1
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Green I, Amo R, Watabe-Uchida M. Shifting attention to orient or avoid: a unifying account of the tail of the striatum and its dopaminergic inputs. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2024; 59:101441. [PMID: 39247613 PMCID: PMC11376218 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2024.101441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/10/2024]
Abstract
The tail of the striatum (TS) is increasingly recognized as a unique subdivision of the striatum, characterized by its dense sensory inputs and projections received from a distinct group of dopamine neurons. Separate lines of research have characterized the functional role of TS, and TS-projecting dopamine neurons, in three realms: saccadic eye movement towards valuable visual stimuli; tone-guided choice between two options; and defensive responses to threatening stimuli. We propose a framework for reconciling these diverse roles as varied implementations of a conserved response to salient stimuli, with dopamine in TS providing a teaching signal to promote quick attentional shifts that facilitate stimulus-driven orientation and/or avoidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isobel Green
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Ryunosuke Amo
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Mitsuko Watabe-Uchida
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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2
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Jiménez-López C, Rivas-Ramírez P, Barandela M, Núñez-González C, Megías M, Pérez-Fernández J. Direct retino-iridal projections and intrinsic iris contraction mediate the pupillary light reflex in early vertebrates. Commun Biol 2024; 7:993. [PMID: 39143195 PMCID: PMC11324758 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06699-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The pupillary light reflex (PLR) adapts the amount of light reaching the retina, protecting it and improving image formation. Two PLR mechanisms have been described in vertebrates. First, the pretectum receives retinal inputs and projects to the Edinger-Westphal nucleus (EWN), which targets the ciliary ganglion through the oculomotor nerve (nIII). Postganglionic fibers enter the eye-globe, traveling to the iris sphincter muscle. Additionally, some vertebrates exhibit an iris-intrinsic PLR mechanism mediated by sphincter muscle cells that express melanopsin inducing muscle contraction. Given the high degree of conservation of the lamprey visual system, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the PLR to shed light onto their evolutionary origins. Recently, a PLR mediated by melanopsin was demonstrated in lampreys, suggested to be brain mediated. Remarkably, we found that PLR is instead mediated by direct retino-iridal cholinergic projections. This retina-mediated PLR acts synergistically with an iris-intrinsic mechanism that, as in other vertebrates, is mediated by melanopsin and has contribution of gap junctions between muscle fibers. In contrast, we show that lampreys lack the brain-mediated PLR. Our results suggest that two eye-intrinsic PLR mechanisms were present in early vertebrate evolution, whereas the brain-mediated PLR has a more recent origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Jiménez-López
- CINBIO, Universidade de Vigo, Neurocircuits Group, Campus Universitario Lagoas, Marcosende, 36310, Vigo, Spain
| | - Paula Rivas-Ramírez
- CINBIO, Universidade de Vigo, Neurocircuits Group, Campus Universitario Lagoas, Marcosende, 36310, Vigo, Spain
| | - Marta Barandela
- CINBIO, Universidade de Vigo, Neurocircuits Group, Campus Universitario Lagoas, Marcosende, 36310, Vigo, Spain
| | - Carmen Núñez-González
- CINBIO, Universidade de Vigo, Neurocircuits Group, Campus Universitario Lagoas, Marcosende, 36310, Vigo, Spain
| | - Manuel Megías
- Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional e Ciencias da Saúde, Facultade de Bioloxía-IBIV, Grupo Neurolam, Universidade de Vigo, 36310, Vigo, Spain
| | - Juan Pérez-Fernández
- CINBIO, Universidade de Vigo, Neurocircuits Group, Campus Universitario Lagoas, Marcosende, 36310, Vigo, Spain.
- Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional e Ciencias da Saúde, Facultade de Bioloxía-IBIV, Grupo Neurolam, Universidade de Vigo, 36310, Vigo, Spain.
