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Zhang Y, Wang J, Pang R, Zhang Y, Deng Q, Liu X, Zhou Y. A method for studying escape behavior to terrestrial threats in rodents. J Neurosci Methods 2024; 405:110099. [PMID: 38417713 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2024.110099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Escape is one of the most essential behaviors for an animal's survival because it could be a matter of life and death. Much of our current understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying escape is derived from the looming paradigm, which mimics a diving aerial predator. Yet, the idea of the looming paradigm does not account for all types of threats like lions hunting antelopes or cats stalking mice. Escape responses to such terrestrial threats may require different strategies and neural mechanisms. NEW METHODS Here, we developed a real-time interactive platform to study escape behavior to terrestrial threats in mice. A closed-loop controlled robot was magnetically pulled to mimic a terrestrial threat that chases a mouse. By using strong magnets and high-precision servo motors, the robot is capable of moving precisely with a high spatial-temporal resolution. Different algorithms can be used to achieve single approach or persistent approach. RESULTS Animal experiments showed that mice exhibited consistent escape behavior when exposed to an approaching robotic predator. When presented with a persistently approaching predator, the mice were able to rapidly adapt their behavior, as evidenced by a decrease in startle responses and changes in movement patterns. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS In comparison to existing methods for studying escape behavior, such as the looming paradigm, this approach is more suitable for investigating animal behavior in response to sustained threats. CONCLUSION In conclusion, we have developed a flexible platform to study escape behavior to terrestrial threats in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueting Zhang
- Advanced Institute for Brain and Intelligence, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Jincheng Wang
- Advanced Institute for Brain and Intelligence, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Ruiqi Pang
- Advanced Institute for Brain and Intelligence, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Yanjie Zhang
- Department of Military Common and Force Management, Guard Training Base, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China; Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Qiyue Deng
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
| | - Xue Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
| | - Yi Zhou
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
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2
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Borucki DM, Rohrer B, Tomlinson S. Complement propagates visual system pathology following traumatic brain injury. J Neuroinflammation 2024; 21:98. [PMID: 38632569 PMCID: PMC11022420 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-024-03098-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with the development of visual system disorders. Visual deficits can present with delay and worsen over time, and may be associated with an ongoing neuroinflammatory response that is known to occur after TBI. Complement system activation is strongly associated with the neuroinflammatory response after TBI, but whether it contributes to vision loss after TBI is unexplored. METHODS Acute and chronic neuroinflammatory changes within the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) and retina were investigated subsequent to a moderate to severe murine unilateral controlled cortical impact. Neuroinflammatory and histopathological outcomes were interpreted in the context of behavioral and visual function data. To investigate the role of complement, cohorts were treated after TBI with the complement inhibitor, CR2-Crry. RESULTS At 3 days after TBI, complement component C3 was deposited on retinogeniculate synapses in the dLGN both ipsilateral and contralateral to the lesion, which was reduced in CR2-Crry treated animals. This was associated with microglia morphological changes in both the ipsilateral and contralateral dLGN, with a less ramified phenotype in vehicle compared to CR2-Crry treated animals. Microglia in vehicle treated animals also had a greater internalized VGlut2 + synaptic volume after TBI compared to CR2-Crry treated animals. Microglia morphological changes seen acutely persisted for at least 49 days after injury. Complement inhibition also reduced microglial synaptic internalization in the contralateral dLGN and increased the association between VGLUT2 and PSD95 puncta, indicating preservation of intact synapses. Unexpectedly, there were no changes in the thickness of the inner retina, retinal nerve fiber layer or retinal ganglion layer. Neuropathological changes in the dLGN were accompanied by reduced visual acuity at subacute and chronic time points after TBI, with improvement seen in CR2-Crry treated animals. CONCLUSION TBI induces complement activation within the dLGN and promotes microglial activation and synaptic internalization. Complement inhibition after TBI in a clinically relevant paradigm reduces complement activation, maintains a more surveillance-like microglia phenotype, and preserves synaptic density within the dLGN. Together, the data indicate that complement plays a key role in the development of visual deficits after TBI via complement-dependent microglial phagocytosis of synapses within the dLGN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davis M Borucki
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Baerbel Rohrer
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
- Ralph Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC, USA.
| | - Stephen Tomlinson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
- Ralph Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC, USA.
