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Sugawara SK, Nishimura Y. The Mesocortical System Encodes the Strength of Subsequent Force Generation. Neurosci Insights 2024; 19:26331055241256948. [PMID: 38827248 PMCID: PMC11141215 DOI: 10.1177/26331055241256948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Our minds impact motor outputs. Such mind-motor interactions are critical for understanding motor control mechanisms and optimizing motor performance. In particular, incentive motivation strongly enhances motor performance. Dopaminergic neurons located in the ventral midbrain (VM) are believed to be the center of incentive motivation. Direct projections from the VM to the primary motor cortex constitute a mesocortical pathway. However, the functional role of this pathway in humans remains unclear. Recently, we demonstrated the functional role of the mesocortical pathway in human motor control in the context of incentive motivation by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Incentive motivation remarkably improved not only reaction times but also the peak grip force in subsequent grip responses. Although the reaction time has been used as a proxy for incentive motivation mediated by dopaminergic midbrain activity, the premovement activity of the mesocortical pathway is involved in controlling the force strength rather than the initiation of subsequent force generation. In this commentary, we review our recent findings and discuss remaining questions regarding the functional role of the mesocortical pathway in mind-motor interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sho K Sugawara
- Neural Prosthetics Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukio Nishimura
- Neural Prosthetics Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
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Sasaki R, Ohta Y, Onoe H, Yamaguchi R, Miyamoto T, Tokuda T, Tamaki Y, Isa K, Takahashi J, Kobayashi K, Ohta J, Isa T. Balancing risk-return decisions by manipulating the mesofrontal circuits in primates. Science 2024; 383:55-61. [PMID: 38175903 DOI: 10.1126/science.adj6645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Decision-making is always coupled with some level of risk, with more pathological forms of risk-taking decisions manifesting as gambling disorders. In macaque monkeys trained in a high risk-high return (HH) versus low risk-low return (LL) choice task, we found that the reversible pharmacological inactivation of ventral Brodmann area 6 (area 6V) impaired the risk dependency of decision-making. Selective optogenetic activation of the mesofrontal pathway from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the ventral aspect of 6V resulted in stronger preference for HH, whereas activation of the pathway from the VTA to the dorsal aspect of 6V led to LL preference. Finally, computational decoding captured the modulations of behavioral preference. Our results suggest that VTA inputs to area 6V determine the decision balance between HH and LL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Sasaki
- Division of Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Yasumi Ohta
- Division of Materials Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma-shi, Nara 630-0192, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Onoe
- Human Brain Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Reona Yamaguchi
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Takeshi Miyamoto
- Division of Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo 102-0083, Japan
| | - Takashi Tokuda
- Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro-Ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Yuki Tamaki
- Division of Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Kaoru Isa
- Division of Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Jun Takahashi
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Kenta Kobayashi
- Section of Viral Vector Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki-shi, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Jun Ohta
- Division of Materials Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma-shi, Nara 630-0192, Japan
| | - Tadashi Isa
- Division of Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Human Brain Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
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Guo F, Zou J, Wang Y, Fang B, Zhou H, Wang D, He S, Zhang P. Human subcortical pathways automatically detect collision trajectory without attention and awareness. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002375. [PMID: 38236815 PMCID: PMC10795999 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Detecting imminent collisions is essential for survival. Here, we used high-resolution fMRI at 7 Tesla to investigate the role of attention and consciousness for detecting collision trajectory in human subcortical pathways. Healthy participants can precisely discriminate collision from near-miss trajectory of an approaching object, with pupil size change reflecting collision sensitivity. Subcortical pathways from the superior colliculus (SC) to the ventromedial pulvinar (vmPul) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) exhibited collision-sensitive responses even when participants were not paying attention to the looming stimuli. For hemianopic patients with unilateral lesions of the geniculostriate pathway, the ipsilesional SC and VTA showed significant activation to collision stimuli in their scotoma. Furthermore, stronger SC responses predicted better behavioral performance in collision detection even in the absence of awareness. Therefore, human tectofugal pathways could automatically detect collision trajectories without the observers' attention to and awareness of looming stimuli, supporting "blindsight" detection of impending visual threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanhua Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jinyou Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Aier Institute of Optometry and Vision Science, Aier Eye Hospital Group, Changsha, China
| | - Ye Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Boyan Fang
- Neurological Rehabilitation Center, Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Huanfen Zhou
