scholarly journals Electrical microstimulation evokes saccades in posterior parietal cortex of common marmosets

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Ghahremani ◽  
Kevin D. Johnston ◽  
Liya Ma ◽  
Lauren K. Hayrynen ◽  
Stefan Everling
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movements ◽  
Parietal Cortex ◽  
Posterior Parietal Cortex ◽  
Common Marmoset ◽  
Primate Species ◽  
Oculomotor Control ◽  
Electrical Microstimulation ◽  
Cortical Areas ◽  
Posterior Parietal ◽  
The Common

AbstractThe common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is a small-bodied New World primate, increasing in prominence as a model animal for neuroscience research. The lissencephalic cortex of this primate species provides substantial advantages for the application of electrophysiological techniques such as high-density and laminar recordings, which have the capacity to advance our understanding of local and laminar cortical circuits and their roles in cognitive and motor functions. This is particularly the case with respect to the oculomotor system, as critical cortical areas of this network such as the frontal eye fields (FEF) and lateral intraparietal area (LIP) lie deep within sulci in macaques. Studies of cytoarchitecture and connectivity have established putative homologies between cortical oculomotor fields in marmoset and macaque, but physiological investigations of these areas, particularly in awake marmosets, have yet to be carried out. Here, we addressed this gap by probing the function of posterior parietal cortex (PPC) of the common marmoset using electrical microstimulation. We implanted two animals with 32-channel Utah arrays at the location of the putative area LIP and applied microstimulation while they viewed a video display and made untrained eye movements. Similar to previous studies in macaques, stimulation evoked fixed-vector and goal-directed saccades, staircase saccades, and eye blinks. These data demonstrate that area LIP of the marmoset plays a role in the regulation of eye movements, provide additional evidence that this area is homologous with that of the macaque, and further establish the marmoset as valuable model for neurophysiological investigations of oculomotor and cognitive control.New & NoteworthyThe macaque monkey has been the preeminent model for investigations of oculomotor control, but studies of cortical areas are limited as many of these areas are buried within sulci in this species. Here we applied electrical microstimulation to the putative area LIP of the lissencephalic cortex of awake marmosets. Similar to the macaque, microstimulation evoked contralateral saccades from this area, supporting the marmoset as a valuable model for studies of oculomotor control.

scholarly journals Electrical microstimulation evokes saccades in posterior parietal cortex of common marmosets

2019 ◽  
Vol 122 (4) ◽  
pp. 1765-1776 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Ghahremani ◽  
Kevin D. Johnston ◽  
Liya Ma ◽  
Lauren K. Hayrynen ◽  
Stefan Everling
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movements ◽  
Parietal Cortex ◽  
Posterior Parietal Cortex ◽  
Common Marmoset ◽  
Primate Species ◽  
Oculomotor Control ◽  
Electrical Microstimulation ◽  
Cortical Areas ◽  
Posterior Parietal ◽  
The Common

The common marmoset ( Callithrix jacchus) is a small-bodied New World primate increasing in prominence as a model animal for neuroscience research. The lissencephalic cortex of this primate species provides substantial advantages for the application of electrophysiological techniques such as high-density and laminar recordings, which have the capacity to advance our understanding of local and laminar cortical circuits and their roles in cognitive and motor functions. This is particularly the case with respect to the oculomotor system, as critical cortical areas of this network such as the frontal eye fields (FEF) and lateral intraparietal area (LIP) lie deep within sulci in macaques. Studies of cytoarchitecture and connectivity have established putative homologies between cortical oculomotor fields in marmoset and macaque, but physiological investigations of these areas, particularly in awake marmosets, have yet to be carried out. Here we addressed this gap by probing the function of posterior parietal cortex of the common marmoset with electrical microstimulation. We implanted two animals with 32-channel Utah arrays at the location of the putative area LIP and applied microstimulation while they viewed a video display and made untrained eye movements. Similar to previous studies in macaques, stimulation evoked fixed-vector and goal-directed saccades, staircase saccades, and eyeblinks. These data demonstrate that area LIP of the marmoset plays a role in the regulation of eye movements, provide additional evidence that this area is homologous with that of the macaque, and further establish the marmoset as a valuable model for neurophysiological investigations of oculomotor and cognitive control. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The macaque monkey has been the preeminent model for investigations of oculomotor control, but studies of cortical areas are limited, as many of these areas are buried within sulci in this species. Here we applied electrical microstimulation to the putative area LIP of the lissencephalic cortex of awake marmosets. Similar to the macaque, microstimulation evoked contralateral saccades from this area, supporting the marmoset as a valuable model for studies of oculomotor control.

scholarly journals Single-unit activity in marmoset posterior parietal cortex in a gap saccade task

2020 ◽  
Vol 123 (3) ◽  
pp. 896-911 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liya Ma ◽  
Janahan Selvanayagam ◽  
Maryam Ghahremani ◽  
Lauren K. Hayrynen ◽  
Kevin D. Johnston ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parietal Cortex ◽  
Unit Activity ◽  
Single Unit ◽  
Posterior Parietal Cortex ◽  
Common Marmoset ◽  
Gap Effect ◽  
Oculomotor Control ◽  
Single Unit Activity ◽  
Primate Model ◽  
Posterior Parietal

