1
|
Rajendran Nair DS, Camarillo JCM, Lu G, Thomas BB. Measuring spatial visual loss in rats by retinotopic mapping of the superior colliculus using a novel multi-electrode array technique. J Neurosci Methods 2024; 405:110095. [PMID: 38403001 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2024.110095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The retinotopic map property of the superior colliculus (SC) is a reliable indicator of visual functional changes in rodents. Electrophysiological mapping of the SC using a single electrode has been employed for measuring visual function in rat and mouse disease models. Single electrode mapping is highly laborious requiring long-term exposure to the SC surface and prolonged anesthetic conditions that can adversely affect the mapping data. NEW METHOD To avoid the above-mentioned issues, we fabricated a fifty-six (56) electrode multi-electrode array (MEA) for rapid and reliable visual functional mapping of the SC. Since SC is a dome-shaped structure, the array was made of electrodes with dissimilar tip lengths to enable simultaneous and uniform penetration of the SC. RESULTS SC mapping using the new MEA was conducted in retinal degenerate (RD) Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rats and rats with focal retinal damage induced by green diode laser. For SC mapping, the MEA was advanced into the SC surface and the visual activities were recorded during full-filed light stimulation of the eye. Based on the morphological examination, the MEA electrodes covered most of the exposed SC area and penetrated the SC surface at a relatively uniform depth. MEA mapping in RCS rats (n=9) demonstrated progressive development of a scotoma in the SC that corresponded to the degree of photoreceptor loss. MEA mapping in the laser damaged rats demonstrated the presence of a scotoma in the SC area that corresponded to the location of retinal laser injury. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS AND CONCLUSIONS The use of MEA for SC mapping is advantageous over single electrode recording by enabling faster recordings and reducing anesthesia time. This study establishes the feasibility of the MEA technique for rapid and efficient SC mapping, particularly advantageous for evaluating therapeutic effects in retinal degenerate rat disease models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deepthi S Rajendran Nair
- Roski Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, United States
| | - Juan Carlos-Martinez Camarillo
- Roski Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, United States; USC Ginsburg Institute for Biomedical Therapeutics, University of Southern California, United States
| | - Gengxi Lu
- Roski Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, United States
| | - Biju B Thomas
- Roski Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, United States; USC Ginsburg Institute for Biomedical Therapeutics, University of Southern California, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Yonk AJ, Linares-García I, Pasternak L, Juliani SE, Gradwell MA, George AJ, Margolis DJ. Role of Posterior Medial Thalamus in the Modulation of Striatal Circuitry and Choice Behavior. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.21.586152. [PMID: 38585753 PMCID: PMC10996534 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.21.586152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
The posterior medial (POm) thalamus is heavily interconnected with sensory and motor circuitry and is likely involved in behavioral modulation and sensorimotor integration. POm provides axonal projections to the dorsal striatum, a hotspot of sensorimotor processing, yet the role of POm-striatal projections has remained undetermined. Using optogenetics with slice electrophysiology, we found that POm provides robust synaptic input to direct and indirect pathway striatal spiny projection neurons (D1- and D2-SPNs, respectively) and parvalbumin-expressing fast spiking interneurons (PVs). During the performance of a whisker-based tactile discrimination task, POm-striatal projections displayed learning-related activation correlating with anticipatory, but not reward-related, pupil dilation. Inhibition of POm-striatal axons across learning caused slower reaction times and an increase in the number of training sessions for expert performance. Our data indicate that POm-striatal inputs provide a behaviorally relevant arousal-related signal, which may prime striatal circuitry for efficient integration of subsequent choice-related inputs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alex J. Yonk
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Ivan Linares-García
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Logan Pasternak
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Sofia E. Juliani
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Mark A. Gradwell
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Arlene J. George
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - David J. Margolis
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Petty GH, Bruno RM. Attentional modulation of secondary somatosensory and visual thalamus of mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.22.586242. [PMID: 38585833 PMCID: PMC10996504 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.22.586242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Each sensory modality has its own primary and secondary thalamic nuclei. While the primary thalamic nuclei are well understood to relay sensory information from the periphery to the cortex, the role of secondary sensory nuclei is elusive. One hypothesis has been that secondary nuclei may support feature-based attention. If this is true, one would also expect the activity in different nuclei to reflect the degree to which modalities are or are not behaviorally relevant in a task. We trained head-fixed mice to attend to one sensory modality while ignoring a second modality, namely to attend to touch and ignore vision, or vice versa. Arrays were used to record simultaneously from secondary somatosensory thalamus (POm) and secondary visual thalamus (LP). In mice trained to respond to tactile stimuli and ignore visual stimuli, POm was robustly activated by touch and largely unresponsive to visual stimuli. A different pattern was observed when mice were trained to respond to visual stimuli and ignore touch, with POm now more robustly activated during visual trials. This POm activity was not explained by differences in movements (i.e., whisking, licking, pupil dilation) resulting from the two tasks. Post hoc histological reconstruction of array tracks through POm revealed that subregions varied in their degree of plasticity. LP exhibited similar phenomena. We conclude that behavioral training reshapes activity in secondary thalamic nuclei. Secondary nuclei may respond to behaviorally relevant, reward-predicting stimuli regardless of stimulus modality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gordon H Petty
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA
| | - Randy M Bruno
