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Bowler JC, Zakka G, Yong HC, Li W, Rao B, Liao Z, Priestley JB, Losonczy A. behaviorMate: An Intranet of Things Approach for Adaptable Control of Behavioral and Navigation-Based Experiments. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.04.569989. [PMID: 38116032 PMCID: PMC10729741 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.04.569989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Investigators conducting behavioral experiments often need precise control over the timing of the delivery of stimuli to subjects and to collect the precise times of the subsequent behavioral responses. Furthermore, investigators want fine-tuned control over how various multi-modal cues are presented. behaviorMate takes an "Intranet of Things" approach, using a networked system of hardware and software components for achieving these goals. The system outputs a file with integrated timestamp-event pairs that investigators can then format and process using their own analysis pipelines. We present an overview of the electronic components and GUI application that make up behaviorMate as well as mechanical designs for compatible experimental rigs to provide the reader with the ability to set up their own system. A wide variety of paradigms are supported, including goal-oriented learning, random foraging, and context switching. We demonstrate behaviorMate's utility and reliability with a range of use cases from several published studies and benchmark tests. Finally, we present experimental validation demonstrating different modalities of hippocampal place field studies. Both treadmill with burlap belt and virtual reality with running wheel paradigms were performed to confirm the efficacy and flexibility of the approach. Previous solutions rely on proprietary systems that may have large upfront costs or present frameworks that require customized software to be developed. behaviorMate uses open-source software and a flexible configuration system to mitigate both concerns. behaviorMate has a proven record for head-fixed imaging experiments and could be easily adopted for task control in a variety of experimental situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C. Bowler
- Department of Neuroscience
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA
- Department of Neurobiology University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - George Zakka
- Department of Neuroscience
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA
| | - Hyun Choong Yong
- Department of Neuroscience
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA
| | - Wenke Li
- Aquabyte, San Francisco, CA 94111
| | - Bovey Rao
- Department of Neuroscience
- Doctoral Program in Neurobiology and Behavior
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA
| | - Zhenrui Liao
- Department of Neuroscience
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA
| | | | - Attila Losonczy
- Department of Neuroscience
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA
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2
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Wischnewski M, Tran H, Zhao Z, Shirinpour S, Haigh ZJ, Rotteveel J, Perera ND, Alekseichuk I, Zimmermann J, Opitz A. Induced neural phase precession through exogenous electric fields. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1687. [PMID: 38402188 PMCID: PMC10894208 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45898-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The gradual shifting of preferred neural spiking relative to local field potentials (LFPs), known as phase precession, plays a prominent role in neural coding. Correlations between the phase precession and behavior have been observed throughout various brain regions. As such, phase precession is suggested to be a global neural mechanism that promotes local neuroplasticity. However, causal evidence and neuroplastic mechanisms of phase precession are lacking so far. Here we show a causal link between LFP dynamics and phase precession. In three experiments, we modulated LFPs in humans, a non-human primate, and computational models using alternating current stimulation. We show that continuous stimulation of motor cortex oscillations in humans lead to a gradual phase shift of maximal corticospinal excitability by ~90°. Further, exogenous alternating current stimulation induced phase precession in a subset of entrained neurons (~30%) in the non-human primate. Multiscale modeling of realistic neural circuits suggests that alternating current stimulation-induced phase precession is driven by NMDA-mediated synaptic plasticity. Altogether, the three experiments provide mechanistic and causal evidence for phase precession as a global neocortical process. Alternating current-induced phase precession and consequently synaptic plasticity is crucial for the development of novel therapeutic neuromodulation methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miles Wischnewski
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Harry Tran
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Zhihe Zhao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Sina Shirinpour
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Zachary J Haigh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Jonna Rotteveel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Nipun D Perera
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Ivan Alekseichuk
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Jan Zimmermann
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Radiology, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Alexander Opitz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
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3
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Cano-Ferrer X, Tran-Van-Minh A, Rancz E. RPM: An open-source Rotation Platform for open- and closed-loop vestibular stimulation in head-fixed Mice. J Neurosci Methods 2024; 401:110002. [PMID: 37925080 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2023.110002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Head fixation allows the recording and presentation of controlled stimuli and is used to study neural processes underlying spatial navigation. However, it disrupts the head direction system because of the lack of vestibular stimulation. To overcome this limitation, we developed a novel rotation platform which can be driven by the experimenter (open-loop) or by animal movement (closed-loop). The platform is modular, affordable, easy to build and open source. Additional modules presented here include cameras for monitoring eye movements, visual virtual reality, and a micro-manipulator for positioning various probes for recording or optical interference. We demonstrate the utility of the platform by recording eye movements and showing the robust activation of head-direction cells. This novel experimental apparatus combines the advantages of head fixation and intact vestibular activity in the horizontal plane. The open-loop mode can be used to study e.g., vestibular sensory representation and processing, while the closed-loop mode allows animals to navigate in rotational space, providing a better substrate for 2-D navigation in virtual environments. The full build documentation is maintained at https://ranczlab.github.io/RPM/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Cano-Ferrer
- The Francis Crick Institute, Cortical Circuits Laboratory, London NW1 1AT, UK; The Francis Crick Institute, Making Science and Technology Platform, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | | | - Ede Rancz
- The Francis Crick Institute, Cortical Circuits Laboratory, London NW1 1AT, UK; INMED, INSERM, Aix-Marseille Université, France.
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4
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Abbaspoor S, Rahman K, Zinke W, Hoffman KL. Learning of object-in-context sequences in freely-moving macaques. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.11.571113. [PMID: 38168449 PMCID: PMC10760043 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.11.571113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Flexible learning is a hallmark of primate cognition, which arises through interactions with changing environments. Studies of the neural basis for this flexibility are typically limited by laboratory settings that use minimal environmental cues and restrict interactions with the environment, including active sensing and exploration. To address this, we constructed a 3-D enclosure containing touchscreens on its walls, for studying cognition in freely moving macaques. To test flexible learning, two monkeys completed trials consisting of a regular sequence of object selections across four touchscreens. On each screen, the monkeys had to select by touching the sole correct object item ('target') among a set of four items, irrespective of their positions on the screen. Each item was the target on exactly one screen of the sequence, making correct performance conditioned on the spatiotemporal sequence rule across screens. Both monkeys successfully learned multiple 4-item sets (N=14 and 22 sets), totaling over 50 and 80 unique, conditional item-context memoranda, with no indication of capacity limits. The enclosure allowed freedom of movements leading up to and following the touchscreen interactions. To determine whether movement economy changed with learning, we reconstructed 3D position and movement dynamics using markerless tracking software and gyroscopic inertial measurements. Whereas general body positions remained consistent across repeated sequences, fine head movements varied as monkeys learned, within and across sequence sets, demonstrating learning set or "learning to learn". These results demonstrate monkeys' rapid, capacious, and flexible learning within an integrated, multisensory 3-D space. Furthermore, this approach enables the measurement of continuous behavior while ensuring precise experimental control and behavioral repetition of sequences over time. Overall, this approach harmonizes the design features that are needed for electrophysiological studies with tasks that showcase fully situated, flexible cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Abbaspoor
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States
- Vanderbilt Vision Research Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States
| | - K Rahman
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States
- Vanderbilt Vision Research Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States
| | - W Zinke
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States
- Vanderbilt Vision Research Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States
| | - K L Hoffman
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States
- Vanderbilt Vision Research Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States
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5
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Zhou ZC, Gordon-Fennell A, Piantadosi SC, Ji N, Smith SL, Bruchas MR, Stuber GD. Deep-brain optical recording of neural dynamics during behavior. Neuron 2023; 111:3716-3738. [PMID: 37804833 PMCID: PMC10843303 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
In vivo fluorescence recording techniques have produced landmark discoveries in neuroscience, providing insight into how single cell and circuit-level computations mediate sensory processing and generate complex behaviors. While much attention has been given to recording from cortical brain regions, deep-brain fluorescence recording is more complex because it requires additional measures to gain optical access to harder to reach brain nuclei. Here we discuss detailed considerations and tradeoffs regarding deep-brain fluorescence recording techniques and provide a comprehensive guide for all major steps involved, from project planning to data analysis. The goal is to impart guidance for new and experienced investigators seeking to use in vivo deep fluorescence optical recordings in awake, behaving rodent models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Charles Zhou
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Center for Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Adam Gordon-Fennell
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Center for Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Sean C Piantadosi
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Center for Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Na Ji
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Spencer LaVere Smith
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Michael R Bruchas
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Center for Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
| | - Garret D Stuber
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Center for Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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6
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Purandare C, Mehta M. Mega-scale movie-fields in the mouse visuo-hippocampal network. eLife 2023; 12:RP85069. [PMID: 37910428 PMCID: PMC10619982 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural visual experience involves a continuous series of related images while the subject is immobile. How does the cortico-hippocampal circuit process a visual episode? The hippocampus is crucial for episodic memory, but most rodent single unit studies require spatial exploration or active engagement. Hence, we investigated neural responses to a silent movie (Allen Brain Observatory) in head-fixed mice without any task or locomotion demands, or rewards. Surprisingly, a third (33%, 3379/10263) of hippocampal -dentate gyrus, CA3, CA1 and subiculum- neurons showed movie-selectivity, with elevated firing in specific movie sub-segments, termed movie-fields, similar to the vast majority of thalamo-cortical (LGN, V1, AM-PM) neurons (97%, 6554/6785). Movie-tuning remained intact in immobile or spontaneously running mice. Visual neurons had >5 movie-fields per cell, but only ~2 in hippocampus. The movie-field durations in all brain regions spanned an unprecedented 1000-fold range: from 0.02s to 20s, termed mega-scale coding. Yet, the total duration of all the movie-fields of a cell was comparable across neurons and brain regions. The hippocampal responses thus showed greater continuous-sequence encoding than visual areas, as evidenced by fewer and broader movie-fields than in visual areas. Consistently, repeated presentation of the movie images in a fixed, but scrambled sequence virtually abolished hippocampal but not visual-cortical selectivity. The preference for continuous, compared to scrambled sequence was eight-fold greater in hippocampal than visual areas, further supporting episodic-sequence encoding. Movies could thus provide a unified way to probe neural mechanisms of episodic information processing and memory, even in immobile subjects, across brain regions, and species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chinmay Purandare
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
- W.M. Keck Center for Neurophysics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Mayank Mehta
