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Cazemier JL, Haak R, Tran TKL, Hsu ATY, Husic M, Peri BD, Kirchberger L, Self MW, Roelfsema P, Heimel JA. Involvement of superior colliculus in complex figure detection of mice. eLife 2024; 13:e83708. [PMID: 38270590 PMCID: PMC10810606 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Object detection is an essential function of the visual system. Although the visual cortex plays an important role in object detection, the superior colliculus can support detection when the visual cortex is ablated or silenced. Moreover, it has been shown that superficial layers of mouse SC (sSC) encode visual features of complex objects, and that this code is not inherited from the primary visual cortex. This suggests that mouse sSC may provide a significant contribution to complex object vision. Here, we use optogenetics to show that mouse sSC is involved in figure detection based on differences in figure contrast, orientation, and phase. Additionally, our neural recordings show that in mouse sSC, image elements that belong to a figure elicit stronger activity than those same elements when they are part of the background. The discriminability of this neural code is higher for correct trials than for incorrect trials. Our results provide new insight into the behavioral relevance of the visual processing that takes place in sSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Leonie Cazemier
- Department of Circuits, Structure & Function, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW)AmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Robin Haak
- Department of Circuits, Structure & Function, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW)AmsterdamNetherlands
| | - TK Loan Tran
- Department of Circuits, Structure & Function, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW)AmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Ann TY Hsu
- Department of Circuits, Structure & Function, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW)AmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Medina Husic
- Department of Circuits, Structure & Function, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW)AmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Brandon D Peri
- Department of Circuits, Structure & Function, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW)AmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Lisa Kirchberger
- Department of Vision and Cognition, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW)AmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Matthew W Self
- Department of Vision and Cognition, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW)AmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Pieter Roelfsema
- Department of Vision and Cognition, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW)AmsterdamNetherlands
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, VU UniversityAmsterdamNetherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical CentreAmsterdamNetherlands
- Laboratory of Visual Brain Therapy, Sorbonne Université, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de la VisionParisFrance
| | - J Alexander Heimel
- Department of Circuits, Structure & Function, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW)AmsterdamNetherlands
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2
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Hu G, Chen A, Ye J, Liu Q, Wang J, Fan C, Wang X, Huang M, Dai M, Shi X, Gu Y. A developmental critical period for ocular dominance plasticity of binocular neurons in mouse superior colliculus. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113667. [PMID: 38184852 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113667] [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: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Detecting visual features in the environment is crucial for animals' survival. The superior colliculus (SC) is implicated in motion detection and processing, whereas how the SC integrates visual inputs from the two eyes remains unclear. Using in vivo electrophysiology, we show that mouse SC contains many binocular neurons that display robust ocular dominance (OD) plasticity in a critical period during early development, which is similar to, but not dependent on, the primary visual cortex. NR2A- and NR2B-containing N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors play an essential role in the regulation of SC plasticity. Blocking NMDA receptors can largely prevent the impairment of predatory hunting caused by monocular deprivation, indicating that maintaining the binocularity of SC neurons is required for efficient hunting behavior. Together, our studies reveal the existence and function of OD plasticity in SC, which broadens our understanding of the development of subcortical visual circuitry relating to motion detection and predatory hunting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanglei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Ailin Chen
- Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Tianjin Eye Institute, Clinical College of Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Jingjing Ye
- Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Tianjin Eye Institute, Clinical College of Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300020, China; Medical College of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Qiong Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Jiafeng Wang
- Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Tianjin Eye Institute, Clinical College of Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300020, China
| | - Cunxiu Fan
- Jiading Branch of Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 800 Huangjiahuayuan Road, Shanghai 201803, China
| | - Xiaoqing Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Mengqi Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Menghan Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xuefeng Shi
- Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Tianjin Eye Institute, Clinical College of Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300020, China; Medical College of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250014, China; Institute of Ophthalmology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300020, China.