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy, & Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Dinh TNA, Moon HS, Kim SG. Separation of bimodal fMRI responses in mouse somatosensory areas into V1 and non-V1 contributions. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6302. [PMID: 38491035 PMCID: PMC10943206 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56305-w] [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: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Multisensory integration is necessary for the animal to survive in the real world. While conventional methods have been extensively used to investigate the multisensory integration process in various brain areas, its long-range interactions remain less explored. In this study, our goal was to investigate interactions between visual and somatosensory networks on a whole-brain scale using 15.2-T BOLD fMRI. We compared unimodal to bimodal BOLD fMRI responses and dissected potential cross-modal pathways with silencing of primary visual cortex (V1) by optogenetic stimulation of local GABAergic neurons. Our data showed that the influence of visual stimulus on whisker activity is higher than the influence of whisker stimulus on visual activity. Optogenetic silencing of V1 revealed that visual information is conveyed to whisker processing via both V1 and non-V1 pathways. The first-order ventral posteromedial thalamic nucleus (VPM) was functionally affected by non-V1 sources, while the higher-order posterior medial thalamic nucleus (POm) was predominantly modulated by V1 but not non-V1 inputs. The primary somatosensory barrel field (S1BF) was influenced by both V1 and non-V1 inputs. These observations provide valuable insights for into the integration of whisker and visual sensory information.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thi Ngoc Anh Dinh
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research (CNIR), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon, 16419, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, South Korea
| | - Hyun Seok Moon
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research (CNIR), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon, 16419, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, South Korea
| | - Seong-Gi Kim
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research (CNIR), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon, 16419, South Korea.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, South Korea.
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, South Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zolnik TA, Bronec A, Ross A, Staab M, Sachdev RNS, Molnár Z, Eickholt BJ, Larkum ME. Layer 6b controls brain state via apical dendrites and the higher-order thalamocortical system. Neuron 2024; 112:805-820.e4. [PMID: 38101395 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.11.021] [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: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
The deepest layer of the cortex (layer 6b [L6b]) contains relatively few neurons, but it is the only cortical layer responsive to the potent wake-promoting neuropeptide orexin/hypocretin. Can these few neurons significantly influence brain state? Here, we show that L6b-photoactivation causes a surprisingly robust enhancement of attention-associated high-gamma oscillations and population spiking while abolishing slow waves in sleep-deprived mice. To explain this powerful impact on brain state, we investigated L6b's synaptic output using optogenetics, electrophysiology, and monoCaTChR ex vivo. We found powerful output in the higher-order thalamus and apical dendrites of L5 pyramidal neurons, via L1a and L5a, as well as in superior colliculus and L6 interneurons. L6b subpopulations with distinct morphologies and short- and long-term plasticities project to these diverse targets. The L1a-targeting subpopulation triggered powerful NMDA-receptor-dependent spikes that elicited burst firing in L5. We conclude that orexin/hypocretin-activated cortical neurons form a multifaceted, fine-tuned circuit for the sustained control of the higher-order thalamocortical system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Adam Zolnik
- Department of Biochemistry, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany; Department of Biology, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany.
| | - Anna Bronec
- Department of Biology, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany
| | - Annemarie Ross
- Department of Biology, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany
| | - Marcel Staab
- Department of Biology, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany
| | - Robert N S Sachdev
- Department of Biology, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany
| | - Zoltán Molnár
- Department of Biochemistry, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany; Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Sherrington Building, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | | | - Matthew Evan Larkum
- Department of Biology, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Melleu FF, Canteras NS. Pathways from the Superior Colliculus to the Basal Ganglia. Curr Neuropharmacol 2024; 22:1431-1453. [PMID: 37702174 PMCID: PMC11097988 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x21666230911102118] [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: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The present work aims to review the structural organization of the mammalian superior colliculus (SC), the putative pathways connecting the SC and the basal ganglia, and their role in organizing complex behavioral output. First, we review how the complex intrinsic connections between the SC's laminae projections allow for the construction of spatially aligned, visual-multisensory maps of the surrounding environment. Moreover, we present a summary of the sensory-motor inputs of the SC, including a description of the integration of multi-sensory inputs relevant to behavioral control. We further examine the major descending outputs toward the brainstem and spinal cord. As the central piece of this review, we provide a thorough analysis covering the putative interactions between the SC and the basal ganglia. To this end, we explore the diverse thalamic routes by which information from the SC may reach the striatum, including the pathways through the lateral posterior, parafascicular, and rostral intralaminar thalamic nuclei. We also examine the interactions between the SC and subthalamic nucleus, representing an additional pathway for the tectal modulation of the basal ganglia. Moreover, we discuss how information from the SC might also be relayed to the basal ganglia through midbrain tectonigral and tectotegmental projections directed at the substantia nigra compacta and ventrotegmental area, respectively, influencing the dopaminergic outflow to the dorsal and ventral striatum. We highlight the vast interplay between the SC and the basal ganglia and raise several missing points that warrant being addressed in future studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Newton Sabino Canteras
- Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Chinta S, Pluta SR. Neural mechanisms for the localization of unexpected external motion. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6112. [PMID: 37777516 PMCID: PMC10542789 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41755-z] [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: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023] Open