- W.M. Keck Center for Neurophysics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
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7
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Wischnewski M, Tran H, Zhao Z, Shirinpour S, Haigh Z, Rotteveel J, Perera N, Alekseichuk I, Zimmermann J, Opitz A. Induced neural phase precession through exogeneous electric fields. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.31.535073. [PMID: 37034780 PMCID: PMC10081336 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.31.535073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Abstract
The gradual shifting of preferred neural spiking relative to local field potentials (LFPs), known as phase precession, plays a prominent role in neural coding. Correlations between the phase precession and behavior have been observed throughout various brain regions. As such, phase precession is suggested to be a global neural mechanism that promotes local neuroplasticity. However, causal evidence and neuroplastic mechanisms of phase precession are lacking so far. Here we show a causal link between LFP dynamics and phase precession. In three experiments, we modulated LFPs in humans, a non-human primate, and computational models using alternating current stimulation. We show that continuous stimulation of motor cortex oscillations in humans lead to a gradual phase shift of maximal corticospinal excitability by ~90°. Further, exogenous alternating current stimulation induced phase precession in a subset of entrained neurons (~30%) in the non-human primate. Multiscale modeling of realistic neural circuits suggests that alternating current stimulation-induced phase precession is driven by NMDA-mediated synaptic plasticity. Altogether, the three experiments provide mechanistic and causal evidence for phase precession as a global neocortical process. Alternating current-induced phase precession and consequently synaptic plasticity is crucial for the development of novel therapeutic neuromodulation methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Wischnewski
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - H. Tran
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Z. Zhao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - S. Shirinpour
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Z.J. Haigh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - J. Rotteveel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - N.D. Perera
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - I. Alekseichuk
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - J. Zimmermann
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - A. Opitz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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8
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Etter G, Carmichael JE, Williams S. Linking temporal coordination of hippocampal activity to memory function. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1233849. [PMID: 37720546 PMCID: PMC10501408 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1233849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Oscillations in neural activity are widespread throughout the brain and can be observed at the population level through the local field potential. These rhythmic patterns are associated with cycles of excitability and are thought to coordinate networks of neurons, in turn facilitating effective communication both within local circuits and across brain regions. In the hippocampus, theta rhythms (4-12 Hz) could contribute to several key physiological mechanisms including long-range synchrony, plasticity, and at the behavioral scale, support memory encoding and retrieval. While neurons in the hippocampus appear to be temporally coordinated by theta oscillations, they also tend to fire in sequences that are developmentally preconfigured. Although loss of theta rhythmicity impairs memory, these sequences of spatiotemporal representations persist in conditions of altered hippocampal oscillations. The focus of this review is to disentangle the relative contribution of hippocampal oscillations from single-neuron activity in learning and memory. We first review cellular, anatomical, and physiological mechanisms underlying the generation and maintenance of hippocampal rhythms and how they contribute to memory function. We propose candidate hypotheses for how septohippocampal oscillations could support memory function while not contributing directly to hippocampal sequences. In particular, we explore how theta rhythms could coordinate the integration of upstream signals in the hippocampus to form future decisions, the relevance of such integration to downstream regions, as well as setting the stage for behavioral timescale synaptic plasticity. Finally, we leverage stimulation-based treatment in Alzheimer's disease conditions as an opportunity to assess the sufficiency of hippocampal oscillations for memory function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sylvain Williams
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health Research Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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9
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Jankowski MM, Polterovich A, Kazakov A, Niediek J, Nelken I. An automated, low-latency environment for studying the neural basis of behavior in freely moving rats. BMC Biol 2023; 21:172. [PMID: 37568111 PMCID: PMC10416379 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01660-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Behavior consists of the interaction between an organism and its environment, and is controlled by the brain. Brain activity varies at sub-second time scales, but behavioral measures are usually coarse (often consisting of only binary trial outcomes). RESULTS To overcome this mismatch, we developed the Rat Interactive Foraging Facility (RIFF): a programmable interactive arena for freely moving rats with multiple feeding areas, multiple sound sources, high-resolution behavioral tracking, and simultaneous electrophysiological recordings. The paper provides detailed information about the construction of the RIFF and the software used to control it. To illustrate the flexibility of the RIFF, we describe two complex tasks implemented in the RIFF, a foraging task and a sound localization task. Rats quickly learned to obtain rewards in both tasks. Neurons in the auditory cortex as well as neurons in the auditory field in the posterior insula had sound-driven activity during behavior. Remarkably, neurons in both structures also showed sensitivity to non-auditory parameters such as location in the arena and head-to-body angle. CONCLUSIONS The RIFF provides insights into the cognitive capabilities and learning mechanisms of rats and opens the way to a better understanding of how brains control behavior. The ability to do so depends crucially on the combination of wireless electrophysiology and detailed behavioral documentation available in the RIFF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej M Jankowski
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences and the Department of Neurobiology, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- BioTechMed Center, Multimedia Systems Department, Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics, Gdansk University of Technology, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Ana Polterovich
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences and the Department of Neurobiology, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Alex Kazakov
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences and the Department of Neurobiology, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Johannes Niediek
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences and the Department of Neurobiology, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Israel Nelken
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences and the Department of Neurobiology, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
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10
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Gordon-Fennell A, Barbakh JM, Utley MT, Singh S, Bazzino P, Gowrishankar R, Bruchas MR, Roitman MF, Stuber GD. An open-source platform for head-fixed operant and consummatory behavior. eLife 2023; 12:e86183. [PMID: 37555578 PMCID: PMC10499376 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Head-fixed behavioral experiments in rodents permit unparalleled experimental control, precise measurement of behavior, and concurrent modulation and measurement of neural activity. Here, we present OHRBETS (Open-Source Head-fixed Rodent Behavioral Experimental Training System; pronounced 'Orbitz'), a low-cost, open-source platform of hardware and software to flexibly pursue the neural basis of a variety of motivated behaviors. Head-fixed mice tested with OHRBETS displayed operant conditioning for caloric reward that replicates core behavioral phenotypes observed during freely moving conditions. OHRBETS also permits optogenetic intracranial self-stimulation under positive or negative operant conditioning procedures and real-time place preference behavior, like that observed in freely moving assays. In a multi-spout brief-access consumption task, mice displayed licking as a function of concentration of sucrose, quinine, and sodium chloride, with licking modulated by homeostatic or circadian influences. Finally, to highlight the functionality of OHRBETS, we measured mesolimbic dopamine signals during the multi-spout brief-access task that display strong correlations with relative solution value and magnitude of consumption. All designs, programs, and instructions are provided freely online. This customizable platform enables replicable operant and consummatory behaviors and can be incorporated with methods to perturb and record neural dynamics in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Gordon-Fennell
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Joumana M Barbakh
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - MacKenzie T Utley
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Shreya Singh
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Paula Bazzino
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at ChicagoChicagoUnited States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Raajaram Gowrishankar
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Michael R Bruchas
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Mitchell F Roitman
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at ChicagoChicagoUnited States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Garret D Stuber
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
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11
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Nicholls VI, Alsbury-Nealy B, Krugliak A, Clarke A. Context effects on object recognition in real-world environments: A study protocol. Wellcome Open Res 2023; 7:165. [PMID: 37274451 PMCID: PMC10238820 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17856.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The environments that we live in impact on our ability to recognise objects, with recognition being facilitated when objects appear in expected locations (congruent) compared to unexpected locations (incongruent). However, these findings are based on experiments where the object is isolated from its environment. Moreover, it is not clear which components of the recognition process are impacted by the environment. In this experiment, we seek to examine the impact real world environments have on object recognition. Specifically, we will use mobile electroencephalography (mEEG) and augmented reality (AR) to investigate how the visual and semantic processing aspects of object recognition are changed by the environment. Methods: We will use AR to place congruent and incongruent virtual objects around indoor and outdoor environments. During the experiment a total of 34 participants will walk around the environments and find these objects while we record their eye movements and neural signals. We will perform two primary analyses. First, we will analyse the event-related potential (ERP) data using paired samples t-tests in the N300/400 time windows in an attempt to replicate congruency effects on the N300/400. Second, we will use representational similarity analysis (RSA) and computational models of vision and semantics to determine how visual and semantic processes are changed by congruency. Conclusions: Based on previous literature, we hypothesise that scene-object congruence would facilitate object recognition. For ERPs, we predict a congruency effect in the N300/N400, and for RSA we predict that higher level visual and semantic information will be represented earlier for congruent scenes than incongruent scenes. By collecting mEEG data while participants are exploring a real-world environment, we will be able to determine the impact of a natural context on object recognition, and the different processing stages of object recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alexandra Krugliak
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Alex Clarke
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
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12
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Saleem AB, Busse L. Interactions between rodent visual and spatial systems during navigation. Nat Rev Neurosci 2023:10.1038/s41583-023-00716-7. [PMID: 37380885 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-023-00716-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Many behaviours that are critical for animals to survive and thrive rely on spatial navigation. Spatial navigation, in turn, relies on internal representations about one's spatial location, one's orientation or heading direction and the distance to objects in the environment. Although the importance of vision in guiding such internal representations has long been recognized, emerging evidence suggests that spatial signals can also modulate neural responses in the central visual pathway. Here, we review the bidirectional influences between visual and navigational signals in the rodent brain. Specifically, we discuss reciprocal interactions between vision and the internal representations of spatial position, explore the effects of vision on representations of an animal's heading direction and vice versa, and examine how the visual and navigational systems work together to assess the relative distances of objects and other features. Throughout, we consider how technological advances and novel ethological paradigms that probe rodent visuo-spatial behaviours allow us to advance our understanding of how brain areas of the central visual pathway and the spatial systems interact and enable complex behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aman B Saleem
- UCL Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Laura Busse
- Division of Neuroscience, Faculty of Biology, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
- Bernstein Centre for Computational Neuroscience Munich, Munich, Germany.