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Brown TC, Crouse EC, Attaway CA, Oakes DK, Minton SW, Borghuis BG, McGee AW. Microglia are dispensable for experience-dependent refinement of visual circuitry. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.17.562708. [PMID: 37905138 PMCID: PMC10614920 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.17.562708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Microglia are proposed to be critical for the refinement of developing neural circuitry. However, evidence identifying specific roles for microglia has been limited and often indirect. Here we examined whether microglia are required for the experience-dependent refinement of visual circuitry and visual function during development. We ablated microglia by administering the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) inhibitor PLX5622, and then examined the consequences for retinal function, receptive field tuning of neurons in primary visual cortex (V1), visual acuity, and experience-dependent plasticity in visual circuitry. Eradicating microglia by treating mice with PLX5622 beginning at postnatal day (P) 14 did not alter visual response properties of retinal ganglion cells examined three or more weeks later. Mice treated with PLX5622 from P14 lacked more than 95% of microglia in V1 by P18, prior to the opening of the critical period. Despite the absence of microglia, the receptive field tuning properties of neurons in V1 were normal at P32. Similarly, eradicating microglia did not affect the maturation of visual acuity. Mice treated with PLX5622 displayed typical ocular dominance plasticity in response to brief monocular deprivation. Thus, none of these principal measurements of visual circuit development and function detectibly differed in the absence of microglia. We conclude that microglia are dispensable for experience-dependent refinement of visual circuitry. These findings challenge the proposed critical role of microglia in refining neural circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas C. Brown
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, School of Medicine; University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202
| | - Emily C. Crouse
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, School of Medicine; University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202
| | - Cecilia A. Attaway
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, School of Medicine; University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202
| | - Dana K. Oakes
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, School of Medicine; University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202
| | - Sarah W. Minton
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, School of Medicine; University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202
| | - Bart G. Borghuis
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, School of Medicine; University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202
| | - Aaron W. McGee
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, School of Medicine; University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202
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Xin W, Kaneko M, Roth RH, Zhang A, Nocera S, Ding JB, Stryker MP, Chan JR. Adolescent oligodendrogenesis and myelination restrict experience-dependent neuronal plasticity in adult visual cortex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.29.560231. [PMID: 37808666 PMCID: PMC10557765 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.29.560231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Developmental myelination is a protracted process in the mammalian brain. One theory for why oligodendrocytes mature so slowly posits that myelination may stabilize neuronal circuits and temper neuronal plasticity as animals age. We tested this hypothesis in the visual cortex, which has a well-defined critical period for experience-dependent neuronal plasticity. OBJECTIVES/METHODS To prevent myelin progression, we conditionally deleted Myrf, a transcription factor necessary for oligodendrocyte maturation, from oligodendrocyte precursor cells (Myrf cKO) in adolescent mice. To induce experience-dependent plasticity, adult control and Myrf cKO mice were monocularly deprived by eyelid suture. Functional and structural neuronal plasticity in the visual cortex were assessed in vivo by intrinsic signal optical imaging and longitudinal two photon imaging of dendritic spines, respectively. RESULTS During adolescence, visual experience modulated the rate of oligodendrocyte maturation in visual cortex. Myrf deletion from oligodendrocyte precursors during adolescence led to inhibition of oligodendrocyte maturation and myelination that persisted into adulthood. Following monocular deprivation, visual cortex activity in response to visual stimulation of the deprived eye remained stable in adult control mice, as expected for post-critical period animals. By contrast, visual cortex responses to the deprived eye decreased significantly following monocular deprivation in adult Myrf cKO mice, reminiscent of the plasticity observed in adolescent mice. Furthermore, visual cortex neurons in adult Myrf cKO mice had fewer dendritic spines and a higher level of spine turnover. Finally, monocular deprivation induced spatially coordinated spine size decreases in adult Myrf cKO, but not control, mice. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate a critical role for oligodendrocytes in shaping the maturation and stabilization of cortical circuits and support the concept of myelin acting as a brake on neuronal plasticity during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy Xin
- Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco
| | - Megumi Kaneko
- Department of Physiology, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco
| | - Richard H Roth
- Departments of Neurosurgery and Neurology and Neurological Science, Stanford University
| | - Albert Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco
| | - Sonia Nocera
- Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco
| | - Jun B Ding
- Departments of Neurosurgery and Neurology and Neurological Science, Stanford University
| | - Michael P Stryker
- Department of Physiology, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco
| | - Jonah R Chan
- Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco
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5
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Fu J, Tanabe S, Cang J. Widespread and Multifaceted Binocular Integration in the Mouse Primary Visual Cortex. J Neurosci 2023; 43:6495-6507. [PMID: 37604691 PMCID: PMC10513071 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0925-23.2023] [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: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The brain combines two-dimensional images received from the two eyes to form a percept of three-dimensional surroundings. This process of binocular integration in the primary visual cortex (V1) serves as a useful model for studying how neural circuits generate emergent properties from multiple input signals. Here, we perform a thorough characterization of binocular integration using electrophysiological recordings in the V1 of awake adult male and female mice by systematically varying the orientation and phase disparity of monocular and binocular stimuli. We reveal widespread binocular integration in mouse V1 and demonstrate that the three commonly studied binocular properties-ocular dominance, interocular matching, and disparity selectivity-are independent of each other. For individual neurons, the responses to monocular stimulation can predict the average amplitude of binocular response but not its selectivity. Finally, the extensive and independent binocular integration of monocular inputs is seen across cortical layers in both regular-spiking and fast-spiking neurons, regardless of stimulus design. Our data indicate that the current model of simple feedforward convergence is inadequate to account for binocular integration in mouse V1, thus suggesting an indispensable role played by intracortical circuits in binocular computation.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Binocular integration is an important step of visual processing that takes place in the visual cortex. Studying the process by which V1 neurons become selective for certain binocular disparities is informative about how neural circuits integrate multiple information streams at a more general level. Here, we systematically characterize binocular integration in mice. Our data demonstrate more widespread and complex binocular integration in mouse V1 than previously reported. Binocular responses cannot be explained by a simple convergence of monocular responses, contrary to the prevailing model of binocular integration. These findings thus indicate that intracortical circuits must be involved in the exquisite computation of binocular disparity, which would endow brain circuits with the plasticity needed for binocular development and processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieming Fu