Abstract
To localize objects during active sensing, animals must differentiate stimuli caused by volitional movement from real-world object motion. To determine a neural basis for this ability, we examined the mouse superior colliculus (SC), which contains multiple egocentric maps of sensorimotor space. By placing mice in a whisker-guided virtual reality, we discovered a rapidly adapting tactile response that transiently emerged during externally generated gains in whisker contact. Responses to self-generated touch that matched self-generated history were significantly attenuated, revealing that transient response magnitude is controlled by sensorimotor predictions. The magnitude of the transient response gradually decreased with repetitions in external motion, revealing a slow habituation based on external history. The direction of external motion was accurately encoded in the firing rates of transiently responsive neurons. These data reveal that whisker-specific adaptation and sensorimotor predictions in SC neurons enhance the localization of unexpected, externally generated changes in tactile space.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Suma Chinta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Scott R Pluta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Kong Z, Zhu X, Chang S, Bao Y, Ma Y, Yu W, Zhu R, Sun Q, Sun W, Deng J, Sun H. Somatic symptoms mediate the association between subclinical anxiety and depressive symptoms and its neuroimaging mechanisms. BMC Psychiatry 2022; 22:835. [PMID: 36581819 PMCID: PMC9798660 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-022-04488-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Subclinical anxiety, depressive and somatic symptoms appear closely related. However, it remains unclear whether somatic symptoms mediate the association between subclinical anxiety and depressive symptoms and what the underlying neuroimaging mechanisms are for the mediating effect. METHODS Data of healthy participants (n = 466) and participants in remission of major depressive disorder (n = 53) were obtained from the Human Connectome Project. The Achenbach Adult Self-Report was adopted to assess anxiety, depressive and somatic symptoms. All participants completed four runs of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Mediation analyses were utilized to explore the interactions among these symptoms and their neuroimaging mechanisms. RESULTS Somatic symptoms partially mediated the association between subclinical anxiety and depressive symptoms in healthy participants (anxiety→somatic→depression: effect: 0.2785, Boot 95% CI: 0.0958-0.3729; depression→somatic→anxiety: effect: 0.0753, Boot 95% CI: 0.0232-0.1314) and participants in remission of MDD (anxiety→somatic→depression: effect: 0.2948, Boot 95% CI: 0.0357-0.7382; depression→somatic→anxiety: effect: 0.0984, Boot 95% CI: 0.0007-0.2438). Resting-state functional connectivity (FC) between the right medial superior frontal gyrus and the left thalamus and somatic symptoms as chain mediators partially mediated the effect of subclinical depressive symptoms on subclinical anxiety symptoms in healthy participants (effect: 0.0020, Boot 95% CI: 0.0003-0.0043). The mean strength of common FCs of subclinical depressive and somatic symptoms, somatic symptoms, and the mean strength of common FCs of subclinical anxiety and somatic symptoms as chain mediators partially mediated the effect of subclinical depressive symptoms on subclinical anxiety symptoms in remission of MDD (effect: 0.0437, Boot 95% CI: 0.0024-0.1190). These common FCs mainly involved the insula, precentral gyri, postcentral gyri and cingulate gyri. Furthermore, FC between the triangular part of the left inferior frontal gyrus and the left postcentral gyrus was positively associated with subclinical anxiety, depressive and somatic symptoms in remission of MDD (FDR-corrected p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Somatic symptoms partially mediate the interaction between subclinical anxiety and depressive symptoms. FCs involving the right medial superior frontal gyrus, left thalamus, triangular part of left inferior frontal gyrus, bilateral insula, precentral gyri, postcentral gyri and cingulate gyri maybe underlie the mediating effect of somatic symptoms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhifei Kong
- grid.459847.30000 0004 1798 0615Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191 China
| | - Ximei Zhu
- grid.459847.30000 0004 1798 0615Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191 China
| | - Suhua Chang
- grid.459847.30000 0004 1798 0615Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191 China
| | - Yanping Bao
- grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, 100191 China ,grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191 China
| | - Yundong Ma
- grid.459847.30000 0004 1798 0615Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191 China
| | - Wenwen Yu
- grid.459847.30000 0004 1798 0615Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191 China
| | - Ran Zhu
- grid.459847.30000 0004 1798 0615Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191 China
| | - Qiqing Sun
- grid.459847.30000 0004 1798 0615Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191 China
| | - Wei Sun
- grid.459847.30000 0004 1798 0615Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191 China
| | - Jiahui Deng
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Hongqiang Sun
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191, China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Kaufmann LV, Brecht M, Ishiyama S. Tickle contagion in the rat somatosensory cortex. iScience 2022; 25:105718. [PMID: 36578320 PMCID: PMC9791364 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The cellular mechanisms of emotional contagion are unknown. We investigated tickle contagion and the underlying neuronal representations in playful rats. We recorded trunk somatosensory cortex activity of observer rats while they received tickling and audiovisual playback of tickling footage and while they witnessed tickling of demonstrator rats. Observers vocalized and showed "Freudensprünge" ("joy jumps") during witnessing live tickling, while they showed little behavioral responses to playbacks. Deep layers in the trunk somatosensory neurons showed a larger correlation between direct and witnessed tickling responses compared to superficial layers. Trunk somatosensory neurons discharged upon emission of own and demonstrator's vocalizations and might drive contagious "laughter". We conclude that trunk somatosensory cortex might represent ticklishness contagion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lena V. Kaufmann
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Philippstraße 13, Haus 6, 10115 Berlin, Germany,Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Brecht
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Philippstraße 13, Haus 6, 10115 Berlin, Germany,NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Shimpei Ishiyama
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Philippstraße 13, Haus 6, 10115 Berlin, Germany,Institut für Pathophysiologie, Universitätsmedizin der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Duesbergweg 6, 55128 Mainz, Germany,Corresponding author
