1
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Zheng T, Sugino M, Jimbo Y, Ermentrout GB, Kotani K. Analyzing top-down visual attention in the context of gamma oscillations: a layer- dependent network-of- networks approach. Front Comput Neurosci 2024; 18:1439632. [PMID: 39376575 PMCID: PMC11456483 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2024.1439632] [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: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 10/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Top-down visual attention is a fundamental cognitive process that allows individuals to selectively attend to salient visual stimuli in the environment. Recent empirical findings have revealed that gamma oscillations participate in the modulation of visual attention. However, computational studies face challenges when analyzing the attentional process in the context of gamma oscillation due to the unstable nature of gamma oscillations and the complexity induced by the layered fashion in the visual cortex. In this study, we propose a layer-dependent network-of-networks approach to analyze such attention with gamma oscillations. The model is validated by reproducing empirical findings on orientation preference and the enhancement of neuronal response due to top-down attention. We perform parameter plane analysis to classify neuronal responses into several patterns and find that the neuronal response to sensory and attention signals was modulated by the heterogeneity of the neuronal population. Furthermore, we revealed a counter-intuitive scenario that the excitatory populations in layer 2/3 and layer 5 exhibit opposite responses to the attentional input. By modification of the original model, we confirmed layer 6 plays an indispensable role in such cases. Our findings uncover the layer-dependent dynamics in the cortical processing of visual attention and open up new possibilities for further research on layer-dependent properties in the cerebral cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyi Zheng
- Department of Precision Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masato Sugino
- Department of Precision Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Jimbo
- Department of Precision Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - G. Bard Ermentrout
- Department of Mathematics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Kiyoshi Kotani
- Department of Human and Engineered Environmental Studies, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
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2
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Ghafari T, Mazzetti C, Garner K, Gutteling T, Jensen O. Modulation of alpha oscillations by attention is predicted by hemispheric asymmetry of subcortical regions. eLife 2024; 12:RP91650. [PMID: 39017666 PMCID: PMC11254381 DOI: 10.7554/elife.91650] [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: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Evidence suggests that subcortical structures play a role in high-level cognitive functions such as the allocation of spatial attention. While there is abundant evidence in humans for posterior alpha band oscillations being modulated by spatial attention, little is known about how subcortical regions contribute to these oscillatory modulations, particularly under varying conditions of cognitive challenge. In this study, we combined MEG and structural MRI data to investigate the role of subcortical structures in controlling the allocation of attentional resources by employing a cued spatial attention paradigm with varying levels of perceptual load. We asked whether hemispheric lateralization of volumetric measures of the thalamus and basal ganglia predicted the hemispheric modulation of alpha-band power. Lateral asymmetry of the globus pallidus, caudate nucleus, and thalamus predicted attention-related modulations of posterior alpha oscillations. When the perceptual load was applied to the target and the distractor was salient caudate nucleus asymmetry predicted alpha-band modulations. Globus pallidus was predictive of alpha-band modulations when either the target had a high load, or the distractor was salient, but not both. Finally, the asymmetry of the thalamus predicted alpha band modulation when neither component of the task was perceptually demanding. In addition to delivering new insight into the subcortical circuity controlling alpha oscillations with spatial attention, our finding might also have clinical applications. We provide a framework that could be followed for detecting how structural changes in subcortical regions that are associated with neurological disorders can be reflected in the modulation of oscillatory brain activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara Ghafari
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of BirminghamBirminghamUnited Kingdom
| | - Cecilia Mazzetti
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of BirminghamBirminghamUnited Kingdom
| | - Kelly Garner
- School of Psychology, University of New South WalesKensingtonAustralia
| | - Tjerk Gutteling
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of BirminghamBirminghamUnited Kingdom
- CERMEP-Imagerie du Vivant, MEG DepartmentLyonFrance
| | - Ole Jensen
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of BirminghamBirminghamUnited Kingdom
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3
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Xia R, Chen X, Engel TA, Moore T. Common and distinct neural mechanisms of attention. Trends Cogn Sci 2024; 28:554-567. [PMID: 38388258 PMCID: PMC11153008 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2024.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Despite a constant deluge of sensory stimulation, only a fraction of it is used to guide behavior. This selective processing is generally referred to as attention, and much research has focused on the neural mechanisms controlling it. Recently, research has broadened to include more ways by which different species selectively process sensory information, whether due to the sensory input itself or to different behavioral and brain states. This work has produced a complex and disjointed body of evidence across different species and forms of attention. However, it has also provided opportunities to better understand the breadth of attentional mechanisms. Here, we summarize the evidence that suggests that different forms of selective processing are supported by mechanisms both common and distinct.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruobing Xia
- Department of Neurobiology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Xiaomo Chen
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Tatiana A Engel
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Tirin Moore
- Department of Neurobiology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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4
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Hanning NM, Himmelberg MM, Carrasco M. Presaccadic Attention Depends on Eye Movement Direction and Is Related to V1 Cortical Magnification. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1023232023. [PMID: 38316562 PMCID: PMC10957215 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1023-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
With every saccadic eye movement, humans bring new information into their fovea to be processed with high visual acuity. Notably, perception is enhanced already before a relevant item is foveated: During saccade preparation, presaccadic attention shifts to the upcoming fixation location, which can be measured via behavioral correlates such as enhanced visual performance or modulations of sensory feature tuning. The coupling between saccadic eye movements and attention is assumed to be robust and mandatory and considered a mechanism facilitating the integration of pre- and postsaccadic information. However, until recently it had not been investigated as a function of saccade direction. Here, we measured contrast response functions during fixation and saccade preparation in male and female observers and found that the pronounced response gain benefit typically elicited by presaccadic attention is selectively lacking before upward saccades at the group level-some observers even showed a cost. Individual observer's sensitivity before upward saccades was negatively related to their amount of surface area in primary visual cortex representing the saccade target, suggesting a potential compensatory mechanism that optimizes the use of the limited neural resources processing the upper vertical meridian. Our results raise the question of how perceptual continuity is achieved and how upward saccades can be accurately targeted despite the lack of-theoretically required-presaccadic attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina M Hanning
