1
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Thieu MK, Ayzenberg V, Lourenco SF, Kragel PA. Visual looming is a primitive for human emotion. iScience 2024; 27:109886. [PMID: 38799577 PMCID: PMC11126809 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The neural computations for looming detection are strikingly similar across species. In mammals, information about approaching threats is conveyed from the retina to the midbrain superior colliculus, where approach variables are computed to enable defensive behavior. Although neuroscientific theories posit that midbrain representations contribute to emotion through connectivity with distributed brain systems, it remains unknown whether a computational system for looming detection can predict both defensive behavior and phenomenal experience in humans. Here, we show that a shallow convolutional neural network based on the Drosophila visual system predicts defensive blinking to looming objects in infants and superior colliculus responses to optical expansion in adults. Further, the neural network's responses to naturalistic video clips predict self-reported emotion largely by way of subjective arousal. These findings illustrate how a simple neural network architecture optimized for a species-general task relevant for survival explains motor and experiential components of human emotion.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vladislav Ayzenberg
- Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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2
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Chorna O, Corsi G, Del Secco S, Bancale A, Guzzetta A. Correlation between Early Visual Functions and Cognitive Outcome in Infants at Risk for Cerebral Palsy or Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Systematic Review. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 11:747. [PMID: 38929326 PMCID: PMC11201713 DOI: 10.3390/children11060747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Early key visual skills, such as tracking objects, sustaining gaze, and shifting attention, rapidly develop within the first 6 months of infant life. These abilities play a significant role in the development of cognitive functions but are frequently compromised in infants at risk of developing neurodevelopmental disorders. This systematic review evaluates the potential of early vision function in the prediction of cognition at or above 12 months. Five databases were searched for relevant articles, and their quality was assessed with the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool. Eight studies were suitable, including 521 preterm-born infants at varying risk of developing Cerebral Palsy (CP). Each study showed a significant correlation between vision and cognitive outcome. Predictive analysis including sensitivity and specificity was possible for three studies. Methodological quality was variable. Sensitivity ranged between 57 and 100% in the vision function assessments items, while specificity ranged from 59 to 100%. In conclusion, early vision showed strong correlation with cognition ≥ 12 months. While no single vision assessment was found to be superior, evaluation of specific functions, namely fixation and following, both at term age and between 3 and 6 months, demonstrated strong predictive validity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olena Chorna
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy;
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy
| | - Giulia Corsi
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy
| | - Sabrina Del Secco
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy
| | - Ada Bancale
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy
| | - Andrea Guzzetta
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
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3
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Cisek P, Green AM. Toward a neuroscience of natural behavior. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2024; 86:102859. [PMID: 38583263 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2024.102859] [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: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
One of the most exciting new developments in systems neuroscience is the progress being made toward neurophysiological experiments that move beyond simplified laboratory settings and address the richness of natural behavior. This is enabled by technological advances such as wireless recording in freely moving animals, automated quantification of behavior, and new methods for analyzing large data sets. Beyond new empirical methods and data, however, there is also a need for new theories and concepts to interpret that data. Such theories need to address the particular challenges of natural behavior, which often differ significantly from the scenarios studied in traditional laboratory settings. Here, we discuss some strategies for developing such novel theories and concepts and some example hypotheses being proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Cisek
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
| | - Andrea M Green
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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4
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DePiero VJ, Deng Z, Chen C, Savier EL, Chen H, Wei W, Cang J. Transformation of Motion Pattern Selectivity from Retina to Superior Colliculus. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1704232024. [PMID: 38569924 PMCID: PMC11097260 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1704-23.2024] [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: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The superior colliculus (SC) is a prominent and conserved visual center in all vertebrates. In mice, the most superficial lamina of the SC is enriched with neurons that are selective for the moving direction of visual stimuli. Here, we study how these direction selective neurons respond to complex motion patterns known as plaids, using two-photon calcium imaging in awake male and female mice. The plaid pattern consists of two superimposed sinusoidal gratings moving in different directions, giving an apparent pattern direction that lies between the directions of the two component gratings. Most direction selective neurons in the mouse SC respond robustly to the plaids and show a high selectivity for the moving direction of the plaid pattern but not of its components. Pattern motion selectivity is seen in both excitatory and inhibitory SC neurons and is especially prevalent in response to plaids with large cross angles between the two component gratings. However, retinal inputs to the SC are ambiguous in their selectivity to pattern versus component motion. Modeling suggests that pattern motion selectivity in the SC can arise from a nonlinear transformation of converging retinal inputs. In contrast, the prevalence of pattern motion selective neurons is not seen in the primary visual cortex (V1). These results demonstrate an interesting difference between the SC and V1 in motion processing and reveal the SC as an important site for encoding pattern motion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor J DePiero
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904
| | - Zixuan Deng
- Committee on Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Chen Chen
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904
| | - Elise L Savier
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904
- Department of Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Hui Chen
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904
| | - Wei Wei
- Department of Neurobiology, Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Jianhua Cang
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904
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5
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Beau M, Herzfeld DJ, Naveros F, Hemelt ME, D’Agostino F, Oostland M, Sánchez-López A, Chung YY, Michael Maibach, Kyranakis S, Stabb HN, Martínez Lopera MG, Lajko A, Zedler M, Ohmae S, Hall NJ, Clark BA, Cohen D, Lisberger SG, Kostadinov D, Hull C, Häusser M, Medina JF. A deep-learning strategy to identify cell types across species from high-density extracellular recordings. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.30.577845. [PMID: 38352514 PMCID: PMC10862837 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.30.577845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
High-density probes allow electrophysiological recordings from many neurons simultaneously across entire brain circuits but don't reveal cell type. Here, we develop a strategy to identify cell types from extracellular recordings in awake animals, revealing the computational roles of neurons with distinct functional, molecular, and anatomical properties. We combine optogenetic activation and pharmacology using the cerebellum as a testbed to generate a curated ground-truth library of electrophysiological properties for Purkinje cells, molecular layer interneurons, Golgi cells, and mossy fibers. We train a semi-supervised deep-learning classifier that predicts cell types with greater than 95% accuracy based on waveform, discharge statistics, and layer of the recorded neuron. The classifier's predictions agree with expert classification on recordings using different probes, in different laboratories, from functionally distinct cerebellar regions, and across animal species. Our classifier extends the power of modern dynamical systems analyses by revealing the unique contributions of simultaneously-recorded cell types during behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Beau
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - David J. Herzfeld
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Francisco Naveros
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Computer Engineering, Automation and Robotics, Research Centre for Information and Communication Technologies, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Marie E. Hemelt
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Federico D’Agostino
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - Marlies Oostland
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London, UK
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Young Yoon Chung
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - Michael Maibach
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - Stephen Kyranakis
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hannah N. Stabb
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Agoston Lajko
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - Marie Zedler
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - Shogo Ohmae
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Nathan J. Hall
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Beverley A. Clark
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - Dana Cohen
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | | | - Dimitar Kostadinov
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London, UK
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Court Hull
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Michael Häusser
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - Javier F. Medina
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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6
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Veale R, Takahashi M. Pathways for Naturalistic Looking Behavior in Primate II. Superior Colliculus Integrates Parallel Top-down and Bottom-up Inputs. Neuroscience 2024; 545:86-110. [PMID: 38484836 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2024.03.001] [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: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
Volitional signals for gaze control are provided by multiple parallel pathways converging on the midbrain superior colliculus (SC), whose deeper layers output to the brainstem gaze circuits. In the first of two papers (Takahashi and Veale, 2023), we described the properties of gaze behavior of several species under both laboratory and natural conditions, as well as the current understanding of the brainstem and spinal cord circuits implementing gaze control in primate. In this paper, we review the parallel pathways by which sensory and task information reaches SC and how these sensory and task signals interact within SC's multilayered structure. This includes both bottom-up (world statistics) signals mediated by sensory cortex, association cortex, and subcortical structures, as well as top-down (goal and task) influences which arrive via either direct excitatory pathways from cerebral cortex, or via indirect basal ganglia relays resulting in inhibition or dis-inhibition as appropriate for alternative behaviors. Models of attention such as saliency maps serve as convenient frameworks to organize our understanding of both the separate computations of each neural pathway, as well as the interaction between the multiple parallel pathways influencing gaze. While the spatial interactions between gaze's neural pathways are relatively well understood, the temporal interactions between and within pathways will be an important area of future study, requiring both improved technical methods for measurement and improvement of our understanding of how temporal dynamics results in the observed spatiotemporal allocation of gaze.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Veale
- Department of Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan
| | - Mayu Takahashi
- Department of Systems Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan.
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7
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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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8
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Liu M, Wang Y, Jiang L, Zhang X, Wang C, Zhang T. Research progress of the inferior colliculus: from Neuron, neural circuit to auditory disease. Brain Res 2024; 1828:148775. [PMID: 38244755 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2024.148775] [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: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
The auditory midbrain, also known as the inferior colliculus (IC), serves as a crucial hub in the auditory pathway. Comprising diverse cell types, the IC plays a pivotal role in various auditory functions, including sound localization, auditory plasticity, sound detection, and sound-induced behaviors. Notably, the IC is implicated in several auditory central disorders, such as tinnitus, age-related hearing loss, autism and Fragile X syndrome. Accurate classification of IC neurons is vital for comprehending both normal and dysfunctional aspects of IC function. Various parameters, including dendritic morphology, neurotransmitter synthesis, potassium currents, biomarkers, and axonal targets, have been employed to identify distinct neuron types within the IC. However, the challenge persists in effectively classifying IC neurons into functional categories due to the limited clustering capabilities of most parameters. Recent studies utilizing advanced neuroscience technologies have begun to shed light on biomarker-based approaches in the IC, providing insights into specific cellular properties and offering a potential avenue for understanding IC functions. This review focuses on recent advancements in IC research, spanning from neurons and neural circuits to aspects related to auditory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengting Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, China
| | - Yuyao Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, China
| | - Li Jiang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, China
| | - Xiaopeng Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, China
| | - Chunrui Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, China
| | - Tianhong Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, China.