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Shine JM. Adaptively navigating affordance landscapes: How interactions between the superior colliculus and thalamus coordinate complex, adaptive behaviour. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 143:104921. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
|
11
|
Qi J, Ye C, Naskar S, Inácio AR, Lee S. Posteromedial thalamic nucleus activity significantly contributes to perceptual discrimination. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001896. [PMID: 36441759 PMCID: PMC9731480 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Higher-order sensory thalamic nuclei are densely connected with multiple cortical and subcortical areas, yet the role of these nuclei remains elusive. The posteromedial thalamic nucleus (POm), the higher-order thalamic nucleus in the rodent somatosensory system, is an anatomical hub broadly connected with multiple sensory and motor brain areas yet weakly responds to passive sensory stimulation and whisker movements. To understand the role of POm in sensory perception, we developed a self-initiated, two-alternative forced-choice task in freely moving mice during active sensing. Using optogenetic and chemogenetic manipulation, we show that POm plays a significant role in sensory perception and the projection from the primary somatosensory cortex to POm is critical for the contribution of POm in sensory perception during active sensing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jia Qi
- Unit on Functional Neural Circuits, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Changquan Ye
- Unit on Functional Neural Circuits, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Shovan Naskar
- Unit on Functional Neural Circuits, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ana R. Inácio
- Unit on Functional Neural Circuits, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Soohyun Lee
- Unit on Functional Neural Circuits, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Lenschow C, Mendes ARP, Lima SQ. Hearing, touching, and multisensory integration during mate choice. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:943888. [PMID: 36247731 PMCID: PMC9559228 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.943888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Mate choice is a potent generator of diversity and a fundamental pillar for sexual selection and evolution. Mate choice is a multistage affair, where complex sensory information and elaborate actions are used to identify, scrutinize, and evaluate potential mating partners. While widely accepted that communication during mate assessment relies on multimodal cues, most studies investigating the mechanisms controlling this fundamental behavior have restricted their focus to the dominant sensory modality used by the species under examination, such as vision in humans and smell in rodents. However, despite their undeniable importance for the initial recognition, attraction, and approach towards a potential mate, other modalities gain relevance as the interaction progresses, amongst which are touch and audition. In this review, we will: (1) focus on recent findings of how touch and audition can contribute to the evaluation and choice of mating partners, and (2) outline our current knowledge regarding the neuronal circuits processing touch and audition (amongst others) in the context of mate choice and ask (3) how these neural circuits are connected to areas that have been studied in the light of multisensory integration.
Collapse
|
13
|
Carlson CJ, Albery GF, Merow C, Trisos CH, Zipfel CM, Eskew EA, Olival KJ, Ross N, Bansal S. Climate change increases cross-species viral transmission risk. Nature 2022; 607:555-562. [PMID: 35483403 DOI: 10.1101/2020.01.24.918755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
At least 10,000 virus species have the ability to infect humans but, at present, the vast majority are circulating silently in wild mammals1,2. However, changes in climate and land use will lead to opportunities for viral sharing among previously geographically isolated species of wildlife3,4. In some cases, this will facilitate zoonotic spillover-a mechanistic link between global environmental change and disease emergence. Here we simulate potential hotspots of future viral sharing, using a phylogeographical model of the mammal-virus network, and projections of geographical range shifts for 3,139 mammal species under climate-change and land-use scenarios for the year 2070. We predict that species will aggregate in new combinations at high elevations, in biodiversity hotspots, and in areas of high human population density in Asia and Africa, causing the cross-species transmission of their associated viruses an estimated 4,000 times. Owing to their unique dispersal ability, bats account for the majority of novel viral sharing and are likely to share viruses along evolutionary pathways that will facilitate future emergence in humans. Notably, we find that this ecological transition may already be underway, and holding warming under 2 °C within the twenty-first century will not reduce future viral sharing. Our findings highlight an urgent need to pair viral surveillance and discovery efforts with biodiversity surveys tracking the range shifts of species, especially in tropical regions that contain the most zoonoses and are experiencing rapid warming.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Colin J Carlson
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
- Center for Global Health Science & Security, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
| | - Gregory F Albery
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Cory Merow
- Eversource Energy Center, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Christopher H Trisos
- African Climate and Development Initiative, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Casey M Zipfel
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Evan A Eskew
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Biology, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA, USA
| | | | - Noam Ross
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shweta Bansal