- Neuroscience Graduate Program
- Department of Biology
| | - Seiji Tanabe
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904
| | - Jianhua Cang
- Department of Biology
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904
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Carvalho J, Fernandes FF, Shemesh N. Extensive topographic remapping and functional sharpening in the adult rat visual pathway upon first visual experience. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002229. [PMID: 37590177 PMCID: PMC10434970 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the dynamics of stability/plasticity balances during adulthood is pivotal for learning, disease, and recovery from injury. However, the brain-wide topography of sensory remapping remains unknown. Here, using a first-of-its-kind setup for delivering patterned visual stimuli in a rodent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, coupled with biologically inspired computational models, we noninvasively mapped brain-wide properties-receptive fields (RFs) and spatial frequency (SF) tuning curves-that were insofar only available from invasive electrophysiology or optical imaging. We then tracked the RF dynamics in the chronic visual deprivation model (VDM) of plasticity and found that light exposure progressively promoted a large-scale topographic remapping in adult rats. Upon light exposure, the initially unspecialized visual pathway progressively evidenced sharpened RFs (smaller and more spatially selective) and enhanced SF tuning curves. Our findings reveal that visual experience following VDM reshapes both structure and function of the visual system and shifts the stability/plasticity balance in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Carvalho
- Laboratory of Preclinical MRI, Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Francisca F. Fernandes
- Laboratory of Preclinical MRI, Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Noam Shemesh
- Laboratory of Preclinical MRI, Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
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7
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Latina V, De Introna M, Caligiuri C, Loviglio A, Florio R, La Regina F, Pignataro A, Ammassari-Teule M, Calissano P, Amadoro G. Immunotherapy with Cleavage-Specific 12A12mAb Reduces the Tau Cleavage in Visual Cortex and Improves Visuo-Spatial Recognition Memory in Tg2576 AD Mouse Model. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15020509. [PMID: 36839831 PMCID: PMC9965010 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15020509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau-targeted immunotherapy is a promising approach for treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Beyond cognitive decline, AD features visual deficits consistent with the manifestation of Amyloid β-protein (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) in the eyes and higher visual centers, both in animal models and affected subjects. We reported that 12A12-a monoclonal cleavage-specific antibody (mAb) which in vivo neutralizes the neurotoxic, N-terminal 20-22 kDa tau fragment(s)-significantly reduces the retinal accumulation in Tg(HuAPP695Swe)2576 mice of both tau and APP/Aβ pathologies correlated with local inflammation and synaptic deterioration. Here, we report the occurrence of N-terminal tau cleavage in the primary visual cortex (V1 area) and the beneficial effect of 12A12mAb treatment on phenotype-associated visuo-spatial deficits in this AD animal model. We found out that non-invasive administration of 12 A12mAb markedly reduced the pathological accumulation of both truncated tau and Aβ in the V1 area, correlated to significant improvement in visual recognition memory performance along with local increase in two direct readouts of cortical synaptic plasticity, including the dendritic spine density and the expression level of activity-regulated cytoskeleton protein Arc/Arg3.1. Translation of these findings to clinical therapeutic interventions could offer an innovative tau-directed opportunity to delay or halt the visual impairments occurring during AD progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Latina
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Margherita De Introna
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), National Research Council (CNR), Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation (FSL), Centro di Ricerca Europeo sul Cervello (CERC), Via Fosso del Fiorano 64-65, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Caligiuri
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation (FSL), Centro di Ricerca Europeo sul Cervello (CERC), Via Fosso del Fiorano 64-65, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessia Loviglio
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Rita Florio
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Federico La Regina
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Annabella Pignataro
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), National Research Council (CNR), Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation (FSL), Centro di Ricerca Europeo sul Cervello (CERC), Via Fosso del Fiorano 64-65, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Martine Ammassari-Teule
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation (FSL), Centro di Ricerca Europeo sul Cervello (CERC), Via Fosso del Fiorano 64-65, 00143 Rome, Italy
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), Via Ercole Ramarini 32, 00015 Rome, Italy
| | - Pietro Calissano
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Amadoro
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), National Research Council (CNR), Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-06-49255252
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Haploinsufficiency of Shank3 increases the orientation selectivity of V1 neurons. Sci Rep 2022; 12:22230. [PMID: 36564435 PMCID: PMC9789112 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26402-9] [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: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder whose hallmarks are social deficits, language impairment, repetitive behaviors, and sensory alterations. It has been reported that patients with ASD show differential activity in cortical regions, for instance, increased neuronal activity in visual processing brain areas and atypical visual perception compared with healthy subjects. The causes of these alterations remain unclear, although many studies demonstrate that ASD has a strong genetic correlation. An example is Phelan-McDermid syndrome, caused by a deletion of the Shank3 gene in one allele of chromosome 22. However, the neuronal consequences relating to the haploinsufficiency of Shank3 in the brain remain unknown. Given that sensory abnormalities are often present along with the core symptoms of ASD, our goal was to study the tuning properties of the primary visual cortex to orientation and direction in awake, head-fixed Shank3+/- mice. We recorded neural activity in vivo in response to visual gratings in the primary visual cortex from a mouse model of ASD (Shank3+/- mice) using the genetically encoded calcium indicator GCaMP6f, imaged with a two-photon microscope through a cranial window. We found that Shank3+/- mice showed a higher proportion of neurons responsive to drifting gratings stimuli than wild-type mice. Shank3+/- mice also show increased responses to some specific stimuli. Furthermore, analyzing the distributions of neurons for the tuning width, we found that Shank3+/- mice have narrower tuning widths, which was corroborated by analyzing the orientation selectivity. Regarding this, Shank3+/- mice have a higher proportion of selective neurons, specifically neurons showing increased selectivity to orientation but not direction. Thus, the haploinsufficiency of Shank3 modified the neuronal response of the primary visual cortex.
