1
|
Yogesh B, Keller GB. Cholinergic input to mouse visual cortex signals a movement state and acutely enhances layer 5 responsiveness. eLife 2024; 12:RP89986. [PMID: 39057843 PMCID: PMC11281783 DOI: 10.7554/elife.89986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Acetylcholine is released in visual cortex by axonal projections from the basal forebrain. The signals conveyed by these projections and their computational significance are still unclear. Using two-photon calcium imaging in behaving mice, we show that basal forebrain cholinergic axons in the mouse visual cortex provide a binary locomotion state signal. In these axons, we found no evidence of responses to visual stimuli or visuomotor prediction errors. While optogenetic activation of cholinergic axons in visual cortex in isolation did not drive local neuronal activity, when paired with visuomotor stimuli, it resulted in layer-specific increases of neuronal activity. Responses in layer 5 neurons to both top-down and bottom-up inputs were increased in amplitude and decreased in latency, whereas those in layer 2/3 neurons remained unchanged. Using opto- and chemogenetic manipulations of cholinergic activity, we found acetylcholine to underlie the locomotion-associated decorrelation of activity between neurons in both layer 2/3 and layer 5. Our results suggest that acetylcholine augments the responsiveness of layer 5 neurons to inputs from outside of the local network, possibly enabling faster switching between internal representations during locomotion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Baba Yogesh
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Georg B Keller
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Taylor NL, Whyte CJ, Munn BR, Chang C, Lizier JT, Leopold DA, Turchi JN, Zaborszky L, Műller EJ, Shine JM. Causal evidence for cholinergic stabilization of attractor landscape dynamics. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114359. [PMID: 38870015 PMCID: PMC11255396 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114359] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
There is substantial evidence that neuromodulatory systems critically influence brain state dynamics; however, most work has been purely descriptive. Here, we quantify, using data combining local inactivation of the basal forebrain with simultaneous measurement of resting-state fMRI activity in the macaque, the causal role of long-range cholinergic input to the stabilization of brain states in the cerebral cortex. Local inactivation of the nucleus basalis of Meynert (nbM) leads to a decrease in the energy barriers required for an fMRI state transition in cortical ongoing activity. Moreover, the inactivation of particular nbM sub-regions predominantly affects information transfer in cortical regions known to receive direct anatomical projections. We demonstrate these results in a simple neurodynamical model of cholinergic impact on neuronal firing rates and slow hyperpolarizing adaptation currents. We conclude that the cholinergic system plays a critical role in stabilizing macroscale brain state dynamics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natasha L Taylor
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Centre for Complex Systems, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Christopher J Whyte
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Centre for Complex Systems, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Brandon R Munn
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Centre for Complex Systems, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Catie Chang
- Vanderbilt School of Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Joseph T Lizier
- Centre for Complex Systems, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Computer Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - David A Leopold
- Neurophysiology Imaging Facility, National Institute of Mental Health, Washington DC, USA; Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda MD, USA
| | - Janita N Turchi
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda MD, USA
| | - Laszlo Zaborszky
- Centre for Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Eli J Műller
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Centre for Complex Systems, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - James M Shine
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Centre for Complex Systems, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Taylor NL, D'Souza A, Munn BR, Lv J, Zaborszky L, Müller EJ, Wainstein G, Calamante F, Shine JM. Structural connections between the noradrenergic and cholinergic system shape the dynamics of functional brain networks. Neuroimage 2022; 260:119455. [PMID: 35809888 PMCID: PMC10114918 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Complex cognitive abilities are thought to arise from the ability of the brain to adaptively reconfigure its internal network structure as a function of task demands. Recent work has suggested that this inherent flexibility may in part be conferred by the widespread projections of the ascending arousal systems. While the different components of the ascending arousal system are often studied in isolation, there are anatomical connections between neuromodulatory hubs that we hypothesise are crucial for mediating key features of adaptive network dynamics, such as the balance between integration and segregation. To test this hypothesis, we estimated the strength of structural connectivity between key hubs of the noradrenergic and cholinergic arousal systems (the locus coeruleus [LC] and nucleus basalis of Meynert [nbM], respectively). We then asked whether the strength of structural LC and nbM inter-connectivity was related to individual differences in the emergent, dynamical signatures of functional integration measured from resting state fMRI data, such as network and attractor topography. We observed a significant positive relationship between the strength of white-matter connections between the LC and nbM and the extent of network-level integration following BOLD signal peaks in LC relative to nbM activity. In addition, individuals with denser white-matter streamlines interconnecting neuromodulatory hubs also demonstrated a heightened ability to shift to novel brain states. These results suggest that individuals with stronger structural connectivity between the noradrenergic and cholinergic systems have a greater capacity to mediate the flexible network dynamics required to support complex, adaptive behaviour. Furthermore, our results highlight the underlying static features of the neuromodulatory hubs can impose some constraints on the dynamic features of the brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- N L Taylor