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3
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Johnston R, Smith MA. Brain-wide arousal signals are segregated from movement planning in the superior colliculus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.26.591284. [PMID: 38746466 PMCID: PMC11092505 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.26.591284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The superior colliculus (SC) is traditionally considered a brain region that functions as an interface between processing visual inputs and generating eye movement outputs. Although its role as a primary reflex center is thought to be conserved across vertebrate species, evidence suggests that the SC has evolved to support higher-order cognitive functions including spatial attention. When it comes to oculomotor areas such as the SC, it is critical that high precision fixation and eye movements are maintained even in the presence of signals related to ongoing changes in cognition and brain state, both of which have the potential to interfere with eye position encoding and movement generation. In this study, we recorded spiking responses of neuronal populations in the SC while monkeys performed a memory-guided saccade task and found that the activity of some of the neurons fluctuated over tens of minutes. By leveraging the statistical power afforded by high-dimensional neuronal recordings, we were able to identify a low-dimensional pattern of activity that was correlated with the subjects' arousal levels. Importantly, we found that the spiking responses of deep-layer SC neurons were less correlated with this brain-wide arousal signal, and that neural activity associated with changes in pupil size and saccade tuning did not overlap in population activity space with movement initiation signals. Taken together, these findings provide a framework for understanding how signals related to cognition and arousal can be embedded in the population activity of oculomotor structures without compromising the fidelity of the motor output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Johnston
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA
| | - Matthew A. Smith
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA
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4
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Love K, Cao D, Chang JC, Dal'Bello LR, Ma X, O'Shea DJ, Schone HR, Shahbazi M, Smoulder A. Highlights from the 32nd Annual Meeting of the Society for the Neural Control of Movement. J Neurophysiol 2024; 131:75-87. [PMID: 38057264 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00428.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kassia Love
- Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Di Cao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Center for Movement Studies, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
| | - Joanna C Chang
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lucas R Dal'Bello
- Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Xuan Ma
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Daniel J O'Shea
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
| | - Hunter R Schone
- Rehabilitation and Neural Engineering Laboratory, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Mahdiyar Shahbazi
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Adam Smoulder
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
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5
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Ryczko D, Dubuc R. Dopamine control of downstream motor centers. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2023; 83:102785. [PMID: 37774481 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
The role of dopamine in the control of movement is traditionally associated with ascending projections to the basal ganglia. However, more recently descending dopaminergic pathways projecting to downstream brainstem motor circuits were discovered. In lampreys, salamanders, and rodents, these include projections to the downstream Mesencephalic Locomotor Region (MLR), a brainstem region controlling locomotion. Such descending dopaminergic projections could prime brainstem networks controlling movement. Other descending dopaminergic projections have been shown to reach reticulospinal cells involved in the control of locomotion. In addition, dopamine directly modulates the activity of interneurons and motoneurons. Beyond locomotion, dopaminergic inputs modulate visuomotor transformations within the optic tectum (mammalian superior colliculus). Loss of descending dopaminergic inputs will likely contribute to pathological conditions such as in Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitri Ryczko
- Département de Pharmacologie-Physiologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada; Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada; Neurosciences Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada; Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada.
| | - Réjean Dubuc
- Groupe de Recherche en Activité Physique Adaptée, Département des Sciences de l'Activité Physique, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Groupe de recherche sur la Signalisation Neurale et la Circuiterie, Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
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6
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Barandela M, Núñez-González C, Suzuki DG, Jiménez-López C, Pombal MA, Pérez-Fernández J. Unravelling the functional development of vertebrate pathways controlling gaze. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1298486. [PMID: 37965576 PMCID: PMC10640995 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1298486] [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: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals constantly redirect their gaze away or towards relevant targets and, besides these goal-oriented responses, stabilizing movements clamp the visual scene avoiding image blurring. The vestibulo-ocular (VOR) and the optokinetic reflexes are the main contributors to gaze stabilization, whereas the optic tectum integrates multisensory information and generates orienting/evasive gaze movements in all vertebrates. Lampreys show a unique stepwise development of the visual system whose understanding provides important insights into the evolution and development of vertebrate vision. Although the developmental emergence of the visual components, and the retinofugal pathways have been described, the functional development of the visual system and the development of the downstream pathways controlling gaze are still unknown. Here, we show that VOR followed by light-evoked eye movements are the first to appear already in larvae, despite their burrowed lifestyle. However, the circuits controlling goal-oriented responses emerge later, in larvae in non-parasitic lampreys but during late metamorphosis in parasitic lampreys. The appearance of stabilizing responses earlier than goal-oriented in the lamprey development shows a stepwise transition from simpler to more complex visual systems, offering a unique opportunity to isolate the functioning of their underlying circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Barandela
- CINBIO, Universidade de Vigo, Neurocircuits Group, Campus universitario Lagoas, Marcosende, Vigo, Spain
| | - Carmen Núñez-González
- CINBIO, Universidade de Vigo, Neurocircuits Group, Campus universitario Lagoas, Marcosende, Vigo, Spain
| | - Daichi G. Suzuki
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Cecilia Jiménez-López
- CINBIO, Universidade de Vigo, Neurocircuits Group, Campus universitario Lagoas, Marcosende, Vigo, Spain
| | - Manuel A. Pombal
- Department of Functional Biology and Health Sciences, Facultade de Bioloxía-IBIV, Universidade de Vigo, Campus universitario Lagoas, Marcosende, Vigo, Spain
| | - Juan Pérez-Fernández
- CINBIO, Universidade de Vigo, Neurocircuits Group, Campus universitario Lagoas, Marcosende, Vigo, Spain
- Department of Functional Biology and Health Sciences, Facultade de Bioloxía-IBIV, Universidade de Vigo, Campus universitario Lagoas, Marcosende, Vigo, Spain
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7
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de Malmazet D, Tripodi M. Collicular circuits supporting the perceptual, motor and cognitive demands of ethological environments. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2023; 82:102773. [PMID: 37619424 PMCID: PMC10765087 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102773] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Animals evolve to survive in their environment. Accordingly, a reasonable hypothesis is that brain evolution prioritises the processing of useful sensory information over complete representation of the surroundings. The superior colliculus or tectum is a brain area that processes the animal's surroundings and directs movements in space. Here, we review recent studies on the role of the superior colliculus to assess the validity of this "utility hypothesis". We discuss how the response properties of collicular neurons vary across anatomical regions to capture ethologically relevant stimuli at a given portion of the sensory field. Next, we focus on the recent advances dissecting the role of defined types of sensory and motor neurons of the colliculus in prey capture. Finally, we discuss the recent literature describing how this ancient structure, with neural circuits over 500 million years old, implements the necessary degree of cognitive control for flexible sensorimotor transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marco Tripodi
