scholarly journals Functional coupling between target selection and acquisition in the superior colliculus

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaclyn Essig ◽  
Gidon Felsen
Keyword(s):  
Superior Colliculus ◽  
Target Selection ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Functional Coupling ◽  
Spatial Choice ◽  
Attractor Model ◽  
Acquisition Processes ◽  
Shared Network ◽  
Functional Circuitry ◽  
Goal Directed Behavior

To survive in unpredictable environments, animals must continuously evaluate their surroundings for behavioral targets, such as food and shelter, and direct their movements to acquire those targets. Although the ability to accurately select and acquire spatial targets depends on a shared network of brain regions, how these processes are linked by neural circuits remains unknown. The superior colliculus (SC) mediates the selection of spatial targets and remains active during orienting movements to acquire targets, which suggests the underexamined possibility that common SC circuits underie both selection and acquisition processes. Here, we test the hypothesis that SC functional circuitry couples target selection and acquisition using a default motor plan generated by selection-related neuronal activity. Single-unit recordings from intermediate and deep layer SC neurons in male mice performing a spatial choice task demonstrated that choice-predictive neurons, including optogenetically identified GABAergic SC neurons whose activity was causally related to target selection, exhibit increased activity during movement to the target. By strategically recording from both rostral and caudal SC neurons, we also revealed an overall caudal-to-rostral shift in activity as targets were acquired. Finally, we used an attractor model to examine how target selection activity in the SC could generate a rostral shift in activity during target acquisition using only intrinsic SC circuitry. Overall, our results suggest a functional coupling between SC circuits that underlie target selection and acquisition, elucidating a key mechanism for goal-directed behavior.

scholarly journals Functional coupling between target selection and acquisition in the superior colliculus

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaclyn Essig ◽  
Gidon Felsen
Keyword(s):  
Superior Colliculus ◽  
Target Selection ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Functional Coupling ◽  
Target Acquisition ◽  
Spatial Choice ◽  
Movement Initiation ◽  
Attractor Model ◽  
Functional Circuitry ◽  
Goal Directed Behavior

Survival in unpredictable environments requires that animals continuously evaluate their surroundings for behavioral targets, direct their movements towards those targets, and terminate movements once a target is reached. The ability to select, move toward, and acquire spatial targets depends on a network of brain regions, but it remains unknown how these goal-directed processes are linked by neural circuits. Within this network, common circuits in the midbrain superior colliculus (SC) mediate the selection of, and initiation of movements to, spatial targets. However, SC activity often persists throughout movement, suggesting that the same SC circuits underlying target selection and movement initiation may also contribute to target acquisition: stopping the movement at the selected target. Here, we examine the hypothesis that SC functional circuitry couples target selection and acquisition using a default motor plan generated by selection-related neuronal activity. Recordings from intermediate and deep layer SC neurons in mice performing a spatial choice task demonstrate that choice-predictive neurons, including optogenetically identified GABAergic neurons whose activity mediates target selection, exhibit increased activity during movement to the target. By recording from rostral and caudal SC in separate groups of mice, we also revealed higher activity in rostral than caudal neurons during target acquisition. Finally, we used an attractor model to examine how, invoking only SC circuitry, caudal SC activity related to selecting an eccentric target could generate higher rostral than caudal acquisition-related activity. Overall, our results suggest a functional coupling between SC circuits for target selection and acquisition, elucidating a key mechanism for goal-directed behavior.

scholarly journals The tectonigral pathway regulates appetitive locomotion in predatory hunting in mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Meizhu Huang ◽  
Dapeng Li ◽  
Xinyu Cheng ◽  
Qing Pei ◽  
Zhiyong Xie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substantia Nigra ◽  
Superior Colliculus ◽  
Dopamine Release ◽  
Dorsal Striatum ◽  
Dopamine Neurons ◽  
Substantia Nigra Pars Compacta ◽  
Neuronal Circuitry ◽  
Locomotion Speed ◽  
Brain Circuit ◽  
Goal Directed Behavior

AbstractAppetitive locomotion is essential for animals to approach rewards, such as food and prey. The neuronal circuitry controlling appetitive locomotion is unclear. In a goal-directed behavior—predatory hunting, we show an excitatory brain circuit from the superior colliculus (SC) to the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) to enhance appetitive locomotion in mice. This tectonigral pathway transmits locomotion-speed signals to dopamine neurons and triggers dopamine release in the dorsal striatum. Synaptic inactivation of this pathway impairs appetitive locomotion but not defensive locomotion. Conversely, activation of this pathway increases the speed and frequency of approach during predatory hunting, an effect that depends on the activities of SNc dopamine neurons. Together, these data reveal that the SC regulates locomotion-speed signals to SNc dopamine neurons to enhance appetitive locomotion in mice.