| | - Yu Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
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Klink PC, Teeuwen RRM, Lorteije JAM, Roelfsema PR. Inversion of pop-out for a distracting feature dimension in monkey visual cortex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2210839120. [PMID: 36812207 PMCID: PMC9992771 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2210839120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
During visual search, it is important to reduce the interference of distracting objects in the scene. The neuronal responses elicited by the search target stimulus are typically enhanced. However, it is equally important to suppress the representations of distracting stimuli, especially if they are salient and capture attention. We trained monkeys to make an eye movement to a unique "pop-out" shape stimulus among an array of distracting stimuli. One of these distractors had a salient color that varied across trials and differed from the color of the other stimuli, causing it to also pop-out. The monkeys were able to select the pop-out shape target with high accuracy and actively avoided the pop-out color distractor. This behavioral pattern was reflected in the activity of neurons in area V4. Responses to the shape targets were enhanced, while the activity evoked by the pop-out color distractor was only briefly enhanced, directly followed by a sustained period of pronounced suppression. These behavioral and neuronal results demonstrate a cortical selection mechanism that rapidly inverts a pop-out signal to "pop-in" for an entire feature dimension thereby facilitating goal-directed visual search in the presence of salient distractors.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. Christiaan Klink
- Department of Vision and Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, 3584 CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Laboratory of Visual Brain Therapy, Sorbonne Université, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de la Vision, ParisF-75012, France
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rob R. M. Teeuwen
- Department of Vision and Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jeannette A. M. Lorteije
- Department of Vision and Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pieter R. Roelfsema
- Department of Vision and Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Laboratory of Visual Brain Therapy, Sorbonne Université, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de la Vision, ParisF-75012, France
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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4
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Cruz KG, Leow YN, Le NM, Adam E, Huda R, Sur M. Cortical-subcortical interactions in goal-directed behavior. Physiol Rev 2023; 103:347-389. [PMID: 35771984 PMCID: PMC9576171 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00048.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Flexibly selecting appropriate actions in response to complex, ever-changing environments requires both cortical and subcortical regions, which are typically described as participating in a strict hierarchy. In this traditional view, highly specialized subcortical circuits allow for efficient responses to salient stimuli, at the cost of adaptability and context specificity, which are attributed to the neocortex. Their interactions are often described as the cortex providing top-down command signals for subcortical structures to implement; however, as available technologies develop, studies increasingly demonstrate that behavior is represented by brainwide activity and that even subcortical structures contain early signals of choice, suggesting that behavioral functions emerge as a result of different regions interacting as truly collaborative networks. In this review, we discuss the field's evolving understanding of how cortical and subcortical regions in placental mammals interact cooperatively, not only via top-down cortical-subcortical inputs but through bottom-up interactions, especially via the thalamus. We describe our current understanding of the circuitry of both the cortex and two exemplar subcortical structures, the superior colliculus and striatum, to identify which information is prioritized by which regions. We then describe the functional circuits these regions form with one another, and the thalamus, to create parallel loops and complex networks for brainwide information flow. Finally, we challenge the classic view that functional modules are contained within specific brain regions; instead, we propose that certain regions prioritize specific types of information over others, but the subnetworks they form, defined by their anatomical connections and functional dynamics, are the basis of true specialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Guadalupe Cruz
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Yi Ning Leow
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Nhat Minh Le
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Elie Adam
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Rafiq Huda
- W. M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Mriganka Sur
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
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5
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High-density electrode recordings reveal strong and specific connections between retinal ganglion cells and midbrain neurons. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5218. [PMID: 36064789 PMCID: PMC9445019 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32775-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The superior colliculus is a midbrain structure that plays important roles in visually guided behaviors in mammals. Neurons in the superior colliculus receive inputs from retinal ganglion cells but how these inputs are integrated in vivo is unknown. Here, we discovered that high-density electrodes simultaneously capture the activity of retinal axons and their postsynaptic target neurons in the superior colliculus, in vivo. We show that retinal ganglion cell axons in the mouse provide a single cell precise representation of the retina as input to superior colliculus. This isomorphic mapping builds the scaffold for precise retinotopic wiring and functionally specific connection strength. Our methods are broadly applicable, which we demonstrate by recording retinal inputs in the optic tectum in zebra finches. We find common wiring rules in mice and zebra finches that provide a precise representation of the visual world encoded in retinal ganglion cells connections to neurons in retinorecipient areas. The superior colliculus receives visual information from retinal ganglion cells, but it remains unclear how this information is organized and integrated in vivo. Here the authors describe how high-density electrodes can simultaneously capture the activity of incoming axons and target neurons in the superior colliculus, and demonstrate isomorphic mapping and strong and specific connections in mice and zebrafinches.
