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Zhu SI, Goodhill GJ. From perception to behavior: The neural circuits underlying prey hunting in larval zebrafish. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:1087993. [PMID: 36817645 PMCID: PMC9928868 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1087993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
A key challenge for neural systems is to extract relevant information from the environment and make appropriate behavioral responses. The larval zebrafish offers an exciting opportunity for studying these sensing processes and sensory-motor transformations. Prey hunting is an instinctual behavior of zebrafish that requires the brain to extract and combine different attributes of the sensory input and form appropriate motor outputs. Due to its small size and transparency the larval zebrafish brain allows optical recording of whole-brain activity to reveal the neural mechanisms involved in prey hunting and capture. In this review we discuss how the larval zebrafish brain processes visual information to identify and locate prey, the neural circuits governing the generation of motor commands in response to prey, how hunting behavior can be modulated by internal states and experience, and some outstanding questions for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyu I. Zhu
- Departments of Developmental Biology and Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
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2
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Matsuda K, Kubo F. Circuit Organization Underlying Optic Flow Processing in Zebrafish. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:709048. [PMID: 34366797 PMCID: PMC8334359 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.709048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals’ self-motion generates a drifting movement of the visual scene in the entire field of view called optic flow. Animals use the sensation of optic flow to estimate their own movements and accordingly adjust their body posture and position and stabilize the direction of gaze. In zebrafish and other vertebrates, optic flow typically drives the optokinetic response (OKR) and optomotor response (OMR). Recent functional imaging studies in larval zebrafish have identified the pretectum as a primary center for optic flow processing. In contrast to the view that the pretectum acts as a relay station of direction-selective retinal inputs, pretectal neurons respond to much more complex visual features relevant to behavior, such as spatially and temporally integrated optic flow information. Furthermore, optic flow signals, as well as motor signals, are represented in the cerebellum in a region-specific manner. Here we review recent findings on the circuit organization that underlies the optic flow processing driving OKR and OMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koji Matsuda
- Center for Frontier Research, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Fumi Kubo
- Center for Frontier Research, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan.,Department of Genetics, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima, Japan
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3
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Montangie L, Miehl C, Gjorgjieva J. Autonomous emergence of connectivity assemblies via spike triplet interactions. PLoS Comput Biol 2020; 16:e1007835. [PMID: 32384081 PMCID: PMC7239496 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-random connectivity can emerge without structured external input driven by activity-dependent mechanisms of synaptic plasticity based on precise spiking patterns. Here we analyze the emergence of global structures in recurrent networks based on a triplet model of spike timing dependent plasticity (STDP), which depends on the interactions of three precisely-timed spikes, and can describe plasticity experiments with varying spike frequency better than the classical pair-based STDP rule. We derive synaptic changes arising from correlations up to third-order and describe them as the sum of structural motifs, which determine how any spike in the network influences a given synaptic connection through possible connectivity paths. This motif expansion framework reveals novel structural motifs under the triplet STDP rule, which support the formation of bidirectional connections and ultimately the spontaneous emergence of global network structure in the form of self-connected groups of neurons, or assemblies. We propose that under triplet STDP assembly structure can emerge without the need for externally patterned inputs or assuming a symmetric pair-based STDP rule common in previous studies. The emergence of non-random network structure under triplet STDP occurs through internally-generated higher-order correlations, which are ubiquitous in natural stimuli and neuronal spiking activity, and important for coding. We further demonstrate how neuromodulatory mechanisms that modulate the shape of the triplet STDP rule or the synaptic transmission function differentially promote structural motifs underlying the emergence of assemblies, and quantify the differences using graph theoretic measures. Emergent non-random connectivity structures in different brain regions are tightly related to specific patterns of neural activity and support diverse brain functions. For instance, self-connected groups of neurons, known as assemblies, have been proposed to represent functional units in brain circuits and can emerge