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Song X, Su X, Chen X, Xu M, Ming D. In Vivo Transcranial Acoustoelectric Brain Imaging of Different Steady-State Visual Stimulation Paradigms. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 2022; 30:2233-2241. [PMID: 35930511 DOI: 10.1109/tnsre.2022.3196828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Based on the acoustoelectric (AE) effect, transcranial acoustoelectric brain imaging (tABI) is of potential for brain functional imaging with high temporal and spatial resolution. With nonlinear and non-steady-state, brain electrical signal is microvolt level which makes the development of tABI more difficult. This study demonstrates for the first time in vivo tABI of different steady-state visual stimulation paradigms. METHOD To obtain different brain activation maps, we designed three steady-state visual stimulation paradigms, including binocular, left eye and right eye stimulations. Then, tABI was implemented with one fixed recording electrode. And, based on decoded signal power spectrum (tABI-power) and correlation coefficient between steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) and decoded signal (tABI-cc) respectively, two imaging methods were investigated. To quantitatively evaluate tABI spatial resolution performance, ECoG was implemented at the same time. Finally, we explored the performance of tABI transient imaging. RESULTS Decoded AE signal of activation region is consistent with SSVEP in both time and frequency domains, while that of the nonactivated region is noise. Besides, with transcranial measurement, tABI has a millimeter-level spatial resolution (< 3mm). Meanwhile, it can achieve millisecond-level (125ms) transient brain activity imaging. CONCLUSION Experiment results validate tABI can realize brain functional imaging under complex paradigms and is expected to develop into a brain functional imaging method with high spatiotemporal resolution.
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Tehovnik EJ, Froudarakis E, Scala F, Smirnakis SM, Patel SS, Tolias AS. Visuomotor control in mice and primates. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 130:185-200. [PMID: 34416241 PMCID: PMC10508359 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.08.009] [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] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
We conduct a comparative evaluation of the visual systems from the retina to the muscles of the mouse and the macaque monkey noting the differences and similarities between these two species. The topics covered include (1) visual-field overlap, (2) visual spatial resolution, (3) V1 cortical point-image [i.e., V1 tissue dedicated to analyzing a unit receptive field], (4) object versus motion encoding, (5) oculomotor range, (6) eye, head, and body movement coordination, and (7) neocortical and cerebellar function. We also discuss blindsight in rodents and primates which provides insights on how the neocortex mediates conscious vision in these species. This review is timely because the field of visuomotor neurophysiology is expanding beyond the macaque monkey to include the mouse; there is therefore a need for a comparative analysis between these two species on how the brain generates visuomotor responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- E J Tehovnik
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Center for Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - E Froudarakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | - F Scala
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Center for Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - S M Smirnakis
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Jamaica Plain Veterans Administration Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - S S Patel
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Center for Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - A S Tolias
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Center for Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
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11
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Tan L, Tring E, Ringach DL, Zipursky SL, Trachtenberg JT. Vision Changes the Cellular Composition of Binocular Circuitry during the Critical Period. Neuron 2020; 108:735-747.e6. [PMID: 33091339 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
High acuity stereopsis emerges during an early postnatal critical period when binocular neurons in the primary visual cortex sharpen their receptive field tuning properties. We find that this sharpening is achieved by dismantling the binocular circuit present at critical period onset and building it anew. Longitudinal imaging of receptive field tuning (e.g., orientation selectivity) of thousands of neurons reveals that most binocular neurons present in layer 2/3 at critical period onset are poorly tuned and are rendered monocular. In parallel, new binocular neurons are established by conversion of well-tuned monocular neurons as they gain matched input from the other eye. These improvements in binocular tuning in layer 2/3 are not inherited from layer 4 but are driven by the experience-dependent sharpening of ipsilateral eye responses. Thus, vision builds a new and more sharply tuned binocular circuit in layer 2/3 by cellular exchange and not by refining the original circuit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liming Tan
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute
| | - Elaine Tring
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Dario L Ringach
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - S Lawrence Zipursky
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute
| | - Joshua T Trachtenberg
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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12
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Disparity Sensitivity and Binocular Integration in Mouse Visual Cortex Areas. J Neurosci 2020; 40:8883-8899. [PMID: 33051348 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1060-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Binocular disparity, the difference between the two eyes' images, is a powerful cue to generate the 3D depth percept known as stereopsis. In primates, binocular disparity is processed in multiple areas of the visual cortex, with distinct contributions of higher areas to specific aspects of depth perception. Mice, too, can perceive stereoscopic depth, and neurons in primary visual cortex (V1) and higher-order, lateromedial (LM) and rostrolateral (RL) areas were found to be sensitive to binocular disparity. A detailed characterization of disparity tuning across mouse visual areas is lacking, however, and acquiring such data might help clarifying the role of higher areas for disparity processing and establishing putative functional correspondences to primate areas. We used two-photon calcium imaging in female mice to characterize the disparity tuning properties of neurons in visual areas V1, LM, and RL in response to dichoptically presented binocular gratings, as well as random dot correlograms (RDC). In all three areas, many neurons were tuned to disparity, showing strong response facilitation or suppression at optimal or null disparity, respectively, even in neurons classified as monocular by conventional ocular dominance (OD) measurements. Neurons in higher areas exhibited broader and more asymmetric disparity tuning curves compared with V1, as observed in primate visual cortex. Finally, we probed neurons' sensitivity to true stereo correspondence by comparing responses to correlated RDC (cRDC) and anticorrelated RDC (aRDC). Area LM, akin to primate ventral visual stream areas, showed higher selectivity for correlated stimuli and reduced anticorrelated responses, indicating higher-level disparity processing in LM compared with V1 and RL.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT A major cue for inferring 3D depth is disparity between the two eyes' images. Investigating how binocular disparity is processed in the mouse visual system will not only help delineating the role of mouse higher areas for visual processing, but also shed light on how the mammalian brain computes stereopsis. We found that binocular integration is a prominent feature of mouse visual cortex, as many neurons are selectively and strongly modulated by binocular disparity. Comparison of responses to correlated and anticorrelated random dot correlograms (RDC) revealed that lateromedial area (LM) is more selective to correlated stimuli, while less sensitive to anticorrelated stimuli compared with primary visual cortex (V1) and rostrolateral area (RL), suggesting higher-level disparity processing in LM, resembling primate ventral visual stream areas.