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, New York 10003
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, New York 10003
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin 12489, Germany
| | - Marc M Himmelberg
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, New York 10003
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, New York 10003
| | - Marisa Carrasco
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, New York 10003
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, New York 10003
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5
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Ding L. Contributions of the Basal Ganglia to Visual Perceptual Decisions. Annu Rev Vis Sci 2023; 9:385-407. [PMID: 37713277 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-vision-111022-123804] [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] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
The basal ganglia (BG) make up a prominent nexus between visual and motor-related brain regions. In contrast to the BG's well-established roles in movement control and value-based decision making, their contributions to the transformation of visual input into an action remain unclear, especially in the context of perceptual decisions based on uncertain visual evidence. This article reviews recent progress in our understanding of the BG's contributions to the formation, evaluation, and adjustment of such decisions. From theoretical and experimental perspectives, the review focuses on four key stations in the BG network, namely, the striatum, pallidum, subthalamic nucleus, and midbrain dopamine neurons, which can have different roles and together support the decision process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Ding
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA;
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6
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Breu MS, Ramezanpour H, Dicke PW, Thier P. A frontoparietal network for volitional control of gaze following. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 57:1723-1735. [PMID: 36967647 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15975] [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: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Gaze following is a major element of non-verbal communication and important for successful social interactions. Human gaze following is a fast and almost reflex-like behaviour, yet it can be volitionally controlled and suppressed to some extent if inappropriate or unnecessary, given the social context. In order to identify the neural basis of the cognitive control of gaze following, we carried out an event-related fMRI experiment, in which human subjects' eye movements were tracked while they were exposed to gaze cues in two distinct contexts: A baseline gaze following condition in which subjects were instructed to use gaze cues to shift their attention to a gazed-at spatial target and a control condition in which the subjects were required to ignore the gaze cue and instead to shift their attention to a distinct spatial target to be selected based on a colour mapping rule, requiring the suppression of gaze following. We could identify a suppression-related blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) response in a frontoparietal network comprising dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), the anterior insula, precuneus, and posterior parietal cortex (PPC). These findings suggest that overexcitation of frontoparietal circuits in turn suppressing the gaze following patch might be a potential cause of gaze following deficits in clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Breu
- Cognitive Neurology Laboratory, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - H Ramezanpour
- Cognitive Neurology Laboratory, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - P W Dicke
- Cognitive Neurology Laboratory, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - P Thier
- Cognitive Neurology Laboratory, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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7
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Yao T, Vanduffel W. Spike rates of frontal eye field neurons predict reaction times in a spatial attention task. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112384. [PMID: 37043349 PMCID: PMC10157294 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112384] [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: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Which neuronal signal(s) predict reaction times when subjects respond to a target at covertly attended locations? Although recent studies showed that spike rates are not predictive, it remains a highly contested question. Therefore, we record single-unit activity from frontal eye field (FEF) neurons while macaques are performing a covert spatial attention task. We find that the attentional modulation of spike rates of FEF neurons is strongly correlated with behavioral reaction times. Moreover, this correlation already emerges 1 s before target dimming, which triggers the behavioral responses. This prediction of reaction times by spike rates is found in neurons showing attention-dependent enhanced and suppressed activity for targets and distractors, respectively, yet in varying degrees across subjects. Thus, spike rates of FEF neurons can predict reaction times persistently and well before the operant behavior during selective attention tasks. Such long prediction windows will be useful for developing spike-based brain-machine interfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Yao
- Department of Neurosciences, Laboratory of Neuro- and Psychophysiology, KU Leuven Medical School, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - 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.
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8
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Ouerfelli-Ethier J, Comtois Bona I, Fournet R, Pisella L, Khan AZ. Pre-saccadic attention relies more on suppression than does covert attention. J Vis 2023; 23:1. [PMID: 36595283 PMCID: PMC9819743 DOI: 10.1167/jov.23.1.1] [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] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
During covert and pre-saccadic attentional shifts, it is unclear how facilitation and suppression processes interact for target selection. A recent countermanding task pointed to greater suppression at unattended locations during trials with saccades compared to trials without saccades (i.e., fixation and successful stop trials), whereas target facilitation did not differ. It is unknown whether this finding is restricted to countermanding paradigms that involve inhibitory processes. To test this, we adapted Gaspelin and colleagues (2015)'s attention capture task where, within the same block, one location was primed with frequent line discrimination trials, and all locations were occasionally probed using letters report trials. Participants also performed a baseline condition without priming. We tested 15 participants and examined how performance at non-primed locations was affected by covert versus pre-saccadic attention in blocks of four or six items, as well as by position from the primed location and timing from saccade onset. For both attention conditions, letter report at non-primed locations was worse compared to baseline, demonstrating suppression, and letter report at primed location was better, demonstrating facilitation. In saccades trials, letter report was better at primed locations and worse at non-primed locations compared to fixation trials. The timing of this additional pre-saccadic suppression differed from saccadic suppression. In both attention conditions, suppression was greater when primed and non-primed locations were within the same hemifield or in diagonal opposite quadrants. These results confirmed that attention preceding saccade execution suppressed non-primed locations to a larger extent than covert attention, with the same spatial quadrant effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Ouerfelli-Ethier
- School of Optometry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada.,Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, Trajectoires team, University of Lyon I Claude-Bernard, Bron, France.,
| | | | - Romain Fournet
- School of Optometry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada.,
| | - Laure Pisella
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, Trajectoires team, University of Lyon I Claude-Bernard, Bron, France.,
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9
