1
|
Martín-Cortecero J, Isaías-Camacho EU, Boztepe B, Ziegler K, Mease RA, Groh A. Monosynaptic trans-collicular pathways link mouse whisker circuits to integrate somatosensory and motor cortical signals. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002126. [PMID: 37205722 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The superior colliculus (SC), a conserved midbrain node with extensive long-range connectivity throughout the brain, is a key structure for innate behaviors. Descending cortical pathways are increasingly recognized as central control points for SC-mediated behaviors, but how cortico-collicular pathways coordinate SC activity at the cellular level is poorly understood. Moreover, despite the known role of the SC as a multisensory integrator, the involvement of the SC in the somatosensory system is largely unexplored in comparison to its involvement in the visual and auditory systems. Here, we mapped the connectivity of the whisker-sensitive region of the SC in mice with trans-synaptic and intersectional tracing tools and in vivo electrophysiology. The results reveal a novel trans-collicular connectivity motif in which neurons in motor- and somatosensory cortices impinge onto the brainstem-SC-brainstem sensory-motor arc and onto SC-midbrain output pathways via only one synapse in the SC. Intersectional approaches and optogenetically assisted connectivity quantifications in vivo reveal convergence of motor and somatosensory cortical input on individual SC neurons, providing a new framework for sensory-motor integration in the SC. More than a third of the cortical recipient neurons in the whisker SC are GABAergic neurons, which include a hitherto unknown population of GABAergic projection neurons targeting thalamic nuclei and the zona incerta. These results pinpoint a whisker region in the SC of mice as a node for the integration of somatosensory and motor cortical signals via parallel excitatory and inhibitory trans-collicular pathways, which link cortical and subcortical whisker circuits for somato-motor integration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Martín-Cortecero
- Medical Biophysics, Institute for Physiology and Pathophysiology, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | | | - Berin Boztepe
- Medical Biophysics, Institute for Physiology and Pathophysiology, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Katharina Ziegler
- Medical Biophysics, Institute for Physiology and Pathophysiology, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Rebecca Audrey Mease
- Medical Biophysics, Institute for Physiology and Pathophysiology, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Alexander Groh
- Medical Biophysics, Institute for Physiology and Pathophysiology, Heidelberg University, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Zhou J, Hormigo S, Busel N, Castro-Alamancos MA. The Orienting Reflex Reveals Behavioral States Set by Demanding Contexts: Role of the Superior Colliculus. J Neurosci 2023; 43:1778-1796. [PMID: 36750370 PMCID: PMC10010463 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1643-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensory stimuli can trigger an orienting reflex (response) by which animals move the head to position their sensors (e.g., eyes, pinna, whiskers). Orienting responses may be important to evaluate stimuli that call for action (e.g., approach, escape, ignore), but little is known about the dynamics of orienting responses in the context of goal-directed actions. Using mice of either sex, we found that, during a signaled avoidance action, the orienting response evoked by the conditioned stimulus (CS) consisted of a fast head movement containing rotational and translational components that varied substantially as a function of the behavioral and underlying brain states of the animal set by different task contingencies. Larger CS-evoked orienting responses were associated with high-intensity auditory stimuli, failures to produce the appropriate signaled action, and behavioral states resulting from uncertain or demanding situations and the animal's ability to cope with them. As a prototypical orienting neural circuit, we confirmed that the superior colliculus controls and codes the direction of spontaneous exploratory orienting movements. In addition, superior colliculus activity correlated with CS-evoked orienting responses, and either its optogenetic inhibition or excitation potentiated CS-evoked orienting responses, which are likely generated downstream in the medulla. CS-evoked orienting responses may be a useful probe to assess behavioral and related brain states, and state-dependent modulation of orienting responses may involve the superior colliculus.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Humans and other animals produce an orienting reflex (also known as orienting response) by which they rapidly orient their head and sensors to evaluate novel or salient stimuli. Spontaneous orienting movements also occur during exploration of the environment in the absence of explicit, salient stimuli. We monitored stimulus-evoked orienting responses in mice performing signaled avoidance behaviors and found that these responses reflect the behavioral state of the animal set by contextual demands and the animal's ability to cope with them. Various experiments involving the superior colliculus revealed a well-established role in spontaneous orienting but only an influencing effect over orienting responses. Stimulus-evoked orienting responses may be a useful probe of behavioral and related brain states.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ji Zhou