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13
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Frantz MG, Crouse EC, Sokhadze G, Ikrar T, Stephany CÉ, Nguyen C, Xu X, McGee AW. Layer 4 Gates Plasticity in Visual Cortex Independent of a Canonical Microcircuit. Curr Biol 2020; 30:2962-2973.e5. [PMID: 32589913 PMCID: PMC7919382 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.05.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Disrupting binocular vision during a developmental critical period can yield enduring changes to ocular dominance (OD) in primary visual cortex (V1). Here we investigated how this experience-dependent plasticity is coordinated within the laminar circuitry of V1 by deleting separately in each cortical layer (L) a gene required to close the critical period, nogo-66 receptor (ngr1). Deleting ngr1 in excitatory neurons in L4, but not in L2/3, L5, or L6, prevented closure of the critical period, and adult mice remained sensitive to brief monocular deprivation. Intracortical disinhibition, but not thalamocortical disinhibition, accompanied this OD plasticity. Both juvenile wild-type mice and adult mice lacking ngr1 in L4 displayed OD plasticity that advanced more rapidly L4 than L2/3 or L5. Interestingly, blocking OD plasticity in L2/3 with the drug AM-251 did not impair OD plasticity in L5. We propose that L4 restricts disinhibition and gates OD plasticity independent of a canonical cortical microcircuit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Frantz
- Developmental Neuroscience Program, Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
| | - Emily C Crouse
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Guela Sokhadze
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Taruna Ikrar
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Céleste-Élise Stephany
- Developmental Neuroscience Program, Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
| | - Collins Nguyen
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Xiangmin Xu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
| | - Aaron W McGee
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA; Developmental Neuroscience Program, Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA.
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14
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Vaucher E, Laliberté G, Higgins MC, Maheux M, Jolicoeur P, Chamoun M. Cholinergic potentiation of visual perception and vision restoration in rodents and humans. Restor Neurol Neurosci 2020; 37:553-569. [PMID: 31839615 DOI: 10.3233/rnn-190947] [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] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cholinergic system is a potent neuromodulator system that plays a critical role in cortical plasticity, attention, and learning. Recently, it was found that boosting this system during perceptual learning robustly enhances sensory perception in rodents. In particular, pairing cholinergic activation with visual stimulation increases neuronal responses, cue detection ability, and long-term facilitation in the primary visual cortex. The mechanisms of cholinergic enhancement are closely linked to attentional processes, long-term potentiation, and modulation of the excitatory/inhibitory balance. Some studies currently examine this effect in humans. OBJECTIVE The present article reviews the research from our laboratory, examining whether potentiating the central cholinergic system could help visual perception and restoration. METHODS Electrophysiological or pharmacological enhancement of the cholinergic system are administered during a visual training. Electrophysiological responses and perceptual learning performance are investigated before and after the training in rats and humans. This approach's ability to restore visual capacities following a visual deficit induced by a partial optic nerve crush is also investigated in rats. RESULTS The coupling of visual training to cholinergic stimulation improved visual discrimination and visual acuity in rats, and improved residual vision after a deficit. These changes were due to muscarinic and nicotinic transmissions and were associated with a functional improvement of evoked potentials. In humans, potentiation of cholinergic transmission with 5 mg of donepezil showed improved learning and ocular dominance plasticity, although this treatment was ineffective in augmenting the perceptual threshold and electroencephalography. CONCLUSIONS Potential therapeutic outcomes ought to facilitate vision restoration using commercially available cholinergic agents combined with visual stimulation in order to prevent irreversible vision loss in patients. This approach has the potential to help a large population of visually impaired individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvire Vaucher
- Laboratoire de Neurobiologie de la Cognition Visuelle, École d'optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Centre de recherche en neuropsychologie et cognition (CERNEC), Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Guillaume Laliberté
- Laboratoire de Neurobiologie de la Cognition Visuelle, École d'optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Marie-Charlotte Higgins
- Laboratoire de Neurobiologie de la Cognition Visuelle, École d'optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Manon Maheux
- Centre de recherche en neuropsychologie et cognition (CERNEC), Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Pierre Jolicoeur
- Centre de recherche en neuropsychologie et cognition (CERNEC), Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Mira Chamoun
- Laboratoire de Neurobiologie de la Cognition Visuelle, École d'optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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15
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Kirkels LAMH, Zhang W, Duijnhouwer J, van Wezel RJA. Opto-locomotor reflexes of mice to reverse-phi stimuli. J Vis 2020; 20:7. [PMID: 32097483 PMCID: PMC7343431 DOI: 10.1167/jov.20.2.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In a reverse-phi stimulus, the contrast luminance of moving dots is reversed each displacement step. Under those conditions, the direction of the moving dots is perceived in the direction opposite of the displacement direction of the dots. In this study, we investigate if mice respond oppositely to phi and reverse-phi stimuli. Mice ran head-fixed on a Styrofoam ball floating on pressurized air at the center of a large dome. We projected random dot patterns that were displaced rightward or leftward, using either a phi or a reverse-phi stimulus. For phi stimuli, changes in direction caused the mice to reflexively compensate and adjust their running direction in the direction of the displaced pattern. We show that for reverse-phi stimuli mice compensate in the direction opposite to the displacement direction of the dots, in accordance with the perceived direction of displacement in humans for reverse-phi stimuli.