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6
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Tangential high-density electrode insertions allow to simultaneously measure neuronal activity across an extended region of the visual field in mouse superior colliculus. J Neurosci Methods 2022; 376:109622. [PMID: 35525463 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2022.109622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The superior colliculus (SC) is a midbrain structure that plays a central role in visual processing. Although we have learned a considerable amount about the function of single SC neurons, the way in which sensory information is represented and processed on the population level in awake behaving animals and across a large region of the retinotopic map is still largely unknown. Partially because the SC is anatomically located below the cortical sheet and the transverse sinus, which render the measure of neuronal activity from a large population of neurons in the SC technically difficult to perform. NEW METHOD To address this, we propose a tangential recording configuration using high-density electrode probes (Neuropixels) in mouse SC in vivo. This method permits a large number of recording sites (~200) inside the SC circuitry allowing to record from a large population of SC neurons along a vast area of retinotopic space. RESULTS This approach provides a unique opportunity to measure the activity of SC neuronal populations over up to ~2mm of SC tissue reporting for the first time the continuous receptive fields coverage of almost the entire SC retinotopy. Here we describe how to perform targeted tangential recordings along the anterior-posterior and the medio-lateral axis of the mouse SC in vivo in the upper visual layers. Furthermore, we describe how to combine this approach with optogenetic tools for cell-type identification on the population level. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS Vertical insertion has been a standard way to record visual responses in the SC. Inserting multi-shank probes vertically allows to cover a larger region of the SC but misses both the complete extent of the available retinotopy and the continuous measure allowed by the high density of recording sites on Neuropixels probes. CONCLUSION Altogether tangential insertions in the upper visual layers of the mouse SC using Neuropixels permit for the first time to access a majority of the retinotopically organized visual representation of the world at an unprecedented precision.
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7
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Corticothalamic feedback sculpts visual spatial integration in mouse thalamus. Nat Neurosci 2021; 24:1711-1720. [PMID: 34764474 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-021-00943-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
En route from the retina to the cortex, visual information passes through the dorsolateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) of the thalamus, where extensive corticothalamic (CT) feedback has been suggested to modulate spatial processing. How this modulation arises from direct excitatory and indirect inhibitory CT feedback pathways remains enigmatic. Here, we show that in awake mice, retinotopically organized cortical feedback sharpens receptive fields (RFs) and increases surround suppression in the dLGN. Guided by a network model indicating that widespread inhibitory CT feedback is necessary to reproduce these effects, we targeted the visual sector of the thalamic reticular nucleus (visTRN) for recordings. We found that visTRN neurons have large RFs, show little surround suppression and exhibit strong feedback-dependent responses to large stimuli. These features make them an ideal candidate for mediating feedback-enhanced surround suppression in the dLGN. We conclude that cortical feedback sculpts spatial integration in the dLGN, likely via recruitment of neurons in the visTRN.
