1
|
Clark BJ, LaChance PA, Winter SS, Mehlman ML, Butler W, LaCour A, Taube JS. Comparison of head direction cell firing characteristics across thalamo-parahippocampal circuitry. Hippocampus 2024; 34:168-196. [PMID: 38178693 PMCID: PMC10950528 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23596] [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: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Head direction (HD) cells, which fire persistently when an animal's head is pointed in a particular direction, are widely thought to underlie an animal's sense of spatial orientation and have been identified in several limbic brain regions. Robust HD cell firing is observed throughout the thalamo-parahippocampal system, although recent studies report that parahippocampal HD cells exhibit distinct firing properties, including conjunctive aspects with other spatial parameters, which suggest they play a specialized role in spatial processing. Few studies, however, have quantified these apparent differences. Here, we performed a comparative assessment of HD cell firing characteristics across the anterior dorsal thalamus (ADN), postsubiculum (PoS), parasubiculum (PaS), medial entorhinal (MEC), and postrhinal (POR) cortices. We report that HD cells with a high degree of directional specificity were observed in all five brain regions, but ADN HD cells display greater sharpness and stability in their preferred directions, and greater anticipation of future headings compared to parahippocampal regions. Additional analysis indicated that POR HD cells were more coarsely modulated by other spatial parameters compared to PoS, PaS, and MEC. Finally, our analyses indicated that the sharpness of HD tuning decreased as a function of laminar position and conjunctive coding within the PoS, PaS, and MEC, with cells in the superficial layers along with conjunctive firing properties showing less robust directional tuning. The results are discussed in relation to theories of functional organization of HD cell tuning in thalamo-parahippocampal circuitry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J Clark
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Patrick A LaChance
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Shawn S Winter
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Max L Mehlman
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Will Butler
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Ariyana LaCour
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Taube
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Graham JA, Dumont JR, Winter SS, Brown JE, LaChance PA, Amon CC, Farnes KB, Morris AJ, Streltzov NA, Taube JS. Angular Head Velocity Cells within Brainstem Nuclei Projecting to the Head Direction Circuit. J Neurosci 2023; 43:8403-8424. [PMID: 37871964 PMCID: PMC10711713 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0581-23.2023] [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: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The sense of orientation of an animal is derived from the head direction (HD) system found in several limbic structures and depends on an intact vestibular labyrinth. However, how the vestibular system influences the generation and updating of the HD signal remains poorly understood. Anatomical and lesion studies point toward three key brainstem nuclei as key components for generating the HD signal-nucleus prepositus hypoglossi, supragenual nucleus, and dorsal paragigantocellularis reticular nuclei. Collectively, these nuclei are situated between the vestibular nuclei and the dorsal tegmental and lateral mammillary nuclei, which are thought to serve as the origin of the HD signal. To determine the types of information these brain areas convey to the HD network, we recorded neurons from these regions while female rats actively foraged in a cylindrical enclosure or were restrained and rotated passively. During foraging, a large subset of cells in all three nuclei exhibited activity that correlated with the angular head velocity (AHV) of the rat. Two fundamental types of AHV cells were observed; (1) symmetrical AHV cells increased or decreased their firing with increases in AHV regardless of the direction of rotation, and (2) asymmetrical AHV cells responded differentially to clockwise and counterclockwise head rotations. When rats were passively rotated, some AHV cells remained sensitive to AHV, whereas firing was attenuated in other cells. In addition, a large number of AHV cells were modulated by linear head velocity. These results indicate the types of information conveyed from the vestibular nuclei that are responsible for generating the HD signal.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Extracellular recording of brainstem nuclei (nucleus prepositus hypoglossi, supragenual nucleus, and dorsal paragigantocellularis reticular nucleus) that project to the head direction circuit identified different types of AHV cells while rats freely foraged in a cylindrical environment. The firing of many cells was also modulated by linear velocity. When rats were restrained and passively rotated, some cells remained sensitive to AHV, whereas others had attenuated firing. These brainstem nuclei provide critical information about the rotational movement of the head of the rat in the azimuthal plane.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jalina A Graham
- Department of Psychological Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Dartmouth, New Hampshire 03755
| | - Julie R Dumont
- Department of Psychological Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Dartmouth, New Hampshire 03755
| | - Shawn S Winter
- Department of Psychological Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Dartmouth, New Hampshire 03755
| | - Joel E Brown
- Department of Psychological Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Dartmouth, New Hampshire 03755
| | - Patrick A LaChance
- Department of Psychological Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Dartmouth, New Hampshire 03755
| | - Carly C Amon
- Department of Psychological Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Dartmouth, New Hampshire 03755
| | - Kara B Farnes
- Department of Psychological Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Dartmouth, New Hampshire 03755
| | - Ashlyn J Morris
- Department of Psychological Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Dartmouth, New Hampshire 03755
| | - Nicholas A Streltzov
- Department of Psychological Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Dartmouth, New Hampshire 03755
| | - Jeffrey S Taube
- Department of Psychological Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Dartmouth, New Hampshire 03755
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Keshavarzi S, Velez-Fort M, Margrie TW. Cortical Integration of Vestibular and Visual Cues for Navigation, Visual Processing, and Perception. Annu Rev Neurosci 2023; 46:301-320. [PMID: 37428601 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-120722-100503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Despite increasing evidence of its involvement in several key functions of the cerebral cortex, the vestibular sense rarely enters our consciousness. Indeed, the extent to which these internal signals are incorporated within cortical sensory representation and how they might be relied upon for sensory-driven decision-making, during, for example, spatial navigation, is yet to be understood. Recent novel experimental approaches in rodents have probed both the physiological and behavioral significance of vestibular signals and indicate that their widespread integration with vision improves both the cortical representation and perceptual accuracy of self-motion and orientation. Here, we summarize these recent findings with a focus on cortical circuits involved in visual perception and spatial navigation and highlight the major remaining knowledge gaps. We suggest that vestibulo-visual integration reflects a process of constant updating regarding the status of self-motion, and access to such information by the cortex is used for sensory perception and predictions that may be implemented for rapid, navigation-related decision-making.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sepiedeh Keshavarzi
- The Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behavior, University College London, London, United Kingdom;
| | - Mateo Velez-Fort
- The Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behavior, University College London, London, United Kingdom;
| | - Troy W Margrie
- The Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behavior, University College London, London, United Kingdom;
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Żakowski W, Zawistowski P. Neurochemistry of the mammillary body. Brain Struct Funct 2023; 228:1379-1398. [PMID: 37378855 PMCID: PMC10335970 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02673-4] [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: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
The mammillary body (MB) is a component of the extended hippocampal system and many studies have shown that its functions are vital for mnemonic processes. Together with other subcortical structures, such as the anterior thalamic nuclei and tegmental nuclei of Gudden, the MB plays a crucial role in the processing of spatial and working memory, as well as navigation in rats. The aim of this paper is to review the distribution of various substances in the MB of the rat, with a description of their possible physiological roles. The following groups of substances are reviewed: (1) classical neurotransmitters (glutamate and other excitatory transmitters, gamma-aminobutyric acid, acetylcholine, serotonin, and dopamine), (2) neuropeptides (enkephalins, substance P, cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript, neurotensin, neuropeptide Y, somatostatin, orexins, and galanin), and (3) other substances (calcium-binding proteins and calcium sensor proteins). This detailed description of the chemical parcellation may facilitate a better understanding of the MB functions and its complex relations with other structures of the extended hippocampal system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Witold Żakowski
- Department of Animal and Human Physiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland.
| | - Piotr Zawistowski
- Department of Animal and Human Physiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Graham JA, Dumont JR, Winter SS, Brown JE, LaChance PA, Amon CC, Farnes KB, Morris AJ, Streltzov NA, Taube JS. Angular head velocity cells within brainstem nuclei projecting to the head direction circuit. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.29.534808. [PMID: 37034640 PMCID: PMC10081164 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.29.534808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
An animal's perceived sense of orientation depends upon the head direction (HD) system found in several limbic structures and depends upon an intact peripheral vestibular labyrinth. However, how the vestibular system influences the generation, maintenance, and updating of the HD signal remains poorly understood. Anatomical and lesion studies point towards three key brainstem nuclei as being potential critical components in generating the HD signal: nucleus prepositus hypoglossi (NPH), supragenual nucleus (SGN), and dorsal paragigantocellularis reticular nuclei (PGRNd). Collectively, these nuclei are situated between the vestibular nuclei and the dorsal tegmental and lateral mammillary nuclei, which are thought to serve as the origin of the HD signal. To test this hypothesis, extracellular recordings were made in these areas while rats either freely foraged in a cylindrical environment or were restrained and rotated passively. During foraging, a large subset of cells in all three nuclei exhibited activity that correlated with changes in the rat's angular head velocity (AHV). Two fundamental types of AHV cells were observed: 1) symmetrical AHV cells increased or decreased their neural firing with increases in AHV regardless of the direction of rotation; 2) asymmetrical AHV cells responded differentially to clockwise (CW) and counter-clockwise (CCW) head rotations. When rats were passively rotated, some AHV cells remained sensitive to AHV whereas others had attenuated firing. In addition, a large number of AHV cells were modulated by linear head velocity. These results indicate the types of information conveyed in the ascending vestibular pathways that are responsible for generating the HD signal. Significance Statement Extracellular recording of brainstem nuclei (nucleus prepositus hypoglossi, supragenual nucleus, and dorsal paragigantocellularis reticular nucleus) that project to the head direction circuit identified different types of angular head velocity (AHV) cells while rats freely foraged in a cylindrical environment. The firing of many cells was also modulated by linear velocity. When rats were restrained and passively rotated some cells remained sensitive to AHV, whereas others had attenuated firing. These brainstem nuclei provide critical information about the rotational movement of the rat's head in the azimuthal plane.