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13
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Stangl M, Maoz SL, Suthana N. Mobile cognition: imaging the human brain in the 'real world'. Nat Rev Neurosci 2023; 24:347-362. [PMID: 37046077 PMCID: PMC10642288 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-023-00692-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive neuroscience studies in humans have enabled decades of impactful discoveries but have primarily been limited to recording the brain activity of immobile participants in a laboratory setting. In recent years, advances in neuroimaging technologies have enabled recordings of human brain activity to be obtained during freely moving behaviours in the real world. Here, we propose that these mobile neuroimaging methods can provide unique insights into the neural mechanisms of human cognition and contribute to the development of novel treatments for neurological and psychiatric disorders. We further discuss the challenges associated with studying naturalistic human behaviours in complex real-world settings as well as strategies for overcoming them. We conclude that mobile neuroimaging methods have the potential to bring about a new era of cognitive neuroscience in which neural mechanisms can be studied with increased ecological validity and with the ability to address questions about natural behaviour and cognitive processes in humans engaged in dynamic real-world experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Stangl
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behaviour, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Sabrina L Maoz
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nanthia Suthana
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behaviour, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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14
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Han CZ, Donoghue T, Cao R, Kunz L, Wang S, Jacobs J. Using multi-task experiments to test principles of hippocampal function. Hippocampus 2023; 33:646-657. [PMID: 37042212 PMCID: PMC10249632 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Investigations of hippocampal functions have revealed a dizzying array of findings, from lesion-based behavioral deficits, to a diverse range of characterized neural activations, to computational models of putative functionality. Across these findings, there remains an ongoing debate about the core function of the hippocampus and the generality of its representation. Researchers have debated whether the hippocampus's primary role relates to the representation of space, the neural basis of (episodic) memory, or some more general computation that generalizes across various cognitive domains. Within these different perspectives, there is much debate about the nature of feature encodings. Here, we suggest that in order to evaluate hippocampal responses-investigating, for example, whether neuronal representations are narrowly targeted to particular tasks or if they subserve domain-general purposes-a promising research strategy may be the use of multi-task experiments, or more generally switching between multiple task contexts while recording from the same neurons in a given session. We argue that this strategy-when combined with explicitly defined theoretical motivations that guide experiment design-could be a fruitful approach to better understand how hippocampal representations support different behaviors. In doing so, we briefly review key open questions in the field, as exemplified by articles in this special issue, as well as previous work using multi-task experiments, and extrapolate to consider how this strategy could be further applied to probe fundamental questions about hippocampal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Z. Han
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University
| | | | - Runnan Cao
- Department of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis
| | - Lukas Kunz
- Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn Medical Center, Bonn, Germany
| | - Shuo Wang
- Department of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis
| | - Joshua Jacobs
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University
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15
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Stibůrek M, Ondráčková P, Tučková T, Turtaev S, Šiler M, Pikálek T, Jákl P, Gomes A, Krejčí J, Kolbábková P, Uhlířová H, Čižmár T. 110 μm thin endo-microscope for deep-brain in vivo observations of neuronal connectivity, activity and blood flow dynamics. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1897. [PMID: 37019883 PMCID: PMC10076269 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36889-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Light-based in-vivo brain imaging relies on light transport over large distances of highly scattering tissues. Scattering gradually reduces imaging contrast and resolution, making it difficult to reach structures at greater depths even with the use of multiphoton techniques. To reach deeper, minimally invasive endo-microscopy techniques have been established. These most commonly exploit graded-index rod lenses and enable a variety of modalities in head-fixed and freely moving animals. A recently proposed alternative is the use of holographic control of light transport through multimode optical fibres promising much less traumatic application and superior imaging performance. We present a 110 μm thin laser-scanning endo-microscope based on this prospect, enabling in-vivo volumetric imaging throughout the whole depth of the mouse brain. The instrument is equipped with multi-wavelength detection and three-dimensional random access options, and it performs at lateral resolution below 1 μm. We showcase various modes of its application through the observations of fluorescently labelled neurones, their processes and blood vessels. Finally, we demonstrate how to exploit the instrument to monitor calcium signalling of neurones and to measure blood flow velocity in individual vessels at high speeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miroslav Stibůrek
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 147, 612 64, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Ondráčková
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 147, 612 64, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Tučková
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 147, 612 64, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Sergey Turtaev
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Albert-Einstein-Straße 9, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Martin Šiler
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 147, 612 64, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Pikálek
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 147, 612 64, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Jákl
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 147, 612 64, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - André Gomes
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Albert-Einstein-Straße 9, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Jana Krejčí
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, 612 65, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Kolbábková
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 147, 612 64, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Uhlířová
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 147, 612 64, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Tomáš Čižmár
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 147, 612 64, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Albert-Einstein-Straße 9, 07745, Jena, Germany.
- Institute of Applied Optics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Fröbelstieg 1, 07743, Jena, Germany.
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16
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Scherrer JR, Lynch GF, Zhang JJ, Fee MS. An optical design enabling lightweight and large field-of-view head-mounted microscopes. Nat Methods 2023; 20:546-549. [PMID: 36928075 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-023-01806-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Here we present a fluorescence microscope light path that enables imaging, during free behavior, of thousands of neurons in mice and hundreds of neurons in juvenile songbirds. The light path eliminates traditional illumination optics, allowing for head-mounted microscopes that have both a lower weight and a larger field of view (FOV) than previously possible. Using this light path, we designed two microscopes: one optimized for FOV (~4 mm FOV; 1.4 g), and the other optimized for weight (1.0 mm FOV; 1.0 g).
