1
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Gauld OM, Packer AM, Russell LE, Dalgleish HWP, Iuga M, Sacadura F, Roth A, Clark BA, Häusser M. A latent pool of neurons silenced by sensory-evoked inhibition can be recruited to enhance perception. Neuron 2024; 112:2386-2403.e6. [PMID: 38729150 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.04.015] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
To investigate which activity patterns in sensory cortex are relevant for perceptual decision-making, we combined two-photon calcium imaging and targeted two-photon optogenetics to interrogate barrel cortex activity during perceptual discrimination. We trained mice to discriminate bilateral whisker deflections and report decisions by licking left or right. Two-photon calcium imaging revealed sparse coding of contralateral and ipsilateral whisker input in layer 2/3, with most neurons remaining silent during the task. Activating pyramidal neurons using two-photon holographic photostimulation evoked a perceptual bias that scaled with the number of neurons photostimulated. This effect was dominated by optogenetic activation of non-coding neurons, which did not show sensory or motor-related activity during task performance. Photostimulation also revealed potent recruitment of cortical inhibition during sensory processing, which strongly and preferentially suppressed non-coding neurons. Our results suggest that a pool of non-coding neurons, selectively suppressed by network inhibition during sensory processing, can be recruited to enhance perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver M Gauld
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK; Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, University College London, London W1T 4JG, UK.
| | - Adam M Packer
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK; Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Lloyd E Russell
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Henry W P Dalgleish
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Maya Iuga
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Francisco Sacadura
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Arnd Roth
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Beverley A Clark
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Michael Häusser
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
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2
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Chang YT, Finkel EA, Xu D, O'Connor DH. Rule-based modulation of a sensorimotor transformation across cortical areas. eLife 2024; 12:RP92620. [PMID: 38842277 PMCID: PMC11156468 DOI: 10.7554/elife.92620] [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] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Flexible responses to sensory stimuli based on changing rules are critical for adapting to a dynamic environment. However, it remains unclear how the brain encodes and uses rule information to guide behavior. Here, we made single-unit recordings while head-fixed mice performed a cross-modal sensory selection task where they switched between two rules: licking in response to tactile stimuli while rejecting visual stimuli, or vice versa. Along a cortical sensorimotor processing stream including the primary (S1) and secondary (S2) somatosensory areas, and the medial (MM) and anterolateral (ALM) motor areas, single-neuron activity distinguished between the two rules both prior to and in response to the tactile stimulus. We hypothesized that neural populations in these areas would show rule-dependent preparatory states, which would shape the subsequent sensory processing and behavior. This hypothesis was supported for the motor cortical areas (MM and ALM) by findings that (1) the current task rule could be decoded from pre-stimulus population activity; (2) neural subspaces containing the population activity differed between the two rules; and (3) optogenetic disruption of pre-stimulus states impaired task performance. Our findings indicate that flexible action selection in response to sensory input can occur via configuration of preparatory states in the motor cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ting Chang
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
- Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Eric A Finkel
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Duo Xu
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
- Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Daniel H O'Connor
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
- Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreUnited States
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3
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Gardères PM, Le Gal S, Rousseau C, Mamane A, Ganea DA, Haiss F. Coexistence of state, choice, and sensory integration coding in barrel cortex LII/III. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4782. [PMID: 38839747 PMCID: PMC11153558 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49129-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
During perceptually guided decisions, correlates of choice are found as upstream as in the primary sensory areas. However, how well these choice signals align with early sensory representations, a prerequisite for their interpretation as feedforward substrates of perception, remains an open question. We designed a two alternative forced choice task (2AFC) in which male mice compared stimulation frequencies applied to two adjacent vibrissae. The optogenetic silencing of individual columns in the primary somatosensory cortex (wS1) resulted in predicted shifts of psychometric functions, demonstrating that perception depends on focal, early sensory representations. Functional imaging of layer II/III single neurons revealed mixed coding of stimuli, choices and engagement in the task. Neurons with multi-whisker suppression display improved sensory discrimination and had their activity increased during engagement in the task, enhancing selectively representation of the signals relevant to solving the task. From trial to trial, representation of stimuli and choice varied substantially, but mostly orthogonally to each other, suggesting that perceptual variability does not originate from wS1 fluctuations but rather from downstream areas. Together, our results highlight the role of primary sensory areas in forming a reliable sensory substrate that could be used for flexible downstream decision processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre-Marie Gardères
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Unit of Neural Circuits Dynamics and Decision Making, F-75015, Paris, France.
- IZKF Aachen, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Sébastien Le Gal
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Unit of Neural Circuits Dynamics and Decision Making, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Charly Rousseau
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Unit of Neural Circuits Dynamics and Decision Making, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Alexandre Mamane
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Unit of Neural Circuits Dynamics and Decision Making, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Dan Alin Ganea
- IZKF Aachen, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- University of Basel, Department of Biomedicine, 4001, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Florent Haiss
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Unit of Neural Circuits Dynamics and Decision Making, F-75015, Paris, France.
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4
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Storm JF, Klink PC, Aru J, Senn W, Goebel R, Pigorini A, Avanzini P, Vanduffel W, Roelfsema PR, Massimini M, Larkum ME, Pennartz CMA. An integrative, multiscale view on neural theories of consciousness. Neuron 2024; 112:1531-1552. [PMID: 38447578 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
How is conscious experience related to material brain processes? A variety of theories aiming to answer this age-old question have emerged from the recent surge in consciousness research, and some are now hotly debated. Although most researchers have so far focused on the development and validation of their preferred theory in relative isolation, this article, written by a group of scientists representing different theories, takes an alternative approach. Noting that various theories often try to explain different aspects or mechanistic levels of consciousness, we argue that the theories do not necessarily contradict each other. Instead, several of them may converge on fundamental neuronal mechanisms and be partly compatible and complementary, so that multiple theories can simultaneously contribute to our understanding. Here, we consider unifying, integration-oriented approaches that have so far been largely neglected, seeking to combine valuable elements from various theories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan F Storm
- The Brain Signaling Group, Division of Physiology, IMB, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Domus Medica, Sognsvannsveien 9, Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway.
| | - P Christiaan Klink
- Department of Vision and Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands; Laboratory of Visual Brain Therapy, Sorbonne Université, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de la Vision, Paris 75012, France
| | - Jaan Aru
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Walter Senn
- Department of Physiology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Rainer Goebel
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Oxfordlaan 55, 6229 EV Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Andrea Pigorini
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Pietro Avanzini
- Istituto di Neuroscienze, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 43125 Parma, Italy
| | - Wim Vanduffel
- Department of Neurosciences, Laboratory of Neuro and Psychophysiology, KU Leuven Medical School, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02144, USA
| | - Pieter R Roelfsema
- Department of Vision and Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Laboratory of Visual Brain Therapy, Sorbonne Université, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de la Vision, Paris 75012, France; Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, VU University, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Neurosurgery, Academisch Medisch Centrum, Postbus 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marcello Massimini
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "L. Sacco", Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan 20157, Italy; Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Milan 20122, Italy; Azrieli Program in Brain, Mind and Consciousness, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Matthew E Larkum
- Institute of Biology, Humboldt University Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Neurocure Center for Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Cyriel M A Pennartz
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Sciencepark 904, Amsterdam 1098 XH, the Netherlands; Research Priority Program Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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5
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Finkel EA, Chang YT, Dasgupta R, Lubin EE, Xu D, Minamisawa G, Chang AJ, Cohen JY, O'Connor DH. Tactile processing in mouse cortex depends on action context. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113991. [PMID: 38573855 PMCID: PMC11097894 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113991] [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: 07/11/2019] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The brain receives constant tactile input, but only a subset guides ongoing behavior. Actions associated with tactile stimuli thus endow them with behavioral relevance. It remains unclear how the relevance of tactile stimuli affects processing in the somatosensory (S1) cortex. We developed a cross-modal selection task in which head-fixed mice switched between responding to tactile stimuli in the presence of visual distractors or to visual stimuli in the presence of tactile distractors using licking movements to the left or right side in different blocks of trials. S1 spiking encoded tactile stimuli, licking actions, and direction of licking in response to tactile but not visual stimuli. Bidirectional optogenetic manipulations showed that sensory-motor activity in S1 guided behavior when touch but not vision was relevant. Our results show that S1 activity and its impact on behavior depend on the actions associated with a tactile stimulus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric A Finkel
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Yi-Ting Chang
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Rajan Dasgupta
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Emily E Lubin
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Duo Xu
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Genki Minamisawa
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Anna J Chang
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Jeremiah Y Cohen
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Daniel H O'Connor
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
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6
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Chang YT, Finkel EA, Xu D, O'Connor DH. Rule-based modulation of a sensorimotor transformation across cortical areas. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.08.21.554194. [PMID: 37662301 PMCID: PMC10473613 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.21.554194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Flexible responses to sensory stimuli based on changing rules are critical for adapting to a dynamic environment. However, it remains unclear how the brain encodes rule information and uses this information to guide behavioral responses to sensory stimuli. Here, we made single-unit recordings while head-fixed mice performed a cross-modal sensory selection task in which they switched between two rules in different blocks of trials: licking in response to tactile stimuli applied to a whisker while rejecting visual stimuli, or licking to visual stimuli while rejecting the tactile stimuli. Along a cortical sensorimotor processing stream including the primary (S1) and secondary (S2) somatosensory areas, and the medial (MM) and anterolateral (ALM) motor areas, the single-trial activity of individual neurons distinguished between the two rules both prior to and in response to the tactile stimulus. Variable rule-dependent responses to identical stimuli could in principle occur via appropriate configuration of pre-stimulus preparatory states of a neural population, which would shape the subsequent response. We hypothesized that neural populations in S1, S2, MM and ALM would show preparatory activity states that were set in a rule-dependent manner to cause processing of sensory information according to the current rule. This hypothesis was supported for the motor cortical areas by findings that (1) the current task rule could be decoded from pre-stimulus population activity in ALM and MM; (2) neural subspaces containing the population activity differed between the two rules; and (3) optogenetic disruption of pre-stimulus states within ALM and MM impaired task performance. Our findings indicate that flexible selection of an appropriate action in response to a sensory input can occur via configuration of preparatory states in the motor cortex.