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9
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Hasnain MA, Birnbaum JE, Nunez JLU, Hartman EK, Chandrasekaran C, Economo MN. Separating cognitive and motor processes in the behaving mouse. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.08.23.554474. [PMID: 37662199 PMCID: PMC10473744 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.23.554474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
The cognitive processes supporting complex animal behavior are closely associated with ubiquitous movements responsible for our posture, facial expressions, ability to actively sample our sensory environments, and other critical processes. These movements are strongly related to neural activity across much of the brain and are often highly correlated with ongoing cognitive processes, making it challenging to dissociate the neural dynamics that support cognitive processes from those supporting related movements. In such cases, a critical issue is whether cognitive processes are separable from related movements, or if they are driven by common neural mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate how the separability of cognitive and motor processes can be assessed, and, when separable, how the neural dynamics associated with each component can be isolated. We establish a novel two-context behavioral task in mice that involves multiple cognitive processes and show that commonly observed dynamics taken to support cognitive processes are strongly contaminated by movements. When cognitive and motor components are isolated using a novel approach for subspace decomposition, we find that they exhibit distinct dynamical trajectories. Further, properly accounting for movement revealed that largely separate populations of cells encode cognitive and motor variables, in contrast to the 'mixed selectivity' often reported. Accurately isolating the dynamics associated with particular cognitive and motor processes will be essential for developing conceptual and computational models of neural circuit function and evaluating the function of the cell types of which neural circuits are composed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munib A. Hasnain
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Center for Neurophotonics, Boston University, Boston, MA
| | - Jaclyn E. Birnbaum
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Center for Neurophotonics, Boston University, Boston, MA
| | | | - Emma K. Hartman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA
| | - Chandramouli Chandrasekaran
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA
| | - Michael N. Economo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Center for Neurophotonics, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA
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10
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de Malmazet D, Kühn NK, Li C, Farrow K. Retinal origin of orientation but not direction selective maps in the superior colliculus. Curr Biol 2024; 34:1222-1233.e7. [PMID: 38417446 PMCID: PMC10980837 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Neurons in the mouse superior colliculus ("colliculus") are arranged in ordered spatial maps. While orientation-selective (OS) neurons form a concentric map aligned to the center of vision, direction-selective (DS) neurons are arranged in patches with changing preferences across the visual field. It remains unclear whether these maps are a consequence of feedforward input from the retina or local computations in the colliculus. To determine whether these maps originate in the retina, we mapped the local and global distribution of OS and DS retinal ganglion cell axon boutons using in vivo two-photon calcium imaging. We found that OS boutons formed patches that matched the distribution of OS neurons within the colliculus. DS boutons displayed fewer regional specializations, better reflecting the organization of DS neurons in the retina. Both eyes convey similar orientation but different DS inputs to the colliculus, as shown in recordings from retinal explants. These data demonstrate that orientation and direction maps within the colliculus are independent, where orientation maps are likely inherited from the retina, but direction maps require additional computations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel de Malmazet
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven 3001, Belgium; KU Leuven, Department of Biology & Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven 3000, Belgium; MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Norma K Kühn
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven 3001, Belgium; KU Leuven, Department of Biology & Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven 3000, Belgium; VIB, Leuven 3001, Belgium
| | - Chen Li
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven 3001, Belgium; KU Leuven, Department of Biology & Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Karl Farrow
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven 3001, Belgium; KU Leuven, Department of Biology & Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven 3000, Belgium; VIB, Leuven 3001, Belgium; imec, Leuven 3001, Belgium.
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11
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Zeng T, Zhao Y, Cao B, Jia J. Perception of visual variance is mediated by subcortical mechanisms. Brain Cogn 2024; 175:106131. [PMID: 38219416 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2024.106131] [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: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Variance characterizes the structure of the environment. This statistical concept plays a critical role in evaluating the reliability of evidence for human decision-making. The present study examined the involvement of subcortical structures in the processing of visual variance. To this end, we used a stereoscope to sequentially present two circle arrays in a dichoptic or monocular fashion while participants compared the perceived variance of the two arrays. In Experiment 1, two arrays were presented monocularly to the same eye, dichopticly to different eyes, or binocularly to both eyes. The variance judgment was less accurate in different-eye condition than the other conditions. In Experiment 2, the first circle array was split into a large-variance and a small-variance set, with either the large-variance or small-variance set preceding the presentation of the second circle array in the same eye. The variance of the first array was judged larger when the second array was preceded by the large-variance set in the same eye, showing that the perception of variance was modulated by the visual variance processed in the same eye. Taken together, these findings provide evidence for monocular processing of visual variance, suggesting that subcortical structures capture the statistical structure of the visual world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Zeng
- Department of Psychology, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, Zhejiang, China; School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, Jiangxi, China; School of Education, Nanchang Normal College of Applied Technology, Nanchang 330108, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yuqing Zhao
- Department of Psychology, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, Zhejiang, China
| | - Bihua Cao
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, Jiangxi, China.
| | - Jianrong Jia
- Department of Psychology, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang Philosophy and Social Science Laboratory for Research in Early Development and Childcare, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, Zhejiang, China.
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12
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Liao K, Xiang Y, Huang F, Huang M, Xu W, Lin Y, Liao P, Wang Z, Yang L, Tian X, Chen D, Wang Z, Liu S, Zhuang Z. Spatial and single-nucleus transcriptomics decoding the molecular landscape and cellular organization of avian optic tectum. iScience 2024; 27:109009. [PMID: 38333704 PMCID: PMC10850779 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109009] [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: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The avian optic tectum (OT) has been studied for its diverse functions, yet a comprehensive molecular landscape at the cellular level has been lacking. In this study, we applied spatial transcriptome sequencing and single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) to explore the cellular organization and molecular characteristics of the avian OT from two species: Columba livia and Taeniopygia guttata. We identified precise layer structures and provided comprehensive layer-specific signatures of avian OT. Furthermore, we elucidated diverse functions in different layers, with the stratum griseum periventriculare (SGP) potentially playing a key role in advanced functions of OT, like fear response and associative learning. We characterized detailed neuronal subtypes and identified a population of FOXG1+ excitatory neurons, resembling those found in the mouse neocortex, potentially involved in neocortex-related functions and expansion of avian OT. These findings could contribute to our understanding of the architecture of OT, shedding light on visual perception and multifunctional association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuo Liao
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
- BGI Research, Hangzhou 310030, China
| | - Ya Xiang
- BGI Research, Hangzhou 310030, China
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China
| | - Fubaoqian Huang
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
- BGI Research, Hangzhou 310030, China
| | - Maolin Huang
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Wenbo Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Youning Lin
- BGI Research, Hangzhou 310030, China
- BGI Research, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Pingfang Liao
- BGI Research, Hangzhou 310030, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zishi Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Lin Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Xinmao Tian
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Duoyuan Chen
- BGI Research, Hangzhou 310030, China
- BGI Research, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Zhenlong Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Shiping Liu
- BGI Research, Hangzhou 310030, China
- BGI Research, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Zhenkun Zhuang
- BGI Research, Hangzhou 310030, China
- BGI Research, Shenzhen 518083, China
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13
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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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14
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Thieu MK, Ayzenberg V, Lourenco SF, Kragel PA. Visual looming is a primitive for human emotion. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.08.29.555380. [PMID: 37693448 PMCID: PMC10491236 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.29.555380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Looming objects afford threat of collision across the animal kingdom. Defensive responses to looming and neural computations for looming detection are strikingly conserved across species. In mammals, information about rapidly approaching threats is conveyed from the retina to the midbrain superior colliculus, where variables that indicate the position and velocity of approach are computed to enable defensive behavior. Although neuroscientific theories posit that midbrain representations contribute to emotion through connectivity with distributed brain systems, it remains unknown whether a computational system for looming detection can predict both defensive behavior and phenomenal experience in humans. Here, we show that a shallow convolutional neural network based on the Drosophila visual system predicts defensive blinking to looming objects in infants and superior colliculus responses to optical expansion in adults. Further, the responses of the convolutional network to a broad array of naturalistic video clips predict self-reported emotion largely on the basis of subjective arousal. Our findings illustrate how motor and experiential components of human emotion relate to species-general systems for survival in unpredictable environments.