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut 06001
| | - Sebastian Hormigo
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut 06001
| | - Natan Busel
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut 06001
| | - Manuel A Castro-Alamancos
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut 06001
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Gall AJ, Goodwin AM, Khacherian OS, Teal LB. Superior Colliculus Lesions Lead to Disrupted Responses to Light in Diurnal Grass Rats ( Arvicanthis niloticus). J Biol Rhythms 2019; 35:45-57. [PMID: 31619104 DOI: 10.1177/0748730419881920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The circadian system regulates daily rhythms of physiology and behavior. Although extraordinary advances have been made to elucidate the brain mechanisms underlying the circadian system in nocturnal species, less is known in diurnal species. Recent studies have shown that retinorecipient brain areas such as the intergeniculate leaflet (IGL) and olivary pretectal nucleus (OPT) are critical for the display of normal patterns of daily activity in diurnal grass rats (Arvicanthis niloticus). Specifically, grass rats with IGL and OPT lesions respond to light in similar ways to intact nocturnal animals. Importantly, both the IGL and OPT project to one another in nocturnal species, and there is evidence that these 2 brain regions also project to the superior colliculus (SC). The SC receives direct retinal input, is involved in the triggering of rapid eye movement sleep in nocturnal rats, and is disproportionately large in the diurnal grass rat. The objective of the current study was to use diurnal grass rats to test the hypothesis that the SC is critical for the expression of diurnal behavior and physiology. We performed bilateral electrolytic lesions of the SC in female grass rats to examine behavioral patterns and acute responses to light. Most grass rats with SC lesions expressed significantly reduced activity in the presence of light. Exposing these grass rats to constant darkness reinstated activity levels during the subjective day, suggesting that light masks their ability to display a diurnal activity profile in 12:12 LD. Altogether, our data suggest that the SC is critical for maintaining normal responses to light in female grass rats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Gall
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Hope College, Holland, Michigan
| | - Alyssa M Goodwin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Hope College, Holland, Michigan
| | - Ohanes S Khacherian
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Hope College, Holland, Michigan
| | - Laura B Teal
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Hope College, Holland, Michigan
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
More than Just a "Motor": Recent Surprises from the Frontal Cortex. J Neurosci 2019; 38:9402-9413. [PMID: 30381432 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1671-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Motor and premotor cortices are crucial for the control of movements. However, we still know little about how these areas contribute to higher-order motor control, such as deciding which movements to make and when to make them. Here we focus on rodent studies and review recent findings, which suggest that-in addition to motor control-neurons in motor cortices play a role in sensory integration, behavioral strategizing, working memory, and decision-making. We suggest that these seemingly disparate functions may subserve an evolutionarily conserved role in sensorimotor cognition and that further study of rodent motor cortices could make a major contribution to our understanding of the evolution and function of the mammalian frontal cortex.
Collapse
|
5
|
McBurney-Lin J, Lu J, Zuo Y, Yang H. Locus coeruleus-norepinephrine modulation of sensory processing and perception: A focused review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 105:190-199. [PMID: 31260703 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2018] [Revised: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system is involved in many brain functions and neurological disorders. In this review we discuss how LC-NE signaling affects the activity of cortical and subcortical sensory neurons, and how it influences perception-driven behaviors associated with mammalian somatosensory, visual, auditory, and olfactory systems. We summarize the consistent as well as seemingly inconsistent findings across brain areas and sensory modalities and propose a framework to understand these phenomena from the perspective of adrenergic receptor expression, dose-dependent physiology and excitation-inhibition balance. We also discuss potential future research directions in this field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jim McBurney-Lin
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Ju Lu
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Yi Zuo
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA.