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7
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Lee Y, Kim S, Cho YK, Kong C, Chang JW, Jun SB. Amygdala electrical stimulation for operant conditioning in rat navigation. Biomed Eng Lett 2024; 14:291-306. [PMID: 38374898 PMCID: PMC10874353 DOI: 10.1007/s13534-023-00336-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
There have been several attempts to navigate the locomotion of animals by neuromodulation. The most common method is animal training with electrical brain stimulation for directional cues and rewards; the basic principle is to activate dopamine-mediated neural reward pathways such as the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) when the animal correctly follows the external commands. In this study, the amygdala, which is the brain region responsible for fear modulation, was targeted for punishment training. The brain regions of MFB, amygdala, and barrel cortex were electrically stimulated for reward, punishment, and directional cues, respectively. Electrical stimulation was applied to the amygdala of rats when they failed to follow directional commands. First, two different amygdala regions, i.e., basolateral amygdala (BLA) and central amygdala (CeA), were stimulated and compared in terms of behavior responses, success and correction rates for training, and gene expression for learning and memory. Then, the training was performed in three groups: group R (MFB stimulation for reward), group P (BLA stimulation for punishment), and group RP (both MFB and BLA stimulation for reward and punishment). In group P, after the training, RNA sequencing was conducted to detect gene expression and demonstrate the effect of punishment learning. Group P showed higher success rates than group R, and group RP exhibited the most effective locomotion control among the three groups. Gene expression results imply that BLA stimulation can be more effective as a punishment in the learning process than CeA stimulation. We developed a new method to navigate rat locomotion behaviors by applying amygdala stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youjin Lee
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760 Republic of Korea
- Graduate Program in Smart Factory, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760 Republic of Korea
| | - Soonyoung Kim
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005 USA
| | - Yoon Kyung Cho
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760 Republic of Korea
| | - Chanho Kong
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722 Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Woo Chang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722 Republic of Korea
- Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science and Brain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722 Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Beom Jun
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760 Republic of Korea
- Graduate Program in Smart Factory, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760 Republic of Korea
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760 Republic of Korea
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8
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Abbasi A, Lassagne H, Estebanez L, Goueytes D, Shulz DE, Ego-Stengel V. Brain-machine interface learning is facilitated by specific patterning of distributed cortical feedback. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh1328. [PMID: 37738340 PMCID: PMC10516504 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh1328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Neuroprosthetics offer great hope for motor-impaired patients. One obstacle is that fine motor control requires near-instantaneous, rich somatosensory feedback. Such distributed feedback may be recreated in a brain-machine interface using distributed artificial stimulation across the cortical surface. Here, we hypothesized that neuronal stimulation must be contiguous in its spatiotemporal dynamics to be efficiently integrated by sensorimotor circuits. Using a closed-loop brain-machine interface, we trained head-fixed mice to control a virtual cursor by modulating the activity of motor cortex neurons. We provided artificial feedback in real time with distributed optogenetic stimulation patterns in the primary somatosensory cortex. Mice developed a specific motor strategy and succeeded to learn the task only when the optogenetic feedback pattern was spatially and temporally contiguous while it moved across the topography of the somatosensory cortex. These results reveal spatiotemporal properties of the sensorimotor cortical integration that set constraints on the design of neuroprosthetics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Dorian Goueytes
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay (NeuroPSI), 91400 Saclay, France
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9
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Pancholi R, Ryan L, Peron S. Learning in a sensory cortical microstimulation task is associated with elevated representational stability. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3860. [PMID: 37385989 PMCID: PMC10310840 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39542-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensory cortical representations can be highly dynamic, raising the question of how representational stability impacts learning. We train mice to discriminate the number of photostimulation pulses delivered to opsin-expressing pyramidal neurons in layer 2/3 of primary vibrissal somatosensory cortex. We simultaneously track evoked neural activity across learning using volumetric two-photon calcium imaging. In well-trained animals, trial-to-trial fluctuations in the amount of photostimulus-evoked activity predicted animal choice. Population activity levels declined rapidly across training, with the most active neurons showing the largest declines in responsiveness. Mice learned at varied rates, with some failing to learn the task in the time provided. The photoresponsive population showed greater instability both within and across behavioral sessions among animals that failed to learn. Animals that failed to learn also exhibited a faster deterioration in stimulus decoding. Thus, greater stability in the stimulus response is associated with learning in a sensory cortical microstimulation task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravi Pancholi
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place Rm. 621, New York, NY, 10003, USA
| | - Lauren Ryan
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place Rm. 621, New York, NY, 10003, USA
| | - Simon Peron
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place Rm. 621, New York, NY, 10003, USA.
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10
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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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11
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Pancholi R, Sun-Yan A, Peron S. Microstimulation of sensory cortex engages natural sensory representations. Curr Biol 2023; 33:1765-1777.e5. [PMID: 37130521 PMCID: PMC10246453 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Cortical activity patterns occupy a small subset of possible network states. If this is due to intrinsic network properties, microstimulation of sensory cortex should evoke activity patterns resembling those observed during natural sensory input. Here, we use optical microstimulation of virally transfected layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons in the mouse primary vibrissal somatosensory cortex to compare artificially evoked activity with natural activity evoked by whisker touch and movement ("whisking"). We find that photostimulation engages touch- but not whisking-responsive neurons more than expected by chance. Neurons that respond to photostimulation and touch or to touch alone exhibit higher spontaneous pairwise correlations than purely photoresponsive neurons. Exposure to several days of simultaneous touch and optogenetic stimulation raises both overlap and spontaneous activity correlations among touch and photoresponsive neurons. We thus find that cortical microstimulation engages existing cortical representations and that repeated co-presentation of natural and artificial stimulation enhances this effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravi Pancholi
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Pl., Rm. 621, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Andrew Sun-Yan
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Pl., Rm. 621, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Simon Peron
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Pl., Rm. 621, New York, NY 10003, USA.
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12
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Murphy SC, Godenzini L, Guzulaitis R, Lawrence AJ, Palmer LM. Cocaine regulates sensory filtering in cortical pyramidal neurons. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112122. [PMID: 36790932 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to cocaine leads to robust changes in the structure and function of neurons within the mesocorticolimbic pathway. However, little is known about how cocaine influences the processing of information within the sensory cortex. We address this by using patch-clamp and juxtacellular voltage recordings and two-photon Ca2+ imaging in vivo to investigate the influence of acute cocaine exposure on layer 2/3 (L2/3) pyramidal neurons within the primary somatosensory cortex (S1). Here, cocaine dampens membrane potential state transitions and decreases spontaneous somatic action potentials and Ca2+ transients. In contrast to the uniform decrease in background spontaneous activity, cocaine has a heterogeneous influence on sensory encoding, increasing tactile-evoked responses in dendrites that do not typically encode sensory information and decreasing responses in those dendrites that are more reliable sensory encoders. Combined, these findings suggest that cocaine acts as a filter that suppresses background noise to selectively modulate incoming sensory information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean C Murphy
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Luca Godenzini
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Robertas Guzulaitis
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, 10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Andrew J Lawrence
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Lucy M Palmer
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia.