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15
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Yu L, Xu J. The Development of Multisensory Integration at the Neuronal Level. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1437:153-172. [PMID: 38270859 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-99-7611-9_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Multisensory integration is a fundamental function of the brain. In the typical adult, multisensory neurons' response to paired multisensory (e.g., audiovisual) cues is significantly more robust than the corresponding best unisensory response in many brain regions. Synthesizing sensory signals from multiple modalities can speed up sensory processing and improve the salience of outside events or objects. Despite its significance, multisensory integration is testified to be not a neonatal feature of the brain. Neurons' ability to effectively combine multisensory information does not occur rapidly but develops gradually during early postnatal life (for cats, 4-12 weeks required). Multisensory experience is critical for this developing process. If animals were restricted from sensing normal visual scenes or sounds (deprived of the relevant multisensory experience), the development of the corresponding integrative ability could be blocked until the appropriate multisensory experience is obtained. This section summarizes the extant literature on the development of multisensory integration (mainly using cat superior colliculus as a model), sensory-deprivation-induced cross-modal plasticity, and how sensory experience (sensory exposure and perceptual learning) leads to the plastic change and modification of neural circuits in cortical and subcortical areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Yu
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (Ministry of Education and Shanghai), School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jinghong Xu
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (Ministry of Education and Shanghai), School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
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16
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Esposito M, Palermo S, Nahi YC, Tamietto M, Celeghin A. Implicit Selective Attention: The Role of the Mesencephalic-basal Ganglia System. Curr Neuropharmacol 2024; 22:1497-1512. [PMID: 37653629 PMCID: PMC11097991 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x21666230831163052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability of the brain to recognize and orient attention to relevant stimuli appearing in the visual field is highlighted by a tuning process, which involves modulating the early visual system by both cortical and subcortical brain areas. Selective attention is coordinated not only by the output of stimulus-based saliency maps but is also influenced by top-down cognitive factors, such as internal states, goals, or previous experiences. The basal ganglia system plays a key role in implicitly modulating the underlying mechanisms of selective attention, favouring the formation and maintenance of implicit sensory-motor memories that are capable of automatically modifying the output of priority maps in sensory-motor structures of the midbrain, such as the superior colliculus. The article presents an overview of the recent literature outlining the crucial contribution of several subcortical structures to the processing of different sources of salient stimuli. In detail, we will focus on how the mesencephalic- basal ganglia closed loops contribute to implicitly addressing and modulating selective attention to prioritized stimuli. We conclude by discussing implicit behavioural responses observed in clinical populations in which awareness is compromised at some level. Implicit (emergent) awareness in clinical conditions that can be accompanied by manifest anosognosic symptomatology (i.e., hemiplegia) or involving abnormal conscious processing of visual information (i.e., unilateral spatial neglect and blindsight) represents interesting neurocognitive "test cases" for inferences about mesencephalicbasal ganglia closed-loops involvement in the formation of implicit sensory-motor memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Esposito
- Department of Psychology, University of Torino, Via Verdi 10, 10124, Turin
| | - Sara Palermo
- Department of Psychology, University of Torino, Via Verdi 10, 10124, Turin
- Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Diagnostic and Technology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Marco Tamietto
- Department of Psychology, University of Torino, Via Verdi 10, 10124, Turin
- Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, and CoRPS - Center of Research on Psychology in Somatic Diseases, Tilburg University, PO Box 90153, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands
| | - Alessia Celeghin
- Department of Psychology, University of Torino, Via Verdi 10, 10124, Turin
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17
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Melleu FF, Canteras NS. Pathways from the Superior Colliculus to the Basal Ganglia. Curr Neuropharmacol 2024; 22:1431-1453. [PMID: 37702174 PMCID: PMC11097988 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x21666230911102118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The present work aims to review the structural organization of the mammalian superior colliculus (SC), the putative pathways connecting the SC and the basal ganglia, and their role in organizing complex behavioral output. First, we review how the complex intrinsic connections between the SC's laminae projections allow for the construction of spatially aligned, visual-multisensory maps of the surrounding environment. Moreover, we present a summary of the sensory-motor inputs of the SC, including a description of the integration of multi-sensory inputs relevant to behavioral control. We further examine the major descending outputs toward the brainstem and spinal cord. As the central piece of this review, we provide a thorough analysis covering the putative interactions between the SC and the basal ganglia. To this end, we explore the diverse thalamic routes by which information from the SC may reach the striatum, including the pathways through the lateral posterior, parafascicular, and rostral intralaminar thalamic nuclei. We also examine the interactions between the SC and subthalamic nucleus, representing an additional pathway for the tectal modulation of the basal ganglia. Moreover, we discuss how information from the SC might also be relayed to the basal ganglia through midbrain tectonigral and tectotegmental projections directed at the substantia nigra compacta and ventrotegmental area, respectively, influencing the dopaminergic outflow to the dorsal and ventral striatum. We highlight the vast interplay between the SC and the basal ganglia and raise several missing points that warrant being addressed in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Newton Sabino Canteras
- Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
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18
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Baruchin LJ, Alleman M, Schröder S. Reward Modulates Visual Responses in the Superficial Superior Colliculus of Mice. J Neurosci 2023; 43:8663-8680. [PMID: 37879894 PMCID: PMC7615379 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0089-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The processing of sensory input is constantly adapting to behavioral demands and internal states. The drive to obtain reward, e.g., searching for water when thirsty, is a strong behavioral demand and associating the reward with its source, a certain environment or action, is paramount for survival. Here, we show that water reward increases subsequent visual activity in the superficial layers of the superior colliculus (SC), which receive direct input from the retina and belong to the earliest stages of visual processing. We trained mice of either sex to perform a visual decision task and recorded the activity of neurons in the SC using two-photon calcium imaging and high-density electrophysiological recordings. Responses to visual stimuli in around 20% of visually responsive neurons in the superficial SC were affected by reward delivered in the previous trial. Reward mostly increased visual responses independent from modulations due to pupil size changes. The modulation of visual responses by reward could not be explained by movements like licking. It was specific to responses to the following visual stimulus, independent of slow fluctuations in neural activity and independent of how often the stimulus was previously rewarded. Electrophysiological recordings confirmed these results and revealed that reward affected the early phase of the visual response around 80 ms after stimulus onset. Modulation of visual responses by reward, but not pupil size, significantly improved the performance of a population decoder to detect visual stimuli, indicating the relevance of reward modulation for the visual performance of the animal.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT To learn which actions lead to food, water, or safety, it is necessary to integrate the receiving of reward with sensory stimuli related to the reward. Cortical stages of sensory processing have been shown to represent stimulus-reward associations. Here, we show, however, that reward influences neurons at a much earlier stage of sensory processing, the superior colliculus (SC), receiving direct input from the retina. Visual responses were increased shortly after the animal received the water reward, which led to an improved stimulus signal in the population of these visual neurons. Reward modulation of early visual responses may thus improve perception of visual environments predictive of reward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liad J Baruchin
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QG, United Kingdom
| | - Matteo Alleman
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Sylvia Schröder
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QG, United Kingdom
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
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19
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Suzuki M, Pennartz CMA, Aru J. How deep is the brain? The shallow brain hypothesis. Nat Rev Neurosci 2023; 24:778-791. [PMID: 37891398 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-023-00756-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Deep learning and predictive coding architectures commonly assume that inference in neural networks is hierarchical. However, largely neglected in deep learning and predictive coding architectures is the neurobiological evidence that all hierarchical cortical areas, higher or lower, project to and receive signals directly from subcortical areas. Given these neuroanatomical facts, today's dominance of cortico-centric, hierarchical architectures in deep learning and predictive coding networks is highly questionable; such architectures are likely to be missing essential computational principles the brain uses. In this Perspective, we present the shallow brain hypothesis: hierarchical cortical processing is integrated with a massively parallel process to which subcortical areas substantially contribute. This shallow architecture exploits the computational capacity of cortical microcircuits and thalamo-cortical loops that are not included in typical hierarchical deep learning and predictive coding networks. We argue that the shallow brain architecture provides several critical benefits over deep hierarchical structures and a more complete depiction of how mammalian brains achieve fast and flexible computational capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mototaka Suzuki
- Department of Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Cyriel M A Pennartz
- Department of Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jaan Aru
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
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20
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Prévost ED, Phillips A, Lauridsen K, Enserro G, Rubinstein B, Alas D, McGovern DJ, Ly A, Banks M, McNulty C, Kim YS, Fenno LE, Ramakrishnan C, Deisseroth K, Root DH. Monosynaptic inputs to ventral tegmental area glutamate and GABA co-transmitting neurons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.06.535959. [PMID: 37066408 PMCID: PMC10104150 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.06.535959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
A unique population of ventral tegmental area (VTA) neurons co-transmits glutamate and GABA as well as functionally signals rewarding and aversive outcomes. However, the circuit inputs to VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons are unknown, limiting our understanding of the functional capabilities of these neurons. To identify the inputs to VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons, we coupled monosynaptic rabies tracing with intersectional genetic targeting of VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons in mice. We found that VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons received diverse brain-wide inputs. The largest numbers of monosynaptic inputs to VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons were from superior colliculus, lateral hypothalamus, midbrain reticular nucleus, and periaqueductal gray, whereas the densest inputs relative to brain region volume were from dorsal raphe nucleus, lateral habenula, and ventral tegmental area. Based on these and prior data, we hypothesized that lateral hypothalamus and superior colliculus inputs were glutamatergic neurons. Optical activation of glutamatergic lateral hypothalamus neurons robustly activated VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons regardless of stimulation frequency and resulted in flee-like ambulatory behavior. In contrast, optical activation of glutamatergic superior colliculus neurons activated VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons for a brief period of time at high stimulation frequency and resulted in head rotation and arrested ambulatory behavior (freezing). For both pathways, behaviors induced by stimulation were uncorrelated with VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neuron activity. However, stimulation of glutamatergic lateral hypothalamus neurons, but not glutamatergic superior colliculus neurons, was associated with VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ footshock-induced activity. We interpret these results such that inputs to VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons may integrate diverse signals related to the detection and processing of motivationally-salient outcomes. Further, VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons may signal threat-related outcomes, possibly via input from lateral hypothalamus glutamate neurons, but not threat-induced behavioral kinematics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily D. Prévost
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
| | - Alysabeth Phillips
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
| | - Kristoffer Lauridsen
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
| | - Gunnar Enserro
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
| | - Bodhi Rubinstein
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
| | - Daniel Alas
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
| | - Dillon J. McGovern
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
| | - Annie Ly
