Cerebral Cortex,
Journal Year:
2022,
Volume and Issue:
33(6), P. 3293 - 3310
Published: July 14, 2022
Understanding
computational
principles
in
hierarchically
organized
sensory
systems
requires
functional
parcellation
of
brain
structures
and
their
precise
targeting
for
manipulations.
Although
atlases
are
widely
used
to
infer
area
locations
the
mouse
neocortex,
it
has
been
unclear
whether
stereotaxic
coordinates
based
on
standardized
morphology
accurately
represent
domains
individual
animals.
Here,
we
intrinsic
signal
imaging
evaluate
accuracy
delineation
atlas
by
mapping
functionally-identified
auditory
cortices
onto
bregma-based
coordinates.
We
found
that
correlated
poorly
with
true
complexity
boundaries.
Inter-animal
variability
predicted
surprisingly
high
error
rates
This
was
not
simply
attributed
sizes
or
suture
irregularities
but
instead
reflected
differences
cortical
geography
across
Our
data
thus
indicate
animals
is
essential
dissecting
area-specific
roles
precision.
Many
theories
of
brain
function
propose
that
activity
in
sparse
subsets
neurons
underlies
perception
and
action.
To
place
a
lower
bound
on
the
amount
neural
can
be
perceived,
we
used
an
all-optical
approach
to
drive
behaviour
with
targeted
two-photon
optogenetic
activation
small
ensembles
L2/3
pyramidal
mouse
barrel
cortex
while
simultaneously
recording
local
network
calcium
imaging.
By
precisely
titrating
number
stimulated,
demonstrate
for
cortical
is
~14
neurons.
We
find
steep
sigmoidal
relationship
between
activated
behaviour,
saturating
at
only
~37
neurons,
show
this
shift
learning.
Furthermore,
balanced
by
inhibition
neighbouring
This
surprising
perceptual
sensitivity
face
potent
suppression
supports
coding
hypothesis,
suggests
balances
trade-off
minimizing
impact
noise
efficiently
detecting
relevant
signals.
Neuron,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
111(5), P. 727 - 738.e8
Published: Jan. 6, 2023
Top-down
projections
convey
a
family
of
signals
encoding
previous
experiences
and
current
aims
to
the
sensory
neocortex,
where
they
converge
with
external
bottom-up
information
enable
perception
memory.
Whereas
top-down
control
has
been
attributed
excitatory
pathways,
existence,
connectivity,
content
inhibitory
remain
elusive.
Here,
we
combine
synaptic
two-photon
calcium
imaging,
circuit
mapping,
cortex-dependent
learning,
chemogenetics
in
mice
identify
GABAergic
afferents
from
subthalamic
zona
incerta
as
major
source
input
neocortex.
Incertocortical
transmission
undergoes
robust
plasticity
during
learning
that
improves
transfer
mediates
behavioral
Unlike
incertocortical
form
disinhibitory
encodes
learned
relevance
bidirectional
manner
rapid
appearance
negative
responses
serves
main
driver
changes
stimulus
representation.
Our
results
therefore
reveal
distinctive
contribution
long-range
(dis)inhibitory
computational
flexibility
neocortical
circuits.
Science Advances,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
11(2)
Published: Jan. 8, 2025
The
temporal
structure
of
sensory
inputs
contains
essential
information
for
their
interpretation.
Sensory
cortex
represents
these
cues
through
two
codes:
the
sequences
neuronal
activity
and
spatial
patterns
firing
rate.
However,
it
is
unknown
which
coexisting
codes
causally
drives
decisions.
To
separate
contributions,
we
generated
in
mouse
auditory
optogenetically
driven
differing
exclusively
along
or
dimensions.
Mice
could
rapidly
learn
to
behaviorally
discriminate
but
not
patterns.
Moreover,
large-scale
recordings
across
system
revealed
that
first
region
efficiently
represent
on
timescale
several
hundred
milliseconds.
This
feature
shared
by
deep
layers
neural
networks
categorizing
time-varying
sounds.
Therefore,
emergence
a
code
necessary
condition
associate
temporally
structured
stimuli
with
Nature Communications,
Journal Year:
2022,
Volume and Issue:
13(1)
Published: Oct. 8, 2022
Abstract
The
auditory
striatum,
the
tail
portion
of
dorsal
striatum
in
basal
ganglia,
is
implicated
perceptual
decision-making,
transforming
stimuli
to
action
outcomes.
Despite
its
known
connections
diverse
neurological
conditions,
dopaminergic
modulation
sensory
striatal
neuronal
activity
and
behavioral
influences
remain
unknown.
We
demonstrated
that
optogenetic
inhibition
projections
from
substantia
nigra
pars
compacta
specifically
impairs
mouse
choice
performance
but
not
movement
an
frequency
discrimination
task.
In
vivo
dopamine
calcium
imaging
freely
behaving
mice
revealed
this
projection
modulates
tone
representations,
tone-evoked
release
inversely
correlated
with
evidence
strength
tones.
Optogenetic
D1-receptor
expressing
neurons
pharmacological
D1
receptors
dampened
accuracy.
Our
study
uncovers
a
phasic
mechanism
within
nigrostriatal
system
regulates
decisions
by
modulating
ongoing
perception.