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8
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Woolrych A, Vautrelle N, Reynolds JNJ, Parr-Brownlie LC. Throwing open the doors of perception: The role of dopamine in visual processing. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:6135-6146. [PMID: 34340265 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Animals form associations between visual cues and behaviours. Although dopamine is known to be critical in many areas of the brain to bind sensory information with appropriate responses, dopamine's role in the visual system is less well understood. Visual signals, which indicate the likely occurrence of a rewarding or aversive stimulus or indicate the context within which such stimuli may arrive, modulate activity in the superior colliculus and alter behaviour. However, such signals primarily originate in cortical and basal ganglia circuits, and evidence of direct signalling from midbrain dopamine neurons to superior colliculus is lacking. Instead, hypothalamic A13 dopamine neurons innervate the superior colliculus, and dopamine receptors are differentially expressed in the superior colliculus, with D1 receptors in superficial layers and D2 receptors in deep layers. However, it remains unknown if A13 dopamine neurons control behaviours through their effect on afferents within the superior colliculus. We propose that A13 dopamine neurons may play a critical role in processing information in the superior colliculus, modifying behavioural responses to visual cues, and propose some testable hypotheses regarding dopamine's effect on visual perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Woolrych
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Nicolas Vautrelle
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - John N J Reynolds
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Louise C Parr-Brownlie
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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9
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Dynamic Contextual Modulation in Superior Colliculus of Awake Mouse. eNeuro 2020; 7:ENEURO.0131-20.2020. [PMID: 32868308 PMCID: PMC7540924 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0131-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The responses of neurons in the visual pathway depend on the context in which a stimulus is presented. Responses to predictable stimuli are usually suppressed, highlighting responses to unexpected stimuli that might be important for behavior. Here, we established how context modulates the response of neurons in the superior colliculus (SC), a region important in orienting toward or away from visual stimuli. We made extracellular recordings from single units in the superficial layers of SC in awake mice. We found strong suppression of visual response by spatial context (surround suppression) and temporal context (adaptation). Neurons showing stronger surround suppression also showed stronger adaptation effects. In neurons where it was present, surround suppression was dynamic and was reduced by adaptation. Adaptation's effects further revealed two components to surround suppression: one component that was weakly tuned for orientation and adaptable, and another component that was more strongly tuned but less adaptable. The selectivity of the tuned component was flexible, such that suppression was stronger when the stimulus over the surround matched that over the receptive field. Our results therefore reveal strong interactions between spatial and temporal context in regulating the flow of signals through mouse SC, and suggest the presence of a subpopulation of neurons that might signal novelty in either space or time.
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10
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The influence of subcortical shortcuts on disordered sensory and cognitive processing. Nat Rev Neurosci 2020; 21:264-276. [PMID: 32269315 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-020-0287-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The very earliest stages of sensory processing have the potential to alter how we perceive and respond to our environment. These initial processing circuits can incorporate subcortical regions, such as the thalamus and brainstem nuclei, which mediate complex interactions with the brain's cortical processing hierarchy. These subcortical pathways, many of which we share with other animals, are not merely vestigial but appear to function as 'shortcuts' that ensure processing efficiency and preservation of vital life-preserving functions, such as harm avoidance, adaptive social interactions and efficient decision-making. Here, we propose that functional interactions between these higher-order and lower-order brain areas contribute to atypical sensory and cognitive processing that characterizes numerous neuropsychiatric disorders.
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11
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Vangeneugden J, van Beest EH, Cohen MX, Lorteije JAM, Mukherjee S, Kirchberger L, Montijn JS, Thamizharasu P, Camillo D, Levelt CN, Roelfsema PR, Self MW, Heimel JA. Activity in Lateral Visual Areas Contributes to Surround Suppression in Awake Mouse V1. Curr Biol 2019; 29:4268-4275.e7. [PMID: 31786063 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.10.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal response to sensory stimuli depends on the context. The response in primary visual cortex (V1), for instance, is reduced when a stimulus is surrounded by a similar stimulus [1-3]. The source of this surround suppression is partially known. In mouse, local horizontal integration by somatostatin-expressing interneurons contributes to surround suppression [4]. In primates, however, surround suppression arises too quickly to come from local horizontal integration alone, and myelinated axons from higher visual areas, where cells have larger receptive fields, are thought to provide additional surround suppression [5, 6]. Silencing higher visual areas indeed decreased surround suppression in the awake primate by increasing responses to large stimuli [7, 8], although not under anesthesia [9, 10]. In smaller mammals, like mice, fast surround suppression could be possible without feedback. Recent studies revealed a small reduction in V1 responses when silencing higher areas [11, 12] but have not investigated surround suppression. To determine whether higher visual areas contribute to V1 surround suppression, even when this is not necessary for fast processing, we inhibited the areas lateral to V1, particularly the lateromedial area (LM), a possible homolog of primate V2 [13], while recording in V1 of awake and anesthetized mice. We found that part of the surround suppression depends on activity from lateral visual areas in the awake, but not anesthetized, mouse. Inhibiting the lateral visual areas specifically increased responses in V1 to large stimuli. We present a model explaining how excitatory feedback to V1 can have these suppressive effects for large stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joris Vangeneugden