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Kondo S, Kiyohara Y, Ohki K. Response Selectivity of the Lateral Posterior Nucleus Axons Projecting to the Mouse Primary Visual Cortex. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:825735. [PMID: 35296036 PMCID: PMC8918919 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.825735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons in the mouse primary visual cortex (V1) exhibit characteristic response selectivity to visual stimuli, such as orientation, direction and spatial frequency selectivity. Since V1 receives thalamic visual inputs from the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and lateral posterior nucleus (LPN), the response selectivity of the V1 neurons could be influenced mostly by these inputs. However, it remains unclear how these two thalamic inputs contribute to the response selectivity of the V1 neurons. In this study, we examined the orientation, direction and spatial frequency selectivity of the LPN axons projecting to V1 and compared their response selectivity with our previous results of the LGN axons in mice. For this purpose, the genetically encoded calcium indicator, GCaMP6s, was locally expressed in the LPN using the adeno-associated virus (AAV) infection method. Visual stimulations were presented, and axonal imaging was conducted in V1 by two-photon calcium imaging in vivo. We found that LPN axons primarily terminate in layers 1 and 5 and, to a lesser extent, in layers 2/3 and 4 of V1, while LGN axons mainly terminate in layer 4 and, to a lesser extent, in layers 1 and 2/3 of V1. LPN axons send highly orientation- and direction-selective inputs to all the examined layers in V1, whereas LGN axons send highly orientation- and direction-selective inputs to layers 1 and 2/3 but low orientation and direction selective inputs to layer 4 in V1. The distribution of preferred orientation and direction was strongly biased toward specific orientations and directions in LPN axons, while weakly biased to cardinal orientations and directions in LGN axons. In spatial frequency tuning, both the LPN and LGN axons send selective inputs to V1. The distribution of preferred spatial frequency was more diverse in the LPN axons than in the LGN axons. In conclusion, LPN inputs to V1 are functionally different from LGN inputs and may have different roles in the orientation, direction and spatial frequency tuning of the V1 neurons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Satoru Kondo
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- World Premier International Research Center – International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), Tokyo, Japan
- *Correspondence: Satoru Kondo,
| | - Yuko Kiyohara
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenichi Ohki
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- World Premier International Research Center – International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), Tokyo, Japan
- Institute for AI and Beyond, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Kenichi Ohki,
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Law RG, Pugliese S, Shin H, Sliva DD, Lee S, Neymotin S, Moore C, Jones SR. Thalamocortical Mechanisms Regulating the Relationship between Transient Beta Events and Human Tactile Perception. Cereb Cortex 2022; 32:668-688. [PMID: 34401898 PMCID: PMC8841599 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Transient neocortical events with high spectral power in the 15-29 Hz beta band are among the most reliable predictors of sensory perception. Prestimulus beta event rates in primary somatosensory cortex correlate with sensory suppression, most effectively 100-300 ms before stimulus onset. However, the neural mechanisms underlying this perceptual association are unknown. We combined human magnetoencephalography (MEG) measurements with biophysical neural modeling to test potential cellular and circuit mechanisms that underlie observed correlations between prestimulus beta events and tactile detection. Extending prior studies, we found that simulated bursts from higher-order, nonlemniscal thalamus were sufficient to drive beta event generation and to recruit slow supragranular inhibition acting on a 300 ms timescale to suppress sensory information. Further analysis showed that the same beta-generating mechanism can lead to facilitated perception for a brief period when beta events occur simultaneously with tactile stimulation before inhibition is recruited. These findings were supported by close agreement between model-derived predictions and empirical MEG data. The postevent suppressive mechanism explains an array of studies that associate beta with decreased processing, whereas the during-event facilitatory mechanism may demand a reinterpretation of the role of beta events in the context of coincident timing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert G Law
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, RI 02908, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA 02215, USA
| | - Sarah Pugliese
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Hyeyoung Shin
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Danielle D Sliva
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Shane Lee
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Norman Prince Neurosciences Institute, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Samuel Neymotin
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
| | - Christopher Moore
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Stephanie R Jones
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, RI 02908, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Cheung V, Chung P, Bjorni M, Shvareva VA, Lopez YC, Feinberg EH. Virally encoded connectivity transgenic overlay RNA sequencing (VECTORseq) defines projection neurons involved in sensorimotor integration. Cell Rep 2021; 37:110131. [PMID: 34936877 PMCID: PMC8719358 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Behavior arises from concerted activity throughout the brain. Consequently, a major focus of modern neuroscience is defining the physiology and behavioral roles of projection neurons linking different brain areas. Single-cell RNA sequencing has facilitated these efforts by revealing molecular determinants of cellular physiology and markers that enable genetically targeted perturbations such as optogenetics, but existing methods for sequencing defined projection populations are low throughput, painstaking, and costly. We developed a straightforward, multiplexed approach, virally encoded connectivity transgenic overlay RNA sequencing (VECTORseq). VECTORseq repurposes commercial retrogradely infecting viruses typically used to express functional transgenes (e.g., recombinases and fluorescent proteins) by treating viral transgene mRNA as barcodes within single-cell datasets. VECTORseq is compatible with different viral families, resolves multiple populations with different projection targets in one sequencing run, and identifies cortical and subcortical excitatory and inhibitory projection populations. Our study provides a roadmap for high-throughput identification of neuronal subtypes based on connectivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Cheung
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Tetrad Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
| | - Philip Chung
- Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Max Bjorni
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Varvara A Shvareva
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Yesenia C Lopez
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Evan H Feinberg
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Allen KM, Lawlor J, Salles A, Moss CF. Orienting our view of the superior colliculus: specializations and general functions. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2021; 71:119-126. [PMID: 34826675 PMCID: PMC8996328 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2021.10.005] [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: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian superior colliculus (SC) and its non-mammalian homolog, the optic tectum are implicated in sensorimotor transformations. Historically, emphasis on visuomotor functions of the SC has led to a popular view that it operates as an oculomotor structure rather than a more general orienting structure. In this review, we consider comparative work on the SC/optic tectum, with a particular focus on non-visual sensing and orienting, which reveals a broader perspective on SC functions and their role in species-specific behaviors. We highlight several recent studies that consider ethological context and natural behaviors to advance knowledge of the SC as a site of multi-sensory integration and motor initiation in diverse species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kathryne M Allen