| | - Hongdian Yang
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
The locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system and sensory signal processing: A historical review and current perspectives. Brain Res 2019; 1709:1-15. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.08.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Revised: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
|
7
|
Abstract
After been exposed to the visual input, in the first year of life, the brain experiences subtle but massive changes apparently crucial for communicative/emotional and social human development. Its lack could be the explanation of the very high prevalence of autism in children with total congenital blindness. The present theory postulates that the superior colliculus is the key structure for such changes for several reasons: it dominates visual behavior during the first months of life; it is ready at birth for complex visual tasks; it has a significant influence on several hemispheric regions; it is the main brain hub that permanently integrates visual and non-visual, external and internal information (bottom-up and top-down respectively); and it owns the enigmatic ability to take non-conscious decisions about where to focus attention. It is also a sentinel that triggers the subcortical mechanisms which drive social motivation to follow faces from birth and to react automatically to emotional stimuli. Through indirect connections it also activates simultaneously several cortical structures necessary to develop social cognition and to accomplish the multiattentional task required for conscious social interaction in real life settings. Genetic or non-genetic prenatal or early postnatal factors could disrupt the SC functions resulting in autism. The timing of postnatal biological disruption matches the timing of clinical autism manifestations. Astonishing coincidences between etiologies, clinical manifestations, cognitive and pathogenic autism theories on one side and SC functions on the other are disclosed in this review. Although the visual system dependent of the SC is usually considered as accessory of the LGN canonical pathway, its imprinting gives the brain a qualitatively specific functions not supplied by any other brain structure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rubin Jure
- Centro Privado de Neurología y Neuropsicología Infanto Juvenil WERNICKE, Córdoba, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Kaneshige M, Shibata KI, Matsubayashi J, Mitani A, Furuta T. A Descending Circuit Derived From the Superior Colliculus Modulates Vibrissal Movements. Front Neural Circuits 2018; 12:100. [PMID: 30524249 PMCID: PMC6262173 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2018.00100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The superior colliculus (SC) is an essential structure for the control of eye movements. In rodents, the SC is also considered to play an important role in whisking behavior, in which animals actively move their vibrissae (mechanosensors) to gather tactile information about the space around them during exploration. We investigated how the SC contributes to vibrissal movement control. We found that when the SC was unilaterally lesioned, the resting position of the vibrissae shifted backward on the side contralateral to the lesion. The unilateral SC lesion also induced an increase in the whisking amplitude on the contralateral side. To explore the anatomical basis for SC involvement in vibrissal movement control, we then quantitatively evaluated axonal projections from the SC to the brainstem using neuronal labeling with a virus vector. Neurons of the SC mainly sent axons to the contralateral side in the lower brainstem. We found that the facial nucleus received input directly from the SC, and that the descending projections from the SC also reached the intermediate reticular formation and pre-Bötzinger complex, which are both considered to contain neural oscillators generating rhythmic movements of the vibrissae. Together, these results indicate the existence of a neural circuit in which the SC modulates vibrissal movements mainly on the contralateral side, via direct connections to motoneurons, and via indirect connections including the central pattern generators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miki Kaneshige
- Department of Morphological Brain Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Laboratory of Physiology, Department of Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichi Shibata
- Department of Morphological Brain Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Jun Matsubayashi
- Laboratory of Physiology, Department of Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Akira Mitani
- Laboratory of Physiology, Department of Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takahiro Furuta
- Department of Morphological Brain Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Oral Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Gharaei S, Arabzadeh E, Solomon SG. Integration of visual and whisker signals in rat superior colliculus. Sci Rep 2018; 8:16445. [PMID: 30401871 PMCID: PMC6219574 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34661-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Multisensory integration is a process by which signals from different sensory modalities are combined to facilitate detection and localization of external events. One substrate for multisensory integration is the midbrain superior colliculus (SC) which plays an important role in orienting behavior. In rodent SC, visual and somatosensory (whisker) representations are in approximate registration, but whether and how these signals interact is unclear. We measured spiking activity in SC of anesthetized hooded rats, during presentation of visual- and whisker stimuli that were tested simultaneously or in isolation. Visual responses were found in all layers, but were primarily located in superficial layers. Whisker responsive sites were primarily found in intermediate layers. In single- and multi-unit recording sites, spiking activity was usually only sensitive to one modality, when stimuli were presented in isolation. By contrast, we observed robust and primarily suppressive interactions when stimuli were presented simultaneously to both modalities. We conclude that while visual and whisker representations in SC of rat are partially overlapping, there is limited excitatory convergence onto individual sites. Multimodal integration may instead rely on suppressive interactions between modalities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Saba Gharaei
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. .,Eccles Institute of Neuroscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. .,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, The Australian National University Node, Canberra, Australia.