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK. https://twitter.com/martripodi
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8
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Pluimer BR, Harrison DL, Boonyavairoje C, Prinssen EP, Rogers-Evans M, Peterson RT, Thyme SB, Nath AK. Behavioral analysis through the lifespan of disc1 mutant zebrafish identifies defects in sensorimotor transformation. iScience 2023; 26:107099. [PMID: 37416451 PMCID: PMC10320522 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107099] [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: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
DISC1 is a genetic risk factor for multiple psychiatric disorders. Compared to the dozens of murine Disc1 models, there is a paucity of zebrafish disc1 models-an organism amenable to high-throughput experimentation. We conducted the longitudinal neurobehavioral analysis of disc1 mutant zebrafish across key stages of life. During early developmental stages, disc1 mutants exhibited abrogated behavioral responses to sensory stimuli across multiple testing platforms. Moreover, during exposure to an acoustic sensory stimulus, loss of disc1 resulted in the abnormal activation of neurons in the pallium, cerebellum, and tectum-anatomical sites involved in the integration of sensory perception and motor control. In adulthood, disc1 mutants exhibited sexually dimorphic reduction in anxiogenic behavior in novel paradigms. Together, these findings implicate disc1 in sensorimotor processes and the genesis of anxiogenic behaviors, which could be exploited for the development of novel treatments in addition to investigating the biology of sensorimotor transformation in the context of disc1 deletion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brock R. Pluimer
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Devin L. Harrison
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Chanon Boonyavairoje
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Eric P. Prinssen
- Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mark Rogers-Evans
- Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Randall T. Peterson
- Deparment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Summer B. Thyme
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Anjali K. Nath
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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9
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Lacroix-Ouellette P, Dubuc R. Brainstem neural mechanisms controlling locomotion with special reference to basal vertebrates. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:910207. [PMID: 37063386 PMCID: PMC10098025 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.910207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last 60 years, the basic neural circuitry responsible for the supraspinal control of locomotion has progressively been uncovered. Initially, significant progress was made in identifying the different supraspinal structures controlling locomotion in mammals as well as some of the underlying mechanisms. It became clear, however, that the complexity of the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) prevented researchers from characterizing the detailed cellular mechanisms involved and that animal models with a simpler nervous system were needed. Basal vertebrate species such as lampreys, xenopus embryos, and zebrafish became models of choice. More recently, optogenetic approaches have considerably revived interest in mammalian models. The mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) is an important brainstem region known to control locomotion in all vertebrate species examined to date. It controls locomotion through intermediary cells in the hindbrain, the reticulospinal neurons (RSNs). The MLR comprises populations of cholinergic and glutamatergic neurons and their specific contribution to the control of locomotion is not fully resolved yet. Moreover, the downward projections from the MLR to RSNs is still not fully understood. Reporting on discoveries made in different animal models, this review article focuses on the MLR, its projections to RSNs, and the contribution of these neural elements to the control of locomotion. Excellent and detailed reviews on the brainstem control of locomotion have been recently published with emphasis on mammalian species. The present review article focuses on findings made in basal vertebrates such as the lamprey, to help direct new research in mammals, including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Réjean Dubuc
- Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Physical Activity Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Research Group for Adapted Physical Activity, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Réjean Dubuc,
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10
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Bessho C, Yamada S, Tanida T, Tanaka M. FoxP2 protein decreases at a specific region in the chick midbrain after hatching. Neurosci Lett 2023; 800:137119. [PMID: 36773927 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137119] [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: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Forkhead-box subclass P member 2 (FOXP2/FoxP2) protein, a transcription factor, regulates the development of certain brain functions, including human speech and animal vocalization. Although rapid progress has been made in demonstrating a relationship between FoxP2 expression in the brain and vocalization of the zebra finch, a typical vocal learner, the relationship in avian vocal non-learners, including chickens remains elusive. Because the midbrain plays a key role in innate vocalization development, we analyzed the FoxP2 protein in the midbrain of chicks, which do not cheep before hatching but cheep and call after hatching. Western blot analyses showed a significant reduction in FoxP2 protein in the chick midbrain after hatching compared with the findings before hatching. Quantitative immunohistochemistry revealed that FoxP2-immunoreactive (ir) cells significantly decreased at the stratum gris fibrosum (SGFS) of the optic tectum in the chick midbrain after hatching compared with the findings before hatching. These findings support the notion that FoxP2-ir cell numbers decrease at a specific region in the midbrain after hatching may be involved in innate vocalization of avian vocal non-learners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chikafusa Bessho
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Shunji Yamada
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takashi Tanida
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan; Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Graduate School of Veterinary Science, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masaki Tanaka
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
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11
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Le Ray D, Bertrand SS, Dubuc R. Cholinergic Modulation of Locomotor Circuits in Vertebrates. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810738. [PMID: 36142651 PMCID: PMC9501616 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Locomotion is a basic motor act essential for survival. Amongst other things, it allows animals to move in their environment to seek food, escape predators, or seek mates for reproduction. The neural mechanisms involved in the control of locomotion have been examined in many vertebrate species and a clearer picture is progressively emerging. The basic muscle synergies responsible for propulsion are generated by neural networks located in the spinal cord. In turn, descending supraspinal inputs are responsible for starting, maintaining, and stopping locomotion as well as for steering and controlling speed. Several neurotransmitter systems play a crucial role in modulating the neural activity during locomotion. For instance, cholinergic inputs act both at the spinal and supraspinal levels and the underlying mechanisms are the focus of the present review. Much information gained on supraspinal cholinergic modulation of locomotion was obtained from the lamprey model. Nicotinic cholinergic inputs increase the level of excitation of brainstem descending command neurons, the reticulospinal neurons (RSNs), whereas muscarinic inputs activate a select group of hindbrain neurons that project to the RSNs to boost their level of excitation. Muscarinic inputs also reduce the transmission of sensory inputs in the brainstem, a phenomenon that could help in sustaining goal directed locomotion. In the spinal cord, intrinsic cholinergic inputs strongly modulate the activity of interneurons and motoneurons to control the locomotor output. Altogether, the present review underlines the importance of the cholinergic inputs in the modulation of locomotor activity in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didier Le Ray
- Institut des Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d’Aquitaine (INCIA), UMR 5287, Université de Bordeaux-CNRS, F-33076 Bordeaux, France
- Correspondence: (D.L.R.); (R.D.)