Collapse
|
6
|
Grieves RM, Shinder ME, Rosow LK, Kenna MS, Taube JS. The Neural Correlates of Spatial Disorientation in Head Direction Cells. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0174-22.2022. [PMID: 36635237 PMCID: PMC9770022 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0174-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
While the brain has evolved robust mechanisms to counter spatial disorientation, their neural underpinnings remain unknown. To explore these underpinnings, we monitored the activity of anterodorsal thalamic head direction (HD) cells in rats while they underwent unidirectional or bidirectional rotation at different speeds and under different conditions (light vs dark, freely-moving vs head-fixed). Under conditions that promoted disorientation, HD cells did not become quiescent but continued to fire, although their firing was no longer direction specific. Peak firing rates, burst frequency, and directionality all decreased linearly with rotation speed, consistent with previous experiments where rats were inverted or climbed walls/ceilings in zero gravity. However, access to visual landmarks spared the stability of preferred firing directions (PFDs), indicating that visual landmarks provide a stabilizing signal to the HD system while vestibular input likely maintains direction-specific firing. In addition, we found evidence that the HD system underestimated angular velocity at the beginning of head-fixed rotations, consistent with the finding that humans often underestimate rotations. When head-fixed rotations in the dark were terminated HD cells fired in bursts that matched the frequency of rotation. This postrotational bursting shared several striking similarities with postrotational "nystagmus" in the vestibulo-ocular system, consistent with the interpretation that the HD system receives input from a vestibular velocity storage mechanism that works to reduce spatial disorientation following rotation. Thus, the brain overcomes spatial disorientation through multisensory integration of different motor-sensory inputs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roddy M Grieves
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755
| | - Michael E Shinder
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755
| | - Laura K Rosow
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755
| | - Megan S Kenna
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755
| | - Jeffrey S Taube
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Aggleton JP, Nelson AJD, O'Mara SM. Time to retire the serial Papez circuit: Implications for space, memory, and attention. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 140:104813. [PMID: 35940310 PMCID: PMC10804970 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
After more than 80 years, Papez serial circuit remains a hugely influential concept, initially for emotion, but in more recent decades, for memory. Here, we show how this circuit is anatomically and mechanistically naïve as well as outdated. We argue that a new conceptualisation is necessitated by recent anatomical and functional findings that emphasize the more equal, working partnerships between the anterior thalamic nuclei and the hippocampal formation, along with their neocortical interactions in supporting, episodic memory. Furthermore, despite the importance of the anterior thalamic for mnemonic processing, there is growing evidence that these nuclei support multiple aspects of cognition, only some of which are directly associated with hippocampal function. By viewing the anterior thalamic nuclei as a multifunctional hub, a clearer picture emerges of extra-hippocampal regions supporting memory. The reformulation presented here underlines the need to retire Papez serially processing circuit.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John P Aggleton
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, 70 Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, Wales, UK.
| | - Andrew J D Nelson
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, 70 Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, Wales, UK
| | - Shane M O'Mara
- School of Psychology and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin D02 PN40, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
McNaughton N, Vann SD. Construction of complex memories via parallel distributed cortical–subcortical iterative integration. Trends Neurosci 2022; 45:550-562. [PMID: 35599065 PMCID: PMC7612902 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2022.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The construction of complex engrams requires hippocampal-cortical interactions. These include both direct interactions and ones via often-overlooked subcortical loops. Here, we review the anatomical organization of a hierarchy of parallel ‘Papez’ loops through the hypothalamus that are homologous in mammals from rats to humans. These hypothalamic loops supplement direct hippocampal-cortical connections with iterative re-processing paced by theta rhythmicity. We couple existing anatomy and lesion data with theory to propose that recirculation in these loops progressively enhances desired connections, while reducing interference from competing external goals and internal associations. This increases the signal-to-noise ratio in the distributed engrams (neocortical and cerebellar) necessary for complex learning and memory. The hypothalamic nodes provide key motivational input for engram enhancement during consolidation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Neil McNaughton
- Department of Psychology and Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, POB56, Dunedin, New Zealand.
| | - Seralynne D Vann
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Long X, Deng B, Young CK, Liu G, Zhong Z, Chen Q, Yang H, Lv S, Chen ZS, Zhang S. Sharp Tuning of Head Direction and Angular Head Velocity Cells in the Somatosensory Cortex. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2200020. [PMID: 35297541 PMCID: PMC9109065 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202200020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Head direction (HD) cells form a fundamental component in the brain's spatial navigation system and are intricately linked to spatial memory and cognition. Although HD cells have been shown to act as an internal neuronal compass in various cortical and subcortical regions, the neural substrate of HD cells is incompletely understood. It is reported that HD cells in the somatosensory cortex comprise regular-spiking (RS, putative excitatory) and fast-spiking (FS, putative inhibitory) neurons. Surprisingly, somatosensory FS HD cells fire in bursts and display much sharper head-directionality than RS HD cells. These FS HD cells are nonconjunctive, rarely theta rhythmic, sparsely connected and enriched in layer 5. Moreover, sharply tuned FS HD cells, in contrast with RS HD cells, maintain stable tuning in darkness; FS HD cells' coexistence with RS HD cells and angular head velocity (AHV) cells in a layer-specific fashion through the somatosensory cortex presents a previously unreported configuration of spatial representation in the neocortex. Together, these findings challenge the notion that FS interneurons are weakly tuned to sensory stimuli, and offer a local circuit organization relevant to the generation and transmission of HD signaling in the brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyang Long
- Department of NeurosurgeryXinqiao HospitalArmy Medical UniversityChongqing400037China
| | - Bin Deng
- Department of NeurosurgeryXinqiao HospitalArmy Medical UniversityChongqing400037China
| | - Calvin K. Young
- Department of PsychologyBrain Health Research CentreUniversity of OtagoDunedin9054New Zealand
| | - Guo‐Long Liu
- Department of NeurosurgeryXinqiao HospitalArmy Medical UniversityChongqing400037China
| | - Zeqi Zhong
- Department of NeurosurgeryXinqiao HospitalArmy Medical UniversityChongqing400037China
| | - Qian Chen
- Center for Biomedical AnalysisCollege of Basic MedicineArmy Medical UniversityChongqing400038China
| | - Hui Yang
- Department of NeurosurgeryXinqiao HospitalArmy Medical UniversityChongqing400037China
| | - Sheng‐Qing Lv
- Department of NeurosurgeryXinqiao HospitalArmy Medical UniversityChongqing400037China
| | - Zhe Sage Chen
- Department of PsychiatryDepartment of Neuroscience and PhysiologyNeuroscience InstituteNew York University School of MedicineNew YorkNY10016USA
| | - Sheng‐Jia Zhang
- Department of NeurosurgeryXinqiao HospitalArmy Medical UniversityChongqing400037China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Fujita H, Imura K, Takiguchi M, Funakoshi K. Postnatal development of thalamic reticular nucleus projections to the anterior thalamic nuclei in rats. Eur J Histochem 2022; 66. [PMID: 35330554 PMCID: PMC8992380 DOI: 10.4081/ejh.2022.3370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) projects inhibitory signals to the thalamus, thereby controlling thalamocortical connections. Few studies have examined the development of TRN projections to the anterior thalamic nuclei with regard to axon course and the axon terminal distributions. In the present study, we used parvalbumin (PV) immunostaining to investigate inhibitory projections from the TRN to the thalamus in postnatal (P) 2- to 5-week-old rats (P14-35). The distribution of PV-positive (+) nerve fibers and nerve terminals markedly differed among the anterior thalamic nuclei at P14. Small, beaded nerve terminals were more distributed throughout the anterodorsal nucleus (AD) than in the anteroventral nucleus (AV) and anteromedial nucleus (AM). PV+ fibers traveling from the TRN to the AD were observed in the AV and AM. Nodular nerve terminals, spindle or en passant terminals, were identified on the axons passing through the AV and AM. At P21, axon bundles traveling without nodular terminals were observed, and nerve terminals were distributed throughout the AV and AM similar to the AD. At P28 and P35, the nerve terminals were evenly distributed throughout each nucleus. In addition, DiI tracer injections into the retrosplenial cortex revealed retrogradely-labeled projection neurons in the 3 nuclei at P14. At P14, the AD received abundant projections from the TRN and then projected to the retrosplenial cortex. The AV and AM seem to receive projections with distinct nodular nerve terminals from the TRN and project to the retrosplenial cortex. The projections from TRN to the AV and AM with nodular nerve terminals at P14 are probably developmental-period specific. In comparison, the TRN projections to the AD at P14 might be related to the development of spatial navigation as part of the head orientation system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hitoshi Fujita
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama City University, Yokohama.
| | - Kosuke Imura
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama City University, Yokohama.
| | - Masahito Takiguchi
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama City University, Yokohama.