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Monosov IE, Ogasawara T, Haber SN, Heimel JA, Ahmadlou M. The zona incerta in control of novelty seeking and investigation across species. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2022; 77:102650. [PMID: 36399897 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2022.102650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Many organisms rely on a capacity to rapidly replicate, disperse, and evolve when faced with uncertainty and novelty. But mammals do not evolve and replicate quickly. They rely on a sophisticated nervous system to generate predictions and select responses when confronted with these challenges. An important component of their behavioral repertoire is the adaptive context-dependent seeking or avoiding of perceptually novel objects, even when their values have not yet been learned. Here, we outline recent cross-species breakthroughs that shed light on how the zona incerta (ZI), a relatively evolutionarily conserved brain area, supports novelty-seeking and novelty-related investigations. We then conjecture how the architecture of the ZI's anatomical connectivity - the wide-ranging top-down cortical inputs to the ZI, and its specifically strong outputs to both the brainstem action controllers and to brain areas involved in action value learning - place the ZI in a unique role at the intersection of cognitive control and learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilya E Monosov
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
| | - Takaya Ogasawara
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Suzanne N Haber
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA; Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - J Alexander Heimel
- Circuits Structure and Function Group, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Mehran Ahmadlou
- Circuits Structure and Function Group, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, 25 Howland St., W1T4JG London, UK
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10
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Loriette C, Amengual JL, Ben Hamed S. Beyond the brain-computer interface: Decoding brain activity as a tool to understand neuronal mechanisms subtending cognition and behavior. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:811736. [PMID: 36161174 PMCID: PMC9492914 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.811736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the major challenges in system neurosciences consists in developing techniques for estimating the cognitive information content in brain activity. This has an enormous potential in different domains spanning from clinical applications, cognitive enhancement to a better understanding of the neural bases of cognition. In this context, the inclusion of machine learning techniques to decode different aspects of human cognition and behavior and its use to develop brain-computer interfaces for applications in neuroprosthetics has supported a genuine revolution in the field. However, while these approaches have been shown quite successful for the study of the motor and sensory functions, success is still far from being reached when it comes to covert cognitive functions such as attention, motivation and decision making. While improvement in this field of BCIs is growing fast, a new research focus has emerged from the development of strategies for decoding neural activity. In this review, we aim at exploring how the advanced in decoding of brain activity is becoming a major neuroscience tool moving forward our understanding of brain functions, providing a robust theoretical framework to test predictions on the relationship between brain activity and cognition and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Célia Loriette
- Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, CNRS UMR 5229, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Bron, France
| | | | - Suliann Ben Hamed
- Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, CNRS UMR 5229, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Bron, France
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11
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Shah S, Mancarella M, Hembrook-Short JR, Mock VL, Briggs F. Attention differentially modulates multiunit activity in the lateral geniculate nucleus and V1 of macaque monkeys. J Comp Neurol 2022; 530:1064-1080. [PMID: 33950555 PMCID: PMC8568737 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Attention promotes the selection of behaviorally relevant sensory signals from the barrage of sensory information available. Visual attention modulates the gain of neuronal activity in all visual brain areas examined, although magnitudes of gain modulations vary across areas. For example, attention gain magnitudes in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and primary visual cortex (V1) vary tremendously across fMRI measurements in humans and electrophysiological recordings in behaving monkeys. We sought to determine whether these discrepancies are due simply to differences in species or measurement, or more nuanced properties unique to each visual brain area. We also explored whether robust and consistent attention effects, comparable to those measured in humans with fMRI, are observable in the LGN or V1 of monkeys. We measured attentional modulation of multiunit activity in the LGN and V1 of macaque monkeys engaged in a contrast change detection task requiring shifts in covert visual spatial attention. Rigorous analyses of LGN and V1 multiunit activity revealed robust and consistent attentional facilitation throughout V1, with magnitudes comparable to those observed with fMRI. Interestingly, attentional modulation in the LGN was consistently negligible. These findings demonstrate that discrepancies in attention effects are not simply due to species or measurement differences. We also examined whether attention effects correlated with the feature selectivity of recorded multiunits. Distinct relationships suggest that attentional modulation of multiunit activity depends upon the unique structure and function of visual brain areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shraddha Shah
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester NY 14642 USA
| | - Marc Mancarella
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester NY 14642 USA
| | | | - Vanessa L. Mock
- Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester NY 14642 USA
| | - Farran Briggs
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester NY 14642 USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester NY 14642 USA
- Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester NY 14642 USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester NY 14627 USA
- Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester, Rochester NY 14627 USA
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12
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Purg N, Starc M, Slana Ozimič A, Kraljič A, Matkovič A, Repovš G. Neural Evidence for Different Types of Position Coding Strategies in Spatial Working Memory. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:821545. [PMID: 35517989 PMCID: PMC9067305 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.821545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sustained neural activity during the delay phase of spatial working memory tasks is compelling evidence for the neural correlate of active storage and maintenance of spatial information, however, it does not provide insight into specific mechanisms of spatial coding. This activity may reflect a range of processes, such as maintenance of a stimulus position or a prepared motor response plan. The aim of our study was to examine neural evidence for the use of different coding strategies, depending on the characteristics and demands of a spatial working memory task. Thirty-one (20 women, 23 ± 5 years) and 44 (23 women, 21 ± 2 years) participants performed a spatial working memory task while we measured their brain activity using fMRI in two separate experiments. Participants were asked to remember the position of a briefly presented target stimulus and, after a delay period, to use a joystick to indicate either the position of the remembered target or an indicated non-matching location. The task was designed so that the predictability of the response could be manipulated independently of task difficulty and memory retrieval process. We were particularly interested in contrasting conditions in which participants (i) could use prospective coding of the motor response or (ii) had to rely on retrospective sensory information. Prospective motor coding was associated with activity in somatomotor, premotor, and motor cortices and increased integration of brain activity with and within the somatomotor network. In contrast, retrospective sensory coding was associated with increased activity in parietal regions and increased functional connectivity with and within secondary visual and dorsal attentional networks. The observed differences in activation levels, dynamics of differences over trial duration, and integration of information within and between brain networks provide compelling evidence for the use of complementary spatial working memory strategies optimized to meet task demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Purg