| | - Sandrine S. Bertrand
- Institut des Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d’Aquitaine (INCIA), UMR 5287, Université de Bordeaux-CNRS, F-33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Réjean Dubuc
- Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
- Department of Physical Activity Sciences and Research Group in Adapted Physical Activity, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
- Correspondence: (D.L.R.); (R.D.)
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12
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Wibble T, Pansell T, Grillner S, Pérez-Fernández J. Conserved subcortical processing in visuo-vestibular gaze control. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4699. [PMID: 35948549 PMCID: PMC9365791 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32379-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Gaze stabilization compensates for movements of the head or external environment to minimize image blurring. Multisensory information stabilizes the scene on the retina via the vestibulo-ocular (VOR) and optokinetic (OKR) reflexes. While the organization of neuronal circuits underlying VOR is well-described across vertebrates, less is known about the contribution and evolution of the OKR and the basic structures allowing visuo-vestibular integration. To analyze these neuronal pathways underlying visuo-vestibular integration, we developed a setup using a lamprey eye-brain-labyrinth preparation, which allowed coordinating electrophysiological recordings, vestibular stimulation with a moving platform, and visual stimulation via screens. Lampreys exhibit robust visuo-vestibular integration, with optokinetic information processed in the pretectum that can be downregulated from tectum. Visual and vestibular inputs are integrated at several subcortical levels. Additionally, saccades are present in the form of nystagmus. Thus, all basic components of the visuo-vestibular control of gaze were present already at the dawn of vertebrate evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Wibble
- The Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- The Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Marianne Bernadotte Centrum, St: Erik's Eye Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tony Pansell
- The Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Marianne Bernadotte Centrum, St: Erik's Eye Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sten Grillner
- The Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Juan Pérez-Fernández
- The Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
- CINBIO, Universidade de Vigo, Neurocircuits Group, Campus universitario Lagoas, Marcosende, 36310, Vigo, Spain.
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13
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Flaive A, Ryczko D. From retina to motoneurons: A substrate for visuomotor transformation in salamanders. J Comp Neurol 2022; 530:2518-2536. [PMID: 35662021 PMCID: PMC9545292 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25348] [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: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The transformation of visual input into motor output is essential to approach a target or avoid a predator. In salamanders, visually guided orientation behaviors have been extensively studied during prey capture. However, the neural circuitry involved is not resolved. Using salamander brain preparations, calcium imaging and tracing experiments, we describe a neural substrate through which retinal input is transformed into spinal motor output. We found that retina stimulation evoked responses in reticulospinal neurons of the middle reticular nucleus, known to control steering movements in salamanders. Microinjection of glutamatergic antagonists in the optic tectum (superior colliculus in mammals) decreased the reticulospinal responses. Using tracing, we found that retina projected to the dorsal layers of the contralateral tectum, where the dendrites of neurons projecting to the middle reticular nucleus were located. In slices, stimulation of the tectal dorsal layers evoked glutamatergic responses in deep tectal neurons retrogradely labeled from the middle reticular nucleus. We then examined how tectum activation translated into spinal motor output. Tectum stimulation evoked motoneuronal responses, which were decreased by microinjections of glutamatergic antagonists in the contralateral middle reticular nucleus. Reticulospinal fibers anterogradely labeled from tracer injection in the middle reticular nucleus were preferentially distributed in proximity with the dendrites of ipsilateral motoneurons. Our work establishes a neural substrate linking visual and motor centers in salamanders. This retino‐tecto‐reticulo‐spinal circuitry is well positioned to control orienting behaviors. Our study bridges the gap between the behavioral studies and the neural mechanisms involved in the transformation of visual input into motor output in salamanders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Flaive
- Département de Pharmacologie-Physiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Dimitri Ryczko
- Département de Pharmacologie-Physiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada.,Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada.,Centre d'excellence en neurosciences de l'Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada.,Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
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14
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Suryanarayana SM, Robertson B, Grillner S. The neural bases of vertebrate motor behaviour through the lens of evolution. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200521. [PMID: 34957847 PMCID: PMC8710883 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The primary driver of the evolution of the vertebrate nervous system has been the necessity to move, along with the requirement of controlling the plethora of motor behavioural repertoires seen among the vast and diverse vertebrate species. Understanding the neural basis of motor control through the perspective of evolution, mandates thorough examinations of the nervous systems of species in critical phylogenetic positions. We present here, a broad review of studies on the neural motor infrastructure of the lamprey, a basal and ancient vertebrate, which enjoys a unique phylogenetic position as being an extant representative of the earliest group of vertebrates. From the central pattern generators in the spinal cord to the microcircuits of the pallial cortex, work on the lamprey brain over the years, has provided detailed insights into the basic organization (a bauplan) of the ancestral vertebrate brain, and narrates a compelling account of common ancestry of fundamental aspects of the neural bases for motion control, maintained through half a billion years of vertebrate evolution. This article is part of the theme issue 'Systems neuroscience through the lens of evolutionary theory'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreyas M. Suryanarayana
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Brita Robertson
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sten Grillner
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
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15
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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.