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Jennifer Lawlor
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Angeles Salles
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Cynthia F Moss
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA; The Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Petty GH, Kinnischtzke AK, Hong YK, Bruno RM. Effects of arousal and movement on secondary somatosensory and visual thalamus. eLife 2021; 10:67611. [PMID: 34842139 PMCID: PMC8660016 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neocortical sensory areas have associated primary and secondary thalamic nuclei. While primary nuclei transmit sensory information to cortex, secondary nuclei remain poorly understood. We recorded juxtasomally from secondary somatosensory (POm) and visual (LP) nuclei of awake mice while tracking whisking and pupil size. POm activity correlated with whisking, but not precise whisker kinematics. This coarse movement modulation persisted after facial paralysis and thus was not due to sensory reafference. This phenomenon also continued during optogenetic silencing of somatosensory and motor cortex and after lesion of superior colliculus, ruling out a motor efference copy mechanism. Whisking and pupil dilation were strongly correlated, possibly reflecting arousal. Indeed LP, which is not part of the whisker system, tracked whisking equally well, further indicating that POm activity does not encode whisker movement per se. The semblance of movement-related activity is likely instead a global effect of arousal on both nuclei. We conclude that secondary thalamus monitors behavioral state, rather than movement, and may exist to alter cortical activity accordingly.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gordon H Petty
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, United States.,Kavli Institute for Brain Science, New York, United States.,Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, New York, United States
| | - Amanda K Kinnischtzke
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, United States.,Kavli Institute for Brain Science, New York, United States.,Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, New York, United States
| | - Y Kate Hong
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, United States.,Kavli Institute for Brain Science, New York, United States.,Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, New York, United States
| | - Randy M Bruno
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, United States.,Kavli Institute for Brain Science, New York, United States.,Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, New York, United States
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Castejon C, Martin-Cortecero J, Nuñez A. Higher-Order Thalamic Encoding of Somatosensory Patterns and Bilateral Events. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:752804. [PMID: 34759802 PMCID: PMC8573422 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.752804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The function of the higher-order sensory thalamus remains unclear. Here, the posterior medial (POm) nucleus of the thalamus was examined by in vivo extracellular recordings in anesthetized rats across a variety of contralateral, ipsilateral, and bilateral whisker sensory patterns. We found that POm was highly sensitive to multiwhisker stimuli involving diverse spatiotemporal interactions. Accurate increases in POm activity were produced during the overlapping time between spatial signals reflecting changes in the spatiotemporal structure of sensory patterns. In addition, our results showed for first time that POm was also able to respond to tactile stimulation of ipsilateral whiskers. This finding challenges the notion that the somatosensory thalamus only computes unilateral stimuli. We found that POm also integrates signals from both whisker pads and described how this integration is generated. Our results showed that ipsilateral activity reached one POm indirectly from the other POm and demonstrated a transmission of sensory activity between both nuclei through a functional POm-POm loop formed by thalamocortical, interhemispheric, and corticothalamic projections. The implication of different cortical areas was investigated revealing that S1 plays a central role in this POm-POm loop. Accordingly, the subcortical and cortical inputs allow POm but not the ventral posteromedial thalamic nucleus (VPM) to have sensory information from both sides of the body. This finding is in agreement with the higher-order nature of POm and can be considered to functionally differentiate and classify these thalamic nuclei. A possible functional role of these higher-order thalamic patterns of integrated activity in brain function is discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Castejon
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, Autónoma de Madrid University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesus Martin-Cortecero
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, Autónoma de Madrid University, Madrid, Spain.,Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical Biophysics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Angel Nuñez
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, Autónoma de Madrid University, Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Cortical control of behavior and attention from an evolutionary perspective. Neuron 2021; 109:3048-3054. [PMID: 34297915 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.06.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
For animals to survive, they must interact with their environment, taking in sensory information and making appropriate motor responses. Early on during vertebrate evolution, this was accomplished with neural circuits located mostly within the spinal cord and brainstem. As the cerebral cortex evolved, it provided additional and powerful advantages for assessing environmental cues and guiding appropriate responses. Importantly, the cerebral cortex was added onto an already functional nervous system. Moreover, every cortical area, including areas traditionally considered sensory, provides input to the subcortical motor structures that are bottlenecks for driving action. These facts have important ramifications for cognitive aspects of motor control. Here we consider the evolution of cortical mechanisms for attention from the perspective of having to work through these subcortical bottlenecks. From this perspective, many features of attention can be explained, including the preferential engagement of some cortical areas at the cost of disengagement from others to improve appropriate behavioral responses.