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- *Correspondence: Nina Purg
| | - Martina Starc
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Anka Slana Ozimič
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Aleksij Kraljič
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Andraž Matkovič
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Grega Repovš
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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13
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Ramezanpour H, Fallah M. The role of temporal cortex in the control of attention. CURRENT RESEARCH IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 3:100038. [PMID: 36685758 PMCID: PMC9846471 DOI: 10.1016/j.crneur.2022.100038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Attention is an indispensable component of active vision. Contrary to the widely accepted notion that temporal cortex processing primarily focusses on passive object recognition, a series of very recent studies emphasize the role of temporal cortex structures, specifically the superior temporal sulcus (STS) and inferotemporal (IT) cortex, in guiding attention and implementing cognitive programs relevant for behavioral tasks. The goal of this theoretical paper is to advance the hypothesis that the temporal cortex attention network (TAN) entails necessary components to actively participate in attentional control in a flexible task-dependent manner. First, we will briefly discuss the general architecture of the temporal cortex with a focus on the STS and IT cortex of monkeys and their modulation with attention. Then we will review evidence from behavioral and neurophysiological studies that support their guidance of attention in the presence of cognitive control signals. Next, we propose a mechanistic framework for executive control of attention in the temporal cortex. Finally, we summarize the role of temporal cortex in implementing cognitive programs and discuss how they contribute to the dynamic nature of visual attention to ensure flexible behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamidreza Ramezanpour
- Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,School of Kinesiology and Health Science, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,VISTA: Vision Science to Application, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,Corresponding author. Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Mazyar Fallah
- Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,School of Kinesiology and Health Science, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,VISTA: Vision Science to Application, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada,Corresponding author. Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
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14
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Two-monkey fMRI setup for investigating multifaceted aspects of social cognition and behavior involving a real-live conspecific. Neuroimage 2022; 255:119187. [PMID: 35398283 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119187] [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: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
While brain research over the past decades has shed light on the neural correlates of social cognition and behavior in human and non-human primates, most of this research has been performed in virtual settings requiring subjects to observe pictures or recorded videos instead of observing or interacting with another real-live individual. Here we present a two-monkey fMRI setup, allowing examining whole brain responses in macaque monkeys while they observe or interact face-to-face with another real-live conspecific. We tested this setup by comparing overall brain responses during observation of conspecific hand actions in a virtual (observation of recorded videos of actions) or live context (observation of a real-live conspecific performing actions). This dyadic monkey fMRI setup allows examining brain-wide responses in macaque monkeys during different aspects of social behavior, including observation of real-live actions and sensations, social facilitation, joint-attention and social interactions.
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15
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Saito DN, Fujisawa TX, Yanaka HT, Fujii T, Kochiyama T, Makita K, Tomoda A, Okazawa H. Development of attentional networks during childhood and adolescence: A functional MRI study. Neuropsychopharmacol Rep 2022; 42:191-198. [PMID: 35266330 PMCID: PMC9216368 DOI: 10.1002/npr2.12246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention ability is one of the most important cognitive functions. It develops mainly during school age. However, the neural basis for the typical development of attentional functions has not been fully investigated. To clarify the development of the aforementioned function and its neural basis, this study examined brain function in children and adolescents during the performance of an attention network test (ANT) using functional magnetic resonance imaging. One hundred and sixty‐three volunteers (8‐23 years, 80 female) participated in this study. Using a modified version of ANT, we assessed the efficiency of two attentional functions—orienting and executive attention—by measuring how reaction time is affected by spatial cue location and flanker congruency and examined the functional brain areas—attentional networks—associated with two attentional functions. Consistent with the findings of previous studies, the superior parietal lobule, visual association cortex, left precentral gyrus, and supplementary motor area were activated during the orienting attention, while the anterior cingulate cortex, visual association cortex, lateral prefrontal cortex, thalamus, and caudate were activated during the executive attention. Moreover, negative correlations with age were found for activations in the inferior frontal gyrus, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, and caudate nucleus in the orienting attention, while no correlations with age related to executive attention were found. In conclusion, this study revealed common and distinct features in the neural basis of the attentional functions in children and adolescents compared with that of adults and their developmental changes with age. Consistent with the findings of previous studies, the superior parietal lobule, visual association cortex, left precentral gyrus, and supplementary motor area were activated during the orienting process of attention, while the anterior cingulate cortex, visual association cortex, lateral prefrontal cortex, thalamus, and caudate were activated during the executive process. In addition, negative correlations with age were found for activations in the inferior frontal gyrus, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, and caudate nucleus in the orienting process, while no correlations with age were found during the executive process.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke N. Saito
- Research Center for Child Mental DevelopmentUniversity of FukuiFukuiJapan
- Biomedical Imaging Research CenterUniversity of FukuiFukuiJapan
- Department of PsychologyYasuda Women's UniversityHiroshimaJapan
| | - Takashi X. Fujisawa
- Research Center for Child Mental DevelopmentUniversity of FukuiFukuiJapan
- United Graduate School of Child DevelopmentUniversity of FukuiFukuiJapan
| | - Hisakazu T. Yanaka
- Biomedical Imaging Research CenterUniversity of FukuiFukuiJapan
- Faculty of Regional SciencesTottori UniversityTottoriJapan
| | - Takeshi Fujii
- Research Center for Child Mental DevelopmentUniversity of FukuiFukuiJapan
- Biomedical Imaging Research CenterUniversity of FukuiFukuiJapan
- Department of PsychiatryNational Center of Neurology and Psychiatry HospitalTokyoJapan
| | | | - Kai Makita
- Research Center for Child Mental DevelopmentUniversity of FukuiFukuiJapan
| | - Akemi Tomoda
- Research Center for Child Mental DevelopmentUniversity of FukuiFukuiJapan
- United Graduate School of Child DevelopmentUniversity of FukuiFukuiJapan
| | - Hidehiko Okazawa
- Research Center for Child Mental DevelopmentUniversity of FukuiFukuiJapan
- Biomedical Imaging Research CenterUniversity of FukuiFukuiJapan