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
| | - Makaila Banks
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
| | - Connor McNulty
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
| | - Yoon Seok Kim
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Lief E. Fenno
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Current address: Department of Neuroscience, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin 78712
| | - Charu Ramakrishnan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Karl Deisseroth
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - David H. Root
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
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21
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Thomas A, Yang W, Wang C, Tipparaju SL, Chen G, Sullivan B, Swiekatowski K, Tatam M, Gerfen C, Li N. Superior colliculus bidirectionally modulates choice activity in frontal cortex. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7358. [PMID: 37963894 PMCID: PMC10645979 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43252-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Action selection occurs through competition between potential choice options. Neural correlates of choice competition are observed across frontal cortex and downstream superior colliculus (SC) during decision-making, yet how these regions interact to mediate choice competition remains unresolved. Here we report that SC can bidirectionally modulate choice competition and drive choice activity in frontal cortex. In the mouse, topographically matched regions of frontal cortex and SC formed a descending motor pathway for directional licking and a re-entrant loop via the thalamus. During decision-making, distinct neuronal populations in both frontal cortex and SC encoded opposing lick directions and exhibited competitive interactions. SC GABAergic neurons encoded ipsilateral choice and locally inhibited glutamatergic neurons that encoded contralateral choice. Activating or suppressing these cell types could bidirectionally drive choice activity in frontal cortex. These results thus identify SC as a major locus to modulate choice competition within the broader action selection network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyse Thomas
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Weiguo Yang
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Catherine Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Guang Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Brennan Sullivan
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kylie Swiekatowski
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Mahima Tatam
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Charles Gerfen
- Section on Neuroanatomy, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nuo Li
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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22
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Contemori S, Loeb GE, Corneil BD, Wallis G, Carroll TJ. Express Visuomotor Responses Reflect Knowledge of Both Target Locations and Contextual Rules during Reaches of Different Amplitudes. J Neurosci 2023; 43:7041-7055. [PMID: 37714709 PMCID: PMC10586536 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2069-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023] Open
Abstract
When humans reach to visual targets, extremely rapid (∼90 ms) target-directed responses can be observed in task-relevant proximal muscles. Such express visuomotor responses are inflexibly locked in time and space to the target and have been proposed to reflect rapid visuomotor transformations conveyed subcortically via the tecto-reticulo-spinal pathway. Previously, we showed that express visuomotor responses are sensitive to explicit cue-driven information about the target, suggesting that the express pathway can be modulated by cortical signals affording contextual prestimulus expectations. Here, we show that the express visuomotor system incorporates information about the physical hand-to-target distance and contextual rules during visuospatial tasks requiring different movement amplitudes. In one experiment, we recorded the activity from two shoulder muscles as 14 participants (6 females) reached toward targets that appeared at different distances from the reaching hand. Increasing the reaching distance facilitated the generation of frequent and large express visuomotor responses. This suggests that both the direction and amplitude of veridical hand-to-target reaches are encoded along the putative subcortical express pathway. In a second experiment, we modulated the movement amplitude by asking 12 participants (4 females) to deliberately undershoot, overshoot, or stop (control) at the target. The overshoot and undershoot tasks impaired the generation of large and frequent express visuomotor responses, consistent with the inability of the express pathway to generate responses directed toward nonveridical targets as in the anti-reach task. Our findings appear to reflect strategic, cortically driven modulation of the express visuomotor circuit to facilitate rapid and effective response initiation during target-directed actions.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Express (∼90 ms) arm muscle responses that are consistently tuned toward the location of visual stimuli suggest a subcortical contribution to target-directed visuomotor behavior in humans, potentially via the tecto-reticulo-spinal pathway. Here, we show that express muscle responses are modulated appropriately to reach targets at different distances, but generally suppressed when the task required nonveridical responses to overshoot/undershoot the real target. This suggests that the tecto-reticulo-spinal pathway can be exploited strategically by the cerebral cortex to facilitate rapid initiation of effective responses during a visuospatial task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuele Contemori
- Centre for Sensorimotor Performance, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, Human Movement Studies Building, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4067 Queensland, Australia
| | - Gerald E Loeb
- Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90089-1112
| | - Brian D Corneil
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 5C2, Canada
- Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Guy Wallis
- Centre for Sensorimotor Performance, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, Human Movement Studies Building, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4067 Queensland, Australia
| | - Timothy J Carroll
- Centre for Sensorimotor Performance, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, Human Movement Studies Building, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4067 Queensland, Australia
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23
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Prabhu NG, Himmelbach M. Activity in the human superior colliculus associated with reaching for tactile targets. Neuroimage 2023; 280:120322. [PMID: 37586443 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The superior colliculus (SC) plays a major role in orienting movements of eyes and the head and in the allocation of attention. Functions of the SC have been mostly investigated in animal models, including non-human primates. Differences in the SC's anatomy and function between different species question extrapolations of these studies to humans without further validation. Few electrophysiological and neuroimaging studies in animal models and humans have reported a role of the SC in visually guided reaching movements. Using BOLD fMRI imaging, we sought to decipher if the SC is also active during reaching movements guided by tactile stimulation. Participants executed reaching movements to visual and tactile target positions. When contrasted against visual and tactile stimulation without reaching, we found increased SC activity with reaching not only for visual but also for tactile targets. We conclude that the SC's involvement in reaching does not rely on visual inputs. It is also independent from a specific sensory modality. Our results indicate a general involvement of the human SC in upper limb reaching movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikhil G Prabhu
- Division of Neuropsychology, Center of Neurology, Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; International Max Planck Research School in Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Marc Himmelbach
- Division of Neuropsychology, Center of Neurology, Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
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24
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Ayar EC, Heusser MR, Bourrelly C, Gandhi NJ. Distinct context- and content-dependent population codes in superior colliculus during sensation and action. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2303523120. [PMID: 37748075 PMCID: PMC10556644 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2303523120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensorimotor transformation is the process of first sensing an object in the environment and then producing a movement in response to that stimulus. For visually guided saccades, neurons in the superior colliculus (SC) emit a burst of spikes to register the appearance of stimulus, and many of the same neurons discharge another burst to initiate the eye movement. We investigated whether the neural signatures of sensation and action in SC depend on context. Spiking activity along the dorsoventral axis was recorded with a laminar probe as Rhesus monkeys generated saccades to the same stimulus location in tasks that require either executive control to delay saccade onset until permission is granted or the production of an immediate response to a target whose onset is predictable. Using dimensionality reduction and discriminability methods, we show that the subspaces occupied during the visual and motor epochs were both distinct within each task and differentiable across tasks. Single-unit analyses, in contrast, show that the movement-related activity of SC neurons was not different between tasks. These results demonstrate that statistical features in neural activity of simultaneously recorded ensembles provide more insight than single neurons. They also indicate that cognitive processes associated with task requirements are multiplexed in SC population activity during both sensation and action and that downstream structures could use this activity to extract context. Additionally, the entire manifolds associated with sensory and motor responses, respectively, may be larger than the subspaces explored within a certain set of experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eve C. Ayar
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15213
- Program in Neural Computation, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA15213
- Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15213
| | - Michelle R. Heusser
- Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15213
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15213
| | - Clara Bourrelly
- Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15213
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15213
| | - Neeraj J. Gandhi
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15213
- Program in Neural Computation, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA15213
- Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15213
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15213
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15213
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25
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Conroy C, Nanjappa R, McPeek RM. Inhibitory tagging in the superior colliculus during visual search. J Neurophysiol 2023; 130:824-837. [PMID: 37671440 PMCID: PMC10637734 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00095.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Inhibitory tagging is an important feature of many models of saccade target selection, in particular those that are based on the notion of a neural priority map. The superior colliculus (SC) has been suggested as a potential site of such a map, yet it is unknown whether inhibitory tagging is represented in the SC during visual search. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that SC neurons represent inhibitory tagging during search, as might be expected if they contribute to a priority map. To do so, we recorded the activity of SC neurons in a multisaccade visual-search task. On each trial, a single reward-bearing target was embedded in an array of physically identical, potentially reward-bearing targets and physically distinct, non-reward-bearing distractors. The task was to fixate the reward-bearing target. We found that, in the context of this task, the activity of many SC neurons was greater when their response field stimulus was a target than when it was a distractor and was reduced when it had been previously fixated relative to when it had not. Moreover, we found that the previous-fixation-related reduction of activity was larger for targets than for distractors and decreased with increasing time (or number of saccades) since fixation. Taken together, the results suggest that fixated stimuli are transiently inhibited in the SC during search, consistent with the notion that inhibitory tagging plays an important role in visual search and that SC neurons represent this inhibition as part of a priority map used for saccade target selection.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Searching a cluttered scene for an object of interest is a ubiquitous task in everyday life, which we often perform relatively quickly and efficiently. It has been suggested that to achieve such speed and efficiency an inhibitory-tagging mechanism inhibits saccades to objects in the scene once they have been searched and rejected. Here, we demonstrate that the superior colliculus represents this type of inhibition during search, consistent with its role in saccade target selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Conroy
- Department of Biological and Vision Sciences, SUNY College of Optometry, New York, New York, United States
| | - Rakesh Nanjappa
- Department of Biological and Vision Sciences, SUNY College of Optometry, New York, New York, United States
- School of Medical and Allied Sciences, G D Goenka University, Gurugram, India
| | - Robert M McPeek
- Department of Biological and Vision Sciences, SUNY College of Optometry, New York, New York, United States
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26
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Chinta S, Pluta SR. Neural mechanisms for the localization of unexpected external motion. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6112. [PMID: 37777516 PMCID: PMC10542789 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41755-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023] Open
Abstract
To localize objects during active sensing, animals must differentiate stimuli caused by volitional movement from real-world object motion. To determine a neural basis for this ability, we examined the mouse superior colliculus (SC), which contains multiple egocentric maps of sensorimotor space. By placing mice in a whisker-guided virtual reality, we discovered a rapidly adapting tactile response that transiently emerged during externally generated gains in whisker contact. Responses to self-generated touch that matched self-generated history were significantly attenuated, revealing that transient response magnitude is controlled by sensorimotor predictions. The magnitude of the transient response gradually decreased with repetitions in external motion, revealing a slow habituation based on external history. The direction of external motion was accurately encoded in the firing rates of transiently responsive neurons. These data reveal that whisker-specific adaptation and sensorimotor predictions in SC neurons enhance the localization of unexpected, externally generated changes in tactile space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suma Chinta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Scott R Pluta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