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16
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Zhang W, Rezvani Z, van Wezel RJA, Kirkels LAMH. Monocular and binocular opto-locomotor reflex biases for random dot motion in mice. J Vis 2020; 20:6. [PMID: 32097484 PMCID: PMC7343429 DOI: 10.1167/jov.20.2.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated the relationship between eyes receiving visual input of large field translating random dot motion and subsequent reflexive changes in running direction in mice. The animals were head-fixed running on a Styrofoam ball and the opto-locomotor reflex (OLR) was measured in response to 2 s of dots patterns moving horizontally to the left or right. We measured the OLR in conditions with both eyes open (binocular) and one eye closed (monocular). When we covered the right or left eye in the monocular condition, we found reflexive behavior to be delayed for a few hundred milliseconds to leftward or rightward motion, respectively. After this delay, the bias disappeared and reflexive behavior was similar to responses to motion under binocular conditions. These results might be explained by different contributions of subcortical and cortical visual motion processing pathways to the OLR. Furthermore, we found no evidence for nonlinear interactions between the two eyes, because the sum of the OLR of the two monocular conditions was equal in amplitude and temporal characteristics to the OLR under binocular conditions.
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17
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Mice Discriminate Stereoscopic Surfaces Without Fixating in Depth. J Neurosci 2019; 39:8024-8037. [PMID: 31462533 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0895-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Stereopsis is a ubiquitous feature of primate mammalian vision, but little is known about if and how rodents such as mice use stereoscopic vision. We used random dot stereograms to test for stereopsis in male and female mice, and they were able to discriminate near from far surfaces over a range of disparities, with diminishing performance for small and large binocular disparities. Based on two-photon measurements of disparity tuning, the range of disparities represented in the visual cortex aligns with the behavior and covers a broad range of disparities. When we examined their binocular eye movements, we found that, unlike primates, mice did not systematically vary relative eye positions or use vergence eye movements when presented with different disparities. Nonetheless, the representation of disparity tuning was wide enough to capture stereoscopic information over a range of potential vergence angles. Although mice share fundamental characteristics of stereoscopic vision with primates and carnivores, their lack of disparity-dependent vergence eye movements and wide neuronal representation suggests that they may use a distinct strategy for stereopsis.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Binocular vision allows us to derive depth information by comparing right and left eye information. We characterized binocular integration in mice because tools exist in these animals to dissect the underlying neural circuitry for binocular vision. Using random dot stereograms, we find that behavior and disparity tuning in the visual cortex share fundamental characteristics with primates, but we did not observe any evidence of disparity-dependent changes in vergence angle. We propose that mice use a distinct strategy of stereopsis compared with primates by using a broad range of disparities to encode depth over a large field of view and to compensate for nonstereoscopic changes in vergence angle that arise during natural behavior.
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18
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Molecular Fingerprinting of On-Off Direction-Selective Retinal Ganglion Cells Across Species and Relevance to Primate Visual Circuits. J Neurosci 2018; 39:78-95. [PMID: 30377226 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1784-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Revised: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to detect moving objects is an ethologically salient function. Direction-selective neurons have been identified in the retina, thalamus, and cortex of many species, but their homology has remained unclear. For instance, it is unknown whether direction-selective retinal ganglion cells (DSGCs) exist in primates and, if so, whether they are the equivalent to mouse and rabbit DSGCs. Here, we used a molecular/circuit approach in both sexes to address these issues. In mice, we identify the transcription factor Satb2 (special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2) as a selective marker for three RGC types: On-Off DSGCs encoding motion in either the anterior or posterior direction, a newly identified type of Off-DSGC, and an Off-sustained RGC type. In rabbits, we find that expression of Satb2 is conserved in On-Off DSGCs; however, it has evolved to include On-Off DSGCs encoding upward and downward motion in addition to anterior and posterior motion. Next, we show that macaque RGCs express Satb2 most likely in a single type. We used rabies virus-based circuit-mapping tools to reveal the identity of macaque Satb2-RGCs and discovered that their dendritic arbors are relatively large and monostratified. Together, these data indicate Satb2-expressing On-Off DSGCs are likely not present in the primate retina. Moreover, if DSGCs are present in the primate retina, it is unlikely that they express Satb2.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The ability to detect object motion is a fundamental feature of almost all visual systems. Here, we identify a novel marker for retinal ganglion cells encoding directional motion that is evolutionarily conserved in mice and rabbits, but not in primates. We show in macaque monkeys that retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) that express this marker comprise a single type and are morphologically distinct from mouse and rabbit direction-selective RGCs. Our findings indicate that On-Off direction-selective retinal neurons may have evolutionarily diverged in primates and more generally provide novel insight into the identity and organization of primate parallel visual pathways.