| | - Kengo Funakoshi
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama City University, Yokohama.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
St Clere Smithe T, Stringer SM. The Role of Idiothetic Signals, Landmarks, and Conjunctive Representations in the Development of Place and Head-Direction Cells: A Self-Organizing Neural Network Model. Cereb Cortex Commun 2022; 3:tgab052. [PMID: 35047822 PMCID: PMC8763244 DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgab052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Place and head-direction (HD) cells are fundamental to maintaining accurate representations of location and heading in the mammalian brain across sensory conditions, and are thought to underlie path integration-the ability to maintain an accurate representation of location and heading during motion in the dark. Substantial evidence suggests that both populations of spatial cells function as attractor networks, but their developmental mechanisms are poorly understood. We present simulations of a fully self-organizing attractor network model of this process using well-established neural mechanisms. We show that the differential development of the two cell types can be explained by their different idiothetic inputs, even given identical visual signals: HD cells develop when the population receives angular head velocity input, whereas place cells develop when the idiothetic input encodes planar velocity. Our model explains the functional importance of conjunctive "state-action" cells, implying that signal propagation delays and a competitive learning mechanism are crucial for successful development. Consequently, we explain how insufficiently rich environments result in pathology: place cell development requires proximal landmarks; conversely, HD cells require distal landmarks. Finally, our results suggest that both networks are instantiations of general mechanisms, and we describe their implications for the neurobiology of spatial processing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Toby St Clere Smithe
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6NW, UK
| | - Simon M Stringer
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6NW, UK
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Keshavarzi S, Bracey EF, Faville RA, Campagner D, Tyson AL, Lenzi SC, Branco T, Margrie TW. Multisensory coding of angular head velocity in the retrosplenial cortex. Neuron 2021; 110:532-543.e9. [PMID: 34788632 PMCID: PMC8823706 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.10.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
To successfully navigate the environment, animals depend on their ability to continuously track their heading direction and speed. Neurons that encode angular head velocity (AHV) are fundamental to this process, yet the contribution of various motion signals to AHV coding in the cortex remains elusive. By performing chronic single-unit recordings in the retrosplenial cortex (RSP) of the mouse and tracking the activity of individual AHV cells between freely moving and head-restrained conditions, we find that vestibular inputs dominate AHV signaling. Moreover, the addition of visual inputs onto these neurons increases the gain and signal-to-noise ratio of their tuning during active exploration. Psychophysical experiments and neural decoding further reveal that vestibular-visual integration increases the perceptual accuracy of angular self-motion and the fidelity of its representation by RSP ensembles. We conclude that while cortical AHV coding requires vestibular input, where possible, it also uses vision to optimize heading estimation during navigation. Angular head velocity (AHV) coding is widespread in the retrosplenial cortex (RSP) AHV cells maintain their tuning during passive motion and require vestibular input The perception of angular self-motion is improved when visual cues are present AHV coding is similarly improved when both vestibular and visual stimuli are used
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sepiedeh Keshavarzi
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London (UCL), 25 Howland Street, London W1T 4JG, United Kingdom.
| | - Edward F Bracey
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London (UCL), 25 Howland Street, London W1T 4JG, United Kingdom
| | - Richard A Faville
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London (UCL), 25 Howland Street, London W1T 4JG, United Kingdom
| | - Dario Campagner
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London (UCL), 25 Howland Street, London W1T 4JG, United Kingdom; Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, University College London (UCL), 25 Howland Street, London W1T 4JG, United Kingdom
| | - Adam L Tyson
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London (UCL), 25 Howland Street, London W1T 4JG, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen C Lenzi
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London (UCL), 25 Howland Street, London W1T 4JG, United Kingdom
| | - Tiago Branco
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London (UCL), 25 Howland Street, London W1T 4JG, United Kingdom
| | - Troy W Margrie
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London (UCL), 25 Howland Street, London W1T 4JG, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Li J, Shinoda Y, Ogawa S, Ikegaya S, Li S, Matsuyama Y, Sato K, Yamagishi S. Expression of FLRT2 in Postnatal Central Nervous System Development and After Spinal Cord Injury. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:756264. [PMID: 34744626 PMCID: PMC8569257 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.756264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibronectin and leucine-rich transmembrane (FLRT) proteins are necessary for various developmental processes and in pathological conditions. FLRT2 acts as a homophilic cell adhesion molecule, a heterophilic repulsive ligand of Unc5/Netrin receptors, and a synaptogenic molecule; the last feature is mediated by binding to latrophilins. Although the function of FLRT2 in regulating cortical migration at the late gestation stage has been analyzed, little is known about the expression pattern of FLRT2 during postnatal central nervous system (CNS) development. In this study, we used Flrt2-LacZ knock-in (KI) mice to analyze FLRT2 expression during CNS development. At the early postnatal stage, FLRT2 expression was largely restricted to several regions of the striatum and deep layers of the cerebral cortex. In adulthood, FLRT2 expression was more prominent in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, piriform cortex (PIR), nucleus of the lateral olfactory tract (NLOT), and ventral medial nucleus (VM) of the thalamus, but lower in the striatum. Notably, in the hippocampus, FLRT2 expression was confined to the CA1 region and partly localized on pre- and postsynapses whereas only few expression was observed in CA3 and dentate gyrus (DG). Finally, we observed temporally limited FLRT2 upregulation in reactive astrocytes around lesion sites 7 days after thoracic spinal cord injury. These dynamic changes in FLRT2 expression may enable multiple FLRT2 functions, including cell adhesion, repulsion, and synapse formation in different regions during CNS development and after spinal cord injury.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juntan Li
- Department of Organ and Tissue Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Yo Shinoda
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Pharmacy, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shuhei Ogawa
- Division of Integrated Research, Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Ikegaya
- Department of Organ and Tissue Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Shuo Li
- Department of Organ and Tissue Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan.,Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Matsuyama
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Kohji Sato
- Department of Organ and Tissue Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Satoru Yamagishi
- Department of Organ and Tissue Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Plasticity between visual input pathways and the head direction system. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2021; 71:60-68. [PMID: 34619578 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2021.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Animals can maintain a stable sense of direction even when they navigate in novel environments, but how the animal's brain interprets and encodes unfamiliar sensory information in its navigation system to maintain a stable sense of direction is a mystery. Recent studies have suggested that distinct brain structures of mammals and insects have evolved to solve this common problem with strategies that share computational principles; specifically, a network structure called a ring attractor maintains the sense of direction. Initially, in a novel environment, the animal's sense of direction relies on self-motion cues. Over time, the mapping from visual inputs to head direction cells, responsible for the sense of direction, is established via experience-dependent plasticity. Yet the mechanisms that facilitate acquiring a world-centered sense of direction, how many environments can be stored in memory, and what visual features are selected, all remain unknown. Thanks to recent advances in large scale physiological recording, genetic tools, and theory, these mechanisms may soon be revealed.
Collapse
|
15
|
Wang W, Schuette PJ, La-Vu MQ, Torossian A, Tobias BC, Ceko M, Kragel PA, Reis FMCV, Ji S, Sehgal M, Maesta-Pereira S, Chakerian M, Silva AJ, Canteras NS, Wager T, Kao JC, Adhikari A. Dorsal premammillary projection to periaqueductal gray controls escape vigor from innate and conditioned threats. eLife 2021; 10:e69178. [PMID: 34468312 PMCID: PMC8457830 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Escape from threats has paramount importance for survival. However, it is unknown if a single circuit controls escape vigor from innate and conditioned threats. Cholecystokinin (cck)-expressing cells in the hypothalamic dorsal premammillary nucleus (PMd) are necessary for initiating escape from innate threats via a projection to the dorsolateral periaqueductal gray (dlPAG). We now show that in mice PMd-cck cells are activated during escape, but not other defensive behaviors. PMd-cck ensemble activity can also predict future escape. Furthermore, PMd inhibition decreases escape speed from both innate and conditioned threats. Inhibition of the PMd-cck projection to the dlPAG also decreased escape speed. Intriguingly, PMd-cck and dlPAG activity in mice showed higher mutual information during exposure to innate and conditioned threats. In parallel, human functional magnetic resonance imaging data show that a posterior hypothalamic-to-dlPAG pathway increased activity during exposure to aversive images, indicating that a similar pathway may possibly have a related role in humans. Our data identify the PMd-dlPAG circuit as a central node, controlling escape vigor elicited by both innate and conditioned threats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weisheng Wang
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Peter J Schuette
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Mimi Q La-Vu
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Anita Torossian
- University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Brooke C Tobias
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Marta Ceko
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of ColoradoBoulderUnited States
| | | | - Fernando MCV Reis
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Shiyu Ji
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Megha Sehgal
- Department of Neurobiology, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | | | - Meghmik Chakerian
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Alcino J Silva
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
- Department of Neurobiology, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | | | - Tor Wager
- University of ColoradoBoulderUnited States
| | - Jonathan C Kao
- Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Avishek Adhikari
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Mehlman ML, Marcroft JL, Taube JS. Anatomical projections to the dorsal tegmental nucleus and abducens nucleus arise from separate cell populations in the nucleus prepositus hypoglossi, but overlapping cell populations in the medial vestibular nucleus. J Comp Neurol 2021; 529:2706-2726. [PMID: 33511641 PMCID: PMC8113086 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Specialized circuitry in the brain processes spatial information to provide a sense of direction used for navigation. The dorsal tegmental nucleus (DTN) is a core component of this circuitry and utilizes vestibular inputs to generate neural activity encoding the animal's directional heading. Projections arising from the nucleus prepositus hypoglossi (NPH) and the medial vestibular nucleus (MVe) are thought to transmit critical vestibular signals to the DTN and other brain areas, including the abducens nucleus (ABN), a component of eye movement circuitry. Here, we utilized a dual retrograde tracer approach in rats to investigate whether overlapping or distinct populations of neurons project from the NPH or MVe to the DTN and ABN. We report that individual MVe neurons project to both the DTN and ABN. In contrast, we observed individual NPH neurons that project to either the DTN or ABN, but rarely to both structures simultaneously. We also examined labeling patterns in other structures located in the brainstem and posterior cortex and observed (1) complex patterns of interhemispheric connectivity between the left and right DTN, (2) projections from the supragenual nucleus, interpeduncular nucleus, and retrosplenial cortex to the DTN, (3) projections from the lateral superior olive to the ABN, and (4) a unique population of cerebrospinal fluid-contacting neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus. Collectively, our experiments provide valuable new information that extends our understanding of the anatomical organization of the brain's spatial processing circuitry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Max L. Mehlman
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Jennifer L. Marcroft
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Jeffrey S. Taube
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Coordination of escape and spatial navigation circuits orchestrates versatile flight from threats. Neuron 2021; 109:1848-1860.e8. [PMID: 33861942 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.03.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Naturalistic escape requires versatile context-specific flight with rapid evaluation of local geometry to identify and use efficient escape routes. It is unknown how spatial navigation and escape circuits are recruited to produce context-specific flight. Using mice, we show that activity in cholecystokinin-expressing hypothalamic dorsal premammillary nucleus (PMd-cck) cells is sufficient and necessary for context-specific escape that adapts to each environment's layout. In contrast, numerous other nuclei implicated in flight only induced stereotyped panic-related escape. We reasoned the dorsal premammillary nucleus (PMd) can induce context-specific escape because it projects to escape and spatial navigation nuclei. Indeed, activity in PMd-cck projections to thalamic spatial navigation circuits is necessary for context-specific escape induced by moderate threats but not panic-related stereotyped escape caused by perceived asphyxiation. Conversely, the PMd projection to the escape-inducing dorsal periaqueductal gray projection is necessary for all tested escapes. Thus, PMd-cck cells control versatile flight, engaging spatial navigation and escape circuits.