even without patterned external instruction. Here we investigate the emergence of non-random connectivity in recurrent networks using a particular plasticity rule, triplet STDP, which relies on the interaction of spike triplets and can capture higher-order statistical dependencies in neural activity. We derive the evolution of the synaptic strengths in the network and explore the conditions for the self-organization of connectivity into assemblies. We demonstrate key differences of the triplet STDP rule compared to the classical pair-based rule in terms of how assemblies are formed, including the realistic asymmetric shape and influence of novel connectivity motifs on network plasticity driven by higher-order correlations. Assembly formation depends on the specific shape of the STDP window and synaptic transmission function, pointing towards an important role of neuromodulatory signals on formation of intrinsically generated assemblies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisandro Montangie
- Computation in Neural Circuits Group, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Christoph Miehl
- Computation in Neural Circuits Group, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt, Germany
- Technical University of Munich, School of Life Sciences, Freising, Germany
| | - Julijana Gjorgjieva
- Computation in Neural Circuits Group, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt, Germany
- Technical University of Munich, School of Life Sciences, Freising, Germany
- * E-mail:
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4
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Dalla Vecchia E, Di Donato V, Young AMJ, Del Bene F, Norton WHJ. Reelin Signaling Controls the Preference for Social Novelty in Zebrafish. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:214. [PMID: 31607872 PMCID: PMC6761276 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Reelin (Reln) is an extracellular glycoprotein that is important for brain patterning. During development Reln coordinates the radial migration of postmitotic cortical neurons, cerebellar and hippocampal neurons, whereas it promotes dendrite maturation, synaptogenesis, synaptic transmission, plasticity and neurotransmitter release in the postnatal and adult brain. Genetic studies of human patients have demonstrated association between the RELN locus and autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and Alzheimer’s disease. In this study we have characterized the behavioral phenotype of reelin (reln) mutant zebrafish, as well as two canonical signaling pathway targets DAB adaptor protein 1a (dab1a) and the very low density lipoprotein receptor (vldlr). Zebrafish reln–/– mutants display a selective reduction in preference for social novelty that is not observed in dab1a–/– or vldlr–/– mutant lines. They also exhibit an increase in 5-HT signaling in the hindbrain that parallels but does not underpin the alteration in social preference. These results suggest that zebrafish reln–/– mutants can be used to model some aspects of human diseases in which changes to Reln signaling alter social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Dalla Vecchia
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Vincenzo Di Donato
- Institut Curie, Paris, France.,ZeClinics SL, Institute for Health Science Research Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andrew M J Young
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | | | - William H J Norton
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
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5
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Kramer A, Wu Y, Baier H, Kubo F. Neuronal Architecture of a Visual Center that Processes Optic Flow. Neuron 2019; 103:118-132.e7. [PMID: 31147153 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 02/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Animals use global image motion cues to actively stabilize their position by compensatory movements. Neurons in the zebrafish pretectum distinguish different optic flow patterns, e.g., rotation and translation, to drive appropriate behaviors. Combining functional imaging and morphological reconstruction of single cells, we revealed critical neuroanatomical features of this sensorimotor transformation. Terminals of direction-selective retinal ganglion cells (DS-RGCs) are located within the pretectal retinal arborization field 5 (AF5), where they meet dendrites of pretectal neurons with simple tuning to monocular optic flow. Translation-selective neurons, which respond selectively to optic flow in the same direction for both eyes, are intermingled with these simple cells but do not receive inputs from DS-RGCs. Mutually exclusive populations of pretectal projection neurons innervate either the reticular formation or the cerebellum, which in turn control motor responses. We posit that local computations in a defined pretectal circuit transform optic flow signals into neural commands driving optomotor behavior. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kramer
- Department Genes - Circuits - Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Yunmin Wu
- Department Genes - Circuits - Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Herwig Baier
- Department Genes - Circuits - Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Fumi Kubo
- Department Genes - Circuits - Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany; Center for Frontier Research, National Institute of Genetics, 1111 Yata, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan.