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph R Scherrer
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Galen F Lynch
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jie J Zhang
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Michale S Fee
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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17
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Ali SG, Wang X, Li P, Jung Y, Bi L, Kim J, Chen Y, Feng DD, Magnenat Thalmann N, Wang J, Sheng B. A systematic review: Virtual-reality-based techniques for human exercises and health improvement. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1143947. [PMID: 37033028 PMCID: PMC10076722 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1143947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Virtual Reality (VR) has emerged as a new safe and efficient tool for the rehabilitation of many childhood and adulthood illnesses. VR-based therapies have the potential to improve both motor and functional skills in a wide range of age groups through cortical reorganization and the activation of various neuronal connections. Recently, the potential for using serious VR-based games that combine perceptual learning and dichoptic stimulation has been explored for the rehabilitation of ophthalmological and neurological disorders. In ophthalmology, several clinical studies have demonstrated the ability to use VR training to enhance stereopsis, contrast sensitivity, and visual acuity. The use of VR technology provides a significant advantage in training each eye individually without requiring occlusion or penalty. In neurological disorders, the majority of patients undergo recurrent episodes (relapses) of neurological impairment, however, in a few cases (60-80%), the illness progresses over time and becomes chronic, consequential in cumulated motor disability and cognitive deficits. Current research on memory restoration has been spurred by theories about brain plasticity and findings concerning the nervous system's capacity to reconstruct cellular synapses as a result of interaction with enriched environments. Therefore, the use of VR training can play an important role in the improvement of cognitive function and motor disability. Although there are several reviews in the community employing relevant Artificial Intelligence in healthcare, VR has not yet been thoroughly examined in this regard. In this systematic review, we examine the key ideas of VR-based training for prevention and control measurements in ocular diseases such as Myopia, Amblyopia, Presbyopia, and Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Epilepsy and Autism spectrum disorder. This review highlights the fundamentals of VR technologies regarding their clinical research in healthcare. Moreover, these findings will raise community awareness of using VR training and help researchers to learn new techniques to prevent and cure different diseases. We further discuss the current challenges of using VR devices, as well as the future prospects of human training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saba Ghazanfar Ali
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiangning Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ping Li
- Department of Computing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- School of Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Younhyun Jung
- School of Computing, Gachon University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Lei Bi
- Biomedical and Multimedia Information Technology Research Group, School of Computer Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jinman Kim
- Biomedical and Multimedia Information Technology Research Group, School of Computer Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Yuting Chen
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - David Dagan Feng
- Biomedical and Multimedia Information Technology Research Group, School of Computer Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Jihong Wang
- Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Sheng
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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18
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Heldman R, Pang D, Zhao X, Wang Y. A CA1 circuit motif that signals the start of information integration. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.12.532295. [PMID: 36993346 PMCID: PMC10054991 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.12.532295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Integrating information from the recent past is critical for guiding predictions and shaping behavior. The process of integrating information, such as tracking distance traveled or time elapsed, begins with establishing a starting point. Yet, the mechanisms by which neural circuits utilize relevant cues to initiate integration remain unknown. Our study sheds light on this question by identifying a subpopulation of CA1 pyramidal neurons called PyrDown. These neurons shut down their activity at the beginning of distance or time integration and then gradually ramp up their firing as the animal approaches the reward. PyrDown neurons provide a mechanism for representing integrated information through ramping activity, complementing the well-known place/time cells that respond to specific distances or time points. Our findings also reveal that parvalbumin inhibitory interneurons mediate the shutdown of PyrDown neurons, uncovering a circuit motif that enables the initiation of subsequent information integration to improve future predictions.
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19
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Guo C, Wang A, Cheng H, Chen L. New imaging instrument in animal models: Two-photon miniature microscope and large field of view miniature microscope for freely behaving animals. J Neurochem 2023; 164:270-283. [PMID: 36281555 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decade, novel optical imaging tools have been developed for imaging neuronal activities along with the evolution of fluorescence indicators with brighter expression and higher sensitivity. Miniature microscopes, as revolutionary approaches, enable the imaging of large populations of neuron ensembles in freely behaving rodents and mammals, which allows exploring the neural basis of behaviors. Recent progress in two-photon miniature microscopes and mesoscale single-photon miniature microscopes further expand those affordable methods to navigate neural activities during naturalistic behaviors. In this review article, two-photon miniature microscopy techniques are summarized historically from the first documented attempt to the latest ones, and comparisons are made. The driving force behind and their potential for neuroscientific inquiries are also discussed. Current progress in terms of the mesoscale, i.e., the large field-of-view miniature microscopy technique, is addressed as well. Then, pipelines for registering single cells from the data of two-photon and large field-of-view miniature microscopes are discussed. Finally, we present the potential evolution of the techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changliang Guo
- Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Aimin Wang
- School of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Advanced Optical Communication System and Networks, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Heping Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Research Unit of Mitochondria in Brain Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, PKU-Nanjing Institute of Translational Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Liangyi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing, China.,PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China.,Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence, Beijing, China
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20
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Optogenetic frequency scrambling of hippocampal theta oscillations dissociates working memory retrieval from hippocampal spatiotemporal codes. Nat Commun 2023; 14:410. [PMID: 36697399 PMCID: PMC9877037 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35825-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The precise temporal coordination of activity in the brain is thought to be fundamental for memory function. Inhibitory neurons in the medial septum provide a prominent source of innervation to the hippocampus and play a major role in controlling hippocampal theta (~8 Hz) oscillations. While pharmacological inhibition of medial septal neurons is known to disrupt memory, the exact role of septal inhibitory neurons in regulating hippocampal representations and memory is not fully understood. Here, we dissociate the role of theta rhythms in spatiotemporal coding and memory using an all-optical interrogation and recording approach. We find that optogenetic frequency scrambling stimulations abolish theta oscillations and modulate a portion of neurons in the hippocampus. Such stimulation decreased episodic and working memory retrieval while leaving hippocampal spatiotemporal codes intact. Our study suggests that theta rhythms play an essential role in memory but may not be necessary for hippocampal spatiotemporal codes.
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21
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Gordon-Fennell A, Barbakh JM, Utley M, Singh S, Bazzino P, Gowrishankar R, Bruchas MR, Roitman MF, Stuber GD. An Open-Source Platform for Head-Fixed Operant and Consummatory Behavior. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.13.523828. [PMID: 36712040 PMCID: PMC9882199 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.13.523828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Head-fixed behavioral experiments in rodents permit unparalleled experimental control, precise measurement of behavior, and concurrent modulation and measurement of neural activity. Here we present OHRBETS (Open-Source Head-fixed Rodent Behavioral Experimental Training System; pronounced 'Orbitz'), a low-cost, open-source ecosystem of hardware and software to flexibly pursue the neural basis of a variety of motivated behaviors. Head-fixed mice tested with OHRBETS displayed operant conditioning for caloric reward that replicates core behavioral phenotypes observed during freely moving conditions. OHRBETS also permits for optogenetic intracranial self-stimulation under positive or negative operant conditioning procedures and real-time place preference behavior, like that observed in freely moving assays. In a multi-spout brief-access consumption task, mice displayed licking as a function of concentration of sucrose, quinine, and sodium chloride, with licking modulated by homeostatic or circadian influences. Finally, to highlight the functionality of OHRBETS, we measured mesolimbic dopamine signals during the multi-spout brief-access task that display strong correlations with relative solution value and magnitude of consumption. All designs, programs, and instructions are provided freely online. This customizable ecosystem enables replicable operant and consummatory behaviors and can be incorporated with methods to perturb and record neural dynamics in vivo . Impact Statement A customizable open-source hardware and software ecosystem for conducting diverse head-fixed behavioral experiments in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Gordon-Fennell
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Joumana M. Barbakh
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - MacKenzie Utley
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Shreya Singh
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Paula Bazzino
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607
| | - Raajaram Gowrishankar
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Michael R. Bruchas
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Mitchell F. Roitman
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607
| | - Garret D. Stuber
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, WA, USA
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22
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Lee SM, Shin J, Lee I. Significance of visual scene-based learning in the hippocampal systems across mammalian species. Hippocampus 2022; 33:505-521. [PMID: 36458555 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
The hippocampus and its associated cortical regions in the medial temporal lobe play essential roles when animals form a cognitive map and use it to achieve their goals. As the nature of map-making involves sampling different local views of the environment and putting them together in a spatially cohesive way, visual scenes are essential ingredients in the formative process of cognitive maps. Visual scenes also serve as important cues during information retrieval from the cognitive map. Research in humans has shown that there are regions in the brain that selectively process scenes and that the hippocampus is involved in scene-based memory tasks. The neurophysiological correlates of scene-based information processing in the hippocampus have been reported as "spatial view cells" in nonhuman primates. Like primates, it is widely accepted that rodents also use visual scenes in their background for spatial navigation and other kinds of problems. However, in rodents, it is not until recently that researchers examined the neural correlates of the hippocampus from the perspective of visual scene-based information processing. With the advent of virtual reality (VR) systems, it has been demonstrated that place cells in the hippocampus exhibit remarkably similar firing correlates in the VR environment compared with that of the real-world environment. Despite some limitations, the new trend of studying hippocampal functions in a visually controlled environment has the potential to allow investigation of the input-output relationships of network functions and experimental testing of traditional computational predictions more rigorously by providing well-defined visual stimuli. As scenes are essential for navigation and episodic memory in humans, further investigation of the rodents' hippocampal systems in scene-based tasks will provide a critical functional link across different mammalian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Min Lee
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jhoseph Shin
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Inah Lee
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
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23
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Chen GT, Geschwind DH. Challenges and opportunities for precision medicine in neurodevelopmental disorders. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 191:114564. [PMID: 36183905 PMCID: PMC10409256 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs) encompass a broad spectrum of disorders, linked because of their origins in brain developmental processes, including diverse conditions across the age span, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia (SCZ). Clinical treatment of these disorders has traditionally focused on symptom management, as the severity of developmental disruption varies widely and the precise molecular mechanisms, timing, and progression of these disorders is usually not known. Several hundred genes have been identified as major risk factors for ASD and SCZ, which creates new potential therapeutic avenues, and there is strong evidence that these genes converge upon key molecular pathways, pointing to opportunities for precision medicine. In this review, we focus on forms of ASD and SCZ with known genetic etiologies and discuss advances in research technologies that enable a more systemic understanding of disease progression. We highlight recent advances in targeted clinical treatment and discuss ongoing preclinical efforts as well as new initiatives aimed at developing scalable platforms for NDD precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- George T Chen
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, United States; Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, United States
| | - Daniel H Geschwind
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, United States; Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, United States; Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, United States; Institute of Precision Health, UCLA, United States.