Collapse
|
18
|
Steel A, Robertson CE, Taube JS. Current Promises and Limitations of Combined Virtual Reality and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research in Humans: A Commentary on Huffman and Ekstrom (2019). J Cogn Neurosci 2020; 33:159-166. [PMID: 33054553 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Real-world navigation requires movement of the body through space, producing a continuous stream of visual and self-motion signals, including proprioceptive, vestibular, and motor efference cues. These multimodal cues are integrated to form a spatial cognitive map, an abstract, amodal representation of the environment. How the brain combines these disparate inputs and the relative importance of these inputs to cognitive map formation and recall are key unresolved questions in cognitive neuroscience. Recent advances in virtual reality technology allow participants to experience body-based cues when virtually navigating, and thus it is now possible to consider these issues in new detail. Here, we discuss a recent publication that addresses some of these issues (D. J. Huffman and A. D. Ekstrom. A modality-independent network underlies the retrieval of large-scale spatial environments in the human brain. Neuron, 104, 611-622, 2019). In doing so, we also review recent progress in the study of human spatial cognition and raise several questions that might be addressed in future studies.
Collapse
|
19
|
Johnson CM, Cui N, Xing H, Wu Y, Jiang C. The antitussive cloperastine improves breathing abnormalities in a Rett Syndrome mouse model by blocking presynaptic GIRK channels and enhancing GABA release. Neuropharmacology 2020; 176:108214. [PMID: 32622786 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Rett Syndrome (RTT) is an X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder caused mainly by mutations in the MECP2 gene. One of the major RTT features is breathing dysfunction characterized by periodic hypo- and hyperventilation. The breathing disorders are associated with increased brainstem neuronal excitability, which can be alleviated with GABA agonists. Since neuronal hypoexcitability occurs in the forebrain of RTT models, it is necessary to find pharmacological agents with a relative preference to brainstem neurons. Here we show evidence for the improvement of breathing disorders of Mecp2-disrupted mice with the brainstem-acting drug cloperastine (CPS) and its likely neuronal targets. CPS is an over-the-counter cough medicine that has an inhibitory effect on brainstem neuronal networks. In Mecp2-disrupted mice, CPS (30 mg/kg, i.p.) decreased the occurrence of apneas/h and breath frequency variation. GIRK currents expressed in HEK cells were inhibited by CPS with IC50 1 μM. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings in locus coeruleus (LC) and dorsal tegmental nucleus (DTN) neurons revealed an overall inhibitory effect of CPS (10 μM) on neuronal firing activity. Such an effect was reversed by the GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline (20 μM). Voltage clamp studies showed that CPS increased GABAergic sIPSCs in LC cells, which was blocked by the GABAB receptor antagonist phaclofen. Functional GABAergic connections of DTN neurons with LC cells were shown. These results suggest that CPS improves breathing dysfunction in Mecp2-null mice by blocking GIRK channels in synaptic terminals and enhancing GABA release.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M Johnson
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, 100 Piedmont Avenue, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
| | - Ningren Cui
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, 100 Piedmont Avenue, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
| | - Hao Xing
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, 100 Piedmont Avenue, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
| | - Yang Wu
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, 100 Piedmont Avenue, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
| | - Chun Jiang
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, 100 Piedmont Avenue, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Tanaka M, Osada T, Ogawa A, Kamagata K, Aoki S, Konishi S. Dissociable Networks of the Lateral/Medial Mammillary Body in the Human Brain. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:228. [PMID: 32625073 PMCID: PMC7316159 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammillary body (MB) has been thought to implement mnemonic functions. Although recent animal studies have revealed dissociable roles of the lateral and medial parts of the MB, the dissociable roles of the lateral/medial MB in the human brain is still unclear. Functional connectivity using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) provides a unique opportunity to noninvasively inspect the intricate functional organization of the human MB with a high degree of spatial resolution. The present study divided the human MB into lateral and medial parts and examined their functional connectivity with the hippocampal formation, tegmental nuclei, and anterior thalamus. The subiculum of the hippocampal formation was more strongly connected with the medial part than with the lateral part of the MB, whereas the pre/parasubiculum was more strongly connected with the lateral part than with the medial part of the MB. The dorsal tegmental nucleus was connected more strongly with the lateral part of the MB, whereas the ventral tegmental nucleus showed an opposite pattern. The anterior thalamus was connected more strongly with the medial part of the MB. These results confirm the extant animal literature on the lateral/medial MB and provide evidence on the parallel but dissociable systems involving the MB that ascribe mnemonic and spatial-navigation functions to the medial and lateral MBs, respectively.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masaki Tanaka
- Department of Neurophysiology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takahiro Osada
- Department of Neurophysiology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akitoshi Ogawa
- Department of Neurophysiology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koji Kamagata
- Department of Radiology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shigeki Aoki
- Department of Radiology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Seiki Konishi
- Department of Neurophysiology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.,Research Institute for Diseases of Old Age, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.,Sportology Center, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.,Advanced Research Institute for Health Science, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Commutative Properties of Head Direction Cells during Locomotion in 3D: Are All Routes Equal? J Neurosci 2020; 40:3035-3051. [PMID: 32127493 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2789-19.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Navigation often requires movement in three-dimensional (3D) space. Recent studies have postulated two different models for how head direction (HD) cells encode 3D space: the rotational plane hypothesis and the dual-axis model. To distinguish these models, we recorded HD cells in female rats while they traveled different routes along both horizontal and vertical surfaces from an elevated platform to the top of a cuboidal apparatus. We compared HD cell preferred firing directions (PFDs) in different planes and addressed the issue of whether HD cell firing is commutative-does the order of the animal's route affect the final outcome of the cell's PFD? Rats locomoted a direct or indirect route from the floor to the cube top via one, two, or three vertical walls. Whereas the rotational plane hypothesis accounted for PFD shifts when the animal traversed horizontal corners, the cell's PFD was better explained by the dual-axis model when the animal traversed vertical corners. Responses also followed the dual-axis model (1) under dark conditions, (2) for passive movement of the rat, (3) following apparatus rotation, (4) for movement around inside vertical corners, and (5) across a 45° outside vertical corner. The order in which the animal traversed the different planes did not affect the outcome of the cell's PFD, indicating that responses were commutative. HD cell peak firing rates were generally equivalent along each surface. These findings indicate that the animal's orientation with respect to gravity plays an important role in determining a cell's PFD, and that vestibular and proprioceptive cues drive these computations.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Navigating in a three-dimensional (3D) world is a complex task that requires one to maintain a proper sense of orientation relative to both local and global cues. Rodent head direction (HD) cells have been suggested to subserve this sense of orientation, but most HD cell studies have focused on navigation in 2D environments. We investigated the responses of HD cells as rats moved between multiple vertically and horizontally oriented planar surfaces, demonstrating that HD cells align their directional representations to both local (current plane of locomotion) and global (gravity) cues across several experimental conditions, including darkness and passive movement. These findings offer critical insights into the processing of 3D space in the mammalian brain.