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19
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Rabesandratana O, Goureau O, Orieux G. Pluripotent Stem Cell-Based Approaches to Explore and Treat Optic Neuropathies. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:651. [PMID: 30294255 PMCID: PMC6158340 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Sight is a major sense for human and visual impairment profoundly affects quality of life, especially retinal degenerative diseases which are the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. As for other neurodegenerative disorders, almost all retinal dystrophies are characterized by the specific loss of one or two cell types, such as retinal ganglion cells, photoreceptor cells, or retinal pigmented epithelial cells. This feature is a critical point when dealing with cell replacement strategies considering that the preservation of other cell types and retinal circuitry is a prerequisite. Retinal ganglion cells are particularly vulnerable to degenerative process and glaucoma, the most common optic neuropathy, is a frequent retinal dystrophy. Cell replacement has been proposed as a potential approach to take on the challenge of visual restoration, but its application to optic neuropathies is particularly challenging. Many obstacles need to be overcome before any clinical application. Beyond their survival and differentiation, engrafted cells have to reconnect with both upstream synaptic retinal cell partners and specific targets in the brain. To date, reconnection of retinal ganglion cells with distal central targets appears unrealistic since central nervous system is refractory to regenerative processes. Significant progress on the understanding of molecular mechanisms that prevent central nervous system regeneration offer hope to overcome this obstacle in the future. At the same time, emergence of reprogramming of human somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells has facilitated both the generation of new source of cells with therapeutic potential and the development of innovative methods for the generation of transplantable cells. In this review, we discuss the feasibility of stem cell-based strategies applied to retinal ganglion cells and optic nerve impairment. We present the different strategies for the generation, characterization and the delivery of transplantable retinal ganglion cells derived from pluripotent stem cells. The relevance of pluripotent stem cell-derived retinal organoid and retinal ganglion cells for disease modeling or drug screening will be also introduced in the context of optic neuropathies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Olivier Goureau
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Gaël Orieux
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
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20
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Wacker D, Ludwig M. The role of vasopressin in olfactory and visual processing. Cell Tissue Res 2018; 375:201-215. [PMID: 29951699 PMCID: PMC6335376 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-018-2867-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Neural vasopressin is a potent modulator of behaviour in vertebrates. It acts at both sensory processing regions and within larger regulatory networks to mediate changes in social recognition, affiliation, aggression, communication and other social behaviours. There are multiple populations of vasopressin neurons within the brain, including groups in olfactory and visual processing regions. Some of these vasopressin neurons, such as those in the main and accessory olfactory bulbs, anterior olfactory nucleus, piriform cortex and retina, were recently identified using an enhanced green fluorescent protein-vasopressin (eGFP-VP) transgenic rat. Based on the interconnectivity of vasopressin-producing and sensitive brain areas and in consideration of autocrine, paracrine and neurohormone-like actions associated with somato-dendritic release, we discuss how these different neuronal populations may interact to impact behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Wacker
- School of STEM (Division of Biological Sciences), University of Washington Bothell, Bothell, WA, USA.
| | - Mike Ludwig
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Centre for Neuroendocrinology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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21
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Kirkels LAMH, Zhang W, Havenith MN, Tiesinga P, Glennon J, van Wezel RJA, Duijnhouwer J. The opto-locomotor reflex as a tool to measure sensitivity to moving random dot patterns in mice. Sci Rep 2018; 8:7710. [PMID: 29769564 PMCID: PMC5955912 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-25844-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
We designed a method to quantify mice visual function by measuring reflexive opto-locomotor responses. Mice were placed on a Styrofoam ball at the center of a large dome on the inside of which we projected moving random dot patterns. Because we fixed the heads of the mice in space and the ball was floating on pressurized air, locomotion of the mice was translated to rotation of the ball, which we registered. Sudden onsets of rightward or leftward moving patterns caused the mice to reflexively change their running direction. We quantified the opto-locomotor responses to different pattern speeds, luminance contrasts, and dot sizes. We show that the method is fast and reliable and the magnitude of the reflex is stable within sessions. We conclude that this opto-locomotor reflex method is suitable to quantify visual function in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- L A M H Kirkels
- Department of Biophysics, Donders Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - W Zhang
- Department of Biophysics, Donders Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - M N Havenith
- Department of Neuroinformatics, Donders Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute, RadboudUMC, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - P Tiesinga
- Department of Neuroinformatics, Donders Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - J Glennon
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute, RadboudUMC, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - R J A van Wezel
- Department of Biophysics, Donders Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Biomedical Signals and Systems, MIRA, Twente University, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - J Duijnhouwer
- Department of Biophysics, Donders Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, USA
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22
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Denman DJ, Luviano JA, Ollerenshaw DR, Cross S, Williams D, Buice MA, Olsen SR, Reid RC. Mouse color and wavelength-specific luminance contrast sensitivity are non-uniform across visual space. eLife 2018; 7:e31209. [PMID: 29319502 PMCID: PMC5762155 DOI: 10.7554/elife.31209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian visual behaviors, as well as responses in the neural systems underlying these behaviors, are driven by luminance and color contrast. With constantly improving tools for measuring activity in cell-type-specific populations in the mouse during visual behavior, it is important to define the extent of luminance and color information that is behaviorally accessible to the mouse. A non-uniform distribution of cone opsins in the mouse retina potentially complicates both luminance and color sensitivity; opposing gradients of short (UV-shifted) and middle (blue/green) cone opsins suggest that color discrimination and wavelength-specific luminance contrast sensitivity may differ with retinotopic location. Here we ask how well mice can discriminate color and wavelength-specific luminance changes across visuotopic space. We found that mice were able to discriminate color and were able to do so more broadly across visuotopic space than expected from the cone-opsin distribution. We also found wavelength-band-specific differences in luminance sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Sissy Cross
- Allen Institute for Brain ScienceSeattleUnited States
| | | | | | - Shawn R Olsen
- Allen Institute for Brain ScienceSeattleUnited States
| | - R Clay Reid
- Allen Institute for Brain ScienceSeattleUnited States
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23
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Aoki R, Tsubota T, Goya Y, Benucci A. An automated platform for high-throughput mouse behavior and physiology with voluntary head-fixation. Nat Commun 2017; 8:1196. [PMID: 29084948 PMCID: PMC5662625 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01371-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recording neural activity during animal behavior is a cornerstone of modern brain research. However, integration of cutting-edge technologies for neural circuit analysis with complex behavioral measurements poses a severe experimental bottleneck for researchers. Critical problems include a lack of standardization for psychometric and neurometric integration, and lack of tools that can generate large, sharable data sets for the research community in a time and cost effective way. Here, we introduce a novel mouse behavioral learning platform featuring voluntary head fixation and automated high-throughput data collection for integrating complex behavioral assays with virtually any physiological device. We provide experimental validation by demonstrating behavioral training of mice in visual discrimination and auditory detection tasks. To examine facile integration with physiology systems, we coupled the platform to a two-photon microscope for imaging of cortical networks at single-cell resolution. Our behavioral learning and recording platform is a prototype for the next generation of mouse cognitive studies. Transgenic approaches and improvements in functional imaging have necessitated an advance in the behavioral toolkit. Here the authors describe an automated high-throughput voluntary head fixation system for training mice on complex psychophysical decision tasks compatible with concurrent two-photon microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Aoki
- RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Tadashi Tsubota
- RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Yuki Goya
- RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Andrea Benucci
- RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan.