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24
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Scleidorovich P, Weitzenfeld A, Fellous JM, Dominey PF. Integration of velocity-dependent spatio-temporal structure of place cell activation during navigation in a reservoir model of prefrontal cortex. BIOLOGICAL CYBERNETICS 2022; 116:585-610. [PMID: 36222887 DOI: 10.1007/s00422-022-00945-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Sequential behavior unfolds both in space and in time. The same spatial trajectory can be realized in different manners in the same overall time by changing instantaneous speeds. The current research investigates how speed profiles might be given behavioral significance and how cortical networks might encode this information. We first demonstrate that rats can associate different speed patterns on the same trajectory with distinct behavioral choices. In this novel experimental paradigm, rats follow a small baited robot in a large megaspace environment where the rat's speed is precisely controlled by the robot's speed. Based on this proof of concept and research showing that recurrent reservoir networks are ideal for representing spatio-temporal structures, we then test reservoir networks in simulated navigation contexts and demonstrate they can discriminate between traversals of the same path with identical durations but different speed profiles. We then test the networks in an embodied robotic setup, where we use place cell representations from physically navigating robots as input and again successfully discriminate between traversals. To demonstrate that this capability is inherent to recurrent networks, we compared the model against simple linear integrators. Interestingly, although the linear integrators could also perform the speed profile discrimination, a clear difference emerged when examining information coding in both models. Reservoir neurons displayed a form of statistical mixed selectivity as a complex interaction between spatial location and speed that was not as abundant in the linear integrators. This mixed selectivity is characteristic of cortex and reservoirs and allows us to generate specific predictions about the neural activity that will be recorded in rat cortex in future experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Scleidorovich
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, USA
| | - Alfredo Weitzenfeld
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, USA
| | - Jean-Marc Fellous
- Departments of Psychology and Biomedical Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA
| | - Peter Ford Dominey
- INSERM UMR1093-CAPS, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, UFR Des Sciences du Sport, 21000, Dijon, France.
- Robot Cognition Laboratory, Institute Marey, Dijon, France.
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25
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Thurley K. Naturalistic neuroscience and virtual reality. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:896251. [PMID: 36467978 PMCID: PMC9712202 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.896251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Virtual reality (VR) is one of the techniques that became particularly popular in neuroscience over the past few decades. VR experiments feature a closed-loop between sensory stimulation and behavior. Participants interact with the stimuli and not just passively perceive them. Several senses can be stimulated at once, large-scale environments can be simulated as well as social interactions. All of this makes VR experiences more natural than those in traditional lab paradigms. Compared to the situation in field research, a VR simulation is highly controllable and reproducible, as required of a laboratory technique used in the search for neural correlates of perception and behavior. VR is therefore considered a middle ground between ecological validity and experimental control. In this review, I explore the potential of VR in eliciting naturalistic perception and behavior in humans and non-human animals. In this context, I give an overview of recent virtual reality approaches used in neuroscientific research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kay Thurley
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Munich, Munich, Germany
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26
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Mao D. Neural Correlates of Spatial Navigation in Primate Hippocampus. Neurosci Bull 2022; 39:315-327. [PMID: 36319893 PMCID: PMC9905402 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-022-00968-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus has been extensively implicated in spatial navigation in rodents and more recently in bats. Numerous studies have revealed that various kinds of spatial information are encoded across hippocampal regions. In contrast, investigations of spatial behavioral correlates in the primate hippocampus are scarce and have been mostly limited to head-restrained subjects during virtual navigation. However, recent advances made in freely-moving primates suggest marked differences in spatial representations from rodents, albeit some similarities. Here, we review empirical studies examining the neural correlates of spatial navigation in the primate (including human) hippocampus at the levels of local field potentials and single units. The lower frequency theta oscillations are often intermittent. Single neuron responses are highly mixed and task-dependent. We also discuss neuronal selectivity in the eye and head coordinates. Finally, we propose that future studies should focus on investigating both intrinsic and extrinsic population activity and examining spatial coding properties in large-scale hippocampal-neocortical networks across tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dun Mao
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligent Technology, Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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27
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Noel JP, Balzani E, Avila E, Lakshminarasimhan KJ, Bruni S, Alefantis P, Savin C, Angelaki DE. Coding of latent variables in sensory, parietal, and frontal cortices during closed-loop virtual navigation. eLife 2022; 11:80280. [PMID: 36282071 PMCID: PMC9668339 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We do not understand how neural nodes operate and coordinate within the recurrent action-perception loops that characterize naturalistic self-environment interactions. Here, we record single-unit spiking activity and local field potentials (LFPs) simultaneously from the dorsomedial superior temporal area (MSTd), parietal area 7a, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) as monkeys navigate in virtual reality to 'catch fireflies'. This task requires animals to actively sample from a closed-loop virtual environment while concurrently computing continuous latent variables: (i) the distance and angle travelled (i.e., path integration) and (ii) the distance and angle to a memorized firefly location (i.e., a hidden spatial goal). We observed a patterned mixed selectivity, with the prefrontal cortex most prominently coding for latent variables, parietal cortex coding for sensorimotor variables, and MSTd most often coding for eye movements. However, even the traditionally considered sensory area (i.e., MSTd) tracked latent variables, demonstrating path integration and vector coding of hidden spatial goals. Further, global encoding profiles and unit-to-unit coupling (i.e., noise correlations) suggested a functional subnetwork composed by MSTd and dlPFC, and not between these and 7a, as anatomy would suggest. We show that the greater the unit-to-unit coupling between MSTd and dlPFC, the more the animals' gaze position was indicative of the ongoing location of the hidden spatial goal. We suggest this MSTd-dlPFC subnetwork reflects the monkeys' natural and adaptive task strategy wherein they continuously gaze toward the location of the (invisible) target. Together, these results highlight the distributed nature of neural coding during closed action-perception loops and suggest that fine-grain functional subnetworks may be dynamically established to subserve (embodied) task strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Paul Noel
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York City, United States
| | - Edoardo Balzani
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York City, United States
| | - Eric Avila
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York City, United States
| | - Kaushik J Lakshminarasimhan
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York City, United States.,Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, United States
| | - Stefania Bruni
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York City, United States
| | - Panos Alefantis
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York City, United States
| | - Cristina Savin
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York City, United States
| | - Dora E Angelaki
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York City, United States
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28
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Aziz A, Sreeharsha PSS, Natesh R, Chakravarthy VS. An integrated deep learning‐based model of spatial cells that combines self‐motion with sensory information. Hippocampus 2022; 32:716-730. [DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Azra Aziz
- Computational Neuroscience Lab Indian Institute of Technology Madras Chennai India
| | | | - Rohan Natesh
- Department of Electronics Engineering Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi India
| | - Vaddadhi S. Chakravarthy
- Computational Neuroscience Lab Indian Institute of Technology Madras Chennai India
- Center for Complex Systems and Dynamics Indian Institute of Technology Madras Chennai India
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29
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Redman WT, Wolcott NS, Montelisciani L, Luna G, Marks TD, Sit KK, Yu CH, Smith S, Goard MJ. Long-term transverse imaging of the hippocampus with glass microperiscopes. eLife 2022; 11:75391. [PMID: 35775393 PMCID: PMC9249394 DOI: 10.7554/elife.75391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus consists of a stereotyped neuronal circuit repeated along the septal-temporal axis. This transverse circuit contains distinct subfields with stereotyped connectivity that support crucial cognitive processes, including episodic and spatial memory. However, comprehensive measurements across the transverse hippocampal circuit in vivo are intractable with existing techniques. Here, we developed an approach for two-photon imaging of the transverse hippocampal plane in awake mice via implanted glass microperiscopes, allowing optical access to the major hippocampal subfields and to the dendritic arbor of pyramidal neurons. Using this approach, we tracked dendritic morphological dynamics on CA1 apical dendrites and characterized spine turnover. We then used calcium imaging to quantify the prevalence of place and speed cells across subfields. Finally, we measured the anatomical distribution of spatial information, finding a non-uniform distribution of spatial selectivity along the DG-to-CA1 axis. This approach extends the existing toolbox for structural and functional measurements of hippocampal circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- William T Redman
- Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Dynamical Neuroscience, University of California, Santa Barbara, United States
| | - Nora S Wolcott
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, United States
| | - Luca Montelisciani
- Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Group, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Gabriel Luna
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, United States
| | - Tyler D Marks
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, United States
| | - Kevin K Sit
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, United States
| | - Che-Hang Yu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, United States
| | - Spencer Smith
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, United States.,Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, United States
| | - Michael J Goard
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, United States.,Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, United States.,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, United States
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30
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Nicholls VI, Alsbury-Nealy B, Krugliak A, Clarke A. Context effects on object recognition in real-world environments: A study protocol. Wellcome Open Res 2022. [DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17856.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The environments that we live in impact on our ability to recognise objects, with recognition being facilitated when objects appear in expected locations (congruent) compared to unexpected locations (incongruent). However, these findings are based on experiments where the object is isolated from its environment. Moreover, it is not clear which components of the recognition process are impacted by the environment. In this experiment, we seek to examine the impact real world environments have on object recognition. Specifically, we will use mobile electroencephalography (mEEG) and augmented reality (AR) to investigate how the visual and semantic processing aspects of object recognition are changed by the environment. Methods: We will use AR to place congruent and incongruent virtual objects around indoor and outdoor environments. During the experiment a total of 34 participants will walk around the environments and find these objects while we record their eye movements and neural signals. We will perform two primary analyses. First, we will analyse the event-related potential (ERP) data using paired samples t-tests in the N300/400 time windows in an attempt to replicate congruency effects on the N300/400. Second, we will use representational similarity analysis (RSA) and computational models of vision and semantics to determine how visual and semantic processes are changed by congruency. Conclusions: Based on previous literature, we hypothesise that scene-object congruence would facilitate object recognition. For ERPs, we predict a congruency effect in the N300/N400, and for RSA we predict that higher level visual and semantic information will be represented earlier for congruent scenes than incongruent scenes. By collecting mEEG data while participants are exploring a real-world environment, we will be able to determine the impact of a natural context on object recognition, and the different processing stages of object recognition.
