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Neuron May 2022Light is a powerful modulator of non-visual functions. Although accumulating evidence suggests an antinociceptive effect of bright light treatment, the precise circuits...
Light is a powerful modulator of non-visual functions. Although accumulating evidence suggests an antinociceptive effect of bright light treatment, the precise circuits that mediate the effects of light on nocifensive behaviors remain unclear. Here, we show that bright light treatment suppresses mouse nocifensive behaviors through a visual circuit related to the lateral and ventral lateral parts of the periaqueductal gray area (l/vlPAG). Specifically, a subset of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) innervates GABAergic neurons in the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus and intergeniculate leaflet (vLGN/IGL), which in turn inhibit GABAergic neurons in the l/vlPAG. The activation of vLGN/IGL-projecting RGCs, activation of l/vlPAG-projecting vLGN/IGL neurons, or inhibition of postsynaptic l/vlPAG neurons is sufficient to suppress nocifensive behaviors. Importantly, we demonstrate that the antinociceptive effects of bright light treatment are dependent on the activation of the retina-vLGN/IGL-l/vlPAG pathway. Together, our results delineate an l/vlPAG-related visual circuit underlying the antinociceptive effects of bright light treatment.
Topics: Analgesics; Animals; Geniculate Bodies; Mice; Periaqueductal Gray; Retinal Ganglion Cells; Visual Pathways
PubMed: 35263618
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.02.009 -
Annual Review of Vision Science Sep 2020Area V4-the focus of this review-is a mid-level processing stage along the ventral visual pathway of the macaque monkey. V4 is extensively interconnected with other... (Review)
Review
Area V4-the focus of this review-is a mid-level processing stage along the ventral visual pathway of the macaque monkey. V4 is extensively interconnected with other visual cortical areas along the ventral and dorsal visual streams, with frontal cortical areas, and with several subcortical structures. Thus, it is well poised to play a broad and integrative role in visual perception and recognition-the functional domain of the ventral pathway. Neurophysiological studies in monkeys engaged in passive fixation and behavioral tasks suggest that V4 responses are dictated by tuning in a high-dimensional stimulus space defined by form, texture, color, depth, and other attributes of visual stimuli. This high-dimensional tuning may underlie the development of object-based representations in the visual cortex that are critical for tracking, recognizing, and interacting with objects. Neurophysiological and lesion studies also suggest that V4 responses are important for guiding perceptual decisions and higher-order behavior.
Topics: Animals; Form Perception; Humans; Macaca mulatta; Pattern Recognition, Visual; Visual Cortex; Visual Pathways; Visual Perception
PubMed: 32580663
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-vision-030320-041306 -
Neuron Jan 2021Light exerts profound effects on cognitive functions across species, including humans. However, the neuronal mechanisms underlying the effects of light on cognitive...
Light exerts profound effects on cognitive functions across species, including humans. However, the neuronal mechanisms underlying the effects of light on cognitive functions are poorly understood. In this study, we show that long-term exposure to bright-light treatment promotes spatial memory through a di-synaptic visual circuit related to the nucleus reuniens (Re). Specifically, a subset of SMI-32-expressing ON-type retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) innervate CaMKIIα neurons in the thalamic ventral lateral geniculate nucleus and intergeniculate leaflet (vLGN/IGL), which in turn activate CaMKIIα neurons in the Re. Specific activation of vLGN/IGL-projecting RGCs, activation of Re-projecting vLGN/IGL neurons, or activation of postsynaptic Re neurons is sufficient to promote spatial memory. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the spatial-memory-promoting effects of light treatment are dependent on the activation of vLGN/IGL-projecting RGCs, Re-projecting vLGN/IGL neurons, and Re neurons. Our results reveal a dedicated subcortical visual circuit that mediates the spatial-memory-promoting effects of light treatment.
Topics: Animals; Lighting; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Midline Thalamic Nuclei; Nerve Net; Organ Culture Techniques; Photoperiod; Spatial Memory; Visual Pathways
PubMed: 33171117
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.10.023 -
Nature May 2023Sensory processing in the neocortex requires both feedforward and feedback information flow between cortical areas. In feedback processing, higher-level representations...