Abnormal saccadic eye movements can serve as biomarkers for patients with several neuropsychiatric disorders. The common marmoset ( Callithrix jacchus) is becoming increasingly popular as a nonhuman primate model to investigate the cortical mechanisms of saccadic control. Recently, our group demonstrated that microstimulation in the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) of marmosets elicits contralateral saccades. Here we recorded single-unit activity in the PPC of the same two marmosets using chronic microelectrode arrays while the monkeys performed a saccadic task with gap trials (target onset lagged fixation point offset by 200 ms) interleaved with step trials (fixation point disappeared when the peripheral target appeared). Both marmosets showed a gap effect, shorter saccadic reaction times (SRTs) in gap vs. step trials. On average, stronger gap-period responses across the entire neuronal population preceded shorter SRTs on trials with contralateral targets although this correlation was stronger among the 15% “gap neurons,” which responded significantly during the gap. We also found 39% “target neurons” with significant saccadic target-related responses, which were stronger in gap trials and correlated with the SRTs better than the remaining neurons. Compared with saccades with relatively long SRTs, short-SRT saccades were preceded by both stronger gap-related and target-related responses in all PPC neurons, regardless of whether such response reached significance. Our findings suggest that the PPC in the marmoset contains an area that is involved in the modulation of saccadic preparation. NEW & NOTEWORTHY As a primate model in systems neuroscience, the marmoset is a great complement to the macaque monkey because of its unique advantages. To identify oculomotor networks in the marmoset, we recorded from the marmoset posterior parietal cortex during a saccadic task and found single-unit activities consistent with a role in saccadic modulation. This finding supports the marmoset as a valuable model for studying oculomotor control.

Audiovisual stimulus-driven contributions to spatial orienting in ecologically valid situations: An fMRI study

2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (0) ◽  
pp. 16
Author(s):  
Davide Nardo ◽  
Valerio Santangelo ◽  
Emiliano Macaluso
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movements ◽  
Parietal Cortex ◽  
Posterior Parietal Cortex ◽  
Computational Models ◽  
Spatial Relationship ◽  
Visual Saliency ◽  
Occipital Cortex ◽  
Audiovisual Stimulus ◽  
Spatial Orienting ◽  
Posterior Parietal

Mechanisms of audiovisual attention have been extensively investigated, yet little is known about their functioning in ecologically-valid situations. Here, we investigated brain activity associated with audiovisual stimulus-driven attention using naturalistic stimuli. We created 120 short videos (2.5 s) showing scenes of everyday life. Each video included a visual event comprising a lateralized (left/right) increase in visual saliency (e.g., an actor moving an object), plus a co-occurring sound either on the same or the opposite side of space. Subjects viewed the videos with/without the associated sounds, and either in covert (central fixation) or overt (eye-movements allowed) viewing conditions. For each stimulus, we used computational models (‘saliency maps’) to characterize auditory and visual stimulus-driven signals, and eye-movements (recorded in free viewing) as a measure of the efficacy of these signals for spatial orienting. Results showed that visual saliency modulated activity in the occipital cortex contralateral to the visual event; while auditory saliency modulated activity in the superior temporal gyrus bilaterally. In the posterior parietal cortex activity increased with increasing auditory saliency, but only when the auditory stimulus was on the same side as the visual event. The efficacy of the stimulus-driven signals modulated activity in the visual cortex. We conclude that: (1) audiovisual attention can be successfully investigated in real-like situations; (2) activity in sensory areas reflects a combination of stimulus-driven signals (saliency) and their efficacy for spatial orienting; (3) posterior parietal cortex processes auditory input as a function of its spatial relationship with the visual input.

scholarly journals Distinct properties of layer 3 pyramidal neurons from prefrontal and parietal areas of the monkey neocortex

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillermo Gonzalez-Burgos ◽  
Takeaki Miyamae ◽  
Yosef Krimer ◽  
Yelena Gulchina ◽  
Diego Pafundo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Parietal Cortex ◽  
Posterior Parietal Cortex ◽  
Pyramidal Neurons ◽  
Spine Density ◽  
Cortical Areas ◽  
Basal Dendrites ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽  
Posterior Parietal ◽  
Memory Network