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24
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Broad KD, Hassell J, Fleiss B, Kawano G, Ezzati M, Rocha-Ferreira E, Hristova M, Bennett K, Fierens I, Burnett R, Chaban B, Alonso-Alconada D, Oliver-Taylor A, Tachsidis I, Rostami J, Gressens P, Sanders RD, Robertson NJ. Isoflurane Exposure Induces Cell Death, Microglial Activation and Modifies the Expression of Genes Supporting Neurodevelopment and Cognitive Function in the Male Newborn Piglet Brain. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0166784. [PMID: 27898690 PMCID: PMC5127656 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0166784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Accepted: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure of the brain to general anesthesia during early infancy may adversely affect its neural and cognitive development. The mechanisms mediating this are complex, incompletely understood and may be sexually dimorphic, but include developmentally inappropriate apoptosis, inflammation and a disruption to cognitively salient gene expression. We investigated the effects of a 6h isoflurane exposure on cell death, microglial activation and gene expression in the male neonatal piglet brain. Piglets (n = 6) were randomised to: (i) naive controls or (ii) 6h isoflurane. Cell death (TUNEL and caspase-3) and microglial activation were recorded in 7 brain regions. Changes in gene expression (microarray and qPCR) were assessed in the cingulate cortex. Electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded throughout. Isoflurane anesthesia induced significant increases in cell death in the cingulate and insular cortices, caudate nucleus, thalamus, putamen, internal capsule, periventricular white matter and hippocampus. Dying cells included both neurons and oligodendrocytes. Significantly, microglial activation was observed in the insula, pyriform, hippocampus, internal capsule, caudate and thalamus. Isoflurane induced significant disruption to the expression of 79 gene transcripts, of these 26 are important for the control of transcription and 23 are important for the mediation of neural plasticity, memory formation and recall. Our observations confirm that isoflurane increases apoptosis and inflammatory responses in the neonatal piglet brain but also suggests novel additional mechanisms by which isoflurane may induce adverse neural and cognitive development by disrupting the expression of genes mediating activity dependent development of neural circuits, the predictive adaptive responses of the brain, memory formation and recall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin D. Broad
- Institute for Women’s Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jane Hassell
- Institute for Women’s Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Bobbi Fleiss
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Kings College, St Thomas’s Campus, London, United Kingdom
- Inserm, Paris, France
- University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cite, Paris, France
| | - Go Kawano
- Institute for Women’s Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mojgan Ezzati
- Institute for Women’s Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Mariya Hristova
- Institute for Women’s Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kate Bennett
- Institute for Women’s Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Igor Fierens
- Institute for Women’s Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ryan Burnett
- Institute for Women’s Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Badr Chaban
- Institute for Women’s Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Aaron Oliver-Taylor
- Institute for Women’s Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ilias Tachsidis
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jamshid Rostami
- Institute for Women’s Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Pierre Gressens
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Kings College, St Thomas’s Campus, London, United Kingdom
- Inserm, Paris, France
- University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cite, Paris, France
| | - Robert D. Sanders
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, United States of America
- Wellcome Department of Imaging Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Surgical Outcomes Research Centre, University College London Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola J. Robertson
- Institute for Women’s Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Stephany CÉ, Frantz MG, McGee AW. Multiple Roles for Nogo Receptor 1 in Visual System Plasticity. Neuroscientist 2015; 22:653-666. [PMID: 26552866 DOI: 10.1177/1073858415614564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
During the developmental critical period for visual plasticity, discordant vision alters the responsiveness of neurons in visual cortex. The subsequent closure of the critical period not only consolidates neural function but also limits recovery of acuity from preceding abnormal visual experience. Despite species-specific differences in circuitry of the visual system, these characteristics are conserved. The nogo-66 receptor 1 (ngr1) is one of only a small number of genes identified thus far that is essential to closing the critical period. Mice lacking a functional ngr1 gene retain developmental visual plasticity as adults and their visual acuity spontaneously improves after prolonged visual deprivation. Experiments employing conditional mouse genetics have revealed that ngr1 restricts plasticity within distinct circuits for ocular dominance and visual acuity. However, the mechanisms by which NgR1 limits plasticity have not been elucidated, in part because the subcellular localization and signal transduction of the protein are only partially understood. Here we explore potential mechanisms for NgR1 function in relation to manipulations that reactivate visual plasticity in adults and propose lines of investigation to address relevant gaps in knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Céleste-Élise Stephany
- Developmental Neuroscience Program, Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael G Frantz
- Developmental Neuroscience Program, Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Aaron W McGee
- Developmental Neuroscience Program, Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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26
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Zoccolan D, Cox DD, Benucci A. Editorial: What can simple brains teach us about how vision works. Front Neural Circuits 2015; 9:51. [PMID: 26483639 PMCID: PMC4586271 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2015.00051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Accepted: 09/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Davide Zoccolan
- Visual Neuroscience Lab, International School for Advanced Studies Trieste, Italy
| | - David D Cox
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Andrea Benucci
- Laboratory for Neural Circuit and Behavior, RIKEN Brain Science Institute Wako City, Japan
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