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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.
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16
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Pérez-Fernández J, Barandela M, Jiménez-López C. The Dopaminergic Control of Movement-Evolutionary Considerations. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:11284. [PMID: 34681941 PMCID: PMC8541398 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222011284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopamine is likely the most studied modulatory neurotransmitter, in great part due to characteristic motor deficits in Parkinson's disease that arise after the degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). The SNc, together with the ventral tegmental area (VTA), play a key role modulating motor responses through the basal ganglia. In contrast to the large amount of existing literature addressing the mammalian dopaminergic system, comparatively little is known in other vertebrate groups. However, in the last several years, numerous studies have been carried out in basal vertebrates, allowing a better understanding of the evolution of the dopaminergic system, especially the SNc/VTA. We provide an overview of existing research in basal vertebrates, mainly focusing on lampreys, belonging to the oldest group of extant vertebrates. The lamprey dopaminergic system and its role in modulating motor responses have been characterized in significant detail, both anatomically and functionally, providing the basis for understanding the evolution of the SNc/VTA in vertebrates. When considered alongside results from other early vertebrates, data in lampreys show that the key role of the SNc/VTA dopaminergic neurons modulating motor responses through the basal ganglia was already well developed early in vertebrate evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Pérez-Fernández
- Center for Biomedical Research (CINBIO), Neurocircuits Group, Department of Functional Biology and Health Sciences, Campus Universitario Lagoas, Marcosende, Universidade de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain; (M.B.); (C.J.-L.)
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17
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Suzuki DG. Consciousness in Jawless Fishes. Front Syst Neurosci 2021; 15:751876. [PMID: 34630051 PMCID: PMC8497754 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2021.751876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Jawless fishes were the first vertebrates to evolve. It is thus important to investigate them to determine whether consciousness was acquired in the common ancestor of all vertebrates. Most jawless fish lineages are extinct, and cyclostomes (lampreys and hagfish) are the sole survivors. Here, I review the empirical knowledge on the neurobiology of cyclostomes with special reference to recently proposed "markers" of primary, minimal consciousness. The adult lamprey appears to meet the neuroanatomical criteria but there is a practical limitation to behavioral examination of its learning ability. In addition, the consciousness-related neuroarchitecture of larvae and its reconstruction during metamorphosis remain largely uninvestigated. Even less is known of hagfish neurobiology. The hagfish forebrain forms the central prosencephalic complex, and the homology of its components to the brain regions of other vertebrates needs to be confirmed using modern techniques. Nevertheless, as behavioral responses to olfactory stimuli in aquariums have been reported, it is easier to investigate the learning ability of the hagfish than that of the lamprey. Based on these facts, I finally discuss the potential future directions of empirical studies for examining the existence of consciousness in jawless fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daichi G Suzuki
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.,Center for Human Nature, Artificial Intelligence, and Neuroscience (CHAIN), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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18
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Bidirectional Control of Orienting Behavior by the Substantia Nigra Pars Reticulata: Distinct Significance of Head and Whisker Movements. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0165-21.2021. [PMID: 34544763 PMCID: PMC8532345 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0165-21.2021] [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: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Detection of an unexpected, novel, or salient stimulus typically leads to an orienting response by which animals move the head, in concert with the sensors (e.g., eyes, pinna, whiskers), to evaluate the stimulus. The basal ganglia are known to control orienting movements through tonically active GABAergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) that project to the superior colliculus. Using optogenetics, we explored the ability of GABAergic SNr neurons on one side of the brain to generate orienting movements. In a strain of mice that express channelrhodopsin (ChR2) in both SNr GABAergic neurons and afferent fibers, we found that continuous blue light produced a robust sustained excitation of SNr neurons which generated ipsiversive orienting. Conversely, in the same animal, trains of blue light excited afferent fibers more effectively than continuous blue light, producing a robust sustained inhibition of SNr neurons which generated contraversive orienting. When ChR2 expression was restricted to either GABAergic SNr neurons or GABAergic afferent fibers from the striatum, blue light patterns in SNr produced only ipsiversive or contraversive orienting movements, respectively. Interestingly, whisker positioning and the reaction to an air-puff on the whiskers were incongruent between SNr-evoked ipsiversive and contraversive head movements, indicating that orienting driven by exciting or inhibiting SNr neurons have different behavioral significance. In conclusion, unilateral SNr neuron excitation and inhibition produce orienting movements in opposite directions and, apparently, with distinct behavioral significance.