Collapse
|
22
|
Thalamocortical processing of the head-direction sense. Prog Neurobiol 2019; 183:101693. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2019.101693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
|
23
|
Dillingham CM, Vann SD. Why Isn't the Head Direction System Necessary for Direction? Lessons From the Lateral Mammillary Nuclei. Front Neural Circuits 2019; 13:60. [PMID: 31619970 PMCID: PMC6759954 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2019.00060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Complex spatial representations in the hippocampal formation and related cortical areas require input from the head direction system. However, a recurrent finding is that behavior apparently supported by these spatial representations does not appear to require input from generative head direction regions, i.e., lateral mammillary nuclei (LMN). Spatial tasks that tax direction discrimination should be particularly sensitive to the loss of head direction information, however, this has been repeatedly shown not to be the case. A further dissociation between electrophysiological properties of the head direction system and behavior comes in the form of geometric-based navigation which is impaired following lesions to the head direction system, yet head direction cells are not normally guided by geometric cues. We explore this apparent mismatch between behavioral and electrophysiological studies and highlight future experiments that are needed to generate models that encompass both neurophysiological and behavioral findings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Seralynne D Vann
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Butler WN, Hardcastle K, Giocomo LM. Remembered reward locations restructure entorhinal spatial maps. Science 2019; 363:1447-1452. [PMID: 30923222 DOI: 10.1126/science.aav5297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Ethologically relevant navigational strategies often incorporate remembered reward locations. Although neurons in the medial entorhinal cortex provide a maplike representation of the external spatial world, whether this map integrates information regarding learned reward locations remains unknown. We compared entorhinal coding in rats during a free-foraging task and a spatial memory task. Entorhinal spatial maps restructured to incorporate a learned reward location, which in turn improved positional decoding near this location. This finding indicates that different navigational strategies drive the emergence of discrete entorhinal maps of space and points to a role for entorhinal codes in a diverse range of navigational behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William N Butler
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kiah Hardcastle
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lisa M Giocomo
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Laurens J, Angelaki DE. The Brain Compass: A Perspective on How Self-Motion Updates the Head Direction Cell Attractor. Neuron 2019; 97:275-289. [PMID: 29346751 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2017] [Revised: 11/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Head direction cells form an internal compass signaling head azimuth orientation even without visual landmarks. This property is generated by a neuronal ring attractor that is updated using rotation velocity cues. The properties and origin of this velocity drive remain, however, unknown. We propose a quantitative framework whereby this drive represents a multisensory self-motion estimate computed through an internal model that uses sensory prediction errors of vestibular, visual, and somatosensory cues to improve on-line motor drive. We show how restraint-dependent strength of recurrent connections within the attractor can explain differences in head direction cell firing between free foraging and restrained passive rotation. We also summarize recent findings on how gravity influences azimuth coding, indicating that the velocity drive is not purely egocentric. Finally, we show that the internal compass may be three-dimensional and hypothesize that the additional vertical degrees of freedom use global allocentric gravity cues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jean Laurens
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Dora E Angelaki
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Yoder RM, Valerio S, Crego ACG, Clark BJ, Taube JS. Bilateral postsubiculum lesions impair visual and nonvisual homing performance in rats. Behav Neurosci 2019; 133:496-507. [PMID: 31169384 DOI: 10.1037/bne0000321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Nearly all species rely on visual and nonvisual cues to guide navigation, and which ones they use depend on the environment and task demands. The postsubiculum (PoS) is a crucial brain region for the use of visual cues, but its role in the use of self-movement cues is less clear. We therefore evaluated rats' navigational performance on a food-carrying task in light and in darkness in rats that had bilateral neurotoxic lesions of the PoS. Animals were trained postoperatively to exit a refuge and search for a food pellet, and carry it back to the refuge for consumption. In both light and darkness, control and PoS-lesioned rats made circuitous outward journeys as they searched for food. However, only control rats were able to accurately use visual or self-movement cues to make relatively direct returns to the home refuge. These results suggest the PoS's role in navigation is not limited to the use of visual cues, but also includes the use of self-movement cues. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
Collapse
|
27
|
Cullen KE, Taube JS. Our sense of direction: progress, controversies and challenges. Nat Neurosci 2019; 20:1465-1473. [PMID: 29073639 DOI: 10.1038/nn.4658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
In this Perspective, we evaluate current progress in understanding how the brain encodes our sense of direction, within the context of parallel work focused on how early vestibular pathways encode self-motion. In particular, we discuss how these systems work together and provide evidence that they involve common mechanisms. We first consider the classic view of the head direction cell and results of recent experiments in rodents and primates indicating that inputs to these neurons encode multimodal information during self-motion, such as proprioceptive and motor efference copy signals, including gaze-related information. We also consider the paradox that, while the head-direction network is generally assumed to generate a fixed representation of perceived directional heading, this computation would need to be dynamically updated when the relationship between voluntary motor command and its sensory consequences changes. Such situations include navigation in virtual reality and head-restricted conditions, since the natural relationship between visual and extravisual cues is altered.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen E Cullen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Taube
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Mehlman ML, Winter SS, Taube JS. Functional and anatomical relationships between the medial precentral cortex, dorsal striatum, and head direction cell circuitry. II. Neuroanatomical studies. J Neurophysiol 2019; 121:371-395. [PMID: 30427743 PMCID: PMC6397393 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00144.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Revised: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
An animal's directional heading within its environment is encoded by the activity of head direction (HD) cells. In rodents, these neurons are found primarily within the limbic system in the interconnected structures that form the limbic HD circuit. In our accompanying report in this issue, we describe two HD cell populations located outside of this circuit in the medial precentral cortex (PrCM) and dorsal striatum (DS). These extralimbic areas receive their HD signals from the limbic system but do not provide critical input or feedback to limbic HD cells (Mehlman ML, Winter SS, Valerio S, Taube JS. J Neurophysiol 121: 350-370, 2019.). In this report, we complement our previous lesion and recording experiments with a series of neuroanatomical tracing studies in rats designed to examine patterns of connectivity between the PrCM, DS, limbic HD circuit, and related spatial processing circuitry. Retrograde tracing revealed that the DS receives direct input from numerous structures known to contain HD cells and/or other spatially tuned cell types. Importantly, these projections preferentially target and converge within the most medial portion of the DS, the same area in which we previously recorded HD cells. The PrCM receives direct input from a subset of these spatial processing structures. Anterograde tracing identified indirect pathways that could permit the PrCM and DS to convey self-motion information to the limbic HD circuit. These tracing studies reveal the anatomical basis for the functional relationships observed in our lesion and recording experiments. Collectively, these findings expand our understanding of how spatial processing circuitry functionally and anatomically extends beyond the limbic system into the PrCM and DS. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Head direction (HD) cells are located primarily within the limbic system, but small populations of extralimbic HD cells are found in the medial precentral cortex (PrCM) and dorsal striatum (DS). The neuroanatomical tracing experiments reported here explored the pathways capable of transmitting the HD signal to these extralimbic areas. We found that projections arising from numerous spatial processing structures converge within portions of the PrCM and DS that contain HD cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Max L Mehlman
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College , Hanover, New Hampshire
| | - Shawn S Winter
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College , Hanover, New Hampshire
| | - Jeffrey S Taube
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College , Hanover, New Hampshire
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Mehlman ML, Winter SS, Valerio S, Taube JS. Functional and anatomical relationships between the medial precentral cortex, dorsal striatum, and head direction cell circuitry. I. Recording studies. J Neurophysiol 2018; 121:350-370. [PMID: 30427767 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00143.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Head direction (HD) cells fire as a function of the animal's directional heading and provide the animal with a sense of direction. In rodents, these neurons are located primarily within the limbic system, but small populations of HD cells are found in two extralimbic areas: the medial precentral cortex (PrCM) and dorsal striatum (DS). HD cell activity in these structures could be driven by output from the limbic HD circuit or generated intrinsically. We examined these possibilities by recording the activity of PrCM and DS neurons in control rats and in rats with anterodorsal thalamic nucleus (ADN) lesions, a manipulation that disrupts the limbic HD signal. HD cells in the PrCM and DS of control animals displayed characteristics similar to those of limbic HD cells, and these extralimbic HD signals were eliminated in animals with complete ADN lesions, suggesting that the PrCM and DS HD signals are conveyed from the limbic HD circuit. Angular head velocity cells recorded in the PrCM and DS were unaffected by ADN lesions. Next, we determined if the PrCM and DS convey necessary self-motion signals to the limbic HD circuit. Limbic HD cell activity recorded in the ADN remained intact following combined lesions of the PrCM and DS. Collectively, these experiments reveal a unidirectional functional relationship between the limbic HD circuit and the PrCM and DS; the limbic system generates the HD signal and transmits it to the PrCM and DS, but these extralimbic areas do not provide critical input or feedback to limbic HD cells. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Head direction (HD) cells have been extensively studied within the limbic system. The lesion and recording experiments reported here examined two relatively understudied populations of HD cells located outside of the canonical limbic HD circuit in the medial precentral cortex and dorsal striatum. We found that HD cell activity in these two extralimbic areas is driven by output from the limbic HD circuit, revealing that HD cell circuitry functionally extends beyond the limbic system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Max L Mehlman
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College , Hanover, New Hampshire
| | - Shawn S Winter
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College , Hanover, New Hampshire
| | - Stephane Valerio
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College , Hanover, New Hampshire
| | - Jeffrey S Taube
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College , Hanover, New Hampshire
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
The Cognitive Thalamus as a Gateway to Mental Representations. J Neurosci 2018; 39:3-14. [PMID: 30389839 PMCID: PMC6325267 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0479-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 195] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Revised: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Historically, the thalamus has been viewed as little more than a relay, simply transferring information to key players of the cast, the cortex and hippocampus, without providing any unique functional contribution. In recent years, evidence from multiple laboratories researching different thalamic nuclei has contradicted this idea of the thalamus as a passive structure. Dated models of thalamic functions are being pushed aside, revealing a greater and far more complex contribution of the thalamus for cognition. In this Viewpoints article, we show how recent data support novel views of thalamic functions that emphasize integrative roles in cognition, ranging from learning and memory to flexible adaption. We propose that these apparently separate cognitive functions may indeed be supported by a more general role in shaping mental representations. Several features of thalamocortical circuits are consistent with this suggested role, and we highlight how divergent and convergent thalamocortical and corticothalamic pathways may complement each other to support these functions. Furthermore, the role of the thalamus for subcortical integration is highlighted as a key mechanism for maintaining and updating representations. Finally, we discuss future areas of research and stress the importance of incorporating new experimental findings into existing knowledge to continue developing thalamic models. The presence of thalamic pathology in a number of neurological conditions reinforces the need to better understand the role of this region in cognition.
