs, whose subcortical target regions are identified. On the example of rat barrel cortex (vS1), we illustrate that retrograde tracer injections into multiple subcortical structures allow identifying the long-range axonal targets of individual in vivo recorded PTs. Here we report that soma depth and dendritic path lengths within each cortical layer of vS1, as well as spiking patterns during both periods of ongoing activity and during sensory stimulation, reflect the respective subcortical target regions of PTs. We show that these cellular properties result in a structure-function parameter space that allows predicting a PT's subcortical target region, without the need to inject multiple retrograde tracers.The major output cell type of the neocortex - pyramidal tract neurons (PTs) - send axonal projections to various subcortical areas. Here the authors combined in vivo recordings, retrograde tracings, and reconstructions of PTs in rat somatosensory cortex to show that PT structure and activity can predict specific subcortical targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo Rojas-Piloni
- Digital Neuroanatomy, Max Planck Florida Institute of Neuroscience, 1 Max-Planck-Way, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA.,Departamento de Neurobiología del Desarrollo y Neurofisiología, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Campus UNAM-Juriquilla, Querétaro, 76230, Mexico
| | - Jason M Guest
- Digital Neuroanatomy, Max Planck Florida Institute of Neuroscience, 1 Max-Planck-Way, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA.,Max Planck Group: In Silico Brain Sciences, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, Bonn, 53175, Germany.,Bernstein Group: Computational Neuroanatomy, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Spemannstr. 38-44, Tübingen, 72076, Germany
| | - Robert Egger
- Bernstein Group: Computational Neuroanatomy, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Spemannstr. 38-44, Tübingen, 72076, Germany
| | - Andrew S Johnson
- Digital Neuroanatomy, Max Planck Florida Institute of Neuroscience, 1 Max-Planck-Way, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA
| | - Bert Sakmann
- Digital Neuroanatomy, Max Planck Florida Institute of Neuroscience, 1 Max-Planck-Way, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA
| | - Marcel Oberlaender
- Digital Neuroanatomy, Max Planck Florida Institute of Neuroscience, 1 Max-Planck-Way, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA. .,Max Planck Group: In Silico Brain Sciences, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, Bonn, 53175, Germany. .,Bernstein Group: Computational Neuroanatomy, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Spemannstr. 38-44, Tübingen, 72076, Germany.
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