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27
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Choi JS, Ayupe AC, Beckedorff F, Catanuto P, McCartan R, Levay K, Park KK. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing of developing superior colliculus identifies neuronal diversity and candidate mediators of circuit assembly. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113037. [PMID: 37624694 PMCID: PMC10592058 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The superior colliculus (SC) is a sensorimotor structure in the midbrain that integrates input from multiple sensory modalities to initiate motor commands. It undergoes well-characterized steps of circuit assembly during development, rendering the mouse SC a popular model to study establishment of neural connectivity. Here we perform single-nucleus RNA-sequencing analysis of the mouse SC isolated at various developmental time points. Our study provides a transcriptomic landscape of the cell types that comprise the SC across murine development with particular emphasis on neuronal heterogeneity. We report a repertoire of genes differentially expressed across the different postnatal ages, many of which are known to regulate axon guidance and synapse formation. Using these data, we find that Pax7 expression is restricted to a subset of GABAergic neurons. Our data provide a valuable resource for interrogating the mechanisms of circuit development and identifying markers for manipulating specific SC neuronal populations and circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- James S Choi
- Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1095 NW 14th Ter., Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Ana C Ayupe
- Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1095 NW 14th Ter., Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Felipe Beckedorff
- Department of Human Genetics, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1501 NW 10th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Paola Catanuto
- Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1095 NW 14th Ter., Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Robyn McCartan
- Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1095 NW 14th Ter., Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Konstantin Levay
- Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1095 NW 14th Ter., Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Kevin K Park
- Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1095 NW 14th Ter., Miami, FL 33136, USA.
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28
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Baumann MP, Bogadhi AR, Denninger AF, Hafed ZM. Sensory tuning in neuronal movement commands. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2305759120. [PMID: 37695898 PMCID: PMC10515157 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2305759120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Movement control is critical for successful interaction with our environment. However, movement does not occur in complete isolation of sensation, and this is particularly true of eye movements. Here, we show that the neuronal eye movement commands emitted by the superior colliculus (SC), a structure classically associated with oculomotor control, encompass a robust visual sensory representation of eye movement targets. Thus, similar saccades toward different images are associated with different saccade-related "motor" bursts. Such sensory tuning in SC saccade motor commands appeared for all image manipulations that we tested, from simple visual features to real-life object images, and it was also strongest in the most motor neurons in the deeper collicular layers. Visual-feature discrimination performance in the motor commands was also stronger than in visual responses. Comparing SC motor command feature discrimination performance to that in the primary visual cortex during steady-state gaze fixation revealed that collicular motor bursts possess a reliable perisaccadic sensory representation of the peripheral saccade target's visual appearance, exactly when retinal input is expected to be most uncertain. Our results demonstrate that SC neuronal movement commands likely serve a fundamentally sensory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias P Baumann
- Physiology of Active Vision Laboratory, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, Tübingen University, Tübingen 72076, Germany
- Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Tübingen University, Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Amarender R Bogadhi
- Physiology of Active Vision Laboratory, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, Tübingen University, Tübingen 72076, Germany
- Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Tübingen University, Tübingen 72076, Germany
- Central Nervous Systems Diseases Research, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach 88400, Germany
| | - Anna F Denninger
- Physiology of Active Vision Laboratory, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, Tübingen University, Tübingen 72076, Germany
- Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Tübingen University, Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Ziad M Hafed
- Physiology of Active Vision Laboratory, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, Tübingen University, Tübingen 72076, Germany
- Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Tübingen University, Tübingen 72076, Germany
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29
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Abstract
The superior colliculus (SC) is a subcortical brain structure that is relevant for sensation, cognition, and action. In nonhuman primates, a rich history of studies has provided unprecedented detail about this structure's role in controlling orienting behaviors; as a result, the primate SC has become primarily regarded as a motor control structure. However, as in other species, the primate SC is also a highly visual structure: A fraction of its inputs is retinal and complemented by inputs from visual cortical areas, including the primary visual cortex. Motivated by this, recent investigations are revealing the rich visual pattern analysis capabilities of the primate SC, placing this structure in an ideal position to guide orienting movements. The anatomical proximity of the primate SC to both early visual inputs and final motor control apparatuses, as well as its ascending feedback projections to the cortex, affirms an important role for this structure in active perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziad M Hafed
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany;
- Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Chih-Yang Chen
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan;
| | - Amarender R Bogadhi
- Central Nervous System Diseases Research, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany;
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30
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Shan Y, Edelman JA. The reduction of saccadic inhibition by distractor repetition. J Neurophysiol 2023; 130:619-627. [PMID: 37465890 PMCID: PMC10637648 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00044.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
When visual distractors are presented far from the goal of an impending voluntary saccadic eye movement, saccade execution will occur less frequently about 90 ms after distractor appearance, a phenomenon known as saccadic inhibition. However, it is also known that neural responses in visual and visuomotor areas of the brain will be attenuated if a visual stimulus appears several times in the same location in rapid succession. In particular, such visual adaptation can affect neurons in the mammalian superior colliculus (SC). As the SC is known to be intimately involved in the production of saccadic eye movements, and thus perhaps in saccadic inhibition, we used a memory-guided saccade task to test whether saccadic inhibition in humans would diminish if a distractor appeared several times in quick succession. We found that distractor repetition reduced saccadic inhibition considerably when distractors appeared opposite in space to the goal of the impending saccade. In addition, when three distractors appeared in quick succession but in different, spatially disparate locations, with only the final distractor appearing opposite the saccade goal, saccadic inhibition was reduced by an intermediate level, suggesting that its reduction due to distractor inhibition spatially generalizes. This suggests that distractor suppression can help reduce the impact that suddenly appearing visual stimuli have on purposive eye movement behavior.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This work combines approaches studying saccadic inhibition and visual adaptation to demonstrate that saccadic inhibition is largely eliminated with stimulus repetition. This is likely to be the largest demonstrated effect of visual stimulus context on saccadic inhibition. It also provides evidence for the existence of a mechanism that acts to suppress the effect of frequently appearing visual stimuli on purposive eye movement behavior in dynamic visual environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijing Shan
- Doctoral Program in Biology, The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, New York, New York, United States
| | - Jay A Edelman
- Department of Biology, The City College of The City University of New York, New York, New York, United States
- Doctoral Program in Psychology, The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, New York, New York, United States
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31
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Li C, Kühn NK, Alkislar I, Sans-Dublanc A, Zemmouri F, Paesmans S, Calzoni A, Ooms F, Reinhard K, Farrow K. Pathway-specific inputs to the superior colliculus support flexible responses to visual threat. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade3874. [PMID: 37647395 PMCID: PMC10468139 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade3874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Behavioral flexibility requires directing feedforward sensory information to appropriate targets. In the superior colliculus, divergent outputs orchestrate different responses to visual threats, but the circuit organization enabling the flexible routing of sensory information remains unknown. To determine this structure, we focused on inhibitory projection (Gad2) neurons. Trans-synaptic tracing and neuronal recordings revealed that Gad2 neurons projecting to the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and the parabigeminal nucleus (PBG) form two separate populations, each receiving a different set of non-retinal inputs. Inhibiting the LGN- or PBG-projecting Gad2 neurons resulted in opposing effects on behavior; increasing freezing or escape probability to visual looming, respectively. Optogenetic activation of selected inputs to the LGN- and PBG-projecting Gad2 cells predictably regulated responses to visual threat. These data suggest that projection-specific sampling of brain-wide inputs provides a circuit design principle that enables visual inputs to be selectively routed to produce context-specific behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Li
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Norma K. Kühn
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ilayda Alkislar
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Arnau Sans-Dublanc
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Firdaouss Zemmouri
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical, and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Soraya Paesmans
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alex Calzoni
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Frédérique Ooms
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Imec, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katja Reinhard
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Karl Farrow
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Imec, Leuven, Belgium
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32
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Maselli A, Gordon J, Eluchans M, Lancia GL, Thiery T, Moretti R, Cisek P, Pezzulo G. Beyond simple laboratory studies: Developing sophisticated models to study rich behavior. Phys Life Rev 2023; 46:220-244. [PMID: 37499620 DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2023.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Psychology and neuroscience are concerned with the study of behavior, of internal cognitive processes, and their neural foundations. However, most laboratory studies use constrained experimental settings that greatly limit the range of behaviors that can be expressed. While focusing on restricted settings ensures methodological control, it risks impoverishing the object of study: by restricting behavior, we might miss key aspects of cognitive and neural functions. In this article, we argue that psychology and neuroscience should increasingly adopt innovative experimental designs, measurement methods, analysis techniques and sophisticated computational models to probe rich, ecologically valid forms of behavior, including social behavior. We discuss the challenges of studying rich forms of behavior as well as the novel opportunities offered by state-of-the-art methodologies and new sensing technologies, and we highlight the importance of developing sophisticated formal models. We exemplify our arguments by reviewing some recent streams of research in psychology, neuroscience and other fields (e.g., sports analytics, ethology and robotics) that have addressed rich forms of behavior in a model-based manner. We hope that these "success cases" will encourage psychologists and neuroscientists to extend their toolbox of techniques with sophisticated behavioral models - and to use them to study rich forms of behavior as well as the cognitive and neural processes that they engage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Maselli
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
| | - Jeremy Gordon
- University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94704, United States
| | - Mattia Eluchans
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council, Rome, Italy; University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy
| | - Gian Luca Lancia
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council, Rome, Italy; University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy
| | - Thomas Thiery
- Department of Psychology, University of Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Riccardo Moretti
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council, Rome, Italy; University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy
| | - Paul Cisek
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Giovanni Pezzulo
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council, Rome, Italy.