Collapse
|
31
|
Kornienko O, Latuske P, Bassler M, Kohler L, Allen K. Non-rhythmic head-direction cells in the parahippocampal region are not constrained by attractor network dynamics. eLife 2018; 7:35949. [PMID: 30222110 PMCID: PMC6158010 DOI: 10.7554/elife.35949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Computational models postulate that head-direction (HD) cells are part of an attractor network integrating head turns. This network requires inputs from visual landmarks to anchor the HD signal to the external world. We investigated whether information about HD and visual landmarks is integrated in the medial entorhinal cortex and parasubiculum, resulting in neurons expressing a conjunctive code for HD and visual landmarks. We found that parahippocampal HD cells could be divided into two classes based on their theta-rhythmic activity: non-rhythmic and theta-rhythmic HD cells. Manipulations of the visual landmarks caused tuning curve alterations in most HD cells, with the largest visually driven changes observed in non-rhythmic HD cells. Importantly, the tuning modifications of non-rhythmic HD cells were often non-coherent across cells, refuting the notion that attractor-like dynamics control non-rhythmic HD cells. These findings reveal a new population of non-rhythmic HD cells whose malleable organization is controlled by visual landmarks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olga Kornienko
- Department of Clinical Neurobiology, Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Patrick Latuske
- Department of Clinical Neurobiology, Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mathis Bassler
- Department of Clinical Neurobiology, Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Laura Kohler
- Department of Clinical Neurobiology, Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kevin Allen
- Department of Clinical Neurobiology, Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Anagnostou E, Skarlatou V, Mergner T, Anastasopoulos D. Idiothetic signal processing and spatial orientation in patients with unilateral hippocampal sclerosis. J Neurophysiol 2018; 120:1256-1263. [PMID: 29897863 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00016.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of the hippocampus in spatial navigation and the presence of vestibular-responsive neurons in limbic areas are well-established from animal experiments. However, hippocampal spatial processing in humans is not fully understood. Here, we employed real whole body and head-on-trunk rotations to investigate how vestibular signals, either alone or in combination with neck-proprioceptive stimulation, shape the spatial frame of reference in patients with unilateral hippocampal sclerosis (HS). Patients were asked to point in darkness with a light spot, moved on a cylindrical screen by means of a joystick, into their visual straight-ahead direction (VSA), to remember this direction in space, and to revert back to this point after the rotations. Estimates in patients with HS were compared with those of healthy controls and of patients with epilepsy without hippocampal involvement. All groups produced similar errors after low-frequency vestibular stimuli. These errors were eliminated when rotations involved concurrent neck stimulation. Significantly increased variability was observed, however, in both the VSA and reposition estimates after the rotations in patients with HS compared with controls. These results suggest that cognitive processing of idiothetic signals for self-motion perception is inaccurate in patients with HS. Importantly, however, the responses of patients with HS showed no spatial lateralization with regard to right or left HS, suggesting that the underlying neuronal loss attenuates the precision of head-direction signal decoding in a nondirectional manner. Hence, patients are unable to use these signals as efficiently as normal subjects in the construction of a stable head-centric spatial frame of reference. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Spatial perception relies on combined processing of various idiothetic (vestibular and proprioceptive) and allothetic (visual and auditory) sensory signals. Despite the established knowledge of rodent vestibular-hippocampal interactions, human data are lacking. We investigated idiothetic orientational processing in subjects with unilateral hippocampal sclerosis using various combinations of vestibular and proprioceptive stimuli. Hippocampal impairment leads to less accurate, noisy decoding of the signal related to idiothetic orientation. However, patients did not show any lateralized deficits of visual straight-ahead perception or of target/self-displacement perception after idiothetic stimulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evangelos Anagnostou
- Department of Physiology, School of Health Sciences, University of Athens , Athens , Greece.,Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, University of Athens , Athens , Greece
| | - Vasiliki Skarlatou
- Department of Physiology, School of Health Sciences, University of Athens , Athens , Greece
| | - Thomas Mergner
- Department of Neurology, University of Freiburg , Freiburg im Breisgau , Germany
| | - Dimitri Anastasopoulos
- Department of Physiology, School of Health Sciences, University of Athens , Athens , Greece.,Department of Neurology, University of Ioannina , Ioannina , Greece
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Anterior Thalamic Excitation and Feedforward Inhibition of Presubicular Neurons Projecting to Medial Entorhinal Cortex. J Neurosci 2018; 38:6411-6425. [PMID: 29921712 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0014-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Revised: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The presubiculum contains head direction cells that are crucial for spatial orientation. Here, we examined the connectivity and strengths of thalamic inputs to presubicular layer 3 neurons projecting to the medial entorhinal cortex in the mouse. We recorded pairs of projection neurons and interneurons while optogenetically stimulating afferent fibers from the anterior thalamic nuclei. Thalamic input differentially affects presubicular neurons: layer 3 pyramidal neurons and fast-spiking parvalbumin-expressing interneurons are directly and monosynaptically activated, with depressing dynamics, whereas somatostatin-expressing interneurons are indirectly excited, during repetitive anterior thalamic nuclei activity. This arrangement ensures that the thalamic excitation of layer 3 cells is often followed by disynaptic inhibition. Feedforward inhibition is largely mediated by parvalbumin interneurons, which have a high probability of connection to presubicular pyramidal cells, and it may enforce temporally precise head direction tuning during head turns. Our data point to the potential contribution of presubicular microcircuits for fine-tuning thalamic head direction signals transmitted to medial entorhinal cortex.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT How microcircuits participate in shaping neural inputs is crucial to understanding information processing in the brain. Here, we show how the presubiculum may process thalamic head directional information before transmitting it to the medial entorhinal cortex. Synaptic inputs from the anterior thalamic nuclei excite layer 3 pyramidal cells and parvalbumin interneurons, which mediate disynaptic feedforward inhibition. Somatostatin interneurons are excited indirectly. Presubicular circuits may switch between two regimens depending on the angular velocity of head movements. During immobility, somatostatin-pyramidal cell interactions could support maintained head directional firing with attractor-like dynamics. During rapid head turns, in contrast, parvalbumin-mediated feedforward inhibition may act to tune the head direction signal transmitted to medial entorhinal cortex.
Collapse
|
34
|
Chazalon M, Dumas S, Bernard JF, Sahly I, Tronche F, de Kerchove d'Exaerde A, Hamon M, Adrien J, Fabre V, Bonnavion P. The GABAergic Gudden's dorsal tegmental nucleus: A new relay for serotonergic regulation of sleep-wake behavior in the mouse. Neuropharmacology 2018; 138:315-330. [PMID: 29908240 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Revised: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Serotonin (5-HT) neurons are involved in wake promotion and exert a strong inhibitory influence on rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Such effects have been ascribed, at least in part to the action of 5-HT at post-synaptic 5-HT1A receptors (5-HT1AR) in the brainstem, a major wake/REM sleep regulatory center. However, the neuroanatomical substrate through which 5-HT1AR influence sleep remains elusive. We therefore investigated whether a brainstem structure containing a high density of 5-HT1AR mRNA, the GABAergic Gudden's dorsal tegmental nucleus (DTg), may contribute to 5-HT-mediated regulatory mechanisms of sleep-wake stages. We first found that bilateral lesions of the DTg promote wake at the expense of sleep. In addition, using local microinjections into the DTg in freely moving mice, we showed that local activation of 5-HT1AR by the prototypical agonist 8-OH-DPAT enhances wake and reduces deeply REM sleep duration. The specific involvement of 5-HT1AR in the latter effects was further demonstrated by ex vivo extracellular recordings showing that the selective 5-HT1AR antagonist WAY 100635 prevented DTg neuron inhibition by 8-OH-DPAT. We next found that GABAergic neurons of the ventral DTg exclusively targets glutamatergic neurons of the lateral mammillary nucleus (LM) in the posterior hypothalamus by means of anterograde and retrograde tracing techniques using cre driver mouse lines and a modified rabies virus. Altogether, our findings strongly support the idea that 5-HT-driven enhancement of wake results from 5-HT1AR-mediated inhibition of DTg GABAergic neurons that would in turn disinhibit glutamatergic neurons in the mammillary bodies. We therefore propose a Raphe→DTg→LM pathway as a novel regulatory circuit underlying 5-HT modulation of arousal.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marine Chazalon
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), ULB Neurosciences Institute, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Jean-François Bernard
- Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Descartes, Inserm, Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences (CPN), 75014, Paris, France; Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Inserm, CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine (NPS), Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), 75005, Paris, France
| | - Iman Sahly
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Inserm, CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine (NPS), Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), 75005, Paris, France
| | - François Tronche
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Inserm, CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine (NPS), Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), 75005, Paris, France
| | - Alban de Kerchove d'Exaerde
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), ULB Neurosciences Institute, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Michel Hamon
- Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Descartes, Inserm, Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences (CPN), 75014, Paris, France; Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Inserm, CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine (NPS), Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), 75005, Paris, France
| | - Joëlle Adrien
- Université Paris Descartes, VIFASOM, Hôtel-Dieu de Paris, 75004, Paris, France
| | - Véronique Fabre
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Inserm, CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine (NPS), Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), 75005, Paris, France.
| | - Patricia Bonnavion
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), ULB Neurosciences Institute, Brussels, Belgium; Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Descartes, Inserm, Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences (CPN), 75014, Paris, France.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Cellular components and circuitry of the presubiculum and its functional role in the head direction system. Cell Tissue Res 2018; 373:541-556. [PMID: 29789927 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-018-2841-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Orientation in space is a fundamental cognitive process relying on brain-wide neuronal circuits. Many neurons in the presubiculum in the parahippocampal region encode head direction and each head direction cell selectively discharges when the animal faces a specific direction. Here, we attempt to link the current knowledge of afferent and efferent connectivity of the presubiculum to the processing of the head direction signal. We describe the cytoarchitecture of the presubicular six-layered cortex and the morphological and electrophysiological intrinsic properties of principal neurons and interneurons. While the presubicular head direction signal depends on synaptic input from thalamus, the intra- and interlaminar information flow in the microcircuit of the presubiculum may contribute to refine directional tuning. The interaction of a specific interneuron type, the Martinotti cells, with the excitatory pyramidal cells may maintain the head direction signal in the presubiculum with attractor-like properties.
