scholarly journals Biological variation in the sizes, shapes and locations of visual cortical areas in the mouse

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jack Waters ◽  
Eric Lee ◽  
Nathalie Gaudreault ◽  
Fiona Griffin ◽  
Jerome Lecoq ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Biological Variation ◽  
Measurement Noise ◽  
Cortical Areas ◽  
Retinotopic Maps ◽  
Visual Areas ◽  
Visual Cortical ◽  
Cortical Visual Areas ◽  
Processing Of Visual Information

ABSTRACTVisual cortex is organized into discrete sub-regions or areas that are arranged into a hierarchy and serve different functions in the processing of visual information. In our previous work, we noted that retinotopic maps of cortical visual areas differed between mice, but did not quantify these differences or determine the relative contributions of biological variation and measurement noise. Here we quantify the biological variation in the size, shape and locations of 11 visual areas in the mouse. We find that there is substantial biological variation in the sizes of visual areas, with some visual areas varying in size by two-fold across the population of mice.

scholarly journals Characterization of Feedback Neurons in the High-Level Visual Cortical Areas That Project Directly to the Primary Visual Cortex in the Cat

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huijun Pan ◽  
Shen Zhang ◽  
Deng Pan ◽  
Zheng Ye ◽  
Hao Yu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Information Processing ◽  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Primary Visual Cortex ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Higher Order ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Cortical Areas ◽  
Area 21A ◽  
High Level ◽  
Visual Cortical

Previous studies indicate that top-down influence plays a critical role in visual information processing and perceptual detection. However, the substrate that carries top-down influence remains poorly understood. Using a combined technique of retrograde neuronal tracing and immunofluorescent double labeling, we characterized the distribution and cell type of feedback neurons in cat’s high-level visual cortical areas that send direct connections to the primary visual cortex (V1: area 17). Our results showed: (1) the high-level visual cortex of area 21a at the ventral stream and PMLS area at the dorsal stream have a similar proportion of feedback neurons back projecting to the V1 area, (2) the distribution of feedback neurons in the higher-order visual area 21a and PMLS was significantly denser than in the intermediate visual cortex of area 19 and 18, (3) feedback neurons in all observed high-level visual cortex were found in layer II–III, IV, V, and VI, with a higher proportion in layer II–III, V, and VI than in layer IV, and (4) most feedback neurons were CaMKII-positive excitatory neurons, and few of them were identified as inhibitory GABAergic neurons. These results may argue against the segregation of ventral and dorsal streams during visual information processing, and support “reverse hierarchy theory” or interactive model proposing that recurrent connections between V1 and higher-order visual areas constitute the functional circuits that mediate visual perception. Also, the corticocortical feedback neurons from high-level visual cortical areas to the V1 area are mostly excitatory in nature.

Location, architecture, and retinotopy of the anteromedial lateral suprasylvian visual area (AMLS) of the ferret (Mustela putorius)

2008 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
PAUL R. MANGER ◽  
GERHARD ENGLER ◽  
CHRISTIAN K.E. MOLL ◽  
ANDREAS K. ENGEL
Keyword(s):  
Visual Area ◽  
Domestic Cat ◽  
Lower Visual Field ◽  
Mustela Putorius ◽  
Cortical Areas ◽  
Architectural Features ◽  
Visual Areas ◽  
Retinotopic Organization ◽  
Visual Cortical ◽  
Cortical Visual Areas

The present paper describes the results of architectural and electrophysiological mapping observations of the medial bank of the suprasylvian sulcus of the ferret immediately caudal to somatosensory regions. The aim was to determine if the ferret possessed a homologous cortical area to the anteromedial lateral suprasylvian visual area (AMLS) of the domestic cat. We studied the architectural features and visuotopic organization of a region that we now consider to be a homologue to the cat AMLS. This area showed a distinct architecture and retinotopic organization. The retinotopic map was complex in nature with a bias towards representation of the lower visual field. These features indicate that the region described here as AMLS in the ferret is indeed a direct homologue of the previously described cat AMLS and forms part of a hierarchy of cortical areas processing motion in the ferret visual cortex. With the results of the present study and those of earlier studies a total of twelve cortical visual areas have been determined presently for the ferret, all of which appear to have direct homologues with visual cortical areas in the cat (which has a total of eighteen areas).

The nature of the boundary between cortical visual areas II and III in the cat

1977 ◽  
Vol 199 (1136) ◽  
pp. 445-462 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Visual Field ◽  
Receptive Fields ◽  
Horizontal Meridian ◽  
Vertical Meridian ◽  
Reversal Point ◽  
Cortical Areas ◽  
Visual Areas ◽  
Primate Visual Cortex ◽  
Visual Cortical ◽  
Cortical Visual Areas

The representation of the visual field in the second and third visual cortical areas (V II and V III) of the cat was examined by microelectrode recording. The position of the field maps and the arrangement of the map within V II were found to vary greatly from one cat to another so that no single composite map can be made. The horizontal meridian of the visual field was found to run laterally and forward from V I across V II to V III. The reversal of field sequence, which indicates the V II/V III boundary, was very variable both from cat to cat and in the same cat for points above and below the horizontal meridian. The commonest situation was one in which the reversal point was 40° for some lines of latitude, but for others the reversal point was only 6- 15° out. This means an ‘island’ of representation of points 40° out was bounded by areas of representation much closer to the vertical meridian. In some cats one ‘island’ was plotted, in one there were two completely plotted and in others there were two ‘islands’, one complete, one incompletely plotted. In one cat no ‘island’ was found, and the boundary between V II and V III seemed to be formed anteriorly and posteriorly by the vertical (longitudinal) meridian 20° out. The islands contain many units with markedly elongated receptive fields whose particular function is not yet clear. The arrangement of the V II/V III boundary found in these experiments is compared to that previously suggested and to present knowledge of the mapping in primate visual cortex.