- Division of Ophthalmology, The Third Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Dajiang Wang
- Division of Ophthalmology, The Third Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Sheng He
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei, China
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Carvalheiro J, Philiastides MG. Distinct spatiotemporal brainstem pathways of outcome valence during reward- and punishment-based learning. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113589. [PMID: 38100353 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113589] [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: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Learning to seek rewards and avoid punishments, based on positive and negative choice outcomes, is essential for human survival. Yet, the neural underpinnings of outcome valence in the human brainstem and the extent to which they differ in reward and punishment learning contexts remain largely elusive. Here, using simultaneously acquired electroencephalography and functional magnetic resonance imaging data, we show that during reward learning the substantia nigra (SN)/ventral tegmental area (VTA) and locus coeruleus are initially activated following negative outcomes, while the VTA subsequently re-engages exhibiting greater responses for positive than negative outcomes, consistent with an early arousal/avoidance response and a later value-updating process, respectively. During punishment learning, we show that distinct raphe nucleus and SN subregions are activated only by negative outcomes with a sustained post-outcome activity across time, supporting the involvement of these brainstem subregions in avoidance behavior. Finally, we demonstrate that the coupling of these brainstem structures with other subcortical and cortical areas helps to shape participants' serial choice behavior in each context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Carvalheiro
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QB, UK; Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QB, UK.
| | - Marios G Philiastides
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QB, UK; Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QB, UK.
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Sugawara SK, Yamamoto T, Nakayama Y, Hamano YH, Fukunaga M, Sadato N, Nishimura Y. Premovement activity in the mesocortical system links peak force but not initiation of force generation under incentive motivation. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:11408-11419. [PMID: 37814358 PMCID: PMC10690858 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad376] [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: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Motivation facilitates motor performance; however, the neural substrates of the psychological effects on motor performance remain unclear. We conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment while human subjects performed a ready-set-go task with monetary incentives. Although subjects were only motivated to respond quickly, increasing the incentives improved not only reaction time but also peak grip force. However, the trial-by-trial correlation between reaction time and peak grip force was weak. Extensive areas in the mesocortical system, including the ventral midbrain (VM) and cortical motor-related areas, exhibited motivation-dependent activity in the premovement "Ready" period when the anticipated monetary reward was displayed. This premovement activity in the mesocortical system correlated only with subsequent peak grip force, whereas the activity in motor-related areas alone was associated with subsequent reaction time and peak grip force. These findings suggest that the mesocortical system linking the VM and motor-related regions plays a role in controlling the peak of force generation indirectly associated with incentives but not the initiation of force generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sho K Sugawara
- Neural Prosthetics Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
- Section of Brain Function Information, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
- The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Hayama, Kanagawa 340-0193, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Yamamoto
- Section of Brain Function Information, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Yoshihisa Nakayama
- Neural Prosthetics Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Yuki H Hamano
- Section of Brain Function Information, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Masaki Fukunaga
- Section of Brain Function Information, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
- The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Hayama, Kanagawa 340-0193, Japan
| | - Norihiro Sadato
- Section of Brain Function Information, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
- The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Hayama, Kanagawa 340-0193, Japan
- Research Organization of Science and Technology, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577, Japan
| | - Yukio Nishimura
- Neural Prosthetics Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
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Abstract
The midbrain dopamine (mDA) system is composed of molecularly and functionally distinct neuron subtypes that mediate specific behaviours and are linked to various brain diseases. Considerable progress has been made in identifying mDA neuron subtypes, and recent work has begun to unveil how these neuronal subtypes develop and organize into functional brain structures. This progress is important for further understanding the disparate physiological functions of mDA neurons and their selective vulnerability in disease, and will ultimately accelerate therapy development. This Review discusses recent advances in our understanding of molecularly defined mDA neuron subtypes and their circuits, ranging from early developmental events, such as neuron migration and axon guidance, to their wiring and function, and future implications for therapeutic strategies.