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33
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Liang Y, Lu R, Borges K, Ji N. Stimulus edges induce orientation tuning in superior colliculus. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4756. [PMID: 37553352 PMCID: PMC10409754 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40444-1] [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: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Orientation columns exist in the primary visual cortex (V1) of cat and primates but not mouse. Intriguingly, some recent studies reported the presence of orientation and direction columns in the mouse superficial superior colliculus (sSC), while others reported a lack of columnar organization therein. Using in vivo calcium imaging of sSC in the awake mouse brain, we found that the presence of columns is highly stimulus dependent. Specifically, we observed orientation and direction columns formed by sSC neurons retinotopically mapped to the edge of grating stimuli. For both excitatory and inhibitory neurons in sSC, orientation selectivity can be induced by the edge with their preferred orientation perpendicular to the edge orientation. Furthermore, we found that this edge-induced orientation selectivity is associated with saliency encoding. These findings indicate that the tuning properties of sSC neurons are not fixed by circuit architecture but rather dependent on the spatiotemporal properties of the stimulus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajie Liang
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, 20148, USA
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Rongwen Lu
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, 20148, USA
| | - Katharine Borges
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Na Ji
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, 20148, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
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34
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Xu T, Jin Z, Yang M, Chen Z, Xiong H. Whole brain inputs to major descending pathways of the anterior lateral motor cortex. J Neurophysiol 2023; 130:278-290. [PMID: 37377198 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00112.2023] [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: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The anterior lateral motor cortex (ALM) is critical to subsequent correct movements and plays a vital role in predicting specific future movements. Different descending pathways of the ALM are preferentially involved in different roles in movements. However, the circuit function mechanisms of these different pathways may be concealed in the anatomy circuit. Clarifying the anatomy inputs of these pathways should provide some helpful information for elucidating these function mechanisms. Here, we used a retrograde trans-synaptic rabies virus to systematically generate, analyze, and compare whole brain maps of inputs to the thalamus (TH)-, medulla oblongata (Med)-, superior colliculus (SC)-, and pontine nucleus (Pons)-projecting ALM neurons in C57BL/6J mice. Fifty-nine separate regions from nine major brain areas projecting to the descending pathways of the ALM were identified. Brain-wide quantitative analyses revealed identical whole brain input patterns between these descending pathways. Most inputs to the pathways originated from the ipsilateral side of the brain, with most innervations provided by the cortex and TH. The contralateral side of the brain also sent sparse projections, but these were rare, emanating only from the cortex and cerebellum. Nevertheless, the inputs received by TH-, Med-, SC-, and Pons-projecting ALM neurons had different weights, potentially laying an anatomical foundation for understanding the diverse functions of well-defined descending pathways of the ALM. Our findings provide anatomical information to help elucidate the precise connections and diverse functions of the ALM.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Distinct descending pathways of anterior lateral motor cortex (ALM) share common inputs. These inputs are with varied weights. Most inputs were from the ipsilateral side of brain. Preferential inputs were provided by cortex and thalamus (TH).
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Affiliation(s)
- Tonghui Xu
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Zitao Jin
- Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, People's Republic of China
| | - Mei Yang
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhilong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Biomaterials of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
- Piedmont Medical Technology Co., Ltd., Zhuhai, People's Republic of China
| | - Huan Xiong
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Sichuan Translational Medicine Research Hospital, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
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35
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Heusser MR, Jagadisan UK, Gandhi NJ. Drifting population dynamics with transient resets characterize sensorimotor transformation in the monkey superior colliculus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.03.522634. [PMID: 36711849 PMCID: PMC9881850 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.03.522634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
To produce goal-directed eye movements known as saccades, we must channel sensory input from our environment through a process known as sensorimotor transformation. The behavioral output of this phenomenon (an accurate eye movement) is straightforward, but the coordinated activity of neurons underlying its dynamics is not well understood. We searched for a neural correlate of sensorimotor transformation in the activity patterns of simultaneously recorded neurons in the superior colliculus (SC) of three male rhesus monkeys performing a visually guided, delayed saccade task. Neurons in the intermediate layers produce a burst of spikes both following the appearance of a visual (sensory) stimulus and preceding an eye movement command, but many also exhibit a sustained activity level during the intervening time ("delay period"). This sustained activity could be representative of visual processing or motor preparation, along with countless cognitive processes. Using a novel measure we call the Visuomotor Proximity Index (VMPI), we pitted visual and motor signals against each other by measuring the degree to which each session's population activity (as summarized in a low-dimensional framework) could be considered more visual-like or more motor-like. The analysis highlighted two salient features of sensorimotor transformation. One, population activity on average drifted systematically toward a motor-like representation and intermittently reverted to a visual-like representation following a microsaccade. Two, activity patterns that drift to a stronger motor-like representation by the end of the delay period may enable a more rapid initiation of a saccade, substantiating the idea that this movement initiation mechanism is conserved across motor systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle R Heusser
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Uday K Jagadisan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Neeraj J Gandhi
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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36
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Baier F, Reinhard K, Tong V, Murmann J, Farrow K, Hoekstra HE. The neural basis of defensive behaviour evolution in Peromyscus mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.04.547734. [PMID: 37461474 PMCID: PMC10350006 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.04.547734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Evading imminent predator threat is critical for survival. Effective defensive strategies can vary, even between closely related species. However, the neural basis of such species-specific behaviours is still poorly understood. Here we find that two sister species of deer mice (genus Peromyscus) show different responses to the same looming stimulus: P. maniculatus, which occupy densely vegetated habitats, predominantly dart to escape, while the open field specialist, P. polionotus, pause their movement. This difference arises from species-specific escape thresholds, is largely context-independent, and can be triggered by both visual and auditory threat stimuli. Using immunohistochemistry and electrophysiological recordings, we find that although visual threat activates the superior colliculus in both species, the role of the dorsal periaqueductal gray (dPAG) in driving behaviour differs. While dPAG activity scales with running speed and involves both excitatory and inhibitory neurons in P. maniculatus, the dPAG is largely silent in P. polionotus, even when darting is triggered. Moreover, optogenetic activation of excitatory dPAG neurons reliably elicits darting behaviour in P. maniculatus but not P. polionotus. Together, we trace the evolution of species-specific escape thresholds to a central circuit node, downstream of peripheral sensory neurons, localizing an ecologically relevant behavioural difference to a specific region of the complex mammalian brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Baier
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Center for Brain Science, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Present address: Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Katja Reinhard
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Present address: Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, Trieste, Italy
| | - Victoria Tong
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Center for Brain Science, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Julie Murmann
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium
- Present address: Institute of Science & Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Karl Farrow
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- imec, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hopi E. Hoekstra
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Center for Brain Science, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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37
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Schenke N, Diestel E, Kastrup A, Eling P, Hildebrandt H. Monocular eye patching modulates reorienting of covert attention in patients with unilateral middle cerebral artery stroke. Brain Cogn 2023; 169:106000. [PMID: 37253302 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2023.106000] [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: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Unilateral brain lesions can lead to impaired contralesional attention and reduced ipsilesional and enhanced contralesional superior colliculus (SC) activity. We aimed to investigate whether modulation of SC activation via monocular eye patching can improve contralesional attention. Twenty left-hemispheric (LH) and 20 right-hemispheric (RH) patients with an acute or subacute middle cerebral artery (MCA) stroke completed an endogenous version of the Posner cueing task twice, while the left or right eye was covered with an eye patch. The LH and RH patients showed significantly slower reactions to contralesional than to ipsilesional stimuli. In addition, the eye patch modulated responses to invalidly but not those to validly cued stimuli. Post hoc analyses could not discriminate whether this effect pertained to a particular target side or eye patch position. However, exploratory analyses indicated that the observed eye patch effect might affect the RH group more than the LH group. As predicted 36 years ago, monocular eye patching modulates visuospatial attention, presumably due to differences in SC activation between the two eye patch conditions. However, this modulation seems too weak and unspecific, and therefore possibly not strong enough to be a treatment option for patients with visuospatial attention impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Schenke
- Department of Psychology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany; Department of Neurology, Klinikum Bremen-Ost, Bremen, Germany.