Sensory processing in the neocortex requires both feedforward and feedback information flow between cortical areas. In feedback processing, higher-level representations provide contextual information to lower levels, and facilitate perceptual functions such as contour integration and figure-ground segmentation. However, we have limited understanding of the circuit and cellular mechanisms that mediate feedback influence. Here we use long-range all-optical connectivity mapping in mice to show that feedback influence from the lateromedial higher visual area (LM) to the primary visual cortex (V1) is spatially organized. When the source and target of feedback represent the same area of visual space, feedback is relatively suppressive. By contrast, when the source is offset from the target in visual space, feedback is relatively facilitating. Two-photon calcium imaging data show that this facilitating feedback is nonlinearly integrated in the apical tuft dendrites of V1 pyramidal neurons: retinotopically offset (surround) visual stimuli drive local dendritic calcium signals indicative of regenerative events, and two-photon optogenetic activation of LM neurons projecting to identified feedback-recipient spines in V1 can drive similar branch-specific local calcium signals. Our results show how neocortical feedback connectivity and nonlinear dendritic integration can together form a substrate to support both predictive and cooperative contextual interactions.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Calcium; Dendrites; Visual Cortex; Visual Pathways; Feedback, Physiological; Primary Visual Cortex; Pyramidal Cells; Optogenetics; Calcium Signaling
PubMed: 37138089
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06007-6 -
Annual Review of Neuroscience Jul 2023How neurons detect the direction of motion is a prime example of neural computation: Motion vision is found in the visual systems of virtually all sighted animals, it is... (Review)
Review
How neurons detect the direction of motion is a prime example of neural computation: Motion vision is found in the visual systems of virtually all sighted animals, it is important for survival, and it requires interesting computations with well-defined linear and nonlinear processing steps-yet the whole process is of moderate complexity. The genetic methods available in the fruit fly and the charting of a connectome of its visual system have led to rapid progress and unprecedented detail in our understanding of how neurons compute the direction of motion in this organism. The picture that emerged incorporates not only the identity, morphology, and synaptic connectivity of each neuron involved but also its neurotransmitters, its receptors, and their subcellular localization. Together with the neurons' membrane potential responses to visual stimulation, this information provides the basis for a biophysically realistic model of the circuit that computes the direction of visual motion.
Topics: Animals; Motion Perception; Visual Pathways; Drosophila; Vision, Ocular; Neurons; Photic Stimulation
PubMed: 37428604
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-080422-111929 -
Annual Review of Vision Science Sep 2019In this article, we review the anatomical inputs and outputs to the mouse primary visual cortex, area V1. Our survey of data from the Allen Institute Mouse Connectivity... (Review)
Review
In this article, we review the anatomical inputs and outputs to the mouse primary visual cortex, area V1. Our survey of data from the Allen Institute Mouse Connectivity project indicates that mouse V1 is highly interconnected with both cortical and subcortical brain areas. This pattern of innervation allows for computations that depend on the state of the animal and on behavioral goals, which contrasts with simple feedforward, hierarchical models of visual processing. Thus, to have an accurate description of the function of V1 during mouse behavior, its involvement with the rest of the brain circuitry has to be considered. Finally, it remains an open question whether the primary visual cortex of higher mammals displays the same degree of sensorimotor integration in the early visual system.
Topics: Animals; Behavior, Animal; Humans; Neural Pathways; Visual Cortex; Visual Pathways
PubMed: 31525143
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-vision-091517-034407 -
Trends in Cognitive Sciences Feb 2021Existing models propose that primate visual cortex is divided into two functionally distinct pathways. The ventral pathway computes the identity of an object; the dorsal... (Review)
Review
Existing models propose that primate visual cortex is divided into two functionally distinct pathways. The ventral pathway computes the identity of an object; the dorsal pathway computes the location of an object, and the actions related to that object. Despite remaining influential, the two visual pathways model requires revision. Both human and non-human primate studies reveal the existence of a third visual pathway on the lateral brain surface. This third pathway projects from early visual cortex, via motion-selective areas, into the superior temporal sulcus (STS). Studies demonstrating that the STS computes the actions of moving faces and bodies (e.g., expressions, eye-gaze, audio-visual integration, intention, and mood) show that the third visual pathway is specialized for the dynamic aspects of social perception.