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16
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Scott JT, Bourne JA. Modelling behaviors relevant to brain disorders in the nonhuman primate: Are we there yet? Prog Neurobiol 2021; 208:102183. [PMID: 34728308 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.102183] [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: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Recent years have seen a profound resurgence of activity with nonhuman primates (NHPs) to model human brain disorders. From marmosets to macaques, the study of NHP species offers a unique window into the function of primate-specific neural circuits that are impossible to examine in other models. Examining how these circuits manifest into the complex behaviors of primates, such as advanced cognitive and social functions, has provided enormous insights to date into the mechanisms underlying symptoms of numerous neurological and neuropsychiatric illnesses. With the recent optimization of modern techniques to manipulate and measure neural activity in vivo, such as optogenetics and calcium imaging, NHP research is more well-equipped than ever to probe the neural mechanisms underlying pathological behavior. However, methods for behavioral experimentation and analysis in NHPs have noticeably failed to keep pace with these advances. As behavior ultimately lies at the junction between preclinical findings and its translation to clinical outcomes for brain disorders, approaches to improve the integrity, reproducibility, and translatability of behavioral experiments in NHPs requires critical evaluation. In this review, we provide a unifying account of existing brain disorder models using NHPs, and provide insights into the present and emerging contributions of behavioral studies to the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack T Scott
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - James A Bourne
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
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17
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Russ BE, Petkov CI, Kwok SC, Zhu Q, Belin P, Vanduffel W, Hamed SB. Common functional localizers to enhance NHP & cross-species neuroscience imaging research. Neuroimage 2021; 237:118203. [PMID: 34048898 PMCID: PMC8529529 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional localizers are invaluable as they can help define regions of interest, provide cross-study comparisons, and most importantly, allow for the aggregation and meta-analyses of data across studies and laboratories. To achieve these goals within the non-human primate (NHP) imaging community, there is a pressing need for the use of standardized and validated localizers that can be readily implemented across different groups. The goal of this paper is to provide an overview of the value of localizer protocols to imaging research and we describe a number of commonly used or novel localizers within NHPs, and keys to implement them across studies. As has been shown with the aggregation of resting-state imaging data in the original PRIME-DE submissions, we believe that the field is ready to apply the same initiative for task-based functional localizers in NHP imaging. By coming together to collect large datasets across research group, implementing the same functional localizers, and sharing the localizers and data via PRIME-DE, it is now possible to fully test their robustness, selectivity and specificity. To do this, we reviewed a number of common localizers and we created a repository of well-established localizer that are easily accessible and implemented through the PRIME-RE platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian E Russ
- Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, United States; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, United States; Department of Psychiatry, New York University at Langone, New York City, NY, United States.
| | - Christopher I Petkov
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Sze Chai Kwok
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, Affiliated Mental Health Center (ECNU), School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China; Division of Natural and Applied Sciences, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, Jiangsu, China; NYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science at NYU Shanghai, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Zhu
- Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, INSERM, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, NeuroSpin Center, 91191 Gif/Yvette, France; Laboratory for Neuro-and Psychophysiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven Medical School, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Pascal Belin
- Institut de Neurosciences de La Timone, Aix-Marseille Université et CNRS, Marseille, 13005, France
| | - Wim Vanduffel
- Laboratory for Neuro-and Psychophysiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven Medical School, Leuven, 3000, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, United States; Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02144, United States.
| | - Suliann Ben Hamed
- Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, UMR 5229, Université de Lyon - CNRS, France.
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18
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Li HH, Hanning NM, Carrasco M. To look or not to look: dissociating presaccadic and covert spatial attention. Trends Neurosci 2021; 44:669-686. [PMID: 34099240 PMCID: PMC8552810 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Attention is a central neural process that enables selective and efficient processing of visual information. Individuals can attend to specific visual information either overtly, by making an eye movement to an object of interest, or covertly, without moving their eyes. We review behavioral, neuropsychological, neurophysiological, and computational evidence of presaccadic attentional modulations that occur while preparing saccadic eye movements, and highlight their differences from those of covert spatial endogenous (voluntary) and exogenous (involuntary) attention. We discuss recent studies and experimental procedures on how these different types of attention impact visual performance, alter appearance, differentially modulate the featural representation of basic visual dimensions (orientation and spatial frequency), engage different neural computations, and recruit partially distinct neural substrates. We conclude that presaccadic attention and covert attention are dissociable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-Hung Li
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Nina M Hanning
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Marisa Carrasco
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
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19
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Klink PC, Aubry JF, Ferrera VP, Fox AS, Froudist-Walsh S, Jarraya B, Konofagou EE, Krauzlis RJ, Messinger A, Mitchell AS, Ortiz-Rios M, Oya H, Roberts AC, Roe AW, Rushworth MFS, Sallet J, Schmid MC, Schroeder CE, Tasserie J, Tsao DY, Uhrig L, Vanduffel W, Wilke M, Kagan I, Petkov CI. Combining brain perturbation and neuroimaging in non-human primates. Neuroimage 2021; 235:118017. [PMID: 33794355 PMCID: PMC11178240 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain perturbation studies allow detailed causal inferences of behavioral and neural processes. Because the combination of brain perturbation methods and neural measurement techniques is inherently challenging, research in humans has predominantly focused on non-invasive, indirect brain perturbations, or neurological lesion studies. Non-human primates have been indispensable as a neurobiological system that is highly similar to humans while simultaneously being more experimentally tractable, allowing visualization of the functional and structural impact of systematic brain perturbation. This review considers the state of the art in non-human primate brain perturbation with a focus on approaches that can be combined with neuroimaging. We consider both non-reversible (lesions) and reversible or temporary perturbations such as electrical, pharmacological, optical, optogenetic, chemogenetic, pathway-selective, and ultrasound based interference methods. Method-specific considerations from the research and development community are offered to facilitate research in this field and support further innovations. We conclude by identifying novel avenues for further research and innovation and by highlighting the clinical translational potential of the methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Christiaan Klink
- Department of Vision & Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Jean-François Aubry