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19
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Grillner S. Evolution of the vertebrate motor system - from forebrain to spinal cord. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2021; 71:11-18. [PMID: 34450468 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2021.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A comparison of the vertebrate motor systems of the oldest group of now living vertebrates (lamprey) with that of mammals shows that there are striking similarities not only in the basic organization but also with regard to synaptic properties, transmitters and neuronal properties. The lamprey dorsal pallium (cortex) has a motor, a visual and a somatosensory area, and the basal ganglia, including the dopamine system, are organized in a virtually identical way in the lamprey and rodents. This also applies to the midbrain, brainstem and spinal cord. However, during evolution additional capabilities such as systems for the control of foreleg/arms, hands and fingers have evolved. The findings suggest that when the evolutionary lineages of mammals and lamprey became separate around 500 million years ago, the blueprint of the vertebrate motor system had already evolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sten Grillner
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE 17177, Stockholm, Sweden.
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20
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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.
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21
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Suryanarayana SM, Pérez-Fernández J, Robertson B, Grillner S. The Lamprey Forebrain - Evolutionary Implications. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2021; 96:318-333. [PMID: 34192700 DOI: 10.1159/000517492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The forebrain plays a critical role in a broad range of neural processes encompassing sensory integration and initiation/selection of behaviour. The forebrain functions through an interaction between different cortical areas, the thalamus, the basal ganglia with the dopamine system, and the habenulae. The ambition here is to compare the mammalian forebrain with that of the lamprey representing the oldest now living group of vertebrates, by a review of earlier studies. We show that the lamprey dorsal pallium has a motor, a somatosensory, and a visual area with retinotopic representation. The lamprey pallium was previously thought to be largely olfactory. There is also a detailed similarity between the lamprey and mammals with regard to other forebrain structures like the basal ganglia in which the general organisation, connectivity, transmitters and their receptors, neuropeptides, and expression of ion channels are virtually identical. These initially unexpected results allow for the possibility that many aspects of the basic design of the vertebrate forebrain had evolved before the lamprey diverged from the evolutionary line leading to mammals. Based on a detailed comparison between the mammalian forebrain and that of the lamprey and with due consideration of data from other vertebrate groups, we propose a compelling account of a pan-vertebrate schema for basic forebrain structures, suggesting a common ancestry of over half a billion years of vertebrate evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreyas M Suryanarayana
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden.,Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Juan Pérez-Fernández
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden.,CINBIO, Universidade de Vigo, Campus Universitario Lagoas, Vigo, Spain
| | - Brita Robertson
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Sten Grillner
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
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22
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Cooper B, McPeek RM. Role of the Superior Colliculus in Guiding Movements Not Made by the Eyes. Annu Rev Vis Sci 2021; 7:279-300. [PMID: 34102067 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-vision-012521-102314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The superior colliculus (SC) has long been associated with the neural control of eye movements. Over seventy years ago, the orderly topography of saccade vectors and corresponding visual field locations was discovered in the cat SC. Since then, numerous high-impact studies have investigated and manipulated the relationship between visuotopic space and saccade vector across this topography to better understand the physiological underpinnings of the sensorimotor signal transformation. However, less attention has been paid to the other motor responses that may be associated with SC activity, ranging in complexity from concerted movements of skeletomotor muscle groups, such as arm-reaching movements, to behaviors that involve whole-body movement sequences, such as fight-or-flight responses in murine models. This review surveys these more complex movements associated with SC (optic tectum in nonmammalian species) activity and, where possible, provides phylogenetic and ethological perspective. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Vision Science, Volume 7 is September 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie Cooper
- Graduate Center for Vision Research, SUNY College of Optometry, New York, New York 10036, USA; ,
| | - Robert M McPeek
- Graduate Center for Vision Research, SUNY College of Optometry, New York, New York 10036, USA; ,
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23