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Enny H van Beest
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Michael X Cohen
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jeannette A M Lorteije
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Sreedeep Mukherjee
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Lisa Kirchberger
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jorrit S Montijn
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Premnath Thamizharasu
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Daniela Camillo
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Christiaan N Levelt
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Pieter R Roelfsema
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Psychiatry Department, Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Matthew W Self
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - J Alexander Heimel
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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12
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Katzner S, Born G, Busse L. V1 microcircuits underlying mouse visual behavior. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2019; 58:191-198. [PMID: 31585332 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2019.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Revised: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Visual behavior is based on the concerted activity of neurons in visual areas, where sensory signals are integrated with top-down information. In the past decade, the advent of new tools, such as functional imaging of populations of identified single neurons, high-density electrophysiology, virus-assisted circuit mapping, and precisely timed, cell-type specific manipulations, has advanced our understanding of the neuronal microcircuits underlying visual behavior. Studies in head-fixed mice, where such tools can routinely be applied, begin to provide new insights into the neural code of primary visual cortex (V1) underlying visual perception, and the micro-circuits of attention, predictive processing, and learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steffen Katzner
- Division of Neurobiology, Department Biology II, LMU Munich, 82151 Munich, Germany
| | - Gregory Born
- Division of Neurobiology, Department Biology II, LMU Munich, 82151 Munich, Germany; Graduate School of Systemic Neuroscience (GSN), LMU Munich, 82151 Munich, Germany
| | - Laura Busse
- Division of Neurobiology, Department Biology II, LMU Munich, 82151 Munich, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, 82151 Munich, Germany.
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13
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Mudd DB, Balmer TS, Kim SY, Machhour N, Pallas SL. TrkB Activation during a Critical Period Mimics the Protective Effects of Early Visual Experience on Perception and the Stability of Receptive Fields in Adult Superior Colliculus. J Neurosci 2019; 39:4475-4488. [PMID: 30940716 PMCID: PMC6554622 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2598-18.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Revised: 03/09/2019] [Accepted: 03/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
During a critical period in development, spontaneous and evoked retinal activity shape visual pathways in an adaptive fashion. Interestingly, spontaneous activity is sufficient for spatial refinement of visual receptive fields (RFs) in superior colliculus (SC) and visual cortex (V1), but early visual experience is necessary to maintain inhibitory synapses and stabilize RFs in adulthood (Carrasco et al., 2005, 2011; Carrasco and Pallas, 2006; Balmer and Pallas, 2015a). In V1, BDNF and its high-affinity receptor TrkB are important for development of visual acuity, inhibition, and regulation of the critical period for ocular dominance plasticity (Hanover et al., 1999; Huang et al., 1999; Gianfranceschi et al., 2003). To examine the generality of this signaling pathway for visual system plasticity, the present study examined the role of TrkB signaling during the critical period for RF refinement in SC. Activating TrkB receptors during the critical period (P33-P40) in dark reared subjects produced normally refined RFs, and blocking TrkB receptors in light-exposed animals resulted in enlarged adult RFs like those in dark reared animals. We also report here that deprivation- or TrkB blockade-induced RF enlargement in adulthood impaired fear responses to looming overhead stimuli and negatively impacted visual acuity. Thus, early TrkB activation is both necessary and sufficient to maintain visual RF refinement, robust looming responses, and visual acuity in adulthood. These findings suggest a common signaling pathway exists for the maturation of inhibition between V1 and SC.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Receptive field refinement in superior colliculus differs from more commonly studied examples of critical period plasticity in visual pathways in that it does not require visual experience to occur; rather, spontaneous activity is sufficient. Maintenance of refinement beyond puberty requires a brief, early exposure to light to stabilize the lateral inhibition that shapes receptive fields. We find that TrkB activation during a critical period can substitute for visual experience in maintaining receptive field refinement into adulthood, and that this maintenance is beneficial to visual survival behaviors. Thus, as in some other types of plasticity, TrkB signaling plays a crucial role in receptive field refinement.