- Physics for Medicine Paris, Inserm U1273, CNRS UMR 8063, ESPCI Paris, PSL University, Paris, France
| | - Vincent P Ferrera
- Department of Neuroscience & Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Andrew S Fox
- Department of Psychology & California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Béchir Jarraya
- NeuroSpin, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Université Paris-Saclay, France; Foch Hospital, UVSQ, Suresnes, France
| | - Elisa E Konofagou
- Ultrasound and Elasticity Imaging Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Radiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Richard J Krauzlis
- Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Adam Messinger
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Anna S Mitchell
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Ortiz-Rios
- Newcastle University Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom; German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Hiroyuki Oya
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa, Iowa city, IA, USA
| | - Angela C Roberts
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Cambridge University, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Wang Roe
- Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China
| | | | - Jérôme Sallet
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom; Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, U1208 Bron, France; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Christoph Schmid
- Newcastle University Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom; Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 5, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Charles E Schroeder
- Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA; Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jordy Tasserie
- NeuroSpin, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Université Paris-Saclay, France
| | - Doris Y Tsao
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience; Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Computation and Neural Systems, Caltech, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Lynn Uhrig
- NeuroSpin, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Université Paris-Saclay, France
| | - Wim Vanduffel
- Laboratory for Neuro- and Psychophysiology, Neurosciences Department, KU Leuven Medical School, Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven Belgium; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital, Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Melanie Wilke
- German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Department of Cognitive Neurology, University Medicine Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Igor Kagan
- German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Christopher I Petkov
- Newcastle University Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom.
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20
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Zhou Q, Song P, Wang X, Lin H, Wang Y. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Over the Right Posterior Superior Temporal Sulcus Promotes the Feature Discrimination Processing. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:663789. [PMID: 34220471 PMCID: PMC8253362 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.663789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention is the dynamic process of allocating limited resources to the information that is most relevant to our goals. Accumulating studies have demonstrated the crucial role of frontal and parietal areas in attention. However, the effect of posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) in attention is still unclear. To address this question, in this study, we measured transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-induced event-related potentials (ERPs) to determine the extent of involvement of the right pSTS in attentional processing. We hypothesized that TMS would enhance the activation of the right pSTS during feature discrimination processing. We recruited 21 healthy subjects who performed the dual-feature delayed matching task while undergoing single-pulse sham or real TMS to the right pSTS 300 ms before the second stimulus onset. The results showed that the response time was reduced by real TMS of the pSTS as compared to sham stimulation. N270 amplitude was reduced during conflict processing, and the time-varying network analysis revealed increased connectivity between the frontal lobe and temporo-parietal and occipital regions. Thus, single-pulse TMS of the right pSTS enhances feature discrimination processing and task performance by reducing N270 amplitude and increasing connections between the frontal pole and temporo-parietal and occipital regions. These findings provide evidence that the right pSTS facilitates feature discrimination by accelerating the formation of a dynamic network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qihui Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Penghui Song
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xueming Wang
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Hua Lin
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuping Wang
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Disorders, Institute of Sleep and Consciousness Disorders, Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuromodulation, Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission, Beijing, China
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21
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Kagan I, Gibson L, Spanou E, Wilke M. Effective connectivity and spatial selectivity-dependent fMRI changes elicited by microstimulation of pulvinar and LIP. Neuroimage 2021; 240:118283. [PMID: 34147628 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The thalamic pulvinar and the lateral intraparietal area (LIP) share reciprocal anatomical connections and are part of an extensive cortical and subcortical network involved in spatial attention and oculomotor processing. The goal of this study was to compare the effective connectivity of dorsal pulvinar (dPul) and LIP and to probe the dependency of microstimulation effects on task demands and spatial tuning properties of a given brain region. To this end, we applied unilateral electrical microstimulation in the dPul (mainly medial pulvinar) and LIP in combination with event-related BOLD fMRI in monkeys performing fixation and memory-guided saccade tasks. Microstimulation in both dPul and LIP enhanced task-related activity in monosynaptically-connected fronto-parietal cortex and along the superior temporal sulcus (STS) including putative face patch locations, as well as in extrastriate cortex. LIP microstimulation elicited strong activity in the opposite homotopic LIP while no homotopic activation was found with dPul stimulation. Both dPul and LIP stimulation also elicited activity in several heterotopic cortical areas in the opposite hemisphere, implying polysynaptic propagation of excitation. Despite extensive activation along the intraparietal sulcus evoked by LIP stimulation, there was a difference in frontal and occipital connectivity elicited by posterior and anterior LIP stimulation sites. Comparison of dPul stimulation with the adjacent but functionally dissimilar ventral pulvinar also showed distinct connectivity. On the level of single trial timecourses within each region of interest (ROI), most ROIs did not show task-dependence of stimulation-elicited response modulation. Across ROIs, however, there was an interaction between task and stimulation, and task-specific correlations between the initial spatial selectivity and the magnitude of stimulation effect were observed. Consequently, stimulation-elicited modulation of task-related activity was best fitted by an additive model scaled down by the initial response amplitude. In summary, we identified overlapping and distinct patterns of thalamocortical and corticocortical connectivity of pulvinar and LIP, highlighting the dorsal bank and fundus of STS as a prominent node of shared circuitry. Spatial task-specific and partly polysynaptic modulations of cue and saccade planning delay period activity in both hemispheres exerted by unilateral pulvinar and parietal stimulation provide insight into the distributed interhemispheric processing underlying spatial behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Kagan
- Decision and Awareness Group, Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, Goettingen 37077, Germany; Department of Cognitive Neurology, University of Goettingen, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, Goettingen 37075, Germany; Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Kellnerweg 4, Goettingen 37077, Germany.