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6
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Boulanger-Weill J, Sumbre G. Functional Integration of Newborn Neurons in the Zebrafish Optic Tectum. Front Cell Dev Biol 2019; 7:57. [PMID: 31058148 PMCID: PMC6477100 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2019.00057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurogenesis persists during adulthood in restricted parts of the vertebrate brain. In the optic tectum (OT) of the zebrafish larva, newborn neurons are continuously added and contribute to visual information processing. Recent studies have started to describe the functional development and fate of newborn neurons in the OT. Like the mammalian brain, newborn neurons in the OT require sensory inputs for their integration into local networks and survival. Recent findings suggest that the functional development of newborn neurons requires both activity-dependent and hard-wired mechanisms for proper circuit integration. Here, we review these findings and argue that the study of neurogenesis in non-mammalian species will help elucidate the general mechanisms of circuit assembly following neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Boulanger-Weill
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Germán Sumbre
- Institut de Biologie de l’ENS (IBENS), Département de Biologie, École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
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Damjanović I, Maximov PV, Aliper AT, Zaichikova AA, Gačić Z, Maximova EM. Putative targets of direction-selective retinal ganglion cells in the tectum opticum of cyprinid fish. Brain Res 2019; 1708:20-26. [PMID: 30527677 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.12.006] [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] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Responses of direction selective (DS) units of retinal and tectal origin were recorded extracellularly from the tectum opticum (TO) of immobilized fish. The data were collected from three cyprinid species - goldfish, carp and roach. Responses of the retinal DS ganglion cells (GCs) were recorded from their axon terminals in the superficial layers of TO. According to their preferred directions DS GCs, characterized by small receptive fields (3-8°), can be divided in three distinct groups, each group containing ON and OFF subtypes approximately in equal quantity. Conversely, direction-selective tectal neurons (DS TNs), recorded at two different tectal levels deeper than the zone of retinal DS afferents, are characterized by large receptive fields (up to 60°) and are indifferent to any sign of contrast i.e. can be considered as ON-OFF type units. Fish DS TNs unlike the retinal DS GCs, select four preferred directions. Three types of tectal DS units prefer practically the same directions as those already selected on the retinal level - caudo-rostral, dorso-ventral and ventro-dorsal. The fact that three preferred directions of DS GCs and DS TNs coincide allows us to assume that three types of DS GCs are input neurons for corresponding types of DS TNs. The fourth group of DS TNs has the emergent rostro-caudal preference not explicitly present in any of the DS GC inputs. These units are recorded in deep TO layers exclusively. Receptive fields of these DS neurons could be entirely formed on the tectal level. Possible interrelations between retinal and tectal DS units are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilija Damjanović
- Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Pavel V Maximov
- Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Alexey T Aliper
- Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Alisa A Zaichikova
- Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation; Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Zoran Gačić
- Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Elena M Maximova
- Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
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Berg EM, Björnfors ER, Pallucchi I, Picton LD, El Manira A. Principles Governing Locomotion in Vertebrates: Lessons From Zebrafish. Front Neural Circuits 2018; 12:73. [PMID: 30271327 PMCID: PMC6146226 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2018.00073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Locomotor behaviors are critical for survival and enable animals to navigate their environment, find food and evade predators. The circuits in the brain and spinal cord that initiate and maintain such different modes of locomotion in vertebrates have been studied in numerous species for over a century. In recent decades, the zebrafish has emerged as one of the main model systems for the study of locomotion, owing to its experimental amenability, and work in zebrafish has revealed numerous new insights into locomotor circuit function. Here, we review the literature that has led to our current understanding of the neural circuits controlling swimming and escape in zebrafish. We highlight recent studies that have enriched our comprehension of key topics, such as the interactions between premotor excitatory interneurons (INs) and motoneurons (MNs), supraspinal and spinal circuits that coordinate escape maneuvers, and developmental changes in overall circuit composition. We also discuss roles for neuromodulators and sensory inputs in modifying the relative strengths of constituent circuit components to provide flexibility in zebrafish behavior, allowing the animal to accommodate changes in the environment. We aim to provide a coherent framework for understanding the circuitry in the brain and spinal cord of zebrafish that allows the animal to flexibly transition between different speeds, and modes, of locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva M Berg
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Irene Pallucchi
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Laurence D Picton
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm, Sweden
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9
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Pérez-Schuster V, Kulkarni A, Nouvian M, Romano SA, Lygdas K, Jouary A, Dipoppa M, Pietri T, Haudrechy M, Candat V, Boulanger-Weill J, Hakim V, Sumbre G. Sustained Rhythmic Brain Activity Underlies Visual Motion Perception in Zebrafish. Cell Rep 2017; 17:1098-1112. [PMID: 27760314 PMCID: PMC5081404 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.09.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2016] [Revised: 08/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Following moving visual stimuli (conditioning stimuli, CS), many organisms perceive, in the absence of physical stimuli, illusory motion in the opposite direction. This phenomenon is known as the motion aftereffect (MAE). Here, we use MAE as a tool to study the neuronal basis of visual motion perception in zebrafish larvae. Using zebrafish eye movements as an indicator of visual motion perception, we find that larvae perceive MAE. Blocking eye movements using optogenetics during CS presentation did not affect MAE, but tectal ablation significantly weakened it. Using two-photon calcium imaging of behaving GCaMP3 larvae, we find post-stimulation sustained rhythmic activity among direction-selective tectal neurons associated with the perception of MAE. In addition, tectal neurons tuned to the CS direction habituated, but neurons in the retina did not. Finally, a model based on competition between direction-selective neurons reproduced MAE, suggesting a neuronal circuit capable of generating perception of visual motion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Pérez-Schuster
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, CNRS, Inserm, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS, IBENS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Anirudh Kulkarni
- Laboratoire de Physique Statistique, Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Morgane Nouvian
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, CNRS, Inserm, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS, IBENS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sebastián A Romano
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, CNRS, Inserm, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS, IBENS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Konstantinos Lygdas
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, CNRS, Inserm, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS, IBENS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Adrien Jouary
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, CNRS, Inserm, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS, IBENS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Mario Dipoppa
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, CNRS, Inserm, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS, IBENS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Thomas Pietri
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, CNRS, Inserm, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS, IBENS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Mathieu Haudrechy
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, CNRS, Inserm, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS, IBENS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Virginie Candat
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, CNRS, Inserm, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS, IBENS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Jonathan Boulanger-Weill
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, CNRS, Inserm, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS, IBENS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Vincent Hakim
- Laboratoire de Physique Statistique, Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Germán Sumbre
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, CNRS, Inserm, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS, IBENS, 75005 Paris, France.