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13
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Matsushita N, Kato S, Nishizawa K, Sugawara M, Takeuchi K, Miyasaka Y, Mashimo T, Kobayashi K. Highly selective transgene expression through the flip-excision switch system by using a unilateral spacer sequence. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2023; 3:100393. [PMID: 36936079 PMCID: PMC10014282 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2022.100393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The flip-excision switch (FLEX) system with an adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector allows expression of transgenes in specific cell populations having Cre recombinase. A significant issue with this system is non-specific expression of transgenes in tissues after vector injection. We show here that Cre-independent recombination events in the AAV genome carrying the FLEX sequence occur mainly during the production of viral vectors in packaging cells, which results in transgene expression in off-target populations. Introduction of a relatively longer nucleotide sequence between two recognition sites at the unilateral side of the transgene cassette, termed a unilateral spacer sequence (USS), is useful to suppress the recombination in the viral genome, leading to the protection of non-specific transgene expression with enhanced gene expression selectivity. Our FLEX/USS system offers a powerful strategy for highly specific Cre-dependent transgene expression, aiming at various applications for structural and functional analyses of target cell populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natsuki Matsushita
- Division of Laboratory Animal Research, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1195, Japan
| | - Shigeki Kato
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Kayo Nishizawa
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Masateru Sugawara
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Kosei Takeuchi
- Department of Medical Cell Biology, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1195, Japan
| | - Yoshiki Miyasaka
- Laboratory of Reproductive Engineering, Institute of Experimental Animal Sciences, Osaka University Medical School, Suita 565-0871, Japan
| | - Tomoji Mashimo
- Division of Animal Genetics, Laboratory Animal Research Center, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Kazuto Kobayashi
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
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14
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Goueytes D, Lassagne H, Shulz DE, Ego-Stengel V, Estebanez L. Learning in a closed-loop brain-machine interface with distributed optogenetic cortical feedback. J Neural Eng 2022; 19. [PMID: 36579369 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/acab87] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Objective.Distributed microstimulations at the cortical surface can efficiently deliver feedback to a subject during the manipulation of a prosthesis through a brain-machine interface (BMI). Such feedback can convey vast amounts of information to the prosthesis user and may be key to obtain an accurate control and embodiment of the prosthesis. However, so far little is known of the physiological constraints on the decoding of such patterns. Here, we aimed to test a rotary optogenetic feedback that was designed to encode efficiently the 360° movements of the robotic actuators used in prosthetics. We sought to assess its use by mice that controlled a prosthesis joint through a closed-loop BMI.Approach.We tested the ability of mice to optimize the trajectory of a virtual prosthesis joint in order to solve a rewarded reaching task. They could control the speed of the joint by modulating the activity of individual neurons in the primary motor cortex. During the task, the patterned optogenetic stimulation projected on the primary somatosensory cortex continuously delivered information to the mouse about the position of the joint.Main results.We showed that mice are able to exploit the continuous, rotating cortical feedback in the active behaving context of the task. Mice achieved better control than in the absence of feedback by detecting reward opportunities more often, and also by moving the joint faster towards the reward angular zone, and by maintaining it longer in the reward zone. Mice controlling acceleration rather than speed of the joint failed to improve motor control.Significance.These findings suggest that in the context of a closed-loop BMI, distributed cortical feedback with optimized shapes and topology can be exploited to control movement. Our study has direct applications on the closed-loop control of rotary joints that are frequently encountered in robotic prostheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorian Goueytes
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut de Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France
| | - Henri Lassagne
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut de Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France
| | - Daniel E Shulz
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut de Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France
| | - Valérie Ego-Stengel
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut de Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France
| | - Luc Estebanez
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut de Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France
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15
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Columnar Lesions in Barrel Cortex Persistently Degrade Object Location Discrimination Performance. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0393-22.2022. [PMID: 36316120 PMCID: PMC9665881 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0393-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary sensory cortices display functional topography, suggesting that even small cortical volumes may underpin perception of specific stimuli. Traditional loss-of-function approaches have a relatively large radius of effect (>1 mm), and few studies track recovery following loss-of-function perturbations. Consequently, the behavioral necessity of smaller cortical volumes remains unclear. In the mouse primary vibrissal somatosensory cortex (vS1), "barrels" with a radius of ∼150 μm receive input predominantly from a single whisker, partitioning vS1 into a topographic map of well defined columns. Here, we train animals implanted with a cranial window over vS1 to perform single-whisker perceptual tasks. We then use high-power laser exposure centered on the barrel representing the spared whisker to produce lesions with a typical volume of one to two barrels. These columnar-scale lesions impair performance in an object location discrimination task for multiple days without disrupting vibrissal kinematics. Animals with degraded location discrimination performance can immediately perform a whisker touch detection task with high accuracy. Animals trained de novo on both simple and complex whisker touch detection tasks showed no permanent behavioral deficits following columnar-scale lesions. Thus, columnar-scale lesions permanently degrade performance in object location discrimination tasks.
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16
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Demonstration of three-dimensional contact point determination and contour reconstruction during active whisking behavior of an awake rat. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1007763. [PMID: 36108064 PMCID: PMC9477318 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007763] [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: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The rodent vibrissal (whisker) system has been studied for decades as a model of active touch sensing. There are no sensors along the length of a whisker; all sensing occurs at the whisker base. Therefore, a large open question in many neuroscience studies is how an animal could estimate the three-dimensional (3D) location at which a whisker makes contact with an object. In the present work we simulated the shape of a real rat whisker to demonstrate the existence of several unique mappings from triplets of mechanical signals at the whisker base to the three-dimensional whisker-object contact point. We then used high speed video to record whisker deflections as an awake rat whisked against a peg, and used the mechanics resulting from those deflections to extract the contact points along the peg surface. These results demonstrate that measurement of specific mechanical triplets at the base of a biological whisker can enable 3D contact point determination during natural whisking behavior. The approach is viable even though the biological whisker has non-ideal, non-planar curvature, and even given the rat’s real-world choices of whisking parameters. Visual intuition for the quality of the approach is provided in a video that shows the contour of the peg gradually emerging during active whisking behavior.
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17
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Sheng W, Zhao X, Huang X, Yang Y. Real-Time Image Processing Toolbox for All-Optical Closed-Loop Control of Neuronal Activities. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:917713. [PMID: 35865111 PMCID: PMC9294372 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.917713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of in vivo imaging and optogenetic tools makes it possible to control neural circuit activities in an all-optical, closed-loop manner, but such applications are limited by the lack of software for online analysis of neuronal imaging data. We developed an analysis software ORCA (Online Real-time activity and offline Cross-session Analysis), which performs image registration, neuron segmentation, and activity extraction at over 100 frames per second, fast enough to support real-time detection and readout of neural activity. Our active neuron detection algorithm is purely statistical, achieving a much higher speed than previous methods. We demonstrated closed-loop control of neurons that were identified on the fly, without prior recording or image processing. ORCA also includes a cross-session alignment module that efficiently tracks neurons across multiple sessions. In summary, ORCA is a powerful toolbox for fast imaging data analysis and provides a solution for all-optical closed-loop control of neuronal activity.
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18
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Hee Lee J, Lee S, Kim D, Jae Lee K. Implantable Micro-Light-Emitting Diode (µLED)-based optogenetic interfaces toward human applications. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 187:114399. [PMID: 35716898 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Optogenetics has received wide attention in biomedical fields because of itsadvantages in temporal precision and spatial resolution. Beyond contributions to important advances in fundamental research, optogenetics is inspiring a shift towards new methods of improving human well-being and treating diseases. Soft, flexible and biocompatible systems using µLEDs as a light source have been introduced to realize brain-compatible optogenetic implants, but there are still many technical challenges to overcome before their human applications. In this review, we address progress in the development of implantable µLED probes and recent achievements in (i) device engineering design, (ii) driving power, (iii) multifunctionality and (iv) closed-loop systems. (v) Expanded optogenetic applications based on remarkable advances in µLED implants will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Hee Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Sinjeong Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Daesoo Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Keon Jae Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
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19
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Lassagne H, Goueytes D, Shulz DE, Estebanez L, Ego-Stengel V. Continuity within the somatosensory cortical map facilitates learning. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110617. [PMID: 35385729 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The topographic organization is a prominent feature of sensory cortices, but its functional role remains controversial. Particularly, it is not well determined how integration of activity within a cortical area depends on its topography during sensory-guided behavior. Here, we train mice expressing channelrhodopsin in excitatory neurons to track a photostimulation bar that rotated smoothly over the topographic whisker representation of the primary somatosensory cortex. Mice learn to discriminate angular positions of the light bar to obtain a reward. They fail not only when the spatiotemporal continuity of the photostimulation is disrupted in this area but also when cortical areas displaying map discontinuities, such as the trunk and legs, or areas without topographic map, such as the posterior parietal cortex, are photostimulated. In contrast, when cortical topographic continuity enables to predict future sensory activation, mice demonstrate anticipation of reward availability. These findings could be helpful for optimizing feedback while designing cortical neuroprostheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henri Lassagne
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France
| | - Dorian Goueytes
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France
| | - Daniel E Shulz
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France
| | - Luc Estebanez
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France
| | - Valerie Ego-Stengel
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France.