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Affiliation(s)
- David B Mudd
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30303
| | - Timothy S Balmer
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30303
| | - So Yeon Kim
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30303
| | - Noura Machhour
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30303
| | - Sarah L Pallas
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30303
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14
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De Franceschi G, Solomon SG. Visual response properties of neurons in the superficial layers of the superior colliculus of awake mouse. J Physiol 2018; 596:6307-6332. [PMID: 30281795 PMCID: PMC6292807 DOI: 10.1113/jp276964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [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: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS In rodents, including mice, the superior colliculus is the major target of the retina, but its visual response is not well characterized. In the present study, extracellular recordings from single nerve cells in the superficial layers of the superior colliculus were made in awake, head-restrained mice, and their responses to visual stimuli were measured. It was found that these neurons show brisk, highly sensitive and short latency visual responses, a preference for black over white stimuli, and diverse responses to moving patterns. At least five broad classes can be defined by variation in functional properties among units. The results of the present study demonstrate that eye movements have a measurable impact on visual responses in awake animals and show how they may be mitigated in analyses. ABSTRACT The mouse is an increasingly important animal model of visual function in health and disease. In mice, most retinal signals are routed through the superficial layers of the midbrain superior colliculus, and it is well established that much of the visual behaviour of mice relies on activity in the superior colliculus. The functional organization of visual signals in the mouse superior colliculus is, however, not well established in awake animals. We therefore made extracellular recordings from the superficial layers of the superior colliculus in awake mice, while the animals were viewing visual stimuli including flashed spots and drifting gratings. We find that neurons in the superficial layers of the superior colliculus of awake mouse generally show short latency, brisk responses. Receptive fields are usually 'ON-OFF' with a preference for black stimuli, and are weakly non-linear in response to gratings and other forms of luminance modulation. Population responses to drifting gratings are highly contrast sensitive, with a robust response to spatial frequencies above 0.3 cycles degree-1 and temporal frequencies above 15 Hz. The receptive fields are also often speed-tuned or direction-selective. Analysis of the response across multiple stimulus dimensions reveals at least five functionally distinct groups of units. We also find that eye movements affect measurements of receptive field properties in awake animals, and show how these may be mitigated in analyses. Qualitatively similar responses were obtained in urethane-anaesthetized animals, although receptive fields in awake animals had higher contrast sensitivity, shorter visual latency and a stronger response to high temporal frequencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gioia De Franceschi
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology
University College LondonLondonUK
| | - Samuel G. Solomon
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology
University College LondonLondonUK
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15
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Treviño M, Fregoso E, Sahagún C, Lezama E. An Automated Water Task to Test Visual Discrimination Performance, Adaptive Strategies and Stereotyped Choices in Freely Moving Mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:251. [PMID: 30467467 PMCID: PMC6235986 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe an automated training/testing system for adult mice that allows reliable quantification of visual discrimination capacities, adaptive swimming strategies, and stereotyped choices with minimal human intervention. The experimental apparatus consists of a hexagonal swimming pool with an internal decision zone leading to three interior arms with two software-controlled platforms inside of each arm. Each experimental trial consists in projecting a "positive" conditioned discriminative stimulus (SD) in one randomly chosen arm, whereas the other two arms project non-reinforced stimuli (the delta stimuli, SΔ). By employing a classical behavioral training schedule, the mice learn to swim toward the arm that displays the SD, because it predicts the presence of two elevated platforms located symmetrically to the left and right side of the projecting monitor. Separate behavioral components for discriminative and stereotyped choice behavior can be identified through this geometric arrangement. In addition, the projection in real-time of either static or dynamic visual stimuli allows the usage of training programs contingent on current behavioral performance. We validated the system by characterizing the visual acuity and contrast sensitivities in a group of trained mice. By employing pharmacological manipulations, we found that the mice required an intact functioning of the primary visual cortex (V1) to solve the hexagonal pool. Overall, the automated training system constitutes a reliable, rapid, and inexpensive method to quantify visual capacities of mice. It can be used to characterize visual and non-visual factors of choice behavior. It can also be combined with manipulations of visual experience and pharmacological micro-infusions to investigate integrated brain function and learning processes in adult mice over consecutive days.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Treviño