| | - Lydia Gibson
- Decision and Awareness Group, Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, Goettingen 37077, Germany; Department of Cognitive Neurology, University of Goettingen, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, Goettingen 37075, Germany
| | - Elena Spanou
- Decision and Awareness Group, Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, Goettingen 37077, Germany
| | - Melanie Wilke
- Decision and Awareness Group, Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, Goettingen 37077, Germany; Department of Cognitive Neurology, University of Goettingen, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, Goettingen 37075, Germany; Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Kellnerweg 4, Goettingen 37077, Germany
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22
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Bogadhi AR, Katz LN, Bollimunta A, Leopold DA, Krauzlis RJ. Midbrain activity shapes high-level visual properties in the primate temporal cortex. Neuron 2021; 109:690-699.e5. [PMID: 33338395 PMCID: PMC7897281 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.11.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Recent fMRI experiments identified an attention-related region in the macaque temporal cortex, here called the floor of the superior temporal sulcus (fSTS), as the primary cortical target of superior colliculus (SC) activity. However, it remains unclear which aspects of attention are processed by fSTS neurons and how or why these might depend on SC activity. Here, we show that SC inactivation decreases attentional modulations in fSTS neurons by increasing their activity for ignored stimuli in addition to decreasing their activity for attended stimuli. Neurons in the fSTS also exhibit event-related activity during attention tasks linked to detection performance, and this link is eliminated during SC inactivation. Finally, fSTS neurons respond selectively to particular visual objects, and this selectivity is reduced markedly during SC inactivation. These diverse, high-level properties of fSTS neurons all involve visual signals that carry behavioral relevance. Their dependence on SC activity could reflect a circuit that prioritizes cortical processing of events detected subcortically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amarender R Bogadhi
- Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen 72076, Germany; Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen 72076, Germany.
| | - Leor N Katz
- Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Anil Bollimunta
- Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Inscopix, Inc., Palo Alto, CA 94303, USA
| | - David A Leopold
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Neurophysiology Imaging Facility, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Richard J Krauzlis
- Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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23
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Maier A, Tsuchiya N. Growing evidence for separate neural mechanisms for attention and consciousness. Atten Percept Psychophys 2021; 83:558-576. [PMID: 33034851 PMCID: PMC7886945 DOI: 10.3758/s13414-020-02146-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Our conscious experience of the world seems to go in lockstep with our attentional focus: We tend to see, hear, taste, and feel what we attend to, and vice versa. This tight coupling between attention and consciousness has given rise to the idea that these two phenomena are indivisible. In the late 1950s, the honoree of this special issue, Charles Eriksen, was among a small group of early pioneers that sought to investigate whether a transient increase in overall level of attention (alertness) in response to a noxious stimulus can be decoupled from conscious perception using experimental techniques. Recent years saw a similar debate regarding whether attention and consciousness are two dissociable processes. Initial evidence that attention and consciousness are two separate processes primarily rested on behavioral data. However, the past couple of years witnessed an explosion of studies aimed at testing this conjecture using neuroscientific techniques. Here we provide an overview of these and related empirical studies on the distinction between the neuronal correlates of attention and consciousness, and detail how advancements in theory and technology can bring about a more detailed understanding of the two. We argue that the most promising approach will combine ever-evolving neurophysiological and interventionist tools with quantitative, empirically testable theories of consciousness that are grounded in a mathematically formalized understanding of phenomenology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Maier
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Naotsugu Tsuchiya
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health & School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Advanced Telecommunications Research Computational Neuroscience Laboratories, 2-2-2 Hikaridai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto, 619-0288, Japan
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Sani I, Stemmann H, Caron B, Bullock D, Stemmler T, Fahle M, Pestilli F, Freiwald WA. The human endogenous attentional control network includes a ventro-temporal cortical node. Nat Commun 2021; 12:360. [PMID: 33452252 PMCID: PMC7810878 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20583-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Endogenous attention is the cognitive function that selects the relevant pieces of sensory information to achieve goals and it is known to be controlled by dorsal fronto-parietal brain areas. Here we expand this notion by identifying a control attention area located in the temporal lobe. By combining a demanding behavioral paradigm with functional neuroimaging and diffusion tractography, we show that like fronto-parietal attentional areas, the human posterior inferotemporal cortex exhibits significant attentional modulatory activity. This area is functionally distinct from surrounding cortical areas, and is directly connected to parietal and frontal attentional regions. These results show that attentional control spans three cortical lobes and overarches large distances through fiber pathways that run orthogonally to the dominant anterior-posterior axes of sensory processing, thus suggesting a different organizing principle for cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Sani
- grid.134907.80000 0001 2166 1519Laboratory of Neural Systems, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065 USA ,grid.8591.50000 0001 2322 4988Laboratory of Neurology & Imaging of Cognition, University of Geneva, Chemin de mines 9, 1202 Geneva, CH Switzerland
| | - Heiko Stemmann
- grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381Institute for Brain Research and Center for Advanced Imaging, University of Bremen, 28334 Bremen, Germany
| | - Bradley Caron
- grid.411377.70000 0001 0790 959XDepartment of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN USA
| | - Daniel Bullock
- grid.411377.70000 0001 0790 959XDepartment of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN USA
| | - Torsten Stemmler
- grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381Institute for Brain Research and Center for Advanced Imaging, University of Bremen, 28334 Bremen, Germany
| | - Manfred Fahle
- grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381Institute for Brain Research and Center for Advanced Imaging, University of Bremen, 28334 Bremen, Germany
| | - Franco Pestilli
- grid.411377.70000 0001 0790 959XDepartment of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN USA ,grid.89336.370000 0004 1936 9924Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA
| | - Winrich A. Freiwald
- grid.134907.80000 0001 2166 1519Laboratory of Neural Systems, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065 USA ,Center for Brains, Minds & Machines, Cambridge, MA USA
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Abstract
Brain-wide circuits that coordinate affective and social behaviours intersect in the amygdala. Consequently, amygdala lesions cause a heterogeneous array of social and non-social deficits. Social behaviours are not localized to subdivisions of the amygdala even though the inputs and outputs that carry social signals are anatomically restricted to distinct subnuclear regions. This observation may be explained by the multidimensional response properties of the component neurons. Indeed, the multitudes of circuits that converge in the amygdala enlist the same subset of neurons into different ensembles that combine social and non-social elements into high-dimensional representations. These representations may enable flexible, context-dependent social decisions. As such, multidimensional processing may operate in parallel with subcircuits of genetically identical neurons that serve specialized and functionally dissociable functions. When combined, the activity of specialized circuits may grant specificity to social behaviours, whereas multidimensional processing facilitates the flexibility and nuance needed for complex social behaviour.