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20
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Miyamoto D. Optical imaging and manipulation of sleeping-brain dynamics in memory processing. Neurosci Res 2022; 181:9-16. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2022.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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21
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Lee C, Harkin EF, Yin X, Naud R, Chen S. Cell-type specific responses to associative learning in the primary motor cortex. eLife 2022; 11:72549. [PMID: 35113017 PMCID: PMC8856656 DOI: 10.7554/elife.72549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The primary motor cortex (M1) is known to be a critical site for movement initiation and motor learning. Surprisingly, it has also been shown to possess reward-related activity, presumably to facilitate reward-based learning of new movements. However, whether reward-related signals are represented among different cell types in M1, and whether their response properties change after cue–reward conditioning remains unclear. Here, we performed longitudinal in vivo two-photon Ca2+ imaging to monitor the activity of different neuronal cell types in M1 while mice engaged in a classical conditioning task. Our results demonstrate that most of the major neuronal cell types in M1 showed robust but differential responses to both the conditioned cue stimulus (CS) and reward, and their response properties undergo cell-type-specific modifications after associative learning. PV-INs’ responses became more reliable to the CS, while VIP-INs’ responses became more reliable to reward. Pyramidal neurons only showed robust responses to novel reward, and they habituated to it after associative learning. Lastly, SOM-INs’ responses emerged and became more reliable to both the CS and reward after conditioning. These observations suggest that cue- and reward-related signals are preferentially represented among different neuronal cell types in M1, and the distinct modifications they undergo during associative learning could be essential in triggering different aspects of local circuit reorganization in M1 during reward-based motor skill learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candice Lee
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Emerson F Harkin
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Xuming Yin
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Richard Naud
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Simon Chen
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
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22
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Liu M, Kumar S, Sharma AK, Leifer AM. A high-throughput method to deliver targeted optogenetic stimulation to moving C. elegans populations. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001524. [PMID: 35089912 PMCID: PMC8827482 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a high-throughput optogenetic illumination system capable of simultaneous closed-loop light delivery to specified targets in populations of moving Caenorhabditis elegans. The instrument addresses three technical challenges: It delivers targeted illumination to specified regions of the animal's body such as its head or tail; it automatically delivers stimuli triggered upon the animal's behavior; and it achieves high throughput by targeting many animals simultaneously. The instrument was used to optogenetically probe the animal's behavioral response to competing mechanosensory stimuli in the the anterior and posterior gentle touch receptor neurons. Responses to more than 43,418 stimulus events from a range of anterior-posterior intensity combinations were measured. The animal's probability of sprinting forward in response to a mechanosensory stimulus depended on both the anterior and posterior stimulation intensity, while the probability of reversing depended primarily on the anterior stimulation intensity. We also probed the animal's response to mechanosensory stimulation during the onset of turning, a relatively rare behavioral event, by delivering stimuli automatically when the animal began to turn. Using this closed-loop approach, over 9,700 stimulus events were delivered during turning onset at a rate of 9.2 events per worm hour, a greater than 25-fold increase in throughput compared to previous investigations. These measurements validate with greater statistical power previous findings that turning acts to gate mechanosensory evoked reversals. Compared to previous approaches, the current system offers targeted optogenetic stimulation to specific body regions or behaviors with many fold increases in throughput to better constrain quantitative models of sensorimotor processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mochi Liu
- Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Sandeep Kumar
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Anuj K. Sharma
- Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Andrew M. Leifer
- Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
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23
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Di Volo M, Férézou I. Nonlinear collision between propagating waves in mouse somatosensory cortex. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19630. [PMID: 34608205 PMCID: PMC8490437 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-99057-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
How does cellular organization shape the spatio-temporal patterns of activity in the cortex while processing sensory information? After measuring the propagation of activity in the mouse primary somatosensory cortex (S1) in response to single whisker deflections with Voltage Sensitive Dye (VSD) imaging, we developed a two dimensional model of S1. We designed an inference method to reconstruct model parameters from VSD data, revealing that a spatially heterogeneous organization of synaptic strengths between pyramidal neurons in S1 is likely to be responsible for the heterogeneous spatio-temporal patterns of activity measured experimentally. The model shows that, for strong enough excitatory cortical interactions, whisker deflections generate a propagating wave in S1. Finally, we report that two consecutive stimuli activating different spatial locations in S1 generate two waves which collide sub-linearly, giving rise to a suppressive wave. In the inferred model, the suppressive wave is explained by a lower sensitivity to external perturbations of neural networks during activated states.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Di Volo
- Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Modélisation, CY Cergy Paris Université, 95302, Cergy-Pontoise Cedex, France.
| | - I Férézou
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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24
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Bowles S, Williamson WR, Nettles D, Hickman J, Welle CG. Closed-loop automated reaching apparatus (CLARA) for interrogating complex motor behaviors. J Neural Eng 2021; 18:10.1088/1741-2552/ac1ed1. [PMID: 34407518 PMCID: PMC8699662 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ac1ed1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Objective.Closed-loop neuromodulation technology is a rapidly expanding category of therapeutics for a broad range of indications. Development of these innovative neurological devices requires high-throughput systems for closed-loop stimulation of model organisms, while monitoring physiological signals and complex, naturalistic behaviors. To address this need, we developed CLARA, a closed-loop automated reaching apparatus.Approach.Using breakthroughs in computer vision, CLARA integrates fully-automated, markerless kinematic tracking of multiple features to classify animal behavior and precisely deliver neural stimulation based on behavioral outcomes. CLARA is compatible with advanced neurophysiological tools, enabling the testing of neurostimulation devices and identification of novel neurological biomarkers.Results.The CLARA system tracks unconstrained skilled reach behavior in 3D at 150 Hz without physical markers. The system fully automates trial initiation and pellet delivery and is capable of accurately delivering stimulation in response to trial outcome with short latency. Kinematic data from the CLARA system provided novel insights into the dynamics of reach consistency over the course of learning, suggesting that learning selectively improves reach failures but does not alter the kinematics of successful reaches. Additionally, using the closed-loop capabilities of CLARA, we demonstrate that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) improves skilled reach performance and increases reach trajectory consistency in healthy animals.Significance.The CLARA system is the first mouse behavior apparatus that uses markerless pose tracking to provide real-time closed-loop stimulation in response to the outcome of an unconstrained motor task. Additionally, we demonstrate that the CLARA system was essential for our investigating the role of closed-loop VNS stimulation on motor performance in healthy animals. This approach has high translational relevance for developing neurostimulation technology based on complex human behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Bowles
- Neurosurgery, The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America
- These authors contributed equally
| | - W R Williamson
- NeuroTechnology Center, The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America
- These authors contributed equally
| | - D Nettles
- Neurosurgery, The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America
| | - J Hickman
- Neurosurgery, The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America
| | - C G Welle
- Neurosurgery, The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America
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25
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Prince LY, Tran MM, Grey D, Saad L, Chasiotis H, Kwag J, Kohl MM, Richards BA. Neocortical inhibitory interneuron subtypes are differentially attuned to synchrony- and rate-coded information. Commun Biol 2021; 4:935. [PMID: 34354206 PMCID: PMC8342442 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02437-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons can carry information with both the synchrony and rate of their spikes. However, it is unknown whether distinct subtypes of neurons are more sensitive to information carried by synchrony versus rate, or vice versa. Here, we address this question using patterned optical stimulation in slices of somatosensory cortex from mouse lines labelling fast-spiking (FS) and regular-spiking (RS) interneurons. We used optical stimulation in layer 2/3 to encode a 1-bit signal using either the synchrony or rate of activity. We then examined the mutual information between this signal and the interneuron responses. We found that for a synchrony encoding, FS interneurons carried more information in the first five milliseconds, while both interneuron subtypes carried more information than excitatory neurons in later responses. For a rate encoding, we found that RS interneurons carried more information after several milliseconds. These data demonstrate that distinct interneuron subtypes in the neocortex have distinct sensitivities to synchrony versus rate codes. In order to address whether distinct subtypes of neurons are more sensitive to information carried by synchrony versus rate, Prince et al. used optical stimulation in slices of somatosensory cortex from mouse lines labelling fast-spiking (FS) and regular-spiking (RS) interneurons. They demonstrated that FS and RS interneurons had differential sensitivity to changes in synchrony and rate, which advances our understanding of neural processing in the neocortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Y Prince
- Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.,School of Computer Science, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Matthew M Tran
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Dorian Grey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lydia Saad
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Helen Chasiotis
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jeehyun Kwag
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Michael M Kohl
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Blake A Richards
- Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada. .,School of Computer Science, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada. .,Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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26
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Shokur S, Mazzoni A, Schiavone G, Weber DJ, Micera S. A modular strategy for next-generation upper-limb sensory-motor neuroprostheses. MED 2021; 2:912-937. [DOI: 10.1016/j.medj.2021.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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27