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - A D'Souza
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Sydney School of Medicine, Central Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Australia
| | - B R Munn
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - J Lv
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - L Zaborszky
- School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA
| | - E J Müller
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - G Wainstein
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - F Calamante
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Sydney Imaging, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - J M Shine
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Sun W, Tang D, Yang Y, Wu Z, Li X, An L. Melamine impairs working memory and reduces prefrontal activity associated with inhibition of AMPA receptor GluR2/3 subunit expression. Toxicol Lett 2021; 350:171-184. [PMID: 34280503 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2021.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have reported that melamine can accumulate in several regions of the brain including the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Although melamine accumulation in the hippocampus has been verified to induce cognitive impairments, whether it can cause mPFC-dependent working memory deficits is still unknown. After chronic treatment with melamine (150 (Mel(150)) or 300 (Mel(300)) mg/kg), rats were tested during both delay nonmatching-to-sample spatial and odor discrimination tasks. Levels of AMPA receptor subunits in the mPFC were detected using western blotting. To further explore the mechanism at the cellular level, prefrontal activity was recorded during the odor discrimination. The working memory of Mel(150) rats was found to be significantly impaired in a 3-minute delay odor discrimination task (control: n = 6, Mel(150): n = 6; P < 0.05). Compared with the control group (n = 6), rats in the 300 mg/kg Mel(300)-treated group (n = 8) displayed working memory deficits in 60-second delay Y-maze task (P < 0.05), 1-minute and 3-minute delay odor discrimination tasks (both P < 0.05). The levels of AMPA receptor mGluR2/3 subunit were significantly decreased in rats of the Mel(150) (n = 7) and Mel(300) (n = 7) groups (both P < 0.05). Exposure to 150 (n = 7) or 300 mg/kg (n = 7) melamine resulted in significant inhibition of the regular-spiking neuron activity during the delay period of the memory test (both P < 0.05). Intraperitoneal (n = 7) and intra-mPFC (n = 6) infusions of GluR2/3 agonists, effectively enhanced the neural correlate (both P < 0.05) while rescuing cognitive deficits in Mel(300)-treated rats (both P < 0.05). Collectively, these findings suggested that melamine could induce prefrontal dysfunction and cause cognitive impairments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Sun
- Behavioural Neuroscience Lab, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou 550001, China; Department of Pediatric, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou 550001, China
| | - Dongxin Tang
- Behavioural Neuroscience Lab, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou 550001, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Pediatric, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou 550001, China
| | - Zexiang Wu
- Department of Pediatric, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou 550001, China
| | - Xiaoliang Li
- Department of Neurology, Jinan Geriatric/Rehabilitation Hospital, Jinan 250013, China
| | - Lei An
- Behavioural Neuroscience Lab, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou 550001, China; Department of Pediatric, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou 550001, China; Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou 550001, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Lockhofen DEL, Mulert C. Neurochemistry of Visual Attention. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:643597. [PMID: 34025339 PMCID: PMC8133366 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.643597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Visual attention is the cognitive process that mediates the selection of important information from the environment. This selection is usually controlled by bottom-up and top-down attentional biasing. Since for most humans vision is the dominant sense, visual attention is critically important for higher-order cognitive functions and related deficits are a core symptom of many neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders. Here, we summarize the importance and relative contributions of different neuromodulators and neurotransmitters to the neural mechanisms of top-down and bottom-up attentional control. We will not only review the roles of widely accepted neuromodulators, such as acetylcholine, dopamine and noradrenaline, but also the contributions of other modulatory substances. In doing so, we hope to shed some light on the current understanding of the role of neurochemistry in shaping neuron properties contributing to the allocation of attention in the visual field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Christoph Mulert
- Center for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Justus-Liebig University, Hessen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|