| | - Ehsan Arabzadeh
- Eccles Institute of Neuroscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, The Australian National University Node, Canberra, Australia
| | - Samuel G Solomon
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Projection Patterns of Corticofugal Neurons Associated with Vibrissa Movement. eNeuro 2018; 5:eN-NWR-0190-18. [PMID: 30406196 PMCID: PMC6220590 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0190-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Revised: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 08/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Rodents actively whisk their vibrissae, which, when they come in contact with surrounding objects, enables rodents to gather spatial information about the environment. Cortical motor command of whisking is crucial for the control of vibrissa movement. Using awake and head-fixed rats, we investigated the correlations between axonal projection patterns and firing properties in identified layer 5 neurons in the motor cortex, which are associated with vibrissa movement. We found that cortical neurons that sent axons to the brainstem fired preferentially during large-amplitude vibrissa movements and that corticocallosal neurons exhibited a high firing rate during small vibrissa movements or during a quiet state. The differences between these two corticofugal circuits may be related to the mechanisms of motor-associated information processing.
Collapse
|
11
|
Zheng J, Chen YH. [Research advances in pathogenesis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder]. ZHONGGUO DANG DAI ER KE ZA ZHI = CHINESE JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY PEDIATRICS 2018; 20:775-780. [PMID: 30210033 PMCID: PMC7389180 DOI: 10.7499/j.issn.1008-8830.2018.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Both of genetic and environmental factors play important roles in the pathogenesis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and genetic factors can increase the susceptibility of individuals to environmental risk factors. There are extensive and various structural and functional abnormalities of the brain in patients with ADHD. Given the close functional relationship between brain areas, exploration has also been expanded to the dysfunction of brain network in recent years. As for the biochemical mechanism underlying ADHD, monoamine neurotransmitters are still most valued, and abnormalities of brain-derived neurotrophic factors and glutamic acid/γ-aminobutyric acid imbalance may also be present. Due to the abnormal neuroendocrine function and connectivity between brain areas caused by the synergistic effect of genetic and environmental factors, the prefrontal cortex loses control of the lower brain areas, so that the basal ganglia and amygdala affect normal behavioral and emotional reactions. Dysfunction of the endocrine axes may further aggravate neuroendocrine disorder. The above process may eventually lead to changes in brain structure and function, which may be associated with the development of ADHD. However, considering the heterogeneity of ADHD, its pathological process may not be the same, and the exact mechanism needs to be further clarified.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zheng
- Department of Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China.
| | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Kothari NB, Wohlgemuth MJ, Moss CF. Dynamic representation of 3D auditory space in the midbrain of the free-flying echolocating bat. eLife 2018; 7:e29053. [PMID: 29633711 PMCID: PMC5896882 DOI: 10.7554/elife.29053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Essential to spatial orientation in the natural environment is a dynamic representation of direction and distance to objects. Despite the importance of 3D spatial localization to parse objects in the environment and to guide movement, most neurophysiological investigations of sensory mapping have been limited to studies of restrained subjects, tested with 2D, artificial stimuli. Here, we show for the first time that sensory neurons in the midbrain superior colliculus (SC) of the free-flying echolocating bat encode 3D egocentric space, and that the bat's inspection of objects in the physical environment sharpens tuning of single neurons, and shifts peak responses to represent closer distances. These findings emerged from wireless neural recordings in free-flying bats, in combination with an echo model that computes the animal's instantaneous stimulus space. Our research reveals dynamic 3D space coding in a freely moving mammal engaged in a real-world navigation task.