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Rodgers CC, Nogueira R, Pil BC, Greeman EA, Park JM, Hong YK, Fusi S, Bruno RM. Sensorimotor strategies and neuronal representations for shape discrimination. Neuron 2021; 109:2308-2325.e10. [PMID: 34133944 PMCID: PMC8298290 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.05.019] [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: 08/02/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Humans and other animals can identify objects by active touch, requiring the coordination of exploratory motion and tactile sensation. Both the motor strategies and neural representations employed could depend on the subject's goals. We developed a shape discrimination task that challenged head-fixed mice to discriminate concave from convex shapes. Behavioral decoding revealed that mice did this by comparing contacts across whiskers. In contrast, a separate group of mice performing a shape detection task simply summed up contacts over whiskers. We recorded populations of neurons in the barrel cortex, which processes whisker input, and found that individual neurons across the cortical layers encoded touch, whisker motion, and task-related signals. Sensory representations were task-specific: during shape discrimination, but not detection, neurons responded most to behaviorally relevant whiskers, overriding somatotopy. Thus, sensory cortex employs task-specific representations compatible with behaviorally relevant computations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris C Rodgers
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Kavli Institute for Brain Science, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
| | - Ramon Nogueira
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - B Christina Pil
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Kavli Institute for Brain Science, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Esther A Greeman
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Kavli Institute for Brain Science, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Jung M Park
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Kavli Institute for Brain Science, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Y Kate Hong
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Kavli Institute for Brain Science, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Stefano Fusi
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Kavli Institute for Brain Science, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Randy M Bruno
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Kavli Institute for Brain Science, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
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28
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Attractor dynamics gate cortical information flow during decision-making. Nat Neurosci 2021; 24:843-850. [PMID: 33875892 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-021-00840-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Decisions are held in memory until enacted, which makes them potentially vulnerable to distracting sensory input. Gating of information flow from sensory to motor areas could protect memory from interference during decision-making, but the underlying network mechanisms are not understood. Here, we trained mice to detect optogenetic stimulation of the somatosensory cortex, with a delay separating sensation and action. During the delay, distracting stimuli lost influence on behavior over time, even though distractor-evoked neural activity percolated through the cortex without attenuation. Instead, choice-encoding activity in the motor cortex became progressively less sensitive to the impact of distractors. Reverse engineering of neural networks trained to reproduce motor cortex activity revealed that the reduction in sensitivity to distractors was caused by a growing separation in the neural activity space between attractors that encode alternative decisions. Our results show that communication between brain regions can be gated via attractor dynamics, which control the degree of commitment to an action.
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O'Connor DH, Krubitzer L, Bensmaia S. Of mice and monkeys: Somatosensory processing in two prominent animal models. Prog Neurobiol 2021; 201:102008. [PMID: 33587956 PMCID: PMC8096687 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.102008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 12/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Our understanding of the neural basis of somatosensation is based largely on studies of the whisker system of mice and rats and the hands of macaque monkeys. Results across these animal models are often interpreted as providing direct insight into human somatosensation. Work on these systems has proceeded in parallel, capitalizing on the strengths of each model, but has rarely been considered as a whole. This lack of integration promotes a piecemeal understanding of somatosensation. Here, we examine the functions and morphologies of whiskers of mice and rats, the hands of macaque monkeys, and the somatosensory neuraxes of these three species. We then discuss how somatosensory information is encoded in their respective nervous systems, highlighting similarities and differences. We reflect on the limitations of these models of human somatosensation and consider key gaps in our understanding of the neural basis of somatosensation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel H O'Connor
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, United States; Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, United States
| | - Leah Krubitzer
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, University of California at Davis, United States
| | - Sliman Bensmaia
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, United States; Committee on Computational Neuroscience, University of Chicago, United States; Grossman Institute for Neuroscience, Quantitative Biology, and Human Behavior, University of Chicago, United States.
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30
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Hao Y, Thomas AM, Li N. Fully autonomous mouse behavioral and optogenetic experiments in home-cage. eLife 2021; 10:e66112. [PMID: 33944781 PMCID: PMC8116056 DOI: 10.7554/elife.66112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Goal-directed behaviors involve distributed brain networks. The small size of the mouse brain makes it amenable to manipulations of neural activity dispersed across brain areas, but existing optogenetic methods serially test a few brain regions at a time, which slows comprehensive mapping of distributed networks. Laborious operant conditioning training required for most experimental paradigms exacerbates this bottleneck. We present an autonomous workflow to survey the involvement of brain regions at scale during operant behaviors in mice. Naive mice living in a home-cage system learned voluntary head-fixation (>1 hr/day) and performed difficult decision-making tasks, including contingency reversals, for 2 months without human supervision. We incorporated an optogenetic approach to manipulate activity in deep brain regions through intact skull during home-cage behavior. To demonstrate the utility of this approach, we tested dozens of mice in parallel unsupervised optogenetic experiments, revealing multiple regions in cortex, striatum, and superior colliculus involved in tactile decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoyao Hao
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | | | - Nuo Li
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
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31
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Bolus MF, Willats AA, Rozell CJ, Stanley GB. State-space optimal feedback control of optogenetically driven neural activity. J Neural Eng 2021; 18. [PMID: 32932241 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/abb89c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Objective.The rapid acceleration of tools for recording neuronal populations and targeted optogenetic manipulation has enabled real-time, feedback control of neuronal circuits in the brain. Continuously-graded control of measured neuronal activity poses a wide range of technical challenges, which we address through a combination of optogenetic stimulation and a state-space optimal control framework implemented in the thalamocortical circuit of the awake mouse.Approach.Closed-loop optogenetic control of neurons was performed in real-time via stimulation of channelrhodopsin-2 expressed in the somatosensory thalamus of the head-fixed mouse. A state-space linear dynamical system model structure was used to approximate the light-to-spiking input-output relationship in both single-neuron as well as multi-neuron scenarios when recording from multielectrode arrays. These models were utilized to design state feedback controller gains by way of linear quadratic optimal control and were also used online for estimation of state feedback, where a parameter-adaptive Kalman filter provided robustness to model-mismatch.Main results.This model-based control scheme proved effective for feedback control of single-neuron firing rate in the thalamus of awake animals. Notably, the graded optical actuation utilized here did not synchronize simultaneously recorded neurons, but heterogeneity across the neuronal population resulted in a varied response to stimulation. Simulated multi-output feedback control provided better control of a heterogeneous population and demonstrated how the approach generalizes beyond single-neuron applications.Significance.To our knowledge, this work represents the first experimental application of state space model-based feedback control for optogenetic stimulation. In combination with linear quadratic optimal control, the approaches laid out and tested here should generalize to future problems involving the control of highly complex neural circuits. More generally, feedback control of neuronal circuits opens the door to adaptively interacting with the dynamics underlying sensory, motor, and cognitive signaling, enabling a deeper understanding of circuit function and ultimately the control of function in the face of injury or disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- M F Bolus
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, United States of America
| | - A A Willats
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, United States of America
| | - C J Rozell
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States of America
| | - G B Stanley
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, United States of America
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Effects of Optogenetic Stimulation of Primary Somatosensory Cortex and Its Projections to Striatum on Vibrotactile Perception in Freely Moving Rats. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0453-20.2021. [PMID: 33593733 PMCID: PMC7986534 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0453-20.2021] [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: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Tactile sensation is one of our primary means to collect information about the nearby environment and thus crucial for daily activities and survival. Therefore, it is of high importance to restore sensory feedback after sensory loss. Optogenetic manipulation allows local or pathway-specific write-in of information. However, it remains elusive whether optogenetic stimulation can be interpreted as tactile sensation to guide operant behavior and how it is integrated with tactile stimuli. To address these questions, we employed a vibrotactile detection task combined with optogenetic neuromodulation in freely moving rats. By bidirectionally manipulating the activity of neurons in primary somatosensory cortex (S1), we demonstrated that optical activation as well as inhibition of S1 reduced the detection rate for vibrotactile stimuli. Interestingly, activation of corticostriatal terminals improved the detection of tactile stimuli, while inhibition of corticostriatal terminals did not affect the performance. To manipulate the corticostriatal pathway more specifically, we employed a dual viral system. Activation of corticostriatal cell bodies disturbed the tactile perception while activation of corticostriatal terminals slightly facilitated the detection of vibrotactile stimuli. In the absence of tactile stimuli, both corticostriatal cell bodies as well as terminals caused a reaction. Taken together, our data confirmed the possibility to restore sensation using optogenetics and demonstrated that S1 and its descending projections to striatum play differential roles in the neural processing underlying vibrotactile detection.