Collapse
|
36
|
Yoder RM, Chan JHM, Taube JS. Acetylcholine contributes to the integration of self-movement cues in head direction cells. Behav Neurosci 2018; 131:312-24. [PMID: 28714717 DOI: 10.1037/bne0000205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Acetylcholine contributes to accurate performance on some navigational tasks, but details of its contribution to the underlying brain signals are not fully understood. The medial septal area provides widespread cholinergic input to various brain regions, but selective damage to medial septal cholinergic neurons generally has little effect on landmark-based navigation, or the underlying neural representations of location and directional heading in visual environments. In contrast, the loss of medial septal cholinergic neurons disrupts navigation based on path integration, but no studies have tested whether these path integration deficits are associated with disrupted head direction (HD) cell activity. Therefore, we evaluated HD cell responses to visual cue rotations in a familiar arena, and during navigation between familiar and novel arenas, after muscarinic receptor blockade with systemic atropine. Atropine treatment reduced the peak firing rate of HD cells, but failed to significantly affect other HD cell firing properties. Atropine also failed to significantly disrupt the dominant landmark control of the HD signal, even though we used a procedure that challenged this landmark control. In contrast, atropine disrupted HD cell stability during navigation between familiar and novel arenas, where path integration normally maintains a consistent HD cell signal across arenas. These results suggest that acetylcholine contributes to path integration, in part, by facilitating the use of idiothetic cues to maintain a consistent representation of directional heading. (PsycINFO Database Record
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan M Yoder
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College
| | - Jeremy H M Chan
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College
| | - Jeffrey S Taube
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Vann SD. Lesions within the head direction system reduce retrosplenial c-fos expression but do not impair performance on a radial-arm maze task. Behav Brain Res 2018; 338:153-158. [PMID: 29079513 PMCID: PMC5701769 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.10.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Revised: 09/13/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The lateral mammillary nuclei are a central structure within the head direction system yet there is still relatively little known about how these nuclei contribute to spatial performance. In the present study, rats with selective neurotoxic lesions of the lateral mammillary nuclei were tested on a working memory task in a radial-arm maze. This task requires animals to distinguish between eight radially-oriented arms and remember which arms they have entered within a session. Even though it might have been predicted that this task would heavily tax the head direction system, the lesion rats performed equivalently to their surgical controls on this task; no deficit emerged even when the task was made more difficult by rotating the maze mid-way through testing in order to reduce reliance on intramaze cues. Rats were subsequently tested in the dark to increase the use of internally generated direction cues but the lesion rats remained unimpaired. In contrast, the lateral mammillary nuclei lesions were found to decrease retrosplenial c-Fos levels. These results would suggest that the head direction system is not required for the acquisition of the standard radial-arm maze task. It would also suggest that small decreases in retrosplenial c-Fos are not sufficient to produce behavioural impairments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seralynne D Vann
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, 70 Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Homeward bound: The capacity of the food hoarding task to assess complex cognitive processes. LEARNING AND MOTIVATION 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lmot.2017.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|
39
|
Self-Organized Attractor Dynamics in the Developing Head Direction Circuit. Curr Biol 2018; 28:609-615.e3. [PMID: 29398220 PMCID: PMC5835142 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Revised: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Head direction (HD) cells are neurons found in an extended cortical and subcortical network that signal the orientation of an animal’s head relative to its environment [1, 2, 3]. They are a fundamental component of the wider circuit of spatially responsive hippocampal formation neurons that make up the neural cognitive map of space [4]. During post-natal development, HD cells are the first among spatially modulated neurons in the hippocampal circuit to exhibit mature firing properties [5, 6], but before eye opening, HD cell responses in rat pups have low directional information and are directionally unstable [7, 8]. Using Bayesian decoding of HD cell ensemble activity recorded in the anterodorsal thalamic nucleus (ADN), we characterize this instability and identify its source: under-signaling of angular head velocity, which incompletely shifts the directional signal in proportion to head turns. We find evidence that geometric cues (the corners of a square environment) can be used to mitigate this under-signaling and, thereby, stabilize the directional signal even before eye opening. Crucially, even when directional firing cannot be stabilized, ensembles of unstable HD cells show short-timescale (1–10 s) temporal and spatial couplings consistent with an adult-like HD network. The HD network is widely modeled as a continuous attractor whose output is one coherent activity peak, updated during movement by angular head velocity signals and anchored by landmark cues [9, 10, 11]. Our findings present strong evidence for this model, and they demonstrate that the required network circuitry is in place and functional early during development, independent of reference to landmark information. Non-visual cues can anchor head direction (HD) cells in pre-eye-opening rat pups Internal network dynamics are preserved even when the HD representation is unstable Angular velocity under-signaling drives instability, which is mitigated by corners Circuit architecture develops even before any landmarks can stabilize HD responses
Collapse
|
40
|
Mammillothalamic and Mammillotegmental Tracts as New Targets for Dementia and Epilepsy Treatment. World Neurosurg 2017; 110:133-144. [PMID: 29129763 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2017.10.168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Revised: 10/29/2017] [Accepted: 10/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently, neuromodulation through deep brain stimulation (DBS) has appeared as a new surgical procedure in the treatment of some types of dementia and epilepsy. The mammillothalamic and mammillotegmental tracts are involved among the new targets. To our knowledge, a review article focused specifically on these mammillary body efferents is lacking in the medical literature. Their contribution to memory is, regrettably, often overlooked. METHODS A review of the relevant literature was conducted. RESULTS There is evidence that mammillary bodies can contribute to memory independently from hippocampal formation, but the mechanism is not yet known. Recent studies in animals have provided evidence for the specific roles of these mammillary body efferents in regulating memory independently. In animal studies, it has been shown that the disruption of the mammillothalamic tract inhibits seizures and that electrical stimulation of the mammillary body or mammillothalamic tract raises the seizure threshold. In humans, DBS targeting the mammillary body through the mammillothalamic tract or the stimulation of the anterior thalamic nucleus, especially in the areas closely related to the mammillothalamic tract, has been found effective in patients with medically refractory epilepsy. Nonetheless, little knowledge exists on the functional anatomy of the mammillary body efferents, and their role in the exact mechanism of epileptogenic activity and in the memory function of the human brain. CONCLUSIONS A comprehensive knowledge of the white matter anatomy of the mammillothalamic and mammillotegmental tracts is crucial since they have emerged as new DBS targets in the treatment of various disorders including dementia and epilepsy.
Collapse
|
41
|
Ruan M, Young CK, McNaughton N. Bi-Directional Theta Modulation between the Septo-Hippocampal System and the Mammillary Area in Free-Moving Rats. Front Neural Circuits 2017; 11:62. [PMID: 28955209 PMCID: PMC5600904 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2017.00062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 08/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hippocampal (HPC) theta oscillations have long been linked to various functions of the brain. Many cortical and subcortical areas that also exhibit theta oscillations have been linked to functional circuits with the hippocampus on the basis of coupled activities at theta frequencies. We examine, in freely moving rats, the characteristics of diencephalic theta local field potentials (LFPs) recorded in the supramammillary/mammillary (SuM/MM) areas that are bi-directionally connected to the HPC through the septal complex. Using partial directed coherence (PDC), we find support for previous suggestions that SuM modulates HPC theta at higher frequencies. We find weak separation of SuM and MM by dominant theta frequency recorded locally. Contrary to oscillatory cell activities under anesthesia where SuM is insensitive, but MM is sensitive to medial septal (MS) inactivation, theta LFPs persisted and became indistinguishable after MS-inactivation. However, MS-inactivation attenuated SuM/MM theta power, while increasing the frequency of SuM/MM theta. MS-inactivation also reduced root mean squared power in both HPC and SuM/MM equally, but reduced theta power differentially in the time domain. We provide converging evidence that SuM is preferentially involved in coding HPC theta at higher frequencies, and that the MS-HPC circuit normally imposes a frequency-limiting modulation over the SuM/MM area as suggested by cell-based recordings in anesthetized animals. In addition, we provide evidence that the postulated SuM-MS-HPC-MM circuit is under complex bi-directional control, rather than SuM and MM having roles as unidirectional relays in the network.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ming Ruan
- Department of Psychology and Brain Health Research Centre, University of OtagoDunedin, New Zealand.,Department of Pediatrics and Neonatal Services, Zhuhai Municipal Women's and Children's HospitalGuangdong, China
| | - Calvin K Young
- Department of Psychology and Brain Health Research Centre, University of OtagoDunedin, New Zealand
| | - Neil McNaughton
- Department of Psychology and Brain Health Research Centre, University of OtagoDunedin, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Environmental Anchoring of Head Direction in a Computational Model of Retrosplenial Cortex. J Neurosci 2017; 36:11601-11618. [PMID: 27852770 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0516-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Revised: 07/30/2016] [Accepted: 08/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Allocentric (world-centered) spatial codes driven by path integration accumulate error unless reset by environmental sensory inputs that are necessarily egocentric (body-centered). Previous models of the head direction system avoided the necessary transformation between egocentric and allocentric reference frames by placing visual cues at infinity. Here we present a model of head direction coding that copes with exclusively proximal cues by making use of a conjunctive representation of head direction and location in retrosplenial cortex. Egocentric landmark bearing of proximal cues, which changes with location, is mapped onto this retrosplenial representation. The model avoids distortions due to parallax, which occur in simple models when a single proximal cue card is used, and can also accommodate multiple cues, suggesting how it can generalize to arbitrary sensory environments. It provides a functional account of the anatomical distribution of head direction cells along Papez' circuit, of place-by-direction coding in retrosplenial cortex, the anatomical connection from the anterior thalamic nuclei to retrosplenial cortex, and the involvement of retrosplenial cortex in navigation. In addition to parallax correction, the same mechanism allows for continuity of head direction coding between connected environments, and shows how a head direction representation can be stabilized by a single within arena cue. We also make predictions for drift during exploration of a new environment, the effects of hippocampal lesions on retrosplenial cells, and on head direction coding in differently shaped environments. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The activity of head direction cells signals the direction of an animal's head relative to landmarks in the world. Although driven by internal estimates of head movements, head direction cells must be kept aligned to the external world by sensory inputs, which arrive in the reference frame of the sensory receptors. We present a computational model, which proposes that sensory inputs are correctly associated to head directions by virtue of a conjunctive representation of place and head directions in the retrosplenial cortex. The model allows for a stable head direction signal, even when the sensory input from nearby cues changes dramatically whenever the animal moves to a different location, and enables stable representations of head direction across connected environments.
Collapse
|
43
|
Laminar Localization and Projection-Specific Properties of Presubicular Neurons Targeting the Lateral Mammillary Nucleus, Thalamus, or Medial Entorhinal Cortex. eNeuro 2017; 4:eN-NWR-0370-16. [PMID: 28508034 PMCID: PMC5430300 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0370-16.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Revised: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The presubiculum (PrS) is part of an interconnected network of distributed brain regions where individual neurons signal the animals heading direction. PrS sends axons to medial entorhinal cortex (MEC), it is reciprocally connected with anterior thalamic nuclei (ATNs), and it sends feedback projections to the lateral mammillary nucleus (LMN), involved in generating the head direction signal. The intrinsic properties of projecting neurons will influence the pathway-specific transmission of activity. Here, we used projection-specific labeling of presubicular neurons to identify MEC-, LMN-, and ATN-projecting neurons in mice. MEC-projecting neurons located in superficial layers II/III were mostly regular spiking pyramidal neurons, and we also identified a Martinotti-type GABAergic neuron. The cell bodies of LMN-projecting neurons were located in a well-delimited area in the middle portion of the PrS, which corresponds to layer IV. The physiology of LMN projecting, pyramidal neurons stood out with a tendency to fire in bursts of action potentials (APs) with rapid onset. These properties may be uniquely adapted to reliably transmit visual landmark information with short latency to upstream LMN. Neurons projecting to ATN were located in layers V/VI, and they were mostly regular spiking pyramidal neurons. Unsupervised cluster analysis of intrinsic properties suggested distinct physiological features for the different categories of projection neurons, with some similarities between MEC- and ATN-projecting neurons. Projection-specific subpopulations may serve separate functions in the PrS and may be engaged differently in transmitting head direction related information.