Collapse
|
13
|
McElvain LE, Friedman B, Karten HJ, Svoboda K, Wang F, Deschênes M, Kleinfeld D. Circuits in the rodent brainstem that control whisking in concert with other orofacial motor actions. Neuroscience 2018; 368:152-170. [PMID: 28843993 PMCID: PMC5849401 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.08.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Revised: 08/12/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The world view of rodents is largely determined by sensation on two length scales. One is within the animal's peri-personal space; sensorimotor control on this scale involves active movements of the nose, tongue, head, and vibrissa, along with sniffing to determine olfactory clues. The second scale involves the detection of more distant space through vision and audition; these detection processes also impact repositioning of the head, eyes, and ears. Here we focus on orofacial motor actions, primarily vibrissa-based touch but including nose twitching, head bobbing, and licking, that control sensation at short, peri-personal distances. The orofacial nuclei for control of the motor plants, as well as primary and secondary sensory nuclei associated with these motor actions, lie within the hindbrain. The current data support three themes: First, the position of the sensors is determined by the summation of two drive signals, i.e., a fast rhythmic component and an evolving orienting component. Second, the rhythmic component is coordinated across all orofacial motor actions and is phase-locked to sniffing as the animal explores. Reverse engineering reveals that the preBötzinger inspiratory complex provides the reset to the relevant premotor oscillators. Third, direct feedback from somatosensory trigeminal nuclei can rapidly alter motion of the sensors. This feedback is disynaptic and can be tuned by high-level inputs. A holistic model for the coordination of orofacial motor actions into behaviors will encompass feedback pathways through the midbrain and forebrain, as well as hindbrain areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E McElvain
- Department of Physics, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Beth Friedman
- Department of Physics, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Harvey J Karten
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California at San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Karel Svoboda
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Fan Wang
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Martin Deschênes
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Laval University, Québec City, G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - David Kleinfeld
- Department of Physics, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Section of Neurobiology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Savage MA, McQuade R, Thiele A. Segregated fronto-cortical and midbrain connections in the mouse and their relation to approach and avoidance orienting behaviors. J Comp Neurol 2017; 525:1980-1999. [PMID: 28177526 PMCID: PMC5396297 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2016] [Revised: 01/11/2017] [Accepted: 01/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The orchestration of orienting behaviors requires the interaction of many cortical and subcortical areas, for example the superior colliculus (SC), as well as prefrontal areas responsible for top–down control. Orienting involves different behaviors, such as approach and avoidance. In the rat, these behaviors are at least partially mapped onto different SC subdomains, the lateral (SCl) and medial (SCm), respectively. To delineate the circuitry involved in the two types of orienting behavior in mice, we injected retrograde tracer into the intermediate and deep layers of the SCm and SCl, and thereby determined the main input structures to these subdomains. Overall the SCm receives larger numbers of afferents compared to the SCl. The prefrontal cingulate area (Cg), visual, oculomotor, and auditory areas provide strong input to the SCm, while prefrontal motor area 2 (M2), and somatosensory areas provide strong input to the SCl. The prefrontal areas Cg and M2 in turn connect to different cortical and subcortical areas, as determined by anterograde tract tracing. Even though connectivity pattern often overlap, our labeling approaches identified segregated neural circuits involving SCm, Cg, secondary visual cortices, auditory areas, and the dysgranular retrospenial cortex likely to be involved in avoidance behaviors. Conversely, SCl, M2, somatosensory cortex, and the granular retrospenial cortex comprise a network likely involved in approach/appetitive behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Anthony Savage
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE2 4HH, United Kingdom
| | - Richard McQuade
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE2 4HH, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Thiele
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE2 4HH, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Kurela L, Wallace M. Serotonergic Modulation of Sensory and Multisensory Processing in Superior Colliculus. Multisens Res 2017. [DOI: 10.1163/22134808-00002552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The ability to integrate information across the senses is vital for coherent perception of and interaction with the world. While much is known regarding the organization and function of multisensory neurons within the mammalian superior colliculus (SC), very little is understood at a mechanistic level. One open question in this regard is the role of neuromodulatory networks in shaping multisensory responses. While the SC receives substantial serotonergic projections from the raphe nuclei, and serotonergic receptors are distributed throughout the SC, the potential role of serotonin (5-HT) signaling in multisensory function is poorly understood. To begin to fill this knowledge void, the current study provides physiological evidence for the influences of 5-HT signaling on auditory, visual and audiovisual responses of individual neurons in the intermediate and deep layers of the SC, with a focus on the 5HT2a receptor. Using single-unit extracellular recordings in combination with pharmacological methods, we demonstrate that alterations in 5HT2a receptor signaling change receptive field (RF) architecture as well as responsivity and integrative abilities of SC neurons when assessed at the level of the single neuron. In contrast, little changes were seen in the local field potential (LFP). These results are the first to implicate the serotonergic system in multisensory processing, and are an important step to understanding how modulatory networks mediate multisensory integration in the SC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- LeAnne R. Kurela