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33
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Bale MR, Bitzidou M, Giusto E, Kinghorn P, Maravall M. Sequence Learning Induces Selectivity to Multiple Task Parameters in Mouse Somatosensory Cortex. Curr Biol 2021; 31:473-485.e5. [PMID: 33186553 PMCID: PMC7883307 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.10.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Sequential temporal ordering and patterning are key features of natural signals, used by the brain to decode stimuli and perceive them as sensory objects. To explore how cortical neuronal activity underpins sequence discrimination, we developed a task in which mice distinguished between tactile "word" sequences constructed from distinct vibrations delivered to the whiskers, assembled in different orders. Animals licked to report the presence of the target sequence. Mice could respond to the earliest possible cues allowing discrimination, effectively solving the task as a "detection of change" problem, but enhanced their performance when responding later. Optogenetic inactivation showed that the somatosensory cortex was necessary for sequence discrimination. Two-photon imaging in layer 2/3 of the primary somatosensory "barrel" cortex (S1bf) revealed that, in well-trained animals, neurons had heterogeneous selectivity to multiple task variables including not just sensory input but also the animal's action decision and the trial outcome (presence or absence of the predicted reward). Many neurons were activated preceding goal-directed licking, thus reflecting the animal's learned action in response to the target sequence; these neurons were found as soon as mice learned to associate the rewarded sequence with licking. In contrast, learning evoked smaller changes in sensory response tuning: neurons responding to stimulus features were found in naive mice, and training did not generate neurons with enhanced temporal integration or categorical responses. Therefore, in S1bf, sequence learning results in neurons whose activity reflects the learned association between target sequence and licking rather than a refined representation of sensory features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael R Bale
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Malamati Bitzidou
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Elena Giusto
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Paul Kinghorn
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Miguel Maravall
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK.
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Voigts J, Deister CA, Moore CI. Layer 6 ensembles can selectively regulate the behavioral impact and layer-specific representation of sensory deviants. eLife 2020; 9:48957. [PMID: 33263283 PMCID: PMC7817180 DOI: 10.7554/elife.48957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Predictive models can enhance the salience of unanticipated input. Here, we tested a key potential node in neocortical model formation in this process, layer (L) 6, using behavioral, electrophysiological and imaging methods in mouse primary somatosensory neocortex. We found that deviant stimuli enhanced tactile detection and were encoded in L2/3 neural tuning. To test the contribution of L6, we applied weak optogenetic drive that changed which L6 neurons were sensory responsive, without affecting overall firing rates in L6 or L2/3. This stimulation selectively suppressed behavioral sensitivity to deviant stimuli, without impacting baseline performance. This stimulation also eliminated deviance encoding in L2/3 but did not impair basic stimulus responses across layers. In contrast, stronger L6 drive inhibited firing and suppressed overall sensory function. These findings indicate that, despite their sparse activity, specific ensembles of stimulus-driven L6 neurons are required to form neocortical predictions, and to realize their behavioral benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Voigts
- Department of Neuroscience and Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, United States.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, United States
| | - Christopher A Deister
- Department of Neuroscience and Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, United States
| | - Christopher I Moore
- Department of Neuroscience and Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, United States
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35
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Bernhard SM, Lee J, Zhu M, Hsu A, Erskine A, Hires SA, Barth AL. An automated homecage system for multiwhisker detection and discrimination learning in mice. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232916. [PMID: 33264281 PMCID: PMC7710058 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Automated, homecage behavioral training for rodents has many advantages: it is low stress, requires little interaction with the experimenter, and can be easily manipulated to adapt to different experimental conditions. We have developed an inexpensive, Arduino-based, homecage training apparatus for sensory association training in freely-moving mice using multiwhisker air current stimulation coupled to a water reward. Animals learn this task readily, within 1–2 days of training, and performance progressively improves with training. We examined the parameters that regulate task acquisition using different stimulus intensities, directions, and reward valence. Learning was assessed by comparing anticipatory licking for the stimulus compared to the no-stimulus (blank) trials. At high stimulus intensities (>9 psi), animals showed markedly less participation in the task. Conversely, very weak air current intensities (1–2 psi) were not sufficient to generate rapid learning behavior. At intermediate stimulus intensities (5–6 psi), a majority of mice learned that the multiwhisker stimulus predicted the water reward after 24–48 hrs of training. Both exposure to isoflurane and lack of whiskers decreased animals’ ability to learn the task. Following training at an intermediate stimulus intensity, mice were able to transfer learning behavior when exposed to a lower stimulus intensity, an indicator of perceptual learning. Mice learned to discriminate between two directions of stimulation rapidly and accurately, even when the angular distance between the stimuli was <15 degrees. Switching the reward to a more desirable reward, aspartame, had little effect on learning trajectory. Our results show that a tactile association task in an automated homecage environment can be monitored by anticipatory licking to reveal rapid and progressive behavioral change. These Arduino-based, automated mouse cages enable high-throughput training that facilitate analysis of large numbers of genetically modified mice with targeted manipulations of neural activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M. Bernhard
- Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Jiseok Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Mo Zhu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Alex Hsu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Andrew Erskine
- Department of Biological Sciences, Section of Neurobiology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Samuel A. Hires
- Department of Biological Sciences, Section of Neurobiology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Alison L. Barth
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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36
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Yang W, Williams A, Sun QQ. Circuit Mechanisms Underlying Epileptogenesis in a Mouse Model of Focal Cortical Malformation. Curr Biol 2020; 31:334-345.e4. [PMID: 33157021 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.10.029] [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: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 08/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The way in which aberrant neural circuits contribute to epilepsy remains unclear. To elucidate this question, we dissected the circuit mechanisms underlying epileptogenesis using a mouse model of focal cortical malformation with spontaneous epileptiform discharges. We found that spontaneous spike-wave discharges and optogenetically induced hyperexcitable bursts in vivo were present in a cortical region distal to (>0.7 mm) freeze-lesion-induced microgyrus, instead of near the microgyrus. ChR2-assisted circuit mapping revealed ectopic inter-laminar excitatory input from infragranular layers to layers 2/3 pyramidal neurons as the key component of hyperexcitable circuitry. This hyperactivity disrupted the balance between excitation and inhibition and was more prominent in the cortical region distal to the microgyrus. Consistently, the inhibition from both parvalbumin-positive interneurons (PV) and somatostatin-positive interneurons (SOM) to pyramidal neurons were altered in a layer- and site-specific fashion. Finally, closed-loop optogenetic stimulation of SOM, but not PV, terminated spontaneous spike-wave discharges. Together, these results demonstrate the occurrence of highly site- and cell-type-specific synaptic reorganization underlying epileptic cortical circuits and provide new insights into potential treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiguo Yang
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Anthony Williams
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Qian-Quan Sun
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA; Wyoming Sensory Biology Center of Biomedical Research Excellence, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.