| | - Elfriede Diestel
- Department for Education and Human Development, Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Andreas Kastrup
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum Bremen-Mitte, Bremen, Germany
| | - Paul Eling
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Helmut Hildebrandt
- Department of Psychology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany; Department of Neurology, Klinikum Bremen-Ost, Bremen, Germany
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38
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Shine JM, Lewis LD, Garrett DD, Hwang K. The impact of the human thalamus on brain-wide information processing. Nat Rev Neurosci 2023; 24:416-430. [PMID: 37237103 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-023-00701-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The thalamus is a small, bilateral structure in the diencephalon that integrates signals from many areas of the CNS. This critical anatomical position allows the thalamus to influence whole-brain activity and adaptive behaviour. However, traditional research paradigms have struggled to attribute specific functions to the thalamus, and it has remained understudied in the human neuroimaging literature. Recent advances in analytical techniques and increased accessibility to large, high-quality data sets have brought forth a series of studies and findings that (re-)establish the thalamus as a core region of interest in human cognitive neuroscience, a field that otherwise remains cortico-centric. In this Perspective, we argue that using whole-brain neuroimaging approaches to investigate the thalamus and its interaction with the rest of the brain is key for understanding systems-level control of information processing. To this end, we highlight the role of the thalamus in shaping a range of functional signatures, including evoked activity, interregional connectivity, network topology and neuronal variability, both at rest and during the performance of cognitive tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M Shine
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Laura D Lewis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Douglas D Garrett
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Berlin, Germany
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kai Hwang
- Cognitive Control Collaborative, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
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39
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Liu Y, Savier EL, DePiero VJ, Chen C, Schwalbe DC, Abraham-Fan RJ, Chen H, Campbell JN, Cang J. Mapping visual functions onto molecular cell types in the mouse superior colliculus. Neuron 2023; 111:1876-1886.e5. [PMID: 37086721 PMCID: PMC10330256 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.03.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023]
Abstract
The superficial superior colliculus (sSC) carries out diverse roles in visual processing and behaviors, but how these functions are delegated among collicular neurons remains unclear. Here, using single-cell transcriptomics, we identified 28 neuron subtypes and subtype-enriched marker genes from tens of thousands of adult mouse sSC neurons. We then asked whether the sSC's molecular subtypes are tuned to different visual stimuli. Specifically, we imaged calcium dynamics in single sSC neurons in vivo during visual stimulation and then mapped marker gene transcripts onto the same neurons ex vivo. Our results identify a molecular subtype of inhibitory neuron accounting for ∼50% of the sSC's direction-selective cells, suggesting a genetic logic for the functional organization of the sSC. In addition, our studies provide a comprehensive molecular atlas of sSC neuron subtypes and a multimodal mapping method that will facilitate investigation of their respective functions, connectivity, and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanming Liu
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Elise L Savier
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Victor J DePiero
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Chen Chen
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Dana C Schwalbe
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | | | - Hui Chen
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - John N Campbell
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA.
| | - Jianhua Cang
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA.
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40
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Lavezzi AM, Mehboob R, Piscioli F, Pusiol T. Involvement of the Superior Colliculus in SIDS Pathogenesis. Biomedicines 2023; 11:1689. [PMID: 37371784 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11061689] [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: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the involvement of the mesencephalic superior colliculus (SC) in the pathogenetic mechanism of SIDS, a syndrome frequently ascribed to arousal failure from sleep. We analyzed the brains of 44 infants who died suddenly within the first 7 months of life, among which were 26 infants with SIDS and 18 controls. In-depth neuropathological investigations of serial sections of the midbrain showed the SC layered cytoarchitectural organization already well known in animals, as made up of seven distinct layers, but so far never highlighted in humans, albeit with some differences. In 69% of SIDS cases but never in the controls, we observed alterations of the laminar arrangement of the SC deep layers (precisely, an increased number of polygonal cells invading the superficial layers and an increased presence of intensely stained myelinated fibers). Since it has been demonstrated in experimental studies that the deep layers of the SC exert motor control including that of the head, their developmental disorder could lead to the failure of newborns who are in a prone position to resume regular breathing by moving their heads in the sleep-arousal phase. The SC anomalies highlighted here represent a new step in understanding the pathogenetic process that leads to SIDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M Lavezzi
- "Lino Rossi" Research Center for the Study and Prevention of Unexpected Perinatal Death and SIDS, Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Riffat Mehboob
- Lahore Medical Research Center and LMRC Laboratories, LLP, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Francesco Piscioli
- Provincial Health Care Services, Institute of Pathology, Santa Maria del Carmine Hospital, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Teresa Pusiol
- Provincial Health Care Services, Institute of Pathology, Santa Maria del Carmine Hospital, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
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41
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Schryver HM, Mysore SP. Distinct neural mechanisms construct classical versus extraclassical inhibitory surrounds in an inhibitory nucleus in the midbrain attention network. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3400. [PMID: 37296109 PMCID: PMC10256684 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39073-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Inhibitory neurons in the midbrain spatial attention network, called isthmi pars magnocellularis (Imc), control stimulus selection by the sensorimotor and attentional hub, the optic tectum (OT). Here, we investigate in the barn owl how classical as well as extraclassical (global) inhibitory surrounds of Imc receptive fields (RFs), fundamental units of Imc computational function, are constructed. We find that focal, reversible blockade of GABAergic input onto Imc neurons disconnects their extraclassical inhibitory surrounds, but leaves intact their classical inhibitory surrounds. Subsequently, with paired recordings and iontophoresis, first at spatially aligned site-pairs in Imc and OT, and then, at mutually distant site-pairs within Imc, we demonstrate that classical inhibitory surrounds of Imc RFs are inherited from OT, but their extraclassical inhibitory surrounds are constructed within Imc. These results reveal key design principles of the midbrain spatial attention circuit and highlight the critical importance of competitive interactions within Imc for its operation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M Schryver
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
- Currently, Allen Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Shreesh P Mysore
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.
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42
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Ayupe AC, Choi JS, Beckedorff F, Catanuto P, Mccartan R, Levay K, Park KK. Single-Nucleus RNA Sequencing of Developing and Mature Superior Colliculus Identifies Neuronal Diversity and Candidate Mediators of Circuit Assembly. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.01.526254. [PMID: 36778361 PMCID: PMC9915630 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.01.526254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The superior colliculus (SC) is a sensorimotor structure in the midbrain that integrates input from multiple sensory modalities to initiate motor commands. It undergoes well-characterized steps of circuit assembly during development, rendering the mouse SC a popular model to study establishment and refinement of neural connectivity. Here we performed single nucleus RNA-sequencing analysis of the mouse SC isolated at various developmental time points. Our study provides a transcriptomic landscape of the cell types that comprise the SC across murine development with particular emphasis on neuronal heterogeneity. We used these data to identify Pax7 as a marker for an anatomically homogeneous population of GABAergic neurons. Lastly, we report a repertoire of genes differentially expressed across the different postnatal ages, many of which are known to regulate axon guidance and synapse formation. Our data provide a valuable resource for interrogating the mechanisms of circuit development, and identifying markers for manipulating specific SC neuronal populations and circuits.