A collicular visual cortex: Neocortical space for an ancient midbrain visual structure

Science ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 363 (6422) ◽  
pp. 64-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riccardo Beltramo ◽  
Massimo Scanziani
Keyword(s):  
Cerebral Cortex ◽  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Primary Visual Cortex ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Cortical Area ◽  
Moving Objects ◽  
Visual Responses ◽  
Visual Cortical Area ◽  
Postrhinal Cortex ◽  
Visual Cortical

Visual responses in the cerebral cortex are believed to rely on the geniculate input to the primary visual cortex (V1). Indeed, V1 lesions substantially reduce visual responses throughout the cortex. Visual information enters the cortex also through the superior colliculus (SC), but the function of this input on visual responses in the cortex is less clear. SC lesions affect cortical visual responses less than V1 lesions, and no visual cortical area appears to entirely rely on SC inputs. We show that visual responses in a mouse lateral visual cortical area called the postrhinal cortex are independent of V1 and are abolished upon silencing of the SC. This area outperforms V1 in discriminating moving objects. We thus identify a collicular primary visual cortex that is independent of the geniculo-cortical pathway and is capable of motion discrimination.

scholarly journals Biological variation in the sizes, shapes and locations of visual cortical areas in the mouse

PLoS ONE ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. e0213924 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jack Waters ◽  
Eric Lee ◽  
Nathalie Gaudreault ◽  
Fiona Griffin ◽  
Jerome Lecoq ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Variation ◽  
Cortical Areas ◽  
Visual Cortical

Pontine projection from striate and prestriate visual cortex in the macaque monkey: An anterograde study

1990 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 205-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Fries
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Visual Field ◽  
Striate Cortex ◽  
Macaque Monkey ◽  
Field Of View ◽  
Central Visual Field ◽  
Tracer Techniques ◽  
Visual Areas ◽  
Visual Cortical ◽  
Anterograde Tracer

AbstractThe projection from striate and prestriate visual cortex to the pontine nuclei has been studied in the macaque monkey by means of anterograde tracer techniques in order to assess the contribution of anatomically and functionally distinct visual cortical areas to the cortico-ponto-cerebellar loop. No projection to the pons was found from central or paracentral visual-field representations of V1 (striate cortex) or prestriate visual areas V2, and V4. Small patches of terminal labeling occurred after injections of tracer into more peripheral parts of V1, V2 and V3, and into V3A. The terminal fields were located most dorsolaterally in the anterior to middle third of the pons and were quite restricted in their rostro-caudal extent. Injections of V5, however, yielded substantial terminal labeling, stretching longitudinally throughout almost the entire pons. This projection could be demonstrated to arise from parts of V5 receiving input from central visual-field representations of striate cortex, whereas parts of V4 receiving similarly central visual-field input had no detectable projection to the pons. Its distribution may overlap to a large extent with the termination of tecto-pontine fibers and with the termination of fibers from visual areas in the medial bank (area V6 or P0) and lateral bank (area LIP) of the intraparietal sulcus, as well as from frontal eye fields (FEF). It appears that the main information relayed to the cerebellum by the visual corticopontine projection is related to movement in the field of view.

scholarly journals Psychophysiology and Imaging of Visual Cortical Functions in the Blind: A Review

2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 71-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie L. Simon-Dack ◽  
P. Dennis Rodriguez ◽  
Wolfgang A. Teder-Sälejärvi
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Late Onset ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Cortical Activation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Related Potentials ◽  
Visual Cortical

Imaging, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and psychophysiological recordings of the congenitally blind have confirmed functional activation of the visual cortex but have not extensively explained the functional significance of these activation patterns in detail. This review systematically examines research on the role of the visual cortex in processing spatial and non-visual information, highlighting research on individuals with early and late onset blindness. Here, we concentrate on the methods utilized in studying visual cortical activation in early blind participants, including positron emissions tomography (PET), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and electrophysiological data, specifically event-related potentials (ERPs). This paper summarizes and discusses findings of these studies. We hypothesize how mechanisms of cortical plasticity are expressed in congenitally in comparison to adventitiously blind and short-term visually deprived sighted participants and discuss potential approaches for further investigation of these mechanisms in future research.

Neural Mechanisms of Spatial Attention in the Visual Thalamus

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuri B. Saalmann ◽  
Sabine Kastner
Keyword(s):  
Selective Attention ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Thalamic Nucleus ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Neural Mechanisms ◽  
First Order ◽  
Visual Thalamus ◽  
Cortical Areas ◽  
Visual Cortical

Neural mechanisms of selective attention route behaviourally relevant information through brain networks for detailed processing. These attention mechanisms are classically viewed as being solely implemented in the cortex, relegating the thalamus to a passive relay of sensory information. However, this passive view of the thalamus is being revised in light of recent studies supporting an important role for the thalamus in selective attention. Evidence suggests that the first-order thalamic nucleus, the lateral geniculate nucleus, regulates the visual information transmitted from the retina to visual cortex, while the higher-order thalamic nucleus, the pulvinar, regulates information transmission between visual cortical areas, according to attentional demands. This chapter discusses how modulation of thalamic responses, switching the response mode of thalamic neurons, and changes in neural synchrony across thalamo-cortical networks contribute to selective attention.

scholarly journals Mechanisms of Plasticity in Subcortical Visual Areas

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 3162
Author(s):  
Maël Duménieu ◽  
Béatrice Marquèze-Pouey ◽  
Michaël Russier ◽  
Dominique Debanne
Keyword(s):  
Neuronal Plasticity ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Body Movements ◽  
Cortical Areas ◽  
Visual Areas ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Activity Dependent ◽  
Mechanisms Of Plasticity

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.

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