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Three-dimensional computer graphic animations for studying social approach behaviour in medaka fish: Effects of systematic manipulation of morphological and motion cues. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0175059. [PMID: 28399163 PMCID: PMC5388324 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
We studied social approach behaviour in medaka fish using three-dimensional computer graphic (3DCG) animations based on the morphological features and motion characteristics obtained from real fish. This is the first study which used 3DCG animations and examined the relative effects of morphological and motion cues on social approach behaviour in medaka. Various visual stimuli, e.g., lack of motion, lack of colour, alternation in shape, lack of locomotion, lack of body motion, and normal virtual fish in which all four features (colour, shape, locomotion, and body motion) were reconstructed, were created and presented to fish using a computer display. Medaka fish presented with normal virtual fish spent a long time in proximity to the display, whereas time spent near the display was decreased in other groups when compared with normal virtual medaka group. The results suggested that the naturalness of visual cues contributes to the induction of social approach behaviour. Differential effects between body motion and locomotion were also detected. 3DCG animations can be a useful tool to study the mechanisms of visual processing and social behaviour in medaka.
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12
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Thompson AW, Vanwalleghem GC, Heap LA, Scott EK. Functional Profiles of Visual-, Auditory-, and Water Flow-Responsive Neurons in the Zebrafish Tectum. Curr Biol 2016; 26:743-54. [PMID: 26923787 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.01.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2015] [Revised: 12/16/2015] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The tectum has long been known as a hub of visual processing, and recent studies have elucidated many of the circuit-level mechanisms by which tectal neurons filter visual information. Here, we use population-scale imaging of tectal neurons expressing a genetically encoded calcium indicator to characterize tectal responses to non-visual stimuli in zebrafish. We identify ensembles of neurons responsive to stimuli for each of three sensory modalities: vision, audition, and water flow sensation. These ensembles display consistently represented response profiles to our stimuli, and each has a preferred stimulus and salient feature to which it is most responsive. Each sensory modality drives a unique spatial profile of activity in the tectal neuropil, suggesting that the neuropil's laminar structure functionally subserves multiple modalities. The positions of the responsive neurons in the periventricular layer are also distinct across modalities, and very few neurons are responsive to multiple modalities. The cells contributing to each ensemble are highly variable from trial to trial, but ensembles contain "cores" of reliably responsive cells, suggesting a mechanism whereby they could maintain consistency in reporting salient stimulus features while retaining flexibility to report on similar stimuli. Finally, we find that co-presentation of auditory or water flow stimuli suppress visual responses in the tectum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew W Thompson
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Gilles C Vanwalleghem
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Lucy A Heap
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Ethan K Scott
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; The Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
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13
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Dhande OS, Stafford BK, Lim JHA, Huberman AD. Contributions of Retinal Ganglion Cells to Subcortical Visual Processing and Behaviors. Annu Rev Vis Sci 2015; 1:291-328. [PMID: 28532372 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-vision-082114-035502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Every aspect of visual perception and behavior is built from the neural activity of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), the output neurons of the eye. Here, we review progress toward understanding the many types of RGCs that communicate visual signals to the brain, along with the subcortical brain regions that use those signals to build and respond to representations of the outside world. We emphasize recent progress in the use of mouse genetics, viral circuit tracing, and behavioral psychophysics to define and map the various RGCs and their associated networks. We also address questions about the homology of RGC types in mice and other species including nonhuman primates and humans. Finally, we propose a framework for understanding RGC typology and for highlighting the relationship between RGC type-specific circuitry and the processing stations in the brain that support and give rise to the perception of sight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Onkar S Dhande
- Neurosciences Department, Neurobiology Section in the Division of Biological Sciences, and Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093; ,