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31
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Kojima H, Ikegami T. Organization of a Latent Space structure in VAE/GAN trained by navigation data. Neural Netw 2022; 152:234-243. [PMID: 35561527 DOI: 10.1016/j.neunet.2022.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
We present a novel artificial cognitive mapping system using generative deep neural networks, called variational autoencoder/generative adversarial network (VAE/GAN), which can map input images to latent vectors and generate temporal sequences internally. The results show that the distance of the predicted image is reflected in the distance of the corresponding latent vector after training. This indicates that the latent space is self-organized to reflect the proximity structure of the dataset and may provide a mechanism through which many aspects of cognition are spatially represented. The present study allows the network to internally generate temporal sequences that are analogous to the hippocampal replay/pre-play ability, where VAE produces only near-accurate replays of past experiences, but by introducing GANs, the generated sequences are coupled with instability and novelty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Kojima
- The graduate school of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan.
| | - Takashi Ikegami
- The graduate school of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan.
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32
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Marshall JD, Li T, Wu JH, Dunn TW. Leaving flatland: Advances in 3D behavioral measurement. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2022; 73:102522. [PMID: 35453000 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2022.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Animals move in three dimensions (3D). Thus, 3D measurement is necessary to report the true kinematics of animal movement. Existing 3D measurement techniques draw on specialized hardware, such as motion capture or depth cameras, as well as deep multi-view and monocular computer vision. Continued advances at the intersection of deep learning and computer vision will facilitate 3D tracking across more anatomical features, with less training data, in additional species, and within more natural, occlusive environments. 3D behavioral measurement enables unique applications in phenotyping, investigating the neural basis of behavior, and designing artificial agents capable of imitating animal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse D Marshall
- Harvard University, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
| | - Tianqing Li
- Duke University, Pratt School of Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Durham, NC 27708, USA. https://twitter.com/tianqingxli
| | - Joshua H Wu
- Duke University, Pratt School of Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Timothy W Dunn
- Duke University, Pratt School of Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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33
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Turhan B, Gümüş ZH. A Brave New World: Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality in Systems Biology. FRONTIERS IN BIOINFORMATICS 2022; 2. [PMID: 35647580 PMCID: PMC9140045 DOI: 10.3389/fbinf.2022.873478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
How we interact with computer graphics has not changed significantly from viewing 2D text and images on a flatscreen since their invention. Yet, recent advances in computing technology, internetworked devices and gaming are driving the design and development of new ideas in other modes of human-computer interfaces (HCIs). Virtual Reality (VR) technology uses computers and HCIs to create the feeling of immersion in a three-dimensional (3D) environment that contains interactive objects with a sense of spatial presence, where objects have a spatial location relative to, and independent of the users. While this virtual environment does not necessarily match the real world, by creating the illusion of reality, it helps users leverage the full range of human sensory capabilities. Similarly, Augmented Reality (AR), superimposes virtual images to the real world. Because humans learn the physical world through a gradual sensory familiarization, these immersive visualizations enable gaining familiarity with biological systems not realizable in the physical world (e.g., allosteric regulatory networks within a protein or biomolecular pathways inside a cell). As VR/AR interfaces are anticipated to be explosive in consumer markets, systems biologists will be more immersed into their world. Here we introduce a brief history of VR/AR, their current roles in systems biology, and advantages and disadvantages in augmenting user abilities. We next argue that in systems biology, VR/AR technologies will be most useful in visually exploring and communicating data; performing virtual experiments; and education/teaching. Finally, we discuss our perspective on future directions for VR/AR in systems biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berk Turhan
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Sabancı University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Zeynep H. Gümüş
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Sabancı University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Zeynep H. Gümüş,
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34
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Fisher RS, Acharya JN, Baumer FM, French JA, Parisi P, Solodar JH, Szaflarski JP, Thio LL, Tolchin B, Wilkins AJ, Kasteleijn-Nolst Trenité D. Visually sensitive seizures: An updated review by the Epilepsy Foundation. Epilepsia 2022; 63:739-768. [PMID: 35132632 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Light flashes, patterns, or color changes can provoke seizures in up to 1 in 4000 persons. Prevalence may be higher because of selection bias. The Epilepsy Foundation reviewed light-induced seizures in 2005. Since then, images on social media, virtual reality, three-dimensional (3D) movies, and the Internet have proliferated. Hundreds of studies have explored the mechanisms and presentations of photosensitive seizures, justifying an updated review. This literature summary derives from a nonsystematic literature review via PubMed using the terms "photosensitive" and "epilepsy." The photoparoxysmal response (PPR) is an electroencephalography (EEG) phenomenon, and photosensitive seizures (PS) are seizures provoked by visual stimulation. Photosensitivity is more common in the young and in specific forms of generalized epilepsy. PS can coexist with spontaneous seizures. PS are hereditable and linked to recently identified genes. Brain imaging usually is normal, but special studies imaging white matter tracts demonstrate abnormal connectivity. Occipital cortex and connected regions are hyperexcitable in subjects with light-provoked seizures. Mechanisms remain unclear. Video games, social media clips, occasional movies, and natural stimuli can provoke PS. Virtual reality and 3D images so far appear benign unless they contain specific provocative content, for example, flashes. Images with flashes brighter than 20 candelas/m2 at 3-60 (particularly 15-20) Hz occupying at least 10 to 25% of the visual field are a risk, as are red color flashes or oscillating stripes. Equipment to assay for these characteristics is probably underutilized. Prevention of seizures includes avoiding provocative stimuli, covering one eye, wearing dark glasses, sitting at least two meters from screens, reducing contrast, and taking certain antiseizure drugs. Measurement of PPR suppression in a photosensitivity model can screen putative antiseizure drugs. Some countries regulate media to reduce risk. Visually-induced seizures remain significant public health hazards so they warrant ongoing scientific and regulatory efforts and public education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert S Fisher
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Jayant N Acharya
- Department of Neurology, Penn State Health, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Fiona Mitchell Baumer
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Jacqueline A French
- NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Epilepsy Foundation, New York, New York, USA
| | - Pasquale Parisi
- Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Jessica H Solodar
- American Medical Writers Association-New England Chapter, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jerzy P Szaflarski
- Department of Neurology, Neurobiology and Neurosurgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Liu Lin Thio
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Benjamin Tolchin
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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35
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Zhang L, Prince SM, Paulson AL, Singer AC. Goal discrimination in hippocampal nonplace cells when place information is ambiguous. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2107337119. [PMID: 35254897 PMCID: PMC8931233 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2107337119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
SignificanceGoal-directed spatial navigation has been found to rely on hippocampal neurons that are spatially modulated. We show that "nonplace" cells without significant spatial modulation play a role in discriminating goals when environmental cues for goals are ambiguous. This nonplace cell activity is performance-dependent and is modulated by gamma oscillations. Finally, nonplace cell goal discrimination coding fails in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Together, these results show that nonplace cell firing can signal unique task-relevant information when spatial information is ambiguous; these signals depend on performance and are absent in a mouse model of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Zhang
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332
| | - Stephanie M. Prince
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Abigail L. Paulson
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332
| | - Annabelle C. Singer
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332
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36
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Purandare CS, Dhingra S, Rios R, Vuong C, To T, Hachisuka A, Choudhary K, Mehta MR. Moving bar of light evokes vectorial spatial selectivity in the immobile rat hippocampus. Nature 2022; 602:461-467. [PMID: 35140401 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04404-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Visual cortical neurons encode the position and motion direction of specific stimuli retrospectively, without any locomotion or task demand1. The hippocampus, which is a part of the visual system, is hypothesized to require self-motion or a cognitive task to generate allocentric spatial selectivity that is scalar, abstract2,3 and prospective4-7. Here we measured rodent hippocampal selectivity to a moving bar of light in a body-fixed rat to bridge these seeming disparities. About 70% of dorsal CA1 neurons showed stable activity modulation as a function of the angular position of the bar, independent of behaviour and rewards. One-third of tuned cells also encoded the direction of revolution. In other experiments, neurons encoded the distance of the bar, with preference for approaching motion. Collectively, these demonstrate visually evoked vectorial selectivity (VEVS). Unlike place cells, VEVS was retrospective. Changes in the visual stimulus or its predictability did not cause remapping but only caused gradual changes. Most VEVS-tuned neurons behaved like place cells during spatial exploration and the two selectivities were correlated. Thus, VEVS could form the basic building block of hippocampal activity. When combined with self-motion, reward or multisensory stimuli8, it can generate the complexity of prospective representations including allocentric space9, time10,11 and episodes12.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chinmay S Purandare
- W.M. Keck Center for Neurophysics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shonali Dhingra
- W.M. Keck Center for Neurophysics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rodrigo Rios
- W.M. Keck Center for Neurophysics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Cliff Vuong