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Isa T, Marquez-Legorreta E, Grillner S, Scott EK. The tectum/superior colliculus as the vertebrate solution for spatial sensory integration and action. Curr Biol 2021; 31:R741-R762. [PMID: 34102128 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The superior colliculus, or tectum in the case of non-mammalian vertebrates, is a part of the brain that registers events in the surrounding space, often through vision and hearing, but also through electrosensation, infrared detection, and other sensory modalities in diverse vertebrate lineages. This information is used to form maps of the surrounding space and the positions of different salient stimuli in relation to the individual. The sensory maps are arranged in layers with visual input in the uppermost layer, other senses in deeper positions, and a spatially aligned motor map in the deepest layer. Here, we will review the organization and intrinsic function of the tectum/superior colliculus and the information that is processed within tectal circuits. We will also discuss tectal/superior colliculus outputs that are conveyed directly to downstream motor circuits or via the thalamus to cortical areas to control various aspects of behavior. The tectum/superior colliculus is evolutionarily conserved among all vertebrates, but tailored to the sensory specialties of each lineage, and its roles have shifted with the emergence of the cerebral cortex in mammals. We will illustrate both the conserved and divergent properties of the tectum/superior colliculus through vertebrate evolution by comparing tectal processing in lampreys belonging to the oldest group of extant vertebrates, larval zebrafish, rodents, and other vertebrates including primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tadashi Isa
- Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan; Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| | | | - Sten Grillner
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SE-17177, Sweden
| | - Ethan K Scott
- The Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
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24
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van der Zouwen CI, Boutin J, Fougère M, Flaive A, Vivancos M, Santuz A, Akay T, Sarret P, Ryczko D. Freely Behaving Mice Can Brake and Turn During Optogenetic Stimulation of the Mesencephalic Locomotor Region. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:639900. [PMID: 33897379 PMCID: PMC8062873 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.639900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
A key function of the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) is to control the speed of forward symmetrical locomotor movements. However, the ability of freely moving mammals to integrate environmental cues to brake and turn during MLR stimulation is poorly documented. Here, we investigated whether freely behaving mice could brake or turn, based on environmental cues during MLR stimulation. We photostimulated the cuneiform nucleus (part of the MLR) in mice expressing channelrhodopsin in Vglut2-positive neurons in a Cre-dependent manner (Vglut2-ChR2-EYFP) using optogenetics. We detected locomotor movements using deep learning. We used patch-clamp recordings to validate the functional expression of channelrhodopsin and neuroanatomy to visualize the stimulation sites. In the linear corridor, gait diagram and limb kinematics were similar during spontaneous and optogenetic-evoked locomotion. In the open-field arena, optogenetic stimulation of the MLR evoked locomotion, and increasing laser power increased locomotor speed. Mice could brake and make sharp turns (~90°) when approaching a corner during MLR stimulation in the open-field arena. The speed during the turn was scaled with the speed before the turn, and with the turn angle. Patch-clamp recordings in Vglut2-ChR2-EYFP mice show that blue light evoked short-latency spiking in MLR neurons. Our results strengthen the idea that different brainstem neurons convey braking/turning and MLR speed commands in mammals. Our study also shows that Vglut2-positive neurons of the cuneiform nucleus are a relevant target to increase locomotor activity without impeding the ability to brake and turn when approaching obstacles, thus ensuring smooth and adaptable navigation. Our observations may have clinical relevance since cuneiform nucleus stimulation is increasingly considered to improve locomotion function in pathological states such as Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury, or stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelis Immanuel van der Zouwen
- Département de pharmacologie-physiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Joël Boutin
- Département de pharmacologie-physiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Maxime Fougère
- Département de pharmacologie-physiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Aurélie Flaive
- Département de pharmacologie-physiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Mélanie Vivancos
- Département de pharmacologie-physiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Alessandro Santuz
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Atlantic Mobility Action Project, Brain Repair Center, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.,Department of Training and Movement Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin School of Movement Science, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Turgay Akay
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Atlantic Mobility Action Project, Brain Repair Center, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Philippe Sarret
- Département de pharmacologie-physiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.,Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.,Centre d'excellence en neurosciences de l'Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.,Institut de pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Dimitri Ryczko
- Département de pharmacologie-physiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.,Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.,Centre d'excellence en neurosciences de l'Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.,Institut de pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
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25
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OFF-transient alpha RGCs mediate looming triggered innate defensive response. Curr Biol 2021; 31:2263-2273.e3. [PMID: 33798432 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Animals respond to visual threats, such as a looming object, with innate defensive behaviors. Here, we report that a specific type of retinal ganglion cell (RGC), the OFF-transient alpha RGC, is critical for the detection of looming objects. We identified Kcnip2 as its molecular marker. The activity of the Kcnip2-expressing RGCs encodes the size of the looming object. Ablation or suppression of these RGCs abolished or severely impaired the escape and freezing behaviors of mice in response to a looming object, while activation of their somas in the retina, or their axon terminals in the superior colliculus, triggered immediate escape behavior. Our results link the activity of a single type of RGC to visually triggered innate defensive behaviors and underscore that ethologically significant visual information is encoded by a labeled line strategy as early as in the retina.