Decoupling countermands nonselective response inhibition during selective stopping

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corey George Wadsley ◽  
John Cirillo ◽  
Arne Nieuwenhuys ◽  
Winston D Byblow
Keyword(s):  
Response Inhibition ◽  
Interference Effect ◽  
Complex Form ◽  
Functional Coupling ◽  
Response Preparation ◽  
Response Delay ◽  
Healthy Human ◽  
Human Participants ◽  
Goal Directed Behavior ◽  
Effector Response

Response inhibition is essential for goal-directed behavior within dynamic environments. Selective stopping is a complex form of response inhibition where only part of a multi-effector response must be cancelled. A substantial response delay emerges on unstopped effectors when a cued effector is successfully stopped. This stopping-interference effect is indicative of nonselective response inhibition during selective stopping which may, in-part, be a consequence of functional coupling. The present study examined selective stopping of (de)coupled bimanual responses in healthy human participants of either sex. Participants performed synchronous and asynchronous versions of an anticipatory stop-signal paradigm across two sessions while mu (µ) and beta (β) rhythm were measured with electroencephalography. Results showed that responses were behaviorally decoupled during asynchronous go trials and the extent of response asynchrony was associated with lateralized sensorimotor µ and β desynchronization during response preparation. Selective stopping produced a stopping-interference effect and was marked by a nonselective increase and subsequent rebound in prefrontal and sensorimotor β. In support of the coupling account, stopping-interference was smaller during selective stopping of asynchronous responses, and negatively associated with the magnitude of decoupling. However, the increase in sensorimotor β during selective stopping was equivalent between the stopped and unstopped hand irrespective of response synchrony. Overall, the findings demonstrate that decoupling facilitates selective stopping after a global pause process and emphasizes the importance of considering the influence of both the go and stop context when investigating response inhibition.

scholarly journals Neuronal modulation in the mouse superior colliculus during covert visual selective attention

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lupeng Wang ◽  
James P. Herman ◽  
Richard J. Krauzlis
Keyword(s):  
Visual Attention ◽  
Selective Attention ◽  
Superior Colliculus ◽  
Firing Rate ◽  
Spatial Location ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Uncued Location ◽  
Visual Selective Attention ◽  
Covert Visual Attention

AbstractCovert visual attention is accomplished by a cascade of mechanisms distributed across multiple brain regions. Recent studies in primates suggest a parcellation in which visual cortex is associated with enhanced representations of relevant stimuli, whereas subcortical circuits are associated with selection of visual targets and suppression of distractors. Here we identified how neuronal activity in the superior colliculus (SC) of head-fixed mice is modulated during covert visual attention. We found that spatial cues modulated both firing rate and spike-count correlations, and that the cue-related modulation in firing rate was due to enhancement of activity at the cued spatial location rather than suppression at the uncued location. This modulation improved the neuronal discriminability of visual-change-evoked activity between contralateral and ipsilateral SC neurons. Together, our findings indicate that neurons in the mouse SC contribute to covert visual selective attention by biasing processing in favor of locations expected to contain relevant information.

scholarly journals Lesion Network Localization of Seizure Freedom following MR-guided  Laser Interstitial Thermal Ablation

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karim Mithani ◽  
Alexandre Boutet ◽  
Jurgen Germann ◽  
Gavin J. B. Elias ◽  
Alexander G. Weil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Resting State ◽  
Target Selection ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Seizure Outcome ◽  
Seizure Freedom ◽  
Anatomical Location ◽  
Treatment Resistant ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽  
Network Localization ◽  
Subcortical Regions