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Oda S, Funato H. D1- and D2-type dopamine receptors are immunolocalized in pial and layer I astrocytes in the rat cerebral cortex. Front Neuroanat 2023; 17:1111008. [PMID: 36865631 PMCID: PMC9971002 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2023.1111008] [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: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Pial astrocytes, a cellular component of the cerebral cortex surface structure, are observed in a wide range of mammalian species. Despite being recognized as such, the functional potential of pial astrocytes has long been overlooked. Our previous research demonstrated that pial astrocytes exhibit stronger immunoreactivity for muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M1 than protoplasmic astrocytes, indicating sensitivity to neuromodulators. Here, we examined whether pial astrocytes express receptors for dopamine, another crucial neuromodulator of cortical activity. We investigated the immunolocalization of each dopamine receptor subtype (D1R, D2R, D4R, D5R) in the rat cerebral cortex, and compared the intensity of immunoreactivity between pial astrocytes, protoplasmic astrocytes, and pyramidal cells. Our findings revealed that pial astrocytes and layer I astrocytes exhibit stronger D1R- and D4R-immunoreactivity than D2R and D5R. These immunoreactivities were primarily localized in the somata and thick processes of pial and layer I astrocytes. In contrast, protoplasmic astrocytes located in cortical layers II-VI displayed low or negligible immunoreactivities for dopamine receptors. D4R- and D5R-immunopositivity was distributed throughout pyramidal cells including somata and apical dendrites. These findings suggest that the dopaminergic system may regulate the activity of pial and layer I astrocytes via D1R and D4R.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoko Oda
- Department of Anatomy, Graduate School of Medicine, Toho University, Tokyo, Japan,*Correspondence: Satoko Oda Hiromasa Funato
| | - Hiromasa Funato
- Department of Anatomy, Graduate School of Medicine, Toho University, Tokyo, Japan,International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan,*Correspondence: Satoko Oda Hiromasa Funato
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Elliott BL, D'Ardenne K, Murty VP, Brewer GA, McClure SM. Midbrain-Hippocampus Structural Connectivity Selectively Predicts Motivated Memory Encoding. J Neurosci 2022; 42:9426-9434. [PMID: 36332978 PMCID: PMC9794367 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0945-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Motivation is a powerful driver of learning and memory. Functional MRI studies show that interactions among the dopaminergic midbrain substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area (SN/VTA), hippocampus, and nucleus accumbens (NAc) are critical for motivated memory encoding. However, it is not known whether these effects are transient and purely functional, or whether individual differences in the structure of this circuit underlie motivated memory encoding. To quantify individual differences in structure, diffusion-weighted MRI and probabilistic tractography were used to quantify SN/VTA-striatum and SN/VTA-hippocampus pathways associated with motivated memory encoding in humans. Male and female participants completed a motivated source memory paradigm. During encoding, words were randomly assigned to one of three conditions, reward ($1.00), control ($0.00), or punishment (-$1.00). During retrieval, participants were asked to retrieve item and source information of the previously studied words and were rewarded or penalized according to their performance. Source memory for words assigned to both reward and punishment conditions was greater than those for control words, but there were no differences in item memory based on value. Anatomically, probabilistic tractography results revealed a heterogeneous, topological arrangement of the SN/VTA. Tract density measures of SN/VTA-hippocampus pathways were positively correlated with individual differences in reward-and-punishment-modulated memory performance, whereas density of SN/VTA-striatum pathways showed no association. This novel finding suggests that pathways emerging from the human SV/VTA are anatomically separable and functionally heterogeneous. Individual differences in structural connectivity of the dopaminergic hippocampus-VTA loop are selectively associated with motivated memory encoding.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Functional MRI studies show that interactions among the SN/VTA, hippocampus, and NAc are critical for motivated memory encoding. This has led to competing theories that posit either SN/VTA-NAc reward prediction errors or SN/VTA-hippocampus signals underlie motivated memory encoding. Additionally, it is not known whether these effects are transient and purely functional or whether individual differences in the structure of these circuits underlie motivated memory encoding. Using diffusion-weighted MRI and probabilistic tractography, we show that tract density measures of SN/VTA-hippocampus pathways are positively correlated with motivated memory performance, whereas density of SN/VTA-striatum pathways show no association. This finding suggests that anatomic individual differences of the dopaminergic hippocampus-VTA loop are selectively associated with motivated memory encoding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake L Elliott
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122
| | | | - Vishnu P Murty
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122
| | - Gene A Brewer
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85721
| | - Samuel M McClure
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85721