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37
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Dalgleish HWP, Russell LE, Packer AM, Roth A, Gauld OM, Greenstreet F, Thompson EJ, Häusser M. How many neurons are sufficient for perception of cortical activity? eLife 2020; 9:e58889. [PMID: 33103656 PMCID: PMC7695456 DOI: 10.7554/elife.58889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Many theories of brain function propose that activity in sparse subsets of neurons underlies perception and action. To place a lower bound on the amount of neural activity that can be perceived, we used an all-optical approach to drive behaviour with targeted two-photon optogenetic activation of small ensembles of L2/3 pyramidal neurons in mouse barrel cortex while simultaneously recording local network activity with two-photon calcium imaging. By precisely titrating the number of neurons stimulated, we demonstrate that the lower bound for perception of cortical activity is ~14 pyramidal neurons. We find a steep sigmoidal relationship between the number of activated neurons and behaviour, saturating at only ~37 neurons, and show this relationship can shift with learning. Furthermore, activation of ensembles is balanced by inhibition of neighbouring neurons. This surprising perceptual sensitivity in the face of potent network suppression supports the sparse coding hypothesis, and suggests that cortical perception balances a trade-off between minimizing the impact of noise while efficiently detecting relevant signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry WP Dalgleish
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Lloyd E Russell
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Adam M Packer
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Arnd Roth
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Oliver M Gauld
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Francesca Greenstreet
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Emmett J Thompson
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Michael Häusser
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
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38
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Gill JV, Lerman GM, Zhao H, Stetler BJ, Rinberg D, Shoham S. Precise Holographic Manipulation of Olfactory Circuits Reveals Coding Features Determining Perceptual Detection. Neuron 2020; 108:382-393.e5. [PMID: 32841590 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.07.034] [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] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Sensory systems transform the external world into time-varying spike trains. What features of spiking activity are used to guide behavior? In the mouse olfactory bulb, inhalation of different odors leads to changes in the set of neurons activated, as well as when neurons are activated relative to each other (synchrony) and the onset of inhalation (latency). To explore the relevance of each mode of information transmission, we probed the sensitivity of mice to perturbations across each stimulus dimension (i.e., rate, synchrony, and latency) using holographic two-photon optogenetic stimulation of olfactory bulb neurons with cellular and single-action-potential resolution. We found that mice can detect single action potentials evoked synchronously across <20 olfactory bulb neurons. Further, we discovered that detection depends strongly on the synchrony of activation across neurons, but not the latency relative to inhalation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan V Gill
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Gilad M Lerman
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Hetince Zhao
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Tech4Health Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Benjamin J Stetler
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Tech4Health Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Dmitry Rinberg
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA; Department of Physics, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA.
| | - Shy Shoham
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Tech4Health Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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39
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Staiger JF, Petersen CCH. Neuronal Circuits in Barrel Cortex for Whisker Sensory Perception. Physiol Rev 2020; 101:353-415. [PMID: 32816652 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00019.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The array of whiskers on the snout provides rodents with tactile sensory information relating to the size, shape and texture of objects in their immediate environment. Rodents can use their whiskers to detect stimuli, distinguish textures, locate objects and navigate. Important aspects of whisker sensation are thought to result from neuronal computations in the whisker somatosensory cortex (wS1). Each whisker is individually represented in the somatotopic map of wS1 by an anatomical unit named a 'barrel' (hence also called barrel cortex). This allows precise investigation of sensory processing in the context of a well-defined map. Here, we first review the signaling pathways from the whiskers to wS1, and then discuss current understanding of the various types of excitatory and inhibitory neurons present within wS1. Different classes of cells can be defined according to anatomical, electrophysiological and molecular features. The synaptic connectivity of neurons within local wS1 microcircuits, as well as their long-range interactions and the impact of neuromodulators, are beginning to be understood. Recent technological progress has allowed cell-type-specific connectivity to be related to cell-type-specific activity during whisker-related behaviors. An important goal for future research is to obtain a causal and mechanistic understanding of how selected aspects of tactile sensory information are processed by specific types of neurons in the synaptically connected neuronal networks of wS1 and signaled to downstream brain areas, thus contributing to sensory-guided decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochen F Staiger
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute for Neuroanatomy, Göttingen, Germany; and Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Faculty of Life Sciences, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Carl C H Petersen
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute for Neuroanatomy, Göttingen, Germany; and Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Faculty of Life Sciences, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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40
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Dynamic Impairment of Olfactory Behavior and Signaling Mediated by an Olfactory Corticofugal System. J Neurosci 2020; 40:7269-7285. [PMID: 32817250 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2667-19.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2019] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Processing of olfactory information is modulated by centrifugal projections from cortical areas, yet their behavioral relevance and underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear in most cases. The anterior olfactory nucleus (AON) is part of the olfactory cortex, and its extensive connections to multiple upstream and downstream brain centers place it in a prime position to modulate early sensory information in the olfactory system. Here, we show that optogenetic activation of AON neurons in awake male and female mice was not perceived as an odorant equivalent cue. However, AON activation during odorant presentation reliably suppressed behavioral odor responses. This AON-mediated effect was fast and constant across odors and concentrations. Likewise, activation of glutamatergic AON projections to the olfactory bulb (OB) transiently inhibited the excitability of mitral/tufted cells (MTCs) that relay olfactory input to the cortex. Single-unit MTC recordings revealed that optogenetic activation of glutamatergic AON terminals in the OB transiently decreased sensory-evoked MTC spiking, regardless of the strength or polarity of the sensory response. The reduction in MTC firing during optogenetic stimulation was confirmed in recordings in awake mice. These findings suggest that glutamatergic AON projections to the OB impede early olfactory signaling by inhibiting OB output neurons, thereby dynamically gating sensory throughput to the cortex.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The anterior olfactory nucleus (AON) as an olfactory information processing area sends extensive projections to multiple brain centers, but the behavioral consequences of its activation have been scarcely investigated. Using behavioral tests in combination with optogenetic manipulation, we show that, in contrast to what has been suggested previously, the AON does not seem to form odor percepts but instead suppresses behavioral odor responses across odorants and concentrations. Furthermore, this study shows that AON activation inhibits olfactory bulb output neurons in both anesthetized as well as awake mice, pointing to a potential mechanism by which the olfactory cortex can actively and dynamically gate sensory throughput to higher brain centers.
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41
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Touch: Fluctuating Waves of Perception. Curr Biol 2020; 30:R934-R936. [PMID: 32810452 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.06.087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Does sensory input flow into the brain as a stream, or does it come in waves? New research shows that tactile information in the cortex rises and falls in phase with the forward and back motion of whiskers during surface exploration.
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42
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Huo Y, Chen H, Guo ZV. Mapping Functional Connectivity from the Dorsal Cortex to the Thalamus. Neuron 2020; 107:1080-1094.e5. [PMID: 32702287 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.06.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Revised: 12/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Neural activity in the corticothalamic network is crucial for sensation, memory, decision, and action. Nevertheless, a systematic characterization of corticothalamic functional connectivity has not been achieved. Here, we developed a high throughput method to systematically map functional connections from the dorsal cortex to the thalamus in awake mice by combing optogenetic inactivation with multi-channel recording. Cortical inactivation resulted in a rapid reduction of thalamic activity, revealing topographically organized corticothalamic excitatory inputs. Cluster analysis showed that groups of neurons within individual thalamic nuclei exhibited distinct dynamics. The effects of inactivation evolved with time and were modulated by behavioral states. Furthermore, we found that a subset of thalamic neurons received convergent inputs from widespread cortical regions. Our results present a framework for collecting, analyzing, and presenting large electrophysiological datasets with region-specific optogenetic perturbations and serve as a foundation for further investigation of information processing in the corticothalamic pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Huo
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Han Chen
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Zengcai V Guo
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China.
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43
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Groblewski PA, Ollerenshaw DR, Kiggins JT, Garrett ME, Mochizuki C, Casal L, Cross S, Mace K, Swapp J, Manavi S, Williams D, Mihalas S, Olsen SR. Characterization of Learning, Motivation, and Visual Perception in Five Transgenic Mouse Lines Expressing GCaMP in Distinct Cell Populations. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:104. [PMID: 32655383 PMCID: PMC7324787 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.00104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
To study the mechanisms of perception and cognition, neural measurements must be made during behavior. A goal of the Allen Brain Observatory is to map the activity of distinct cortical cell classes underlying visual and behavioral processing. Here we describe standardized methodology for training head-fixed mice on a visual change detection task, and we use our paradigm to characterize learning and behavior of five GCaMP6-expressing transgenic lines. We used automated training procedures to facilitate comparisons across mice. Training times varied, but most transgenic mice learned the behavioral task. Motivation levels also varied across mice. To compare mice in similar motivational states we subdivided sessions into over-, under-, and optimally motivated periods. When motivated, the pattern of perceptual decisions were highly correlated across transgenic lines, although overall performance (d-prime) was lower in one line labeling somatostatin inhibitory cells. These results provide important context for using these mice to map neural activity underlying perception and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Shawn R. Olsen
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, United States
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44
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Vecchia D, Beltramo R, Vallone F, Chéreau R, Forli A, Molano-Mazón M, Bawa T, Binini N, Moretti C, Holtmaat A, Panzeri S, Fellin T. Temporal Sharpening of Sensory Responses by Layer V in the Mouse Primary Somatosensory Cortex. Curr Biol 2020; 30:1589-1599.e10. [PMID: 32169206 PMCID: PMC7198976 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The timing of stimulus-evoked spikes encodes information about sensory stimuli. Here we studied the neural circuits controlling this process in the mouse primary somatosensory cortex. We found that brief optogenetic activation of layer V pyramidal cells just after whisker deflection modulated the membrane potential of neurons and interrupted their long-latency whisker responses, increasing their accuracy in encoding whisker deflection time. In contrast, optogenetic inhibition of layer V during either passive whisker deflection or active whisking decreased accuracy in encoding stimulus or touch time, respectively. Suppression of layer V pyramidal cells increased reaction times in a texture discrimination task. Moreover, two-color optogenetic experiments revealed that cortical inhibition was efficiently recruited by layer V stimulation and that it mainly involved activation of parvalbumin-positive rather than somatostatin-positive interneurons. Layer V thus performs behaviorally relevant temporal sharpening of sensory responses through circuit-specific recruitment of cortical inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dania Vecchia
- Optical Approaches to Brain Function Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy; Neural Coding Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova and 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Riccardo Beltramo
- Optical Approaches to Brain Function Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Fabio Vallone
- Neural Coding Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova and 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Ronan Chéreau
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, Geneva University Neurocenter, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Angelo Forli
- Optical Approaches to Brain Function Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy; Neural Coding Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova and 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Manuel Molano-Mazón
- Neural Coding Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova and 38068 Rovereto, Italy; Neural Computation Laboratory, Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems @UniTn, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Tanika Bawa
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, Geneva University Neurocenter, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Noemi Binini
- Optical Approaches to Brain Function Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy; Neural Coding Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova and 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Claudio Moretti
- Optical Approaches to Brain Function Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy; Neural Coding Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova and 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Anthony Holtmaat
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, Geneva University Neurocenter, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Stefano Panzeri
- Neural Coding Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova and 38068 Rovereto, Italy; Neural Computation Laboratory, Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems @UniTn, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Tommaso Fellin
- Optical Approaches to Brain Function Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy; Neural Coding Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova and 38068 Rovereto, Italy.