Collapse
|
44
|
Butler WN, Smith KS, van der Meer MAA, Taube JS. The Head-Direction Signal Plays a Functional Role as a Neural Compass during Navigation. Curr Biol 2017; 27:1259-1267. [PMID: 28416119 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.03.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Revised: 02/24/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The rat limbic system contains head direction (HD) cells that fire according to heading in the horizontal plane, and these cells are thought to provide animals with an internal compass. Previous work has found that HD cell tuning correlates with behavior on navigational tasks, but a direct, causal link between HD cells and navigation has not been demonstrated. Here, we show that pathway-specific optogenetic inhibition of the nucleus prepositus caused HD cells to become directionally unstable under dark conditions without affecting the animals' locomotion. Then, using the same technique, we found that this decoupling of the HD signal in the absence of visual cues caused the animals to make directional homing errors and that the magnitude and direction of these errors were in a range that corresponded to the degree of instability observed in the HD signal. These results provide evidence that the HD signal plays a causal role as a neural compass in navigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William N Butler
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, 6207 Moore Hall, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Kyle S Smith
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, 6207 Moore Hall, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Matthijs A A van der Meer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, 6207 Moore Hall, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Taube
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, 6207 Moore Hall, Hanover, NH 03755, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Debye B, Schmülling L, Zhou L, Rune G, Beyer C, Johann S. Neurodegeneration and NLRP3 inflammasome expression in the anterior thalamus of SOD1(G93A) ALS mice. Brain Pathol 2017; 28:14-27. [PMID: 27880990 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.12467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2016] [Accepted: 11/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is considered as a multisystem disorder, characterized by a primary degeneration of motor neurons as well as neuropathological changes in non-motor regions. Neurodegeneration in subcortical areas, such as the thalamus, are believed to contribute to cognitive and behavioral abnormalities in ALS patients. In the present study, we investigated neurodegenerative changes including neuronal loss and glia pathology in the anterodorsal thalamic nucleus (AD) of SOD1(G93A) mice, a widely used animal model for ALS. We detected massive dendrite swelling and neuronal loss in SOD1(G93A) animals, which was accompanied by a mild gliosis. Furthermore, misfolded SOD1 protein and autophagy markers were accumulating in the AD. Since innate immunity and activation inflammasomes seem to play a crucial role in ALS, we examined protein expression of Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase-1 recruitment domain (ASC) and the cytokine interleukin 1 beta (IL1β) in AD glial cells and neurons. NLRP3 and ASC were significantly up-regulated in the AD of SOD1(G93A) mice. Finally, co-localization studies revealed expression of NLRP3, ASC and IL1β in neurons. Our study yielded two main findings: (i) neurodegenerative changes already occur at an early symptomatic stage in the AD and (ii) increased inflammasome expression may contribute to neuronal cell death. In conclusion, neurodegeneration in the anterior thalamus may critically account for cognitive changes in ALS pathology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Berthold Debye
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Wendlingweg 2, Germany
| | - Lena Schmülling
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Wendlingweg 2, Germany
| | - Lepu Zhou
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251 Hamburg, Martinistraße 52, Germany
| | - Gabriele Rune
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251 Hamburg, Martinistraße 52, Germany
| | - Cordian Beyer
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Wendlingweg 2, Germany
| | - Sonja Johann
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Wendlingweg 2, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Butler WN, Taube JS. Oscillatory synchrony between head direction cells recorded bilaterally in the anterodorsal thalamic nuclei. J Neurophysiol 2017; 117:1847-1852. [PMID: 28250151 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00881.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2016] [Revised: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The head direction (HD) circuit is a complex interconnected network of brain regions ranging from the brain stem to the cortex. Recent work found that HD cells corecorded ipsilaterally in the anterodorsal nucleus (ADN) of the thalamus displayed coordinated firing patterns. A high-frequency oscillation pattern (130-160 Hz) was visible in the cross-correlograms of these HD cell pairs. Spectral analysis further found that the power of this oscillation was greatest at 0 ms and decreased at greater lags, and demonstrated that there was greater synchrony between HD cells with similar preferred firing directions. Here, we demonstrate that the same high-frequency synchrony exists in HD cell pairs recorded contralaterally from one another in the bilateral ADN. When we examined the cross-correlograms of HD cells that were corecorded bilaterally, we observed the same high-frequency (~150- to 200-Hz) oscillatory relationship. The strength of this synchrony was similar to the synchrony seen in ipsilateral HD cell pairs, and the degree of synchrony in each cross-correlogram was dependent on the difference in tuning between the two cells. Additionally, the frequency rate of this oscillation appeared to be independent of the firing rates of the two cross-correlated cells. Taken together, these results imply that the left and right thalamic HD network are functionally related despite an absence of direct anatomical projections. However, anatomical tracing has found that each of the lateral mammillary nuclei (LMN) project bilaterally to both of the ADN, suggesting the LMN may be responsible for the functional connectivity observed between the two ADN.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study used bilateral recording electrodes to examine whether head direction cells recorded simultaneously in both the left and right thalamus show coordinated firing. Cross-correlations of the cells' spike trains revealed a high-frequency oscillatory pattern similar to that seen in cross-correlations between pairs of ipsilateral head direction cells, demonstrating that the bilateral thalamic head direction signals may be part of a single unified network.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William N Butler
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire
| | - Jeffrey S Taube
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Peck JR, Taube JS. The postrhinal cortex is not necessary for landmark control in rat head direction cells. Hippocampus 2017; 27:156-168. [PMID: 27860052 PMCID: PMC5235971 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.22680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Revised: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The rodent postrhinal cortex (POR), homologous to primate areas TH/TF and the human 'parahippocampal place area', has been implicated in processing visual landmark and contextual information about the environment. Head direction (HD) cells are neurons that encode allocentric head direction, independent of the animal's location or behavior, and are influenced by manipulations of visual landmarks. The present study determined whether the POR plays a role in processing environmental information within the HD circuit. Experiment 1 tested the role of the POR in processing visual landmark cues in the HD system during manipulation of a visual cue. HD cells from POR lesioned animals had similar firing properties, shifted their preferred firing direction following rotation of a salient visual cue, and in darkness had preferred firing directions that drifted at the same rate as controls. Experiment 2 tested the PORs involvement in contextual fear conditioning, where the animal learns to associate a shock with both a tone and a context in which the shock was given. In agreement with previous studies, POR lesioned animals were able to learn the tone-shock pairing, but displayed less freezing relative to controls when reintroduced into the environment previously paired with a shock. Therefore, HD cells from POR lesioned animals, with demonstrated impairments in contextual fear conditioning, were able to use a visual landmark to control their preferred direction. Thus, despite its importance in processing visual landmark information in primates, the POR in rats does not appear to play a pivotal role in controlling visual landmark information in the HD system. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James R Peck
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, 6207 Moore Hall, Hanover, New Hampshire, 03755
| | - Jeffery S Taube
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, 6207 Moore Hall, Hanover, New Hampshire, 03755
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Tan HM, Wills TJ, Cacucci F. The development of spatial and memory circuits in the rat. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2016. [DOI: 10.10.1002/wcs.1424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hui Min Tan
- Singapore Institute for Clinical SciencesSingapore
| | - Thomas Joseph Wills
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of BiosciencesUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Francesca Cacucci
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, Division of BiosciencesUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Tan HM, Wills TJ, Cacucci F. The development of spatial and memory circuits in the rat. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2016; 8. [DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2016] [Revised: 09/12/2016] [Accepted: 09/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hui Min Tan
- Singapore Institute for Clinical SciencesSingapore
| | - Thomas Joseph Wills
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of BiosciencesUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Francesca Cacucci
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, Division of BiosciencesUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Abstract
Head direction (HD) cells fire when an animal faces a particular direction in its environment, and they are thought to represent the neural correlate of the animal's perceived spatial orientation. Previous studies have shown that vestibular information is critical for generating the HD signal but have not delineated whether information from all three semicircular canals or just the horizontal canals, which are primarily sensitive to angular head rotation in the horizontal (yaw) plane, are critical for the signal. Here, we monitored cell activity in the anterodorsal thalamus (ADN), an area known to contain HD cells, in epstatic circler (Ecl) mice, which have a bilateral malformation of the horizontal (lateral) semicircular canals. Ecl mice and their littermates that did not express the mutation (controls) were implanted with recording electrodes in the ADN. Results confirm the important role the horizontal canals play in forming the HD signal. Although normal HD cell activity (Raleigh's r > 0.4) was recorded in control mice, no such activity was found in Ecl mice, although some cells had activity that was mildly modulated by HD (0.4 > r > 0.2). Importantly, we also observed activity in Ecl mice that was best characterized as bursty--a pattern of activity similar to an HD signal but without any preferred firing direction. These results suggest that the neural structure for the HD network remains intact in Ecl mice, but the absence of normal horizontal canals results in an inability to control the network properly and brings about an unstable HD signal. Significance statement: Cells in the anterior dorsal thalamic nucleus normally fire in relation to the animal's directional heading with respect to the environment--so-called head direction cells. To understand how these head direction cells generate their activity, we recorded single-unit activity from the anterior dorsal thalamus in transgenic mice that lack functional horizontal semicircular canals. We show that the neural network for the head direction signal remains intact in these mice, but that the absence of normal horizontal canals results in an inability to control the network properly and brings about an unstable head direction signal.
Collapse
|