Topics: Brain Mapping; Face; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Photic Stimulation; Social Perception; Visual Cortex; Visual Pathways; Visual Perception
PubMed: 33334693
DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2020.11.006 -
Cell Reports Oct 2022Contagious itch behavior informs conspecifics of adverse environment and is crucial for the survival of social animals. Gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) and its receptor...
Contagious itch behavior informs conspecifics of adverse environment and is crucial for the survival of social animals. Gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) and its receptor (GRPR) in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus mediates contagious itch behavior in mice. Here, we show that intrinsically photosensitive retina ganglion cells (ipRGCs) convey visual itch information, independently of melanopsin, from the retina to GRP neurons via PACAP-PAC1R signaling. Moreover, GRPR neurons relay itch information to the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT). Surprisingly, neither the visual cortex nor superior colliculus is involved in contagious itch. In vivo calcium imaging and extracellular recordings reveal contagious itch-specific neural dynamics of GRPR neurons. Thus, we propose that the retina-ipRGC-SCN-PVT pathway constitutes a previously unknown visual pathway that probably evolved for motion vision that encodes salient environmental cues and enables animals to imitate behaviors of conspecifics as an anticipatory mechanism to cope with adverse conditions.
Topics: Animals; Calcium; Gastrin-Releasing Peptide; Mice; Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; Pruritus; Retina; Retinal Ganglion Cells; Suprachiasmatic Nucleus; Visual Pathways
PubMed: 36198265
DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111444 -
Zoological Research Jan 2023Strabismus and amblyopia are common ophthalmologic developmental diseases caused by abnormal visual experiences. However, the underlying pathogenesis and visual defects...
Strabismus and amblyopia are common ophthalmologic developmental diseases caused by abnormal visual experiences. However, the underlying pathogenesis and visual defects are still not fully understood. Most studies have used experimental interference to establish disease-associated animal models, while ignoring the natural pathophysiological mechanisms. This study was designed to investigate whether natural strabismus and amblyopia are associated with abnormal neurological defects. We screened one natural strabismic monkey ( ) and one natural amblyopic monkey from hundreds of monkeys, and retrospectively analyzed one human strabismus case. Neuroimaging, behavioral, neurophysiological, neurostructural, and genovariation features were systematically evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), behavioral tasks, flash visual evoked potentials (FVEP), electroretinogram (ERG), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and whole-genome sequencing (WGS), respectively. Results showed that the strabismic patient and natural strabismic and amblyopic monkeys exhibited similar abnormal asymmetries in brain structure, i.e., ipsilateral impaired right hemisphere. Visual behavior, visual function, retinal structure, and fundus of the monkeys were impaired. Aberrant asymmetry in binocular visual function and structure between the strabismic and amblyopic monkeys was closely related, with greater impairment of the left visual pathway. Several similar known mutant genes for strabismus and amblyopia were also identified. In conclusion, natural strabismus and amblyopia are accompanied by abnormal asymmetries of the visual system, especially visual neurophysiological and neurostructural defects. Our results suggest that future therapeutic and mechanistic studies should consider defects and asymmetries throughout the entire visual system.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Visual Pathways; Evoked Potentials, Visual; Retrospective Studies; Haplorhini
PubMed: 36484227
DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2022.254 -
Cells Nov 2021Visual plasticity is classically considered to occur essentially in the primary and secondary cortical areas. Subcortical visual areas such as the dorsal lateral... (Review)
Review
Visual plasticity is classically considered to occur essentially in the primary and secondary cortical areas. Subcortical visual areas such as the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) or the superior colliculus (SC) have long been held as basic structures responsible for a stable and defined function. In this model, the dLGN was considered as a relay of visual information travelling from the retina to cortical areas and the SC as a sensory integrator orienting body movements towards visual targets. However, recent findings suggest that both dLGN and SC neurons express functional plasticity, adding unexplored layers of complexity to their previously attributed functions. The existence of neuronal plasticity at the level of visual subcortical areas redefines our approach of the visual system. The aim of this paper is therefore to review the cellular and molecular mechanisms for activity-dependent plasticity of both synaptic transmission and cellular properties in subcortical visual areas.
Topics: Animals; Cerebral Cortex; Geniculate Bodies; Humans; Neuronal Plasticity; Retina; Synapses; Visual Pathways
PubMed: 34831385
DOI: 10.3390/cells10113162