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Mark T. Wallace
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Hearing & Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Kaloti AS, Johnson EC, Bresee CS, Naufel SN, Perich MG, Jones DL, Hartmann MJZ. Representation of Stimulus Speed and Direction in Vibrissal-Sensitive Regions of the Trigeminal Nuclei: A Comparison of Single Unit and Population Responses. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0158399. [PMID: 27463524 PMCID: PMC4963183 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The rat vibrissal (whisker) system is one of the oldest and most important models for the study of active tactile sensing and sensorimotor integration. It is well established that primary sensory neurons in the trigeminal ganglion respond to deflections of one and only one whisker, and that these neurons are strongly tuned for both the speed and direction of individual whisker deflections. During active whisking behavior, however, multiple whiskers will be deflected simultaneously. Very little is known about how neurons at central levels of the trigeminal pathway integrate direction and speed information across multiple whiskers. In the present work, we investigated speed and direction coding in the trigeminal brainstem nuclei, the first stage of neural processing that exhibits multi-whisker receptive fields. Specifically, we recorded both single-unit spikes and local field potentials from fifteen sites in spinal trigeminal nucleus interpolaris and oralis while systematically varying the speed and direction of coherent whisker deflections delivered across the whisker array. For 12/15 neurons, spike rate was higher when the whisker array was stimulated from caudal to rostral rather than rostral to caudal. In addition, 10/15 neurons exhibited higher firing rates for slower stimulus speeds. Interestingly, using a simple decoding strategy for the local field potentials and spike trains, classification of speed and direction was higher for field potentials than for single unit spike trains, suggesting that the field potential is a robust reflection of population activity. Taken together, these results point to the idea that population responses in these brainstem regions in the awake animal will be strongest during behaviors that stimulate a population of whiskers with a directionally coherent motion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aniket S. Kaloti
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States of America
| | - Erik C. Johnson
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, United States of America
- Coordinated Science Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, United States of America
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, United States of America
| | - Chris S. Bresee
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States of America
| | - Stephanie N. Naufel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States of America
| | - Matthew G. Perich
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States of America
| | - Douglas L. Jones
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, United States of America
- Coordinated Science Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, United States of America
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, United States of America
- Advanced Digital Sciences Center, Illinois at Singapore Pte., Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mitra J. Z. Hartmann
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States of America
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Castro-Alamancos MA, Favero M. Whisker-related afferents in superior colliculus. J Neurophysiol 2016; 115:2265-79. [PMID: 26864754 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00028.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2016] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Rodents use their whiskers to explore the environment, and the superior colliculus is part of the neural circuits that process this sensorimotor information. Cells in the intermediate layers of the superior colliculus integrate trigeminotectal afferents from trigeminal complex and corticotectal afferents from barrel cortex. Using histological methods in mice, we found that trigeminotectal and corticotectal synapses overlap somewhat as they innervate the lower and upper portions of the intermediate granular layer, respectively. Using electrophysiological recordings and optogenetics in anesthetized mice in vivo, we showed that, similar to rats, whisker deflections produce two successive responses that are driven by trigeminotectal and corticotectal afferents. We then employed in vivo and slice experiments to characterize the response properties of these afferents. In vivo, corticotectal responses triggered by electrical stimulation of the barrel cortex evoke activity in the superior colliculus that increases with stimulus intensity and depresses with increasing frequency. In slices from adult mice, optogenetic activation of channelrhodopsin-expressing trigeminotectal and corticotectal fibers revealed that cells in the intermediate layers receive more efficacious trigeminotectal, than corticotectal, synaptic inputs. Moreover, the efficacy of trigeminotectal inputs depresses more strongly with increasing frequency than that of corticotectal inputs. The intermediate layers of superior colliculus appear to be tuned to process strong but infrequent trigeminal inputs and weak but more persistent cortical inputs, which explains features of sensory responsiveness, such as the robust rapid sensory adaptation of whisker responses in the superior colliculus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manuel A Castro-Alamancos
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Morgana Favero
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Wolf AB, Lintz MJ, Costabile JD, Thompson JA, Stubblefield EA, Felsen G. An integrative role for the superior colliculus in selecting targets for movements. J Neurophysiol 2015. [PMID: 26203103 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00262.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