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Poh JH, Vu MAT, Stanek JK, Hsiung A, Egner T, Adcock RA. Hippocampal convergence during anticipatory midbrain activation promotes subsequent memory formation. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6729. [PMID: 36344524 PMCID: PMC9640528 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34459-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus has been a focus of memory research since H.M's surgery abolished his ability to form new memories, yet its mechanistic role in memory remains debated. Here, we identify a candidate memory mechanism: an anticipatory hippocampal "convergence state", observed while awaiting valuable information, and which predicts subsequent learning. During fMRI, participants viewed trivia questions eliciting high or low curiosity, followed seconds later by its answer. We reasoned that encoding success requires a confluence of conditions, so that hippocampal states more conducive to memory formation should converge in state space. To operationalize convergence of neural states, we quantified the typicality of multivoxel patterns in the medial temporal lobes during anticipation and encoding of trivia answers. We found that the typicality of anticipatory hippocampal patterns increased during high curiosity. Crucially, anticipatory hippocampal pattern typicality increased with dopaminergic midbrain activation and uniquely accounted for the association between midbrain activation and subsequent recall. We propose that hippocampal convergence states may complete a cascade from motivation and midbrain activation to memory enhancement, and may be a general predictor of memory formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Hou Poh
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Mai-Anh T Vu
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jessica K Stanek
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Abigail Hsiung
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Tobias Egner
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - R Alison Adcock
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
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Gieske A, Sommer T. Independent effects of emotional arousal and reward anticipation on episodic memory formation. Cereb Cortex 2022; 33:4527-4541. [PMID: 36205480 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac359] [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: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Events that elicit emotional arousal or are associated with reward are more likely remembered. Emotional arousal activates the amygdala and the central noradrenergic system, whereas reward anticipation results in an activity in the mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic system. The activation of both pathways enhances memory formation in the hippocampus where their effects are based on similar neural substrates, e.g. tagging of active hippocampal synapses. Moreover, emotional arousal and reward anticipation both enhance attention, which can also affect memory formation. In addition, both neuromodulators interact on the cellular level. Therefore, we tested in the current functional magnetic resonance imaging study whether simultaneously occurring emotional arousal and reward anticipation might have interacting effects on memory formation. We did not find evidence for such an interaction, neither on the behavioral nor on the neural level. Our results further suggest that reward anticipation enhances memory formation rather by an increase in anticipation-related arousal-reflected in activity in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex-and not dopaminergic midbrain activity. Accompanying behavioral experiments indicated that the effect of reward anticipation on memory is (i) caused at least to some extent by anticipating the speeded response to obtain the reward and not by the valance of the outcome and (ii) can be observed already immediately after encoding, i.e. before consolidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Gieske
- Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Sommer
- Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Hamburg, Germany
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Lai HJ, Deng CR, Wang RW, Lee LHN, Kuo CC. The genesis and functional consequences of cortico-subthalamic beta augmentation and excessive subthalamic burst discharges after dopaminergic deprivation. Exp Neurol 2022; 356:114153. [PMID: 35752209 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114153] [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: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The cardinal electrophysiological signs in Parkinson's disease (PD) include augmented beta oscillations in the motor cortex-subthalamic nucleus (MC-STN) axis and excessive burst discharges in STN. We have shown that excessive STN burst discharges have a direct causal relation with the locomotor deficits in PD. To investigate the correlation between the two cardinal signs, we characterized the courses of development of the electrophysiological abnormalities in the hemiparkinsonian rat model. The loss of dopaminergic neurons develops fast, and is histologically completed within 4-7 days of the lesion. The increase in STN burst discharges is limited to the lesioned side, and follows a very similar course. In contrast, beta augmentation has a bilateral presentation, and requires 14-21 days for full development. Behaviorally, the gross locomotor deficits in open field test and limb akinesia in stepping test match the foregoing fast and slow time courses, respectively. A further look into the spike entrainment shows that the oscillations in local field potential (LFP) of the MC effectively entrain the multi-unit (MU) spikes of MC, STN and entopeduncular nucleus (EPN), a rat homolog of human globus pallidus interna (GPi), whereas the LFP of STN or EPN (GPi) cannot entrain the spikes in MC. We conclude that excessive STN burst discharges are a direct consequence, whereas beta augmentation is probably a secondary or adaptive changes in the cortico-subcortical re-entrant loops, to dopaminergic deprivation. Beta augmentation is therefore not so consistently present as excessive STN burst discharges, but could signal more delicate derangements at the level of cortical programming in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsing-Jung Lai
- Institute of Physiology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.; Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; National Taiwan University Hospital, Jin-Shan Branch, New Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chuan-Rou Deng
- Institute of Physiology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ren-Wei Wang
- Institute of Physiology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Lan-Hsin Nancy Lee
- Institute of Physiology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Chin Kuo
- Institute of Physiology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan..