AbstractTreatment-resistant epilepsy is a common and debilitating neurological condition, for which neurosurgical cure is possible. Despite undergoing nearly identical ablation procedures however, individuals with treatment-resistant epilepsy frequently exhibit heterogeneous outcomes. We hypothesized that treatment response may be related to the brain regions to which MR-guided laser ablation volumes are functionally connected. To test this, we mapped the resting-state functional connectivity of surgical ablations that either resulted in seizure freedom (N = 11) or did not result in seizure freedom (N = 16) in over 1,000 normative connectomes. There was no difference seizure outcome with respect to the anatomical location of the ablations, and very little overlap between ablation areas was identified using the Dice Index. Ablations that did not result in seizure-freedom were preferentially connected to a number of cortical and subcortical regions, as well as multiple canonical resting-state networks. In contrast, ablations that led to seizure-freedom were more functionally connected to prefrontal cortices. Here, we demonstrate that underlying normative neural circuitry may in part explain heterogenous outcomes following ablation procedures in different brain regions. These findings may ultimately inform target selection for ablative epilepsy surgery based on normative intrinsic connectivity of the targeted volume.

scholarly journals The Role of Hp-NCL Network in Goal-Directed Routing Information Encoding of Bird: A Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 617
Author(s):  
Mengmeng Li ◽  
Zhigang Shang ◽  
Kun Zhao ◽  
Shuguan Cheng ◽  
Hong Wan
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Navigation ◽  
Neural Mechanism ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Current Situation ◽  
Cooperative Interaction ◽  
Local Network ◽  
Avian Brain ◽  
Information Encoding ◽  
Goal Directed Behavior

Goal-directed navigation is a crucial behavior for the survival of animals, especially for the birds having extraordinary spatial navigation ability. In the studies of the neural mechanism of the goal-directed behavior, especially involving the information encoding mechanism of the route, the hippocampus (Hp) and nidopallium caudalle (NCL) of the avian brain are the famous regions that play important roles. Therefore, they have been widely concerned and a series of studies surrounding them have increased our understandings of the navigation mechanism of birds in recent years. In this paper, we focus on the studies of the information encoding mechanism of the route in the avian goal-directed behavior. We first summarize and introduce the related studies on the role of the Hp and NCL for goal-directed behavior comprehensively. Furthermore, we review the related cooperative interaction studies about the Hp-NCL local network and other relevant brain regions supporting the goal-directed routing information encoding. Finally, we summarize the current situation and prospect the existing important questions in this field. We hope this paper can spark fresh thinking for the following research on routing information encoding mechanism of birds.

Target Selection for Saccadic Eye Movements: Direction-Selective Visual Responses in the Superior Colliculus

2001 ◽  
Vol 86 (5) ◽  
pp. 2527-2542 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory D. Horwitz ◽  
William T. Newsome
Keyword(s):  
Superior Colliculus ◽  
Eye Movement ◽  
Discrimination Task ◽  
Visual Motion ◽  
Target Selection ◽  
Small Population ◽  
Saccade Target ◽  
Visual Responses ◽  
Direction Discrimination ◽  
Deep Layers

We investigated the role of the superior colliculus (SC) in saccade target selection in rhesus monkeys who were trained to perform a direction-discrimination task. In this task, the monkey discriminated between opposed directions of visual motion and indicated its judgment by making a saccadic eye movement to one of two visual targets that were spatially aligned with the two possible directions of motion in the display. Thus the neural circuits that implement target selection in this task are likely to receive directionally selective visual inputs and be closely linked to the saccadic system. We therefore studied prelude neurons in the intermediate and deep layers of the SC that can discharge up to several seconds before an impending saccade, indicating a relatively high-level role in saccade planning. We used the direction-discrimination task to identify neurons whose prelude activity “predicted” the impending perceptual report several seconds before the animal actually executed the operant eye movement; these “choice predicting” cells comprised ∼30% of the neurons we encountered in the intermediate and deep layers of the SC. Surprisingly, about half of these prelude cells yielded direction-selective responses to our motion stimulus during a passive fixation task. In general, these neurons responded to motion stimuli in many locations around the visual field including the center of gaze where the visual discriminanda were positioned during the direction-discrimination task. Preferred directions generally pointed toward the location of the movement field of the SC neuron in accordance with the sensorimotor demands of the discrimination task. Control experiments indicate that the directional responses do not simply reflect covertly planned saccades. Our results indicate that a small population of SC prelude neurons exhibits properties appropriate for linking stimulus cues to saccade target selection in the context of a visual discrimination task.

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