- W.M. Keck Center for Neurophysics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Thuc To
- W.M. Keck Center for Neurophysics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ayaka Hachisuka
- W.M. Keck Center for Neurophysics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Krishna Choudhary
- W.M. Keck Center for Neurophysics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mayank R Mehta
- W.M. Keck Center for Neurophysics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. .,Department of Neurology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. .,Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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37
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Koch M, Becker N, Spinath FM, Greiff S. Assessing intelligence without intelligence tests. Future perspectives. INTELLIGENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2021.101596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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38
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Linking hippocampal multiplexed tuning, Hebbian plasticity and navigation. Nature 2021; 599:442-448. [PMID: 34671157 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03989-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Three major pillars of hippocampal function are spatial navigation1, Hebbian synaptic plasticity2 and spatial selectivity3. The hippocampus is also implicated in episodic memory4, but the precise link between these four functions is missing. Here we report the multiplexed selectivity of dorsal CA1 neurons while rats performed a virtual navigation task using only distal visual cues5, similar to the standard water maze test of spatial memory1. Neural responses primarily encoded path distance from the start point and the head angle of rats, with a weak allocentric spatial component similar to that in primates but substantially weaker than in rodents in the real world. Often, the same cells multiplexed and encoded path distance, angle and allocentric position in a sequence, thus encoding a journey-specific episode. The strength of neural activity and tuning strongly correlated with performance, with a temporal relationship indicating neural responses influencing behaviour and vice versa. Consistent with computational models of associative and causal Hebbian learning6,7, neural responses showed increasing clustering8 and became better predictors of behaviourally relevant variables, with the average neurometric curves exceeding and converging to psychometric curves. Thus, hippocampal neurons multiplex and exhibit highly plastic, task- and experience-dependent tuning to path-centric and allocentric variables to form episodic sequences supporting navigation.
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39
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Bush D, Ólafsdóttir HF, Barry C, Burgess N. Ripple band phase precession of place cell firing during replay. Curr Biol 2021; 32:64-73.e5. [PMID: 34731677 PMCID: PMC8751637 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.10.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal “replay,” in which place cell firing during rest recapitulates recently experienced trajectories, is thought to mediate the transmission of information from hippocampus to neocortex, but the mechanism for this transmission is unknown. Here, we show that replay uses a phase code to represent spatial trajectories by the phase of firing relative to the 150- to 250-Hz “ripple” oscillations that accompany replay events. This phase code is analogous to the theta phase precession of place cell firing during navigation, in which place cells fire at progressively earlier phases of the 6- to 12-Hz theta oscillation as their place field is traversed, providing information about self-location that is additional to the rate code and a necessary precursor of replay. Thus, during replay, each ripple cycle contains a “forward sweep” of decoded locations along the recapitulated trajectory. Our results indicate a novel encoding of trajectory information during replay and implicates phase coding as a general mechanism by which the hippocampus transmits experienced and replayed sequential information to downstream targets. Place cells fire at successively earlier ripple band phases during replay Ripple band firing phase during replay encodes location within the place field This produces forward sweeps of place cell activity during each ripple cycle
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Bush
- UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Queen Square, London, UK; UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK.
| | - H Freyja Ólafsdóttir
- Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Caswell Barry
- UCL Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Gower Street, London, UK.
| | - Neil Burgess
- UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Queen Square, London, UK; UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK
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40
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Jeong DC, Kim SSY, Xu JJ, Miller LC. Protean Kinematics: A Blended Model of VR Physics. Front Psychol 2021; 12:705170. [PMID: 34497562 PMCID: PMC8419347 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.705170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Avatar research largely focuses on the effects of the appearance and external characteristics of avatars, but may also warrant further consideration of the effects of avatar movement characteristics. With Protean kinematics, we offer an expansion the avatar-user appearances-based effects of the Proteus Effect to a systematic exploration into the role of movement in affecting social perceptions (about others) and idealized perceptions (about self). This work presents both a theoretical (typology) and methodological (physics-based measurement) approach to understanding the complex blend of physical inputs and virtual outputs that occur in the perceptual experience of VR, particularly in consideration of the collection of hippocampal (e.g., place cells, grid cells) and entorhinal neurons (e.g., speed cells) that fire topologically relative to physical movement in physical space. Offered is a novel method that distills the blend of physical and virtual kinematics to contribute to modern understandings of human-agent interaction and cognitive psychology.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Jeong
- Department of Communication, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, United States
| | - Steffie Sofia Yeonjoo Kim
- Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Jackie Jingyi Xu
- Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Lynn C Miller
- Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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41
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Divergence in Population Coding for Space between Dorsal and Ventral CA1. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0211-21.2021. [PMID: 34433573 PMCID: PMC8425966 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0211-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular, anatomic, and behavioral studies show that the hippocampus is structurally and functionally heterogeneous, with dorsal hippocampus implicated in mnemonic processes and spatial navigation and ventral hippocampus involved in affective processes. By performing electrophysiological recordings of large neuronal populations in dorsal and ventral CA1 in head-fixed mice navigating a virtual environment, we found that this diversity resulted in different strategies for population coding of space. Populations of neurons in dorsal CA1 showed more complex patterns of activity, which resulted in a higher dimensionality of neural representations that translated to more information being encoded, as compared ensembles in vCA1. Furthermore, a pairwise maximum entropy model was better at predicting the structure of these global patterns of activity in ventral CA1 as compared with dorsal CA1. Taken together, the different coding strategies we uncovered likely emerge from anatomic and physiological differences along the longitudinal axis of hippocampus and that may, in turn, underpin the divergent ethological roles of dorsal and ventral CA1.
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42
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Madhav MS, Jayakumar RP, Lashkari SG, Savelli F, Blair HT, Knierim JJ, Cowan NJ. The Dome: A virtual reality apparatus for freely locomoting rodents. J Neurosci Methods 2021; 368:109336. [PMID: 34453979 PMCID: PMC9178503 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The cognitive map in the hippocampal formation of rodents and other mammals integrates multiple classes of sensory and motor information into a coherent representation of space. Here, we describe the Dome, a virtual reality apparatus for freely locomoting rats, designed to examine the relative contributions of various spatial inputs to an animal’s spatial representation. The Dome was designed to preserve the range of spatial inputs typically available to an animal in free, untethered locomotion while providing the ability to perturb specific sensory cues. We present the design rationale and corresponding specifications of the Dome, along with a variety of engineering and biological analyses to validate the efficacy of the Dome as an experimental tool to examine the interaction between visual information and path integration in place cells in rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manu S Madhav
- Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; School of Biomedical Engineering, Djawad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, BC, Canada.
| | - Ravikrishnan P Jayakumar
- Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Mechanical Engineering Department, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shahin G Lashkari
- Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Mechanical Engineering Department, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Francesco Savelli
- Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Francesco Savelli is currently affiliated with the Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Hugh T Blair
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - James J Knierim
- Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Noah J Cowan
- Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Mechanical Engineering Department, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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43
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In Vivo Calcium Imaging of CA3 Pyramidal Neuron Populations in Adult Mouse Hippocampus. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0023-21.2021. [PMID: 34330817 PMCID: PMC8387150 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0023-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal population activity in the hippocampal CA3 subfield is implicated in cognitive brain functions such as memory processing and spatial navigation. However, because of its deep location in the brain, the CA3 area has been difficult to target with modern calcium imaging approaches. Here, we achieved chronic two-photon calcium imaging of CA3 pyramidal neurons with the red fluorescent calcium indicator R-CaMP1.07 in anesthetized and awake mice. We characterize CA3 neuronal activity at both the single-cell and population level and assess its stability across multiple imaging days. During both anesthesia and wakefulness, nearly all CA3 pyramidal neurons displayed calcium transients. Most of the calcium transients were consistent with a high incidence of bursts of action potentials (APs), based on calibration measurements using simultaneous juxtacellular recordings and calcium imaging. In awake mice, we found state-dependent differences with striking large and prolonged calcium transients during locomotion. We estimate that trains of >30 APs over 3 s underlie these salient events. Their abundance in particular subsets of neurons was relatively stable across days. At the population level, we found that co-activity within the CA3 network was above chance level and that co-active neuron pairs maintained their correlated activity over days. Our results corroborate the notion of state-dependent spatiotemporal activity patterns in the recurrent network of CA3 and demonstrate that at least some features of population activity, namely co-activity of cell pairs and likelihood to engage in prolonged high activity, are maintained over days.