- Laboratorio de Plasticidad Cortical y Aprendizaje Perceptual, Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico
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16
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Ahmadlou M, Zweifel LS, Heimel JA. Functional modulation of primary visual cortex by the superior colliculus in the mouse. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3895. [PMID: 30254324 PMCID: PMC6156231 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06389-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The largest targets of retinal input in mammals are the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN), a relay to the primary visual cortex (V1), and the superior colliculus. V1 innervates and influences the superior colliculus. Here, we find that, in turn, superior colliculus modulates responses in mouse V1. Optogenetically inhibiting the superior colliculus reduces responses in V1 to optimally sized stimuli. Superior colliculus could influence V1 via its strong projection to the lateral posterior nucleus (LP/Pulvinar) or its weaker projection to the dLGN. Inhibiting superior colliculus strongly reduces activity in LP. Pharmacologically silencing LP itself, however, does not remove collicular modulation of V1. The modulation is instead due to a collicular gain modulation of the dLGN. Surround suppression operating in V1 explains the different effects for differently sized stimuli. Computations of visual saliency in the superior colliculus can thus influence tuning in the visual cortex via a tectogeniculate pathway. The role of the superior colliculus (SC) in modulating V1 cortical activity is not clear. Here, the authors demonstrate the functional role of SC in modulating V1 responses through an excitatory pathway via the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehran Ahmadlou
- Department of Cortical Structure & Function, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Larry S Zweifel
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - J Alexander Heimel
- Department of Cortical Structure & Function, The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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17
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Camillo D, Ahmadlou M, Saiepour MH, Yasaminshirazi M, Levelt CN, Heimel JA. Visual Processing by Calretinin Expressing Inhibitory Neurons in Mouse Primary Visual Cortex. Sci Rep 2018; 8:12355. [PMID: 30120412 PMCID: PMC6098074 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-30958-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 08/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibition in the cerebral cortex is delivered by a variety of GABAergic interneurons. These cells have been categorized by their morphology, physiology, gene expression and connectivity. Many of these classes appear to be conserved across species, suggesting that the classes play specific functional roles in cortical processing. What these functions are, is still largely unknown. The largest group of interneurons in the upper layers of mouse primary visual cortex (V1) is formed by cells expressing the calcium-binding protein calretinin (CR). This heterogeneous class contains subsets of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) interneurons and somatostatin (SOM) interneurons. Here we show, using in vivo two-photon calcium imaging in mice, that CR neurons can be sensitive to stimulus orientation, but that they are less selective on average than the overall neuronal population. Responses of CR neurons are suppressed by a surrounding stimulus, but less so than the overall population. In rats and primates, CR interneurons have been suggested to provide disinhibition, but we found that in mice their in vivo activation by optogenetics causes a net inhibition of cortical activity. Our results show that the average functional properties of CR interneurons are distinct from the averages of the parvalbumin, SOM and VIP interneuron populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Camillo
- Cortical Structure & Function Group, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mehran Ahmadlou
- Cortical Structure & Function Group, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - M Hadi Saiepour
- Molecular Visual Plasticity Group, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maryam Yasaminshirazi
- Cortical Structure & Function Group, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Christiaan N Levelt
- Molecular Visual Plasticity Group, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - J Alexander Heimel
- Cortical Structure & Function Group, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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18
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Barchini J, Shi X, Chen H, Cang J. Bidirectional encoding of motion contrast in the mouse superior colliculus. eLife 2018; 7:e35261. [PMID: 29963987 PMCID: PMC6050041 DOI: 10.7554/elife.35261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Detection of salient objects in the visual scene is a vital aspect of an animal's interactions with its environment. Here, we show that neurons in the mouse superior colliculus (SC) encode visual saliency by detecting motion contrast between stimulus center and surround. Excitatory neurons in the most superficial lamina of the SC are contextually modulated, monotonically increasing their response from suppression by the same-direction surround to maximal potentiation by an oppositely-moving surround. The degree of this potentiation declines with depth in the SC. Inhibitory neurons are suppressed by any surround at all depths. These response modulations in both neuronal populations are much more prominent to direction contrast than to phase, temporal frequency, or static orientation contrast, suggesting feature-specific saliency encoding in the mouse SC. Together, our findings provide evidence supporting locally generated feature representations in the SC, and lay the foundations towards a mechanistic and evolutionary understanding of their emergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jad Barchini