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43
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Wu Q, Zhang Y. Neural Circuit Mechanisms Involved in Animals' Detection of and Response to Visual Threats. Neurosci Bull 2023; 39:994-1008. [PMID: 36694085 PMCID: PMC10264346 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-023-01021-0] [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: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Evading or escaping from predators is one of the most crucial issues for survival across the animal kingdom. The timely detection of predators and the initiation of appropriate fight-or-flight responses are innate capabilities of the nervous system. Here we review recent progress in our understanding of innate visually-triggered defensive behaviors and the underlying neural circuit mechanisms, and a comparison among vinegar flies, zebrafish, and mice is included. This overview covers the anatomical and functional aspects of the neural circuits involved in this process, including visual threat processing and identification, the selection of appropriate behavioral responses, and the initiation of these innate defensive behaviors. The emphasis of this review is on the early stages of this pathway, namely, threat identification from complex visual inputs and how behavioral choices are influenced by differences in visual threats. We also briefly cover how the innate defensive response is processed centrally. Based on these summaries, we discuss coding strategies for visual threats and propose a common prototypical pathway for rapid innate defensive responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiwen Wu
- Institute of Neuroscience, 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
| | - Yifeng Zhang
- Institute of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
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44
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Bourrelly C, Massot C, Gandhi NJ. Rapid Input-Output Transformation between Local Field Potential and Spiking Activity during Sensation but not Action in the Superior Colliculus. J Neurosci 2023; 43:4047-4061. [PMID: 37127365 PMCID: PMC10255026 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2318-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensorimotor transformation is the sequential process of registering a sensory signal in the environment and then responding with the relevant movement at an appropriate time. For visually guided eye movements, neural signatures in the form of spiking activity of neurons have been extensively studied along the dorsoventral axis of the superior colliculus (SC). In contrast, the local field potential (LFP), which represents the putative input to a region, remains largely unexplored in the SC. We therefore compared amplitude levels and onset times of both spike bursts and LFP modulations recorded simultaneously with a laminar probe along the dorsoventral axis of SC in 3 male monkeys performing the visually guided delayed saccade task. Both signals displayed a gradual transition from sensory activity in the superficial layers to a predominantly motor response in the deeper layers, although the transition from principally sensory to mostly motor response occurred ∼500 μm deeper for the LFP. For the sensory response, LFP modulation preceded spike burst onset by <5 ms in the superficial and intermediate layers and only when data were analyzed on a trial-by-trial basis. The motor burst in the spiking activity led LFP modulation by >25 ms in the deeper layers. The results reveal a fast and efficient input-output transformation between LFP modulation and spike burst in the visually responsive layers activity during sensation but not during action. The spiking pattern observed during the movement phase is likely dominated by intracollicular processing that is not captured in the LFP.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT What is the sequence of events between local field potential (LFP) modulation and spiking activity during sensorimotor transformation? A trial-by-trial analysis reveals that the LFP activity leads the spike burst in the superficial and intermediate layers of the superior colliculus during visual processing, while both trial-by-trial and the average analyses show that the spike burst leads the LFP modulation during movement generation. These results suggest an almost instantaneous LFP input, spike burst output transformation in the visually responsive layers of the superior colliculus when registering the stimulus. In contrast, substantial intracollicular processing likely results in a saccade-related spike burst that leads LFP modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Bourrelly
- Departments of Bioengineering
- Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
| | - Corentin Massot
- Departments of Bioengineering
- Neurobiology
- Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
| | - Neeraj J Gandhi
- Departments of Bioengineering
- Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
- Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
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45
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Martín-Cortecero J, Isaías-Camacho EU, Boztepe B, Ziegler K, Mease RA, Groh A. Monosynaptic trans-collicular pathways link mouse whisker circuits to integrate somatosensory and motor cortical signals. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002126. [PMID: 37205722 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The superior colliculus (SC), a conserved midbrain node with extensive long-range connectivity throughout the brain, is a key structure for innate behaviors. Descending cortical pathways are increasingly recognized as central control points for SC-mediated behaviors, but how cortico-collicular pathways coordinate SC activity at the cellular level is poorly understood. Moreover, despite the known role of the SC as a multisensory integrator, the involvement of the SC in the somatosensory system is largely unexplored in comparison to its involvement in the visual and auditory systems. Here, we mapped the connectivity of the whisker-sensitive region of the SC in mice with trans-synaptic and intersectional tracing tools and in vivo electrophysiology. The results reveal a novel trans-collicular connectivity motif in which neurons in motor- and somatosensory cortices impinge onto the brainstem-SC-brainstem sensory-motor arc and onto SC-midbrain output pathways via only one synapse in the SC. Intersectional approaches and optogenetically assisted connectivity quantifications in vivo reveal convergence of motor and somatosensory cortical input on individual SC neurons, providing a new framework for sensory-motor integration in the SC. More than a third of the cortical recipient neurons in the whisker SC are GABAergic neurons, which include a hitherto unknown population of GABAergic projection neurons targeting thalamic nuclei and the zona incerta. These results pinpoint a whisker region in the SC of mice as a node for the integration of somatosensory and motor cortical signals via parallel excitatory and inhibitory trans-collicular pathways, which link cortical and subcortical whisker circuits for somato-motor integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Martín-Cortecero
- Medical Biophysics, Institute for Physiology and Pathophysiology, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | | | - Berin Boztepe
- Medical Biophysics, Institute for Physiology and Pathophysiology, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Katharina Ziegler
- Medical Biophysics, Institute for Physiology and Pathophysiology, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Rebecca Audrey Mease
- Medical Biophysics, Institute for Physiology and Pathophysiology, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Alexander Groh
- Medical Biophysics, Institute for Physiology and Pathophysiology, Heidelberg University, Germany
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46
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Katz LN, Yu G, Herman JP, Krauzlis RJ. Correlated variability in primate superior colliculus depends on functional class. Commun Biol 2023; 6:540. [PMID: 37202508 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04912-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Correlated variability in neuronal activity (spike count correlations, rSC) can constrain how information is read out from populations of neurons. Traditionally, rSC is reported as a single value summarizing a brain area. However, single values, like summary statistics, stand to obscure underlying features of the constituent elements. We predict that in brain areas containing distinct neuronal subpopulations, different subpopulations will exhibit distinct levels of rSC that are not captured by the population rSC. We tested this idea in macaque superior colliculus (SC), a structure containing several functional classes (i.e., subpopulations) of neurons. We found that during saccade tasks, different functional classes exhibited differing degrees of rSC. "Delay class" neurons displayed the highest rSC, especially during saccades that relied on working memory. Such dependence of rSC on functional class and cognitive demand underscores the importance of taking functional subpopulations into account when attempting to model or infer population coding principles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leor N Katz
- Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Gongchen Yu
- Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - James P Herman
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA
| | - Richard J Krauzlis
- Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
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47
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Zhao Y, Zeng T, Wang T, Fang F, Pan Y, Jia J. Subcortical encoding of summary statistics in humans. Cognition 2023; 234:105384. [PMID: 36736077 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2023.105384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Statistical encoding compresses redundant information from multiple items into a single summary metric (e.g., mean). Such statistical representation has been suggested to be automatic, but at which stage it is extracted is unknown. Here, we examined the involvement of the subcortex in the processing of summary statistics. We presented an array of circles dichoptically or monocularly while matching the number of perceived circles after binocular fusion. Experiments 1 and 2 showed that interocularly suppressed, invisible circles were automatically involved in the summary statistical representation, but only when they were presented to the same eye as the visible circles. This same-eye effect was further observed for consciously processed circles in Experiment 3, in which the estimated mean size of the circles was biased toward the information transmitted by monocular channels. Together, we provide converging evidence that the processing of summary statistics, an assumed high-level cognitive process, is mediated by subcortical structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Zhao
- Department of Psychology, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, Zhejiang, China; Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310015, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ting Zeng
- Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310015, Zhejiang, China; School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, Jiangxi, China
| | - Tongyu Wang
- Department of Psychology, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, Zhejiang, China; Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310015, Zhejiang, China
| | - Fang Fang
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yi Pan
- Department of Psychology, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Jianrong Jia
- Department of Psychology, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, Zhejiang, China; Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310015, Zhejiang, China.
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48
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Zhao ZD, Zhang L, Xiang X, Kim D, Li H, Cao P, Shen WL. Neurocircuitry of Predatory Hunting. Neurosci Bull 2023; 39:817-831. [PMID: 36705845 PMCID: PMC10170020 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-022-01018-1] [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: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Predatory hunting is an important type of innate behavior evolutionarily conserved across the animal kingdom. It is typically composed of a set of sequential actions, including prey search, pursuit, attack, and consumption. This behavior is subject to control by the nervous system. Early studies used toads as a model to probe the neuroethology of hunting, which led to the proposal of a sensory-triggered release mechanism for hunting actions. More recent studies have used genetically-trackable zebrafish and rodents and have made breakthrough discoveries in the neuroethology and neurocircuits underlying this behavior. Here, we review the sophisticated neurocircuitry involved in hunting and summarize the detailed mechanism for the circuitry to encode various aspects of hunting neuroethology, including sensory processing, sensorimotor transformation, motivation, and sequential encoding of hunting actions. We also discuss the overlapping brain circuits for hunting and feeding and point out the limitations of current studies. We propose that hunting is an ideal behavioral paradigm in which to study the neuroethology of motivated behaviors, which may shed new light on epidemic disorders, including binge-eating, obesity, and obsessive-compulsive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng-Dong Zhao
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Li Zhang
- National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Xinkuan Xiang
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China
- MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Daesoo Kim
- Department of Cognitive Brain Science, Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology, Daejeon, 34141, South Korea.
| | - Haohong Li
- MOE Frontier Research Center of Brain & Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Affiliated Mental Health Centre and Hangzhou Seventh People`s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310013, China.
| | - Peng Cao
- National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing, 102206, China.
| | - Wei L Shen
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China.
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Thomas A, Yang W, Wang C, Tipparaju SL, Chen G, Sullivan B, Swiekatowski K, Tatam M, Gerfen C, Li N. Superior colliculus cell types bidirectionally modulate choice activity in frontal cortex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.22.537884. [PMID: 37162880 PMCID: PMC10168218 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.22.537884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Action selection occurs through competition between potential choice options. Neural correlates of choice competition are observed across frontal cortex and downstream superior colliculus (SC) during decision-making, yet how these regions interact to mediate choice competition remains unresolved. Here we report that cell types within SC can bidirectionally modulate choice competition and drive choice activity in frontal cortex. In the mouse, topographically matched regions of frontal cortex and SC formed a descending motor pathway for directional licking and a re-entrant loop via the thalamus. During decision-making, distinct neuronal populations in both frontal cortex and SC encoded opposing lick directions and exhibited push-pull dynamics. SC GABAergic neurons encoded ipsilateral choice and glutamatergic neurons encoded contralateral choice, and activating or suppressing these cell types could bidirectionally drive push-pull choice activity in frontal cortex. These results thus identify SC as a major locus to modulate choice competition within the broader action selection network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyse Thomas
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Weiguo Yang
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Catherine Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | | | - Guang Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Brennan Sullivan
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | | | - Mahima Tatam
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Charles Gerfen
- Section on Neuroanatomy, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Nuo Li
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
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50
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Benarroch E. What Are the Functions of the Superior Colliculus and Its Involvement in Neurologic Disorders? Neurology 2023; 100:784-790. [PMID: 37068960 PMCID: PMC10115501 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000207254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
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