A neural circuitry basis for impaired cortical network oscillations and cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia

AbstractNasal breathing generates a rhythmic signal which entrains cortical network oscillations in widespread brain regions on a cycle-to-cycle time scale. It is unknown, however, how respiration and neuronal network activity interact on a larger time scale: are breathing frequency and typical neuronal oscillation patterns correlated? Is there any directionality or causal relationship? To address these questions, we recorded field potentials from the posterior parietal cortex of mice together with respiration during REM sleep. In this state, the parietal cortex exhibits prominent theta and gamma oscillations while behavioral activity is minimal, reducing confounding signals. We found that the instantaneous breathing rate strongly correlates with the instantaneous frequency and amplitude of both theta and gamma oscillations. Granger causality analysis revealed specific directionalities for different rhythms: changes in theta activity precede and cause changes in breathing rate, suggesting control of breathing frequency by the functional state of the brain. On the other hand, the instantaneous breathing rate Granger-causes changes in gamma oscillations, suggesting that gamma is influenced by a peripheral reafference signal. These findings show that breathing causally relates to different patterns of rhythmic brain activity, revealing new and complex interactions between elementary physiological functions and neuronal information processing.Significance StatementThe study of the interactions between respiration and brain activity has been focused on phase-entrainment relations, in which cortical networks oscillate phase-locked to breathing cycles. Here we discovered new and much broader interactions which link respiration rate (frequency) to different patterns of oscillatory brain activity. Specifically, we show that the instantaneous breathing rate strongly correlates with the instantaneous frequency and amplitude of theta and gamma oscillations, two major network patterns associated with cognitive functions. Interestingly, causality analyses reveal that changes in breathing rate follow theta, suggesting a central drive, while in contrast, gamma activity follows changes in breathing rate, suggesting the role of a reafferent signal. Our results reveal new mechanisms by which nasal breathing patterns may influence brain functions.

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Cortical network oscillations in Alzheimer's disease: insights from rodent models

Drug Discovery Today Therapeutic Strategies ◽

10.1016/j.ddstr.2014.05.001 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. e79-e83

Author(s):

Fiona E.N. LeBeau

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Cortical Network ◽

Rodent Models ◽

Network Oscillations

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Alterations in Cortical Network Oscillations and Parvalbumin Neurons in Schizophrenia

Biological Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.03.010 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 77 (12) ◽

pp. 1031-1040 ◽

Cited By ~ 235

Author(s):

Guillermo Gonzalez-Burgos ◽

Raymond Y. Cho ◽

David A. Lewis

Keyword(s):

Cortical Network ◽

Network Oscillations ◽

Parvalbumin Neurons

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Objects seen as scenes: neural circuitry for attending whole or parts

10.1101/771899 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Mitchell Valdés-Sosa ◽

Marlis Ontivero-Ortega ◽

Jorge Iglesias-Fuster ◽

Agustin Lage-Castellanos ◽

Jinnan Gong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Local Level ◽

Temporal Cortex ◽

Neural Circuitry ◽

Cortical Network ◽

Hierarchical Level ◽

List Type ◽

Shape Information ◽

Illusory Conjunctions ◽

Level Information ◽

Cortical Regions

AbstractDepending on our goals, we pay attention to the global shape of an object or to the local shape of its parts, since it’s difficult to do both at once. This typically effortless process can be impaired in disease. However, it is not clear which cortical regions carry the information needed to constrain shape processing to a chosen global/local level. Here, novel stimuli were used to dissociate functional MRI responses to global and local shapes. This allowed identification of cortical regions containing information about level (independent from shape). Crucially, these regions overlapped part of the cortical network implicated in scene processing. As expected, shape information (independent of level) was mainly located in category-selective areas specialized for object- and face-processing. Regions with the same informational profile were strongly linked (as measured by functional connectivity), but were weak when the profiles diverged. Specifically, in the ventral-temporal-cortex (VTC) regions favoring level and shape were consistently separated by the mid-fusiform sulcus (MFS). These regions also had limited crosstalk despite their spatial proximity, thus defining two functional pathways within VTC. We hypothesize that object hierarchical level is processed by neural circuitry that also analyses spatial layout in scenes, contributing to the control of the spatial-scale used for shape recognition. Use of level information tolerant to shape changes could guide whole/part attentional selection but facilitate illusory shape/level conjunctions under impoverished vision.Significance statementOne daily engages hierarchically organized objects (e.g. face-eyes-eyelashes). Their perception is commonly studied with global shapes composed by of local shapes. Seeing shape at one level is easy, but difficult for both at once. How can the brain guide attention to one level? Here using novel stimuli that dissociate different levels over time and examining local patterns of brain-activity, we found that the level and shape of visual objects were represented into segregated sets of cortical regions, each connected into their own pathway. Level information was found in part of the cortical network known to process scenes. Coding of object-level independently from shape could participate in guiding sustained attention within objects, eliminating interference from irrelevant levels. It could also help produce “illusory conjunctions” (perceptual migration of a shape to the wrong level) when attention is limited.HighlightsModified Navon figures allow dissociation in time of fMRI responses for the global/local levels.Shape-invariant hierarchical level information was found in scenes selective areas, whereas level-invariant shape information was found in object- and faces- selective areas.Level and shape regions were divided by the mid-fusiform sulcus (MFS) in VTC cortex, and each type of region connected into its own pathway.Having separate level/shape pathways could facilitate selective-attention, but foster illusory conjunctions.

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