- Department of NeurobiologyNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience ProgramNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
| | - Xuefeng Shi
- Department of NeurobiologyNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Tianjin Eye Institute, Clinical College of OphthalmologyTianjin Medical UniversityTianjinChina
- Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology and StrabismusTianjin Eye HospitalTianjinChina
| | - Hui Chen
- Department of NeurobiologyNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleUnited States
- Department of BiologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleUnited States
| | - Jianhua Cang
- Department of NeurobiologyNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleUnited States
- Department of BiologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleUnited States
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19
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Cang J, Savier E, Barchini J, Liu X. Visual Function, Organization, and Development of the Mouse Superior Colliculus. Annu Rev Vis Sci 2018; 4:239-262. [PMID: 29852095 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-vision-091517-034142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The superior colliculus (SC) is the most prominent visual center in mice. Studies over the past decade have greatly advanced our understanding of the function, organization, and development of the mouse SC, which has rapidly become a popular model in vision research. These studies have described the diverse and cell-type-specific visual response properties in the mouse SC, revealed their laminar and topographic organizations, and linked the mouse SC and downstream pathways with visually guided behaviors. Here, we summarize these findings, compare them with the rich literature of SC studies in other species, and highlight important gaps and exciting future directions. Given its clear importance in mouse vision and the available modern neuroscience tools, the mouse SC holds great promise for understanding the cellular, circuit, and developmental mechanisms that underlie visual processing, sensorimotor transformation, and, ultimately, behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhua Cang
- Department of Biology and Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA;
| | - Elise Savier
- Department of Biology and Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA;
| | - Jad Barchini
- Department of Functional Architecture and Development of Cerebral Cortex, Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, Florida 33458, USA
| | - Xiaorong Liu
- Department of Biology and Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA;
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20
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Li F, Jiang W, Wang TY, Xie T, Yao H. Phase-specific Surround suppression in Mouse Primary Visual Cortex Correlates with Figure Detection Behavior Based on Phase Discontinuity. Neuroscience 2018; 379:359-374. [PMID: 29608945 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.03.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2018] [Revised: 03/03/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
In the primary visual cortex (V1), neuronal responses to stimuli within the receptive field (RF) are modulated by stimuli in the RF surround. A common effect of surround modulation is surround suppression, which is dependent on the feature difference between stimuli within and surround the RF and is suggested to be involved in the perceptual phenomenon of figure-ground segregation. In this study, we examined the relationship between feature-specific surround suppression of V1 neurons and figure detection behavior based on figure-ground feature difference. We trained freely moving mice to perform a figure detection task using figure and ground gratings that differed in spatial phase. The performance of figure detection increased with the figure-ground phase difference, and was modulated by stimulus contrast. Electrophysiological recordings from V1 in head-fixed mice showed that the increase in phase difference between stimuli within and surround the RF caused a reduction in surround suppression, which was associated with an increase in V1 neural discrimination between stimuli with and without RF-surround phase difference. Consistent with the behavioral performance, the sensitivity of V1 neurons to RF-surround phase difference could be influenced by stimulus contrast. Furthermore, inhibiting V1 by optogenetically activating either parvalbumin (PV)- or somatostatin (SOM)-expressing inhibitory neurons both decreased the behavioral performance of figure detection. Thus, the phase-specific surround suppression in V1 represents a neural correlate of figure detection behavior based on figure-ground phase discontinuity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengling Li
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Weiqian Jiang
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tian-Yi Wang
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Taorong Xie
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Haishan Yao
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
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