AbstractIn primates, working memory function depends on activity in a distributed network of cortical areas that display different patterns of delay task-related activity. These differences are correlated with, and might depend on, distinctive properties of the neurons located in each area. For example, layer 3 pyramidal neurons (L3PNs) differ significantly between primary visual and dorsolateral prefrontal (DLPFC) cortices. However, to what extent L3PNs differ between DLPFC and other association cortical areas is less clear. Hence, we compared the properties of L3PNs in monkey DLPFC versus posterior parietal cortex (PPC), a key node in the cortical working memory network. Using patch clamp recordings and biocytin cell filling in acute brain slices, we assessed the physiology and morphology of L3PNs from monkey DLPFC and PPC. The L3PN transcriptome was studied using laser microdissection combined with DNA microarray or quantitative PCR. We found that in both DLPFC and PPC, L3PNs were divided into regular spiking (RS-L3PNs) and bursting (B-L3PNs) physiological subtypes. Whereas regional differences in single-cell excitability were modest, B-L3PNs were rare in PPC (RS-L3PN:B-L3PN, 94:6), but were abundant in DLPFC (50:50), showing greater physiological diversity. Moreover, DLPFC L3PNs display larger and more complex basal dendrites with higher dendritic spine density. Additionally, we found differential expression of hundreds of genes, suggesting a transcriptional basis for the differences in L3PN phenotype between DLPFC and PPC. These data show that the previously observed differences between DLPFC and PPC neuron activity during working memory tasks are associated with diversity in the cellular/molecular properties of L3PNs.Significance statementIn the human and non-human primate neocortex, layer 3 pyramidal neurons (L3PNs) differ significantly between dorsolateral prefrontal (DLPFC) and sensory areas. Hence, L3PN properties reflect, and may contribute to, a greater complexity of computations performed in DLPFC. However, across association cortical areas, L3PN properties are largely unexplored. We studied the physiology, dendrite morphology and transcriptome of L3PNs from macaque monkey DLPFC and posterior parietal cortex (PPC), two key nodes in the cortical working memory network. L3PNs from DLPFC had greater diversity of physiological properties and larger basal dendrites with higher spine density. Moreover, transcriptome analysis suggested a molecular basis for the differences in the physiological and morphological phenotypes of L3PNs from DLPFC and PPC.

scholarly journals Marmosets: a promising model for probing the neural mechanisms underlying complex visual networks such as the frontal–parietal network

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanita F. D’Souza ◽  
Nicholas S. C. Price ◽  
Maureen A. Hagan
Keyword(s):  
Motor Preparation ◽  
Common Marmoset ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Oculomotor Control ◽  
Lateral Intraparietal Area ◽  
Cortical Areas ◽  
The Common ◽  
And Function ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Behavioural Repertoire

AbstractThe technology, methodology and models used by visual neuroscientists have provided great insights into the structure and function of individual brain areas. However, complex cognitive functions arise in the brain due to networks comprising multiple interacting cortical areas that are wired together with precise anatomical connections. A prime example of this phenomenon is the frontal–parietal network and two key regions within it: the frontal eye fields (FEF) and lateral intraparietal area (area LIP). Activity in these cortical areas has independently been tied to oculomotor control, motor preparation, visual attention and decision-making. Strong, bidirectional anatomical connections have also been traced between FEF and area LIP, suggesting that the aforementioned visual functions depend on these inter-area interactions. However, advancements in our knowledge about the interactions between area LIP and FEF are limited with the main animal model, the rhesus macaque, because these key regions are buried in the sulci of the brain. In this review, we propose that the common marmoset is the ideal model for investigating how anatomical connections give rise to functionally-complex cognitive visual behaviours, such as those modulated by the frontal–parietal network, because of the homology of their cortical networks with humans and macaques, amenability to transgenic technology, and rich behavioural repertoire. Furthermore, the lissencephalic structure of the marmoset brain enables application of powerful techniques, such as array-based electrophysiology and optogenetics, which are critical to bridge the gaps in our knowledge about structure and function in the brain.

Eye movements elicited by electrical stimulation of area PG in the monkey

1991 ◽  
Vol 65 (6) ◽  
pp. 1243-1253 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. D. Kurylo ◽  
A. A. Skavenski
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Eye Movements ◽  
Parietal Cortex ◽  
Posterior Parietal Cortex ◽  
Eye Position ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Posterior Parietal ◽  
Rostral Region ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Stimulation Of

1. Eye positions of monkeys were tracked while low-current electrical stimulation was delivered to area PG of the posterior parietal cortex. Stimulation was delivered while monkeys were in darkness, while they were in a dimly illuminated room, or while they actively fixated on small lamps to receive a liquid reward. 2. Resulting eye movements fell into one of three categories, depending roughly on the area stimulated. Stimulation of caudal regions generally resulted in saccades that were of approximately equivalent amplitudes and directions. When more rostral areas were stimulated, saccades were generally produced that directed the eyes toward roughly the same position in the head. Distributed throughout all regions were sites for which elicited saccades did not fall clearly into either of these coordinate bases. Stimulation of lateral areas produced low-velocity eye movements that were directed ipsilaterally from the stimulated hemisphere. 3. Stimulation made while monkeys fixated on target lamps produced saccades with more variability and less amplitude than those produced while monkeys were in darkness. Low-velocity eye movements could only be elicited while monkeys were in darkness. 4. Craniocentric saccades typically brought the eyes to within a 10-20 degrees area, and saccades could not be produced when the initial eye position was near this area. Craniocentric saccades were always greater than 5 degrees in amplitude. 5. It is concluded that area PG is organized into at least two zones that differ in the way by which they code saccades. A caudal region codes saccades in a way similar to that found in the frontal cortex and superior colliculus of primates. A rostral region codes saccades in a craniocentric manner, although it is restricted only to gross redirection of gaze without the accuracy monkeys are capable of using in directing their eyes.

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