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26
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Basso MA, Bickford ME, Cang J. Unraveling circuits of visual perception and cognition through the superior colliculus. Neuron 2021; 109:918-937. [PMID: 33548173 PMCID: PMC7979487 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The superior colliculus is a conserved sensorimotor structure that integrates visual and other sensory information to drive reflexive behaviors. Although the evidence for this is strong and compelling, a number of experiments reveal a role for the superior colliculus in behaviors usually associated with the cerebral cortex, such as attention and decision-making. Indeed, in addition to collicular outputs targeting brainstem regions controlling movements, the superior colliculus also has ascending projections linking it to forebrain structures including the basal ganglia and amygdala, highlighting the fact that the superior colliculus, with its vast inputs and outputs, can influence processing throughout the neuraxis. Today, modern molecular and genetic methods combined with sophisticated behavioral assessments have the potential to make significant breakthroughs in our understanding of the evolution and conservation of neuronal cell types and circuits in the superior colliculus that give rise to simple and complex behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele A Basso
- Fuster Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | | | - Jianhua Cang
- University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
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27
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Abstract
Escape is one of the most studied animal behaviors, and there is a rich normative theory that links threat properties to evasive actions and their timing. The behavioral principles of escape are evolutionarily conserved and rely on elementary computational steps such as classifying sensory stimuli and executing appropriate movements. These are common building blocks of general adaptive behaviors. Here we consider the computational challenges required for escape behaviors to be implemented, discuss possible algorithmic solutions, and review some of the underlying neural circuits and mechanisms. We outline shared neural principles that can be implemented by evolutionarily ancient neural systems to generate escape behavior, to which cortical encephalization has been added to allow for increased sophistication and flexibility in responding to threat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago Branco
- UCL Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, London W1T 4JG, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Redgrave
- Department of Psychology, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 2LT, United Kingdom
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Tseng YT, Zhao B, Liu J, Ding H, Wang F, Wang L. Sleep deprivation and adrenalectomy lead to enhanced innate escape response to visual looming stimuli. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 527:737-743. [PMID: 32444141 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.04.061] [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: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Optimal selections of innate behaviors that enable animals to adapt to particular conditions, whether environmental or internal, remain poorly understood. We report that mice under acute (8 h) sleep deprivation had an enhanced innate escape response and upregulation of c-fos expression in multiple brain areas that regulate wakefulness. By comparison, adrenalectomized mice under the same sleep deprivation condition displayed an even more exaggerated escape response and these wake-regulating brain areas were even more active. This suggests that acute sleep deprivation enhances innate escape response, possibly by altering wake state without causing significant anxiety. We also report that the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis feedback under sleep deprivation prevents an exaggerated escape response by modulating wake-regulating brain areas. Taken together, our findings suggest that animals prioritize escape response over sleep, as the need of both behaviors simultaneously increase. We also provide an insight into the neural mechanisms underlying the interaction between sleep and innate escape response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ting Tseng
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Neuropsychiatric Modulation, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Binghao Zhao
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Neuropsychiatric Modulation, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jingjing Liu
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Neuropsychiatric Modulation, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Hui Ding
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Neuropsychiatric Modulation, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Feng Wang
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Neuropsychiatric Modulation, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Liping Wang
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Neuropsychiatric Modulation, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
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Layer 5 Corticofugal Projections from Diverse Cortical Areas: Variations on a Pattern of Thalamic and Extrathalamic Targets. J Neurosci 2020; 40:5785-5796. [PMID: 32532890 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0529-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The cerebral cortex, with all its computational power, can only influence behavior via corticofugal connections originating from layer 5 (L5) cells (Sherman and Guillery, 2013). To begin to establish the global pattern of these outputs, we examined L5 efferents originating from four cortical areas: somatosensory, visual, motor, and prefrontal (i.e., ventromedial orbitofrontal) cortex. We injected Cre-dependent adeno-associated virus in an Rbp4-Cre transgenic mouse line (both sexes) to label these L5 efferents selectively. Our study reveals that, across this diverse series of cortical regions, L5 commonly projects to multiple thalamic and extrathalamic sites. We also identified several novel corticofugal targets (i.e., the lateral dorsal nucleus, submedial nucleus) previously unidentified as L5 targets. We identified common patterns for these projections: all areas innervated both thalamus and the midbrain, and all areas innervated multiple thalamic targets, including those with core and matrix cell types (Jones, 1998). An examination of the terminal size within each of these targets suggests that terminal populations of L5 efferents are not consistently large but vary with cortical area and target; and in some cases, these include small terminals only. Overall, our data reveal more widespread and diverse L5 efferents than previously appreciated, suggesting a generalizable role for this cortical layer in influencing motor commands and cognitive processes.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT While the neocortex is responsible for coordination of complex behavior, it requires communication with subcortical regions to do so. It is specifically cortical layer 5 (L5) that is thought to underlie these behaviors, although it is unknown whether this holds true across functionally different cortical areas. Using a selective viral tracing method and transgenic mice, we examined the connectivity of four cortical regions (somatosensory, visual, motor and prefrontal cortex) to assess the generalizability of these L5 projections. All areas of cortex projected to overlapping as well as distinct thalamic and brainstem structures. Terminals within these regions varied in size, implicating that L5 has a broad and diverse impact on behavior.
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Diederich NJ, Uchihara T, Grillner S, Goetz CG. The Evolution-Driven Signature of Parkinson's Disease. Trends Neurosci 2020; 43:475-492. [PMID: 32499047 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In this review, we approach Parkinson's disease (PD) in the context of an evolutionary mismatch of central nervous system functions. The neurons at risk have hyperbranched axons, extensive transmitter release sites, display spontaneous spiking, and elevated mitochondrial stress. They function in networks largely unchanged throughout vertebrate evolution, but now connecting to the expanded human cortex. Their breakdown is favoured by longevity. At the cellular level, mitochondrial dysfunction starts at the synapses, then involves axons and cell bodies. At the behavioural level, network dysfunctions provoke the core motor syndrome of parkinsonism including freezing and failed gait automatization, and non-motor deficits including inactive blindsight and autonomic dysregulation. The proposed evolutionary re-interpretation of PD-prone cellular phenotypes and of prototypical clinical symptoms allows a new conceptual framework for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nico J Diederich
- Department of Neurosciences, Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg, L-1210 Luxembourg City, Luxembourg.
| | - Toshiki Uchihara
- Neurology Clinic with Neuromorphomics Laboratory, Nitobe-Memorial Nakano General Hospital, Tokyo 164-8607, Japan; Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
| | - Sten Grillner
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, SE-17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christopher G Goetz
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
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The evolutionary origin of visual and somatosensory representation in the vertebrate pallium. Nat Ecol Evol 2020; 4:639-651. [DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-1137-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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