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45
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Won SM, Song E, Reeder JT, Rogers JA. Emerging Modalities and Implantable Technologies for Neuromodulation. Cell 2020; 181:115-135. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.02.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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46
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Nakajima M, Schmitt LI. Understanding the circuit basis of cognitive functions using mouse models. Neurosci Res 2019; 152:44-58. [PMID: 31857115 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2019.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2019] [Revised: 12/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how cognitive functions arise from computations occurring in the brain requires the ability to measure and perturb neural activity while the relevant circuits are engaged for specific cognitive processes. Rapid technical advances have led to the development of new approaches to transiently activate and suppress neuronal activity as well as to record simultaneously from hundreds to thousands of neurons across multiple brain regions during behavior. To realize the full potential of these approaches for understanding cognition, however, it is critical that behavioral conditions and stimuli are effectively designed to engage the relevant brain networks. Here, we highlight recent innovations that enable this combined approach. In particular, we focus on how to design behavioral experiments that leverage the ever-growing arsenal of technologies for controlling and measuring neural activity in order to understand cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miho Nakajima
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and the Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - L Ian Schmitt
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and the Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States; Center for Brain Science, RIKEN, Wako, Saitama, Japan.
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47
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Li N, Chen S, Guo ZV, Chen H, Huo Y, Inagaki HK, Chen G, Davis C, Hansel D, Guo C, Svoboda K. Spatiotemporal constraints on optogenetic inactivation in cortical circuits. eLife 2019; 8:e48622. [PMID: 31736463 PMCID: PMC6892606 DOI: 10.7554/elife.48622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Optogenetics allows manipulations of genetically and spatially defined neuronal populations with excellent temporal control. However, neurons are coupled with other neurons over multiple length scales, and the effects of localized manipulations thus spread beyond the targeted neurons. We benchmarked several optogenetic methods to inactivate small regions of neocortex. Optogenetic excitation of GABAergic neurons produced more effective inactivation than light-gated ion pumps. Transgenic mice expressing the light-dependent chloride channel GtACR1 produced the most potent inactivation. Generally, inactivation spread substantially beyond the photostimulation light, caused by strong coupling between cortical neurons. Over some range of light intensity, optogenetic excitation of inhibitory neurons reduced activity in these neurons, together with pyramidal neurons, a signature of inhibition-stabilized neural networks ('paradoxical effect'). The offset of optogenetic inactivation was followed by rebound excitation in a light dose-dependent manner, limiting temporal resolution. Our data offer guidance for the design of in vivo optogenetics experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuo Li
- Department of NeuroscienceBaylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Janelia Research CampusAshburnUnited States
| | - Susu Chen
- Janelia Research CampusAshburnUnited States
| | - Zengcai V Guo
- Janelia Research CampusAshburnUnited States
- School of MedicineTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Han Chen
- School of MedicineTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yan Huo
- School of MedicineTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | | | - Guang Chen
- Department of NeuroscienceBaylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Courtney Davis
- Department of NeuroscienceBaylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Janelia Research CampusAshburnUnited States
| | - David Hansel
- Center of Neurophysics, Physiology and Pathologies, CNRS-UMR8119ParisFrance
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48
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Targeted Cortical Manipulation of Auditory Perception. Neuron 2019; 104:1168-1179.e5. [PMID: 31727548 PMCID: PMC6926484 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.09.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Revised: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Driving perception by direct activation of neural ensembles in cortex is a necessary step for achieving a causal understanding of the neural code for auditory perception and developing central sensory rehabilitation methods. Here, using optogenetic manipulations during an auditory discrimination task in mice, we show that auditory cortex can be short-circuited by coarser pathways for simple sound identification. Yet when the sensory decision becomes more complex, involving temporal integration of information, auditory cortex activity is required for sound discrimination and targeted activation of specific cortical ensembles changes perceptual decisions, as predicted by our readout of the cortical code. Hence, auditory cortex representations contribute to sound discriminations by refining decisions from parallel routes. Auditory cortex is dispensable for discrimination of dissimilar pure tones in mice Auditory cortex is involved in a sound discrimination requiring temporal integration Focal cortical activations bias choices in cortex-dependent discriminations Discrimination is faster for pure tones than for optogenetic cortical activations
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49
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A Non-canonical Feedback Circuit for Rapid Interactions between Somatosensory Cortices. Cell Rep 2019; 23:2718-2731.e6. [PMID: 29847801 PMCID: PMC6004823 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.04.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Revised: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory perception depends on interactions among cortical areas. These
interactions are mediated by canonical patterns of connectivity in which higher
areas send feedback projections to lower areas via neurons in superficial and
deep layers. Here, we probed the circuit basis of interactions among two areas
critical for touch perception in mice, whisker primary (wS1) and secondary (wS2)
somatosensory cortices. Neurons in layer 4 of wS2 (S2L4) formed a
major feedback pathway to wS1. Feedback from wS2 to wS1 was organized
somatotopically. Spikes evoked by whisker deflections occurred nearly as rapidly
in wS2 as in wS1, including among putative S2L4 → S1 feedback
neurons. Axons from S2L4 → S1 neurons sent stimulus
orientation-specific activity to wS1. Optogenetic excitation of S2L4
neurons modulated activity across both wS2 and wS1, while inhibition of
S2L4 reduced orientation tuning among wS1 neurons. Thus, a
non-canonical feedback circuit, originating in layer 4 of S2, rapidly modulates
early tactile processing.
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50
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Sehara K, Bahr V, Mitchinson B, Pearson MJ, Larkum ME, Sachdev RNS. Fast, Flexible Closed-Loop Feedback: Tracking Movement in "Real-Millisecond-Time". eNeuro 2019; 6:ENEURO.0147-19.2019. [PMID: 31611334 PMCID: PMC6825957 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0147-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the principal functions of the brain is to control movement and rapidly adapt behavior to a changing external environment. Over the last decades our ability to monitor activity in the brain, manipulate it while also manipulating the environment the animal moves through, has been tackled with increasing sophistication. However, our ability to track the movement of the animal in real time has not kept pace. Here, we use a dynamic vision sensor (DVS) based event-driven neuromorphic camera system to implement real-time, low-latency tracking of a single whisker that mice can move at ∼25 Hz. The customized DVS system described here converts whisker motion into a series of events that can be used to estimate the position of the whisker and to trigger a position-based output interactively within 2 ms. This neuromorphic chip-based closed-loop system provides feedback rapidly and flexibly. With this system, it becomes possible to use the movement of whiskers or in principal, movement of any part of the body to reward, punish, in a rapidly reconfigurable way. These methods can be used to manipulate behavior, and the neural circuits that help animals adapt to changing values of a sequence of motor actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Sehara
- Institute of Biology, Humboldt University of Berlin, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Ben Mitchinson
- Department of Computer Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TP United Kingdom
| | - Martin J Pearson
- Bristol Robotics Laboratory, University of Bristol and University of the West of England, Bristol, BS16 1QY United Kingdom
| | - Matthew E Larkum
- Institute of Biology, Humboldt University of Berlin, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert N S Sachdev
- Institute of Biology, Humboldt University of Berlin, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
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