Collapse
|
21
|
Ewall G, Parkins S, Lin A, Jaoui Y, Lee HK. Cortical and Subcortical Circuits for Cross-Modal Plasticity Induced by Loss of Vision. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:665009. [PMID: 34113240 PMCID: PMC8185208 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.665009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cortical areas are highly interconnected both via cortical and subcortical pathways, and primary sensory cortices are not isolated from this general structure. In primary sensory cortical areas, these pre-existing functional connections serve to provide contextual information for sensory processing and can mediate adaptation when a sensory modality is lost. Cross-modal plasticity in broad terms refers to widespread plasticity across the brain in response to losing a sensory modality, and largely involves two distinct changes: cross-modal recruitment and compensatory plasticity. The former involves recruitment of the deprived sensory area, which includes the deprived primary sensory cortex, for processing the remaining senses. Compensatory plasticity refers to plasticity in the remaining sensory areas, including the spared primary sensory cortices, to enhance the processing of its own sensory inputs. Here, we will summarize potential cellular plasticity mechanisms involved in cross-modal recruitment and compensatory plasticity, and review cortical and subcortical circuits to the primary sensory cortices which can mediate cross-modal plasticity upon loss of vision.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle Ewall
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Zanvyl-Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Samuel Parkins
- Cell, Molecular, Developmental Biology and Biophysics (CMDB) Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Amy Lin
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Zanvyl-Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Yanis Jaoui
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Zanvyl-Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Hey-Kyoung Lee
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Zanvyl-Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Cell, Molecular, Developmental Biology and Biophysics (CMDB) Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Nemira A, Adeniyi AE, Gasich EL, Bulda KY, Valentovich LN, Krasko AG, Glebova O, Kirpich A, Skums P. SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics in Belarus revealed by genomic and incidence data analysis. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2021:2021.04.13.21255404. [PMID: 33907756 PMCID: PMC8077579 DOI: 10.1101/2021.04.13.21255404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Since the emergence of COVID-19, a series of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) has been implemented by governments and public health authorities world-wide to control and curb the ongoing pandemic spread. From that perspective, Belarus is one of a few countries with a relatively modern healthcare system, where much narrower NPIs have been put in place. Given the uniqueness of this Belarusian experience, the understanding its COVID-19 epidemiological dynamics is essential not only for the local assessment, but also for a better insight into the impact of different NPI strategies globally. In this work, we integrate genomic epidemiology and surveillance methods to investigate the emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the country. The observed Belarusian SARS-CoV-2 genetic diversity originated from at least eighteen separate introductions, at least five of which resulted in on-going domestic transmissions. The introduction sources represent a wide variety of regions, although the proportion of regional virus introductions and exports from/to geographical neighbors appears to be higher than for other European countries. Phylodynamic analysis indicates a moderate reduction in the effective reproductive number ℛ e after the introduction of limited NPIs, with the reduction magnitude generally being lower than for countries with large-scale NPIs. On the other hand, the estimate of the Belarusian ℛ e at the early epidemic stage is comparable with this number for the neighboring ex-USSR country of Ukraine, where much broader NPIs have been implemented. The actual number of cases by the end of May, 2020 was predicted to be 2-9 times higher than the detected number of cases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alina Nemira
- Department of Computer Science, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Elena L. Gasich
- Republican Research and Practical Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, Minsk, Belarus
| | - Kirill Y. Bulda
- Republican Research and Practical Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, Minsk, Belarus
| | | | - Anatoly G. Krasko
- Republican Research and Practical Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, Minsk, Belarus
| | - Olga Glebova
- Department of Computer Science, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Alexander Kirpich
- Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Pavel Skums
- Department of Computer Science, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Schuman B, Dellal S, Prönneke A, Machold R, Rudy B. Neocortical Layer 1: An Elegant Solution to Top-Down and Bottom-Up Integration. Annu Rev Neurosci 2021; 44:221-252. [PMID: 33730511 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-100520-012117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Many of our daily activities, such as riding a bike to work or reading a book in a noisy cafe, and highly skilled activities, such as a professional playing a tennis match or a violin concerto, depend upon the ability of the brain to quickly make moment-to-moment adjustments to our behavior in response to the results of our actions. Particularly, they depend upon the ability of the neocortex to integrate the information provided by the sensory organs (bottom-up information) with internally generated signals such as expectations or attentional signals (top-down information). This integration occurs in pyramidal cells (PCs) and their long apical dendrite, which branches extensively into a dendritic tuft in layer 1 (L1). The outermost layer of the neocortex, L1 is highly conserved across cortical areas and species. Importantly, L1 is the predominant input layer for top-down information, relayed by a rich, dense mesh of long-range projections that provide signals to the tuft branches of the PCs. Here, we discuss recent progress in our understanding of the composition of L1 and review evidence that L1 processing contributes to functions such as sensory perception, cross-modal integration, controlling states of consciousness, attention, and learning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Schuman
- Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA;
| | - Shlomo Dellal
- Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA;