| | - Benjamin K Stafford
- Neurosciences Department, Neurobiology Section in the Division of Biological Sciences, and Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093; ,
| | - Jung-Hwan A Lim
- Neurosciences Department, Neurobiology Section in the Division of Biological Sciences, and Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093; ,
| | - Andrew D Huberman
- Neurosciences Department, Neurobiology Section in the Division of Biological Sciences, and Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093; ,
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14
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Romano SA, Pietri T, Pérez-Schuster V, Jouary A, Haudrechy M, Sumbre G. Spontaneous neuronal network dynamics reveal circuit's functional adaptations for behavior. Neuron 2015; 85:1070-85. [PMID: 25704948 PMCID: PMC4353685 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2015.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2014] [Revised: 12/19/2014] [Accepted: 01/22/2015] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Spontaneous neuronal activity is spatiotemporally structured, influencing brain computations. Nevertheless, the neuronal interactions underlying these spontaneous activity patterns, and their biological relevance, remain elusive. Here, we addressed these questions using two-photon calcium imaging of intact zebrafish larvae to monitor the neuron-to-neuron spontaneous activity fine structure in the tectum, a region involved in visual spatial detection. Spontaneous activity was organized in topographically compact assemblies, grouping functionally similar neurons rather than merely neighboring ones, reflecting the tectal retinotopic map despite being independent of retinal drive. Assemblies represent all-or-none-like sub-networks shaped by competitive dynamics, mechanisms advantageous for visual detection in noisy natural environments. Notably, assemblies were tuned to the same angular sizes and spatial positions as prey-detection performance in behavioral assays, and their spontaneous activation predicted directional tail movements. Therefore, structured spontaneous activity represents "preferred" network states, tuned to behaviorally relevant features, emerging from the circuit's intrinsic non-linear dynamics, adapted for its functional role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián A Romano
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS IBENS, 75005 Paris, France; INSERM, U1024, 75005 Paris, France; CNRS, UMR 8197, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Thomas Pietri
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS IBENS, 75005 Paris, France; INSERM, U1024, 75005 Paris, France; CNRS, UMR 8197, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Verónica Pérez-Schuster
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS IBENS, 75005 Paris, France; INSERM, U1024, 75005 Paris, France; CNRS, UMR 8197, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Adrien Jouary
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS IBENS, 75005 Paris, France; INSERM, U1024, 75005 Paris, France; CNRS, UMR 8197, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Mathieu Haudrechy
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS IBENS, 75005 Paris, France; INSERM, U1024, 75005 Paris, France; CNRS, UMR 8197, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Germán Sumbre
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS IBENS, 75005 Paris, France; INSERM, U1024, 75005 Paris, France; CNRS, UMR 8197, 75005 Paris, France.
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Baier H. Synaptic laminae in the visual system: molecular mechanisms forming layers of perception. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 2013; 29:385-416. [PMID: 24099086 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-101011-155748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Synaptic connections between neurons form the basis for perception and behavior. Synapses are often clustered in space, forming stereotyped layers. In the retina and optic tectum, multiple such synaptic laminae are stacked on top of each other, giving rise to stratified neuropil regions in which each layer combines synapses responsive to a particular sensory feature. Recently, several cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie the development of multilaminar arrays of synapses have been discovered. These mechanisms include neurite guidance and cell-cell recognition. Molecules of the Slit, Semaphorin, Netrin, and Hedgehog families, binding to their matching receptors, bring axons and dendrites into spatial register. These guidance cues may diffuse over short distances or bind to sheets of extracellular matrix, thus conditioning the local extracellular milieu, or are presented on the surface of cells bordering the future neuropil. In addition, mutual recognition of axons and dendrites through adhesion molecules with immunoglobulin domains ensures cell type-specific connections within a given layer. Thus, an elaborate genetic program assembles the parallel processing channels that underlie visual perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herwig Baier
- Genes - Circuits - Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, 82152 Martinsried near Munich, Germany;
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