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44
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Roy A, Narayanan R. Spatial information transfer in hippocampal place cells depends on trial-to-trial variability, symmetry of place-field firing, and biophysical heterogeneities. Neural Netw 2021; 142:636-660. [PMID: 34399375 PMCID: PMC7611579 DOI: 10.1016/j.neunet.2021.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The relationship between the feature-tuning curve and information transfer profile of individual neurons provides vital insights about neural encoding. However, the relationship between the spatial tuning curve and spatial information transfer of hippocampal place cells remains unexplored. Here, employing a stochastic search procedure spanning thousands of models, we arrived at 127 conductance-based place-cell models that exhibited signature electrophysiological characteristics and sharp spatial tuning, with parametric values that exhibited neither clustering nor strong pairwise correlations. We introduced trial-to-trial variability in responses and computed model tuning curves and information transfer profiles, using stimulus-specific (SSI) and mutual (MI) information metrics, across locations within the place field. We found spatial information transfer to be heterogeneous across models, but to reduce consistently with increasing levels of variability. Importantly, whereas reliable low-variability responses implied that maximal information transfer occurred at high-slope regions of the tuning curve, increase in variability resulted in maximal transfer occurring at the peak-firing location in a subset of models. Moreover, experience-dependent asymmetry in place-field firing introduced asymmetries in the information transfer computed through MI, but not SSI, and the impact of activity-dependent variability on information transfer was minimal compared to activity-independent variability. We unveiled ion-channel degeneracy in the regulation of spatial information transfer, and demonstrated critical roles for N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors, transient potassium and dendritic sodium channels in regulating information transfer. Our results demonstrate that trial-to-trial variability, tuning-curve shape and biological heterogeneities critically regulate the relationship between the spatial tuning curve and spatial information transfer in hippocampal place cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankit Roy
- Cellular Neurophysiology Laboratory, Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India; Undergraduate program, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Rishikesh Narayanan
- Cellular Neurophysiology Laboratory, Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.
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45
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Abstract
In mammals, the selective transformation of transient experience into stored memory occurs in the hippocampus, which develops representations of specific events in the context in which they occur. In this review, we focus on the development of hippocampal circuits and the self-organized dynamics embedded within them since the latter critically support the role of the hippocampus in learning and memory. We first discuss evidence that adult hippocampal cells and circuits are sculpted by development as early as during embryonic neurogenesis. We argue that these primary developmental programs provide a scaffold onto which later experience of the external world can be grafted. Next, we review the different sequences in the development of hippocampal cells and circuits at anatomical and functional levels. We cover a period extending from neurogenesis and migration to the appearance of phenotypic diversity within hippocampal cells, and their wiring into functional networks. We describe the progressive emergence of network dynamics in the hippocampus, from sensorimotor-driven early sharp waves to sequences of place cells tracking relational information. We outline the critical turn points and discontinuities in that developmental journey, and close by formulating open questions. We propose that rewinding the process of hippocampal development helps understand the main organization principles of memory circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Cossart
- Inserm, INMED, Turing Center for Living Systems, Aix Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Rustem Khazipov
- Inserm, INMED, Turing Center for Living Systems, Aix Marseille University, Marseille, France.,Laboratory of Neurobiology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan Russia
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46
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Grijseels DM, Shaw K, Barry C, Hall CN. Choice of method of place cell classification determines the population of cells identified. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1008835. [PMID: 34237050 PMCID: PMC8291744 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Place cells, spatially responsive hippocampal cells, provide the neural substrate supporting navigation and spatial memory. Historically most studies of these neurons have used electrophysiological recordings from implanted electrodes but optical methods, measuring intracellular calcium, are becoming increasingly common. Several methods have been proposed as a means to identify place cells based on their calcium activity but there is no common standard and it is unclear how reliable different approaches are. Here we tested four methods that have previously been applied to two-photon hippocampal imaging or electrophysiological data, using both model datasets and real imaging data. These methods use different parameters to identify place cells, including the peak activity in the place field, compared to other locations (the Peak method); the stability of cells' activity over repeated traversals of an environment (Stability method); a combination of these parameters with the size of the place field (Combination method); and the spatial information held by the cells (Information method). The methods performed differently from each other on both model and real data. In real datasets, vastly different numbers of place cells were identified using the four methods, with little overlap between the populations identified as place cells. Therefore, choice of place cell detection method dramatically affects the number and properties of identified cells. Ultimately, we recommend the Peak method be used in future studies to identify place cell populations, as this method is robust to moderate variations in place field within a session, and makes no inherent assumptions about the spatial information in place fields, unless there is an explicit theoretical reason for detecting cells with more narrowly defined properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dori M. Grijseels
- School of Psychology and Sussex Neuroscience, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Kira Shaw
- School of Psychology and Sussex Neuroscience, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Caswell Barry
- Research Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine N. Hall
- School of Psychology and Sussex Neuroscience, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
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47
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Qasim SE, Fried I, Jacobs J. Phase precession in the human hippocampus and entorhinal cortex. Cell 2021; 184:3242-3255.e10. [PMID: 33979655 PMCID: PMC8195854 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Knowing where we are, where we have been, and where we are going is critical to many behaviors, including navigation and memory. One potential neuronal mechanism underlying this ability is phase precession, in which spatially tuned neurons represent sequences of positions by activating at progressively earlier phases of local network theta oscillations. Based on studies in rodents, researchers have hypothesized that phase precession may be a general neural pattern for representing sequential events for learning and memory. By recording human single-neuron activity during spatial navigation, we show that spatially tuned neurons in the human hippocampus and entorhinal cortex exhibit phase precession. Furthermore, beyond the neural representation of locations, we show evidence for phase precession related to specific goal states. Our findings thus extend theta phase precession to humans and suggest that this phenomenon has a broad functional role for the neural representation of both spatial and non-spatial information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salman E Qasim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Itzhak Fried
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Joshua Jacobs
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
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48
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Shelley LE, Nitz DA. Locomotor action sequences impact the scale of representation in hippocampus and posterior parietal cortex. Hippocampus 2021; 31:677-689. [DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura E. Shelley
- Department of Cognitive Science University of California San Diego California USA
| | - Douglas A. Nitz
- Department of Cognitive Science University of California San Diego California USA
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49
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Experience-dependent contextual codes in the hippocampus. Nat Neurosci 2021; 24:705-714. [PMID: 33753945 PMCID: PMC8893323 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-021-00816-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The hippocampus contains neural representations capable of supporting declarative memory. Hippocampal place cells are one such representation, firing in one or few locations in a given environment. Between environments, place cell firing fields remap (turning on/off or moving to a new location) to provide a population-wide code for distinct contexts. However, the manner by which contextual features combine to drive hippocampal remapping remains a matter of debate. Using large-scale in vivo two-photon intracellular calcium recordings in mice during virtual navigation, we show that remapping in the hippocampal region CA1 is driven by prior experience regarding the frequency of certain contexts and that remapping approximates an optimal estimate of the identity of the current context. A simple associative-learning mechanism reproduces these results. Together, our findings demonstrate that place cell remapping allows an animal to simultaneously identify its physical location and optimally estimate the identity of the environment.
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50
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Prathap S, Nagel BJ, Herting MM. Understanding the role of aerobic fitness, spatial learning, and hippocampal subfields in adolescent males. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9311. [PMID: 33927247 PMCID: PMC8084987 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88452-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Physical exercise during adolescence, a critical developmental window, can facilitate neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus and astrogliogenesis in Cornu Ammonis (CA) hippocampal subfields of rats, and which have been associated with improved hippocampal dependent memory performance. Recent translational studies in humans also suggest that aerobic fitness is associated with hippocampal volume and better spatial memory during adolescence. However, associations between fitness, hippocampal subfield morphology, and learning capabilities in human adolescents remain largely unknown. Employing a translational study design in 34 adolescent males, we explored the relationship between aerobic fitness, hippocampal subfield volumes, and both spatial and verbal memory. Aerobic fitness, assessed by peak oxygen utilization on a high-intensity exercise test (VO2 peak), was positively associated with the volumetric enlargement of the hippocampal head, and the CA1 head region specifically. Larger CA1 volumes were also associated with spatial learning on a Virtual Morris Water Maze task and verbal learning on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, but not recall memory. In line with previous animal work, the current findings lend support for the long-axis specialization of the hippocampus in the areas of exercise and learning during adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandhya Prathap
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90023, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90023, USA
| | - Bonnie J Nagel
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Megan M Herting
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90023, USA.
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