| | - Alvar Prönneke
- Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA;
| | - Robert Machold
- Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA;
| | - Bernardo Rudy
- Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; .,Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Burns TF, Rajan R. Sensing and processing whisker deflections in rodents. PeerJ 2021; 9:e10730. [PMID: 33665005 PMCID: PMC7906041 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The classical view of sensory information mainly flowing into barrel cortex at layer IV, moving up for complex feature processing and lateral interactions in layers II and III, then down to layers V and VI for output and corticothalamic feedback is becoming increasingly undermined by new evidence. We review the neurophysiology of sensing and processing whisker deflections, emphasizing the general processing and organisational principles present along the entire sensory pathway—from the site of physical deflection at the whiskers to the encoding of deflections in the barrel cortex. Many of these principles support the classical view. However, we also highlight the growing number of exceptions to these general principles, which complexify the system and which investigators should be mindful of when interpreting their results. We identify gaps in the literature for experimentalists and theorists to investigate, not just to better understand whisker sensation but also to better understand sensory and cortical processing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas F Burns
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ramesh Rajan
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Wahlbom A, Enander JMD, Jörntell H. Widespread Decoding of Tactile Input Patterns Among Thalamic Neurons. Front Syst Neurosci 2021; 15:640085. [PMID: 33664654 PMCID: PMC7921320 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2021.640085] [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: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Whereas, there is data to support that cuneothalamic projections predominantly reach a topographically confined volume of the rat thalamus, the ventroposterior lateral (VPL) nucleus, recent findings show that cortical neurons that process tactile inputs are widely distributed across the neocortex. Since cortical neurons project back to the thalamus, the latter observation would suggest that thalamic neurons could contain information about tactile inputs, in principle regardless of where in the thalamus they are located. Here we use a previously introduced electrotactile interface for producing sets of highly reproducible tactile afferent spatiotemporal activation patterns from the tip of digit 2 and record neurons throughout widespread parts of the thalamus of the anesthetized rat. We find that a majority of thalamic neurons, regardless of location, respond to single pulse tactile inputs and generate spike responses to such tactile stimulation patterns that can be used to identify which of the inputs that was provided, at above-chance decoding performance levels. Thalamic neurons with short response latency times, compatible with a direct tactile afferent input via the cuneate nucleus, were typically among the best decoders. Thalamic neurons with longer response latency times as a rule were also found to be able to decode the digit 2 inputs, though typically at a lower decoding performance than the thalamic neurons with presumed direct cuneate inputs. These findings provide support for that tactile information arising from any specific skin area is widely available in the thalamocortical circuitry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anders Wahlbom
- Neural Basis of Sensorimotor Control, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jonas M D Enander
- Neural Basis of Sensorimotor Control, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Henrik Jörntell
- Neural Basis of Sensorimotor Control, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Chen Y, Wu Y, Mu J, Qiu B, Wang K, Tian Y. Abnormal fear circuits activities correlated to physical symptoms in somatic anxiety patients. J Affect Disord 2020; 274:54-58. [PMID: 32475814 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.05.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Somatic anxiety patients complain of physical symptoms and exhibit repeated checking behavior. Overgeneralization of fear is a characteristic of anxiety disorders. However, the role of fear in the somatic anxiety patients remains unclear. We hypothesized that somatic anxiety patients have abnormal fear circuits, including the amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus, orbitofrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex, which can aggravate physical symptoms. METHODS 33 anxiety patients and 25 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. The severity of the anxiety and somatic symptoms was assessed with the Hamilton anxiety scale and the 15-item somatic symptom severity scale from the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15). The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) in resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess abnormalities in the fear circuit. We compared the ALFF between patients and HCs with respect to the fear circuit and conducted correlation analysis to investigate the relationship between somatic symptoms and the ALFF in abnormal cerebral regions. RESULTS The ALFF of the left thalamus and left hippocampus was significantly higher in the patient group than the HC group, and was positively correlated with the PHQ-15 values. LIMITATIONS We did not divide the patient group into drug treated or drug free in our subgroup analysis. There was a lack of the paradigm to test the generalization of fear for patients in this study. Furthermore, the small sample size may have affected the results. CONCLUSION Somatic symptoms in patients with anxiety are related to abnormal fear circuits, whose degree of abnormality is associated with symptom severity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yue Chen
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Yue Wu
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Jingjing Mu
- Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei 230000, China
| | - Bensheng Qiu
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Cognition and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Hefei 230022, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Neuropsychiatric Disorders and Mental Health, Hefei 230022, China; Department of Medical Psychology, Chaohu Clinical Medical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230000, China
| | - Yanghua Tian
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Cognition and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Hefei 230022, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Neuropsychiatric Disorders and Mental Health, Hefei 230022, China.
| |
Collapse
|