A fundamental goal of systems neuroscience is to understand the neural mechanisms underlying decision making. The midbrain superior colliculus (SC) is known to be central to the selection of one among many potential spatial targets for movements, which represents an important form of decision making that is tractable to rigorous experimental investigation. In this review, we first discuss data from mammalian models-including primates, cats, and rodents-that inform our understanding of how neural activity in the SC underlies the selection of targets for movements. We then examine the anatomy and physiology of inputs to the SC from three key regions that are themselves implicated in motor decisions-the basal ganglia, parabrachial region, and neocortex-and discuss how they may influence SC activity related to target selection. Finally, we discuss the potential for methodological advances to further our understanding of the neural bases of target selection. Our overarching goal is to synthesize what is known about how the SC and its inputs act together to mediate the selection of targets for movements, to highlight open questions about this process, and to spur future studies addressing these questions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew B Wolf
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado; Neuroscience Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado; Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado; and
| | - Mario J Lintz
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado; Neuroscience Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado; Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado; and
| | - Jamie D Costabile
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado
| | - John A Thompson
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Elizabeth A Stubblefield
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Gidon Felsen
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado; Neuroscience Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado; Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado; and
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Stubblefield EA, Thompson JA, Felsen G. Optogenetic cholinergic modulation of the mouse superior colliculus in vivo. J Neurophysiol 2015; 114:978-88. [PMID: 26019317 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00917.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2014] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The superior colliculus (SC) plays a critical role in orienting movements, in part by integrating modulatory influences on the sensorimotor transformations it performs. Many species exhibit a robust brain stem cholinergic projection to the intermediate and deep layers of the SC arising mainly from the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg), which may serve to modulate SC function. However, the physiological effects of this input have not been examined in vivo, preventing an understanding of its functional role. Given the data from slice experiments, cholinergic input may have a net excitatory effect on the SC. Alternatively, the input could have mixed effects, via activation of inhibitory neurons within or upstream of the SC. Distinguishing between these possibilities requires in vivo experiments in which endogenous cholinergic input is directly manipulated. Here we used anatomical and optogenetic techniques to identify and selectively activate brain stem cholinergic terminals entering the intermediate and deep layers of the awake mouse SC and recorded SC neuronal responses. We first quantified the pattern of the cholinergic input to the mouse SC, finding that it was predominantly localized to the intermediate and deep layers. We then found that optogenetic stimulation of cholinergic terminals in the SC significantly increased the activity of a subpopulation of SC neurons. Interestingly, cholinergic input had a broad range of effects on the magnitude and timing of SC responses, perhaps reflecting both monosynaptic and polysynaptic innervation. These findings begin to elucidate the functional role of this cholinergic projection in modulating the processing underlying sensorimotor transformations in the SC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Stubblefield
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado;
| | - John A Thompson
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Gidon Felsen
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado; Neuroscience Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado; and
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Castro-Alamancos MA, Bezdudnaya T. Modulation of artificial whisking related signals in barrel cortex. J Neurophysiol 2014; 113:1287-301. [PMID: 25505118 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00809.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Rats use rhythmic whisker movements, called active whisking, to sense the environment, which include whisker protractions followed by retractions at various frequencies. Using a proxy of active whisking in anesthetized rats, called artificial whisking, which is induced by electrically stimulating the facial motor nerve, we characterized the neural responses evoked in the barrel cortex by whisking in air (without contact) and on a surface (with contact). Neural responses were compared between distinct network states consisting of cortical deactivation (synchronized slow oscillations) and activation (desynchronized state) produced by neuromodulation (cholinergic or noradrenergic stimulation in neocortex or thalamus). Here we show that population responses in the barrel cortex consist of a robust signal driven by the onset of the whisker protraction followed by a whisking retraction signal that emerges during low frequency whisking on a surface. The whisking movement onset signal is suppressed by increasing whisking frequency, is controlled by cortical synaptic inhibition, is suppressed during cortical activation states, is little affected by whisking on a surface, and is ubiquitous in ventroposterior medial (VPM) thalamus, barrel cortex, and superior colliculus. The whisking retraction signal codes the duration of the preceding whisker protraction, is present in thalamocortical networks but not in superior colliculus, and is robust during cortical activation; a state associated with natural exploratory whisking. The expression of different whisking signals in forebrain and midbrain may define the sensory processing abilities of those sensorimotor circuits. Whisking related signals in the barrel cortex are controlled by network states that are set by neuromodulators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manuel A Castro-Alamancos
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Tatiana Bezdudnaya
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| |
Collapse
|