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Adam R, Johnston K, Menon RS, Everling S. Functional reorganization during the recovery of contralesional target selection deficits after prefrontal cortex lesions in macaque monkeys. Neuroimage 2020; 207:116339. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
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Abstract
A fundamental dogma in the cognitive neurosciences is that attention is controlled by parietal and prefrontal areas. Here, we show that an area in the temporal lobe exhibits the properties of a priority map coding the focus of attention. We show this through whole-brain functional magnetic resonance imaging, electrophysiological single-unit recordings, and causal electrical stimulation. This discovery changes our understanding of the organization of visual pathways and the functions of attention networks. From incoming sensory information, our brains make selections according to current behavioral goals. This process, selective attention, is controlled by parietal and frontal areas. Here, we show that another brain area, posterior inferotemporal cortex (PITd), also exhibits the defining properties of attentional control. We discovered this area with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during an attentive motion discrimination task. Single-cell recordings from PITd revealed strong attentional modulation across 3 attention tasks yet no tuning to task-relevant stimulus features, like motion direction or color. Instead, PITd neurons closely tracked the subject’s attention state and predicted upcoming errors of attentional selection. Furthermore, artificial electrical PITd stimulation controlled the location of attentional selection without altering feature discrimination. These are the defining properties of a feature-blind priority map encoding the locus of attention. Together, these results suggest area PITd, located strategically to gather information about object properties, as an attentional priority map.
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Subcortical connectivity correlates selectively with attention's effects on spatial choice bias. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:19711-19716. [PMID: 31492811 PMCID: PMC6765279 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1902704116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Forebrain mechanisms of visuospatial attention have been widely studied. Yet, how the midbrain contributes to attention remains comparatively unknown. Here, we examined the role of the superior colliculus (SC), a vertebrate midbrain structure, in attention. Does the SC control sensitivity to attended information, or enable biasing choices toward attended information, or both? We mapped structural connections of the human SC with neocortical regions and found that the strengths of these connections correlated with, and were strongly predictive of, individuals’ choice bias, but not sensitivity. Taken together with previous animal studies, our results suggest that the human SC may play an evolutionarily conserved role in controlling choice bias during visual attention. Neural mechanisms of attention are extensively studied in the neocortex; comparatively little is known about how subcortical regions contribute to attention. The superior colliculus (SC) is an evolutionarily conserved, subcortical (midbrain) structure that has been implicated in controlling visuospatial attention. Yet how the SC contributes mechanistically to attention remains unknown. We investigated the role of the SC in attention, combining model-based psychophysics, diffusion imaging, and tractography in human participants. Specifically, we asked whether the SC contributes to enhancing sensitivity (d′) to attended information, or whether it contributes to biasing choices (criteria) in favor of attended information. We tested human participants on a multialternative change detection task, with endogenous spatial cueing, and quantified sensitivity and bias with a recently developed multidimensional signal detection model (m-ADC model). At baseline, sensitivity and bias exhibited complementary patterns of asymmetries across the visual hemifields: While sensitivity was consistently higher for detecting changes in the left hemifield, bias was higher for reporting changes in the right hemifield. Remarkably, white matter connectivity of the SC with the neocortex mirrored this pattern of asymmetries. Specifically, the asymmetry in SC–cortex connectivity correlated with the asymmetry in choice bias, but not in sensitivity. In addition, SC–cortex connectivity strength could predict cueing-induced modulation of bias, but not of sensitivity, across individuals. In summary, the SC may be a key node in an evolutionarily conserved network for controlling choice bias during visuospatial attention.
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Bogadhi AR, Bollimunta A, Leopold DA, Krauzlis RJ. Spatial Attention Deficits Are Causally Linked to an Area in Macaque Temporal Cortex. Curr Biol 2019; 29:726-736.e4. [PMID: 30773369 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.01.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Revised: 12/23/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Spatial neglect is a common clinical syndrome involving disruption of the brain's attention-related circuitry, including the dorsocaudal temporal cortex. In macaques, the attention deficits associated with neglect can be readily modeled, but the absence of evidence for temporal cortex involvement has suggested a fundamental difference from humans. To map the neurological expression of neglect-like attention deficits in macaques, we measured attention-related fMRI activity across the cerebral cortex during experimental induction of neglect through reversible inactivation of the superior colliculus and frontal eye fields. During inactivation, monkeys exhibited hallmark attentional deficits of neglect in tasks using either motion or non-motion stimuli. The behavioral deficits were accompanied by marked reductions in fMRI attentional modulation that were strongest in a small region on the floor of the superior temporal sulcus; smaller reductions were also found in frontal eye fields and dorsal parietal cortex. Notably, direct inactivation of the mid-superior temporal sulcus (STS) cortical region identified by fMRI caused similar neglect-like spatial attention deficits. These results identify a putative macaque homolog to temporal cortex structures known to play a central role in human neglect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amarender R Bogadhi
- Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Anil Bollimunta
- Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - David A Leopold
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Neurophysiology Imaging Facility, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Richard J Krauzlis
- Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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