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12
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Herpers J, Vanduffel W, Vogels R. Limited Pairings of Electrical Micro-stimulation of the Ventral Tegmental Area and a Visual Stimulus Enhance Visual Cortical Responses. J Cogn Neurosci 2022; 34:1259-1273. [PMID: 35468206 PMCID: PMC7614035 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies demonstrated that pairing a visual stimulus and electrical micro-stimulation of the ventral tegmental area (VTA-EM) for multiple days is sufficient to induce visual cortical plasticity and changes perception. However, a brief epoch of VTA-EM-stimulus pairing within a single day has been shown to result in a behavioral preference for the paired stimulus. Here, we investigated whether a brief single-day session of VTA-EM-stimulus pairings is sufficient to induce changes in visual cortical responses. We examined macaque posterior inferior temporal (PIT) cortex because previous studies demonstrated response changes after VTA-EM stimulus pairing in that area. Multi-unit recordings in PIT were interleaved with VTA-EM-stimulus pairing epochs. During the short VTA-EM-stimulus pairing epochs (60 pairings), one image (fractal) was paired with VTA-EM (STIM) whereas another, unpaired fractal was presented as control. Two other fractals (dummies) were presented only during the recordings. The difference in response between the STIM and control fractals already increased after the first VTA-EM-stimulus pairing epoch, reflecting a relative increase of the response to the STIM fractal. However, the response to the STIM fractal did not increase further with more VTA-EM-stimulus pairing epochs. The relative increase in firing rate for the paired fractal was present early in the response, in line with a local/ bottom-up origin. These effects were absent when comparing the responses to the dummies pre- and post-VTA-EM. This study shows that pairing a visual image and VTA-EM in a brief single-day session is sufficient to increase the response for the paired image in macaque PIT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerome Herpers
- Laboratory for Neuro-and Psychophysiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven Medical School, Leuven, 3000, Belgium,Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Wim Vanduffel
- Laboratory for Neuro-and Psychophysiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven Medical School, Leuven, 3000, Belgium,Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium,Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA,Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02144, USA
| | - Rufin Vogels
- Laboratory for Neuro-and Psychophysiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven Medical School, Leuven, 3000, Belgium,Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium,Corresponding author
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Mandeville JB, Levine MA, Arsenault JT, Vanduffel W, Rosen BR, Sander CY. A reference tissue forward model for improved PET accuracy using within-scan displacement studies. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2022; 42:1007-1019. [PMID: 34894821 PMCID: PMC9125481 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x211065212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
We report a novel forward-model implementation of the full reference tissue model (fFTRM) that addresses the fast-exchange approximation employed by the simplified reference tissue model (SRTM) by incorporating a non-zero dissociation time constant from the specifically bound compartment. The forward computational approach avoided errors associated with noisy and nonorthogonal basis functions using an inverse linear model. Compared to analysis by a multilinear single-compartment reference tissue model (MRTM), fFTRM provided improved accuracy for estimation of binding potentials at early times in the scan, with no worse reproducibility across sessions. To test the model's ability to identify small focal changes in binding potential using a within-scan challenge, we employed a nonhuman primate model of focal dopamine release elicited by deep brain microstimulation remote to ventral striatum (VST) during imaging by simultaneous PET and fMRI. The new model reported an unambiguously lateralized response in VST consistent with fMRI, whereas the MRTM-derived response was not lateralized and was consistent with simulations of model bias. The proposed model enabled better accuracy in PET [11C]raclopride displacement studies and may also facilitate challenges sooner after injection, thereby recovering some sensitivity lost to radioactive decay of the PET tracer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph B Mandeville
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael A Levine
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John T Arsenault
- Laboratory for Neuro- and Psychophysiology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Wim Vanduffel
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Laboratory for Neuro- and Psychophysiology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bruce R Rosen
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christin Y Sander
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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14
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Suzuki M, Inoue KI, Nakagawa H, Ishida H, Kobayashi K, Isa T, Takada M, Nishimura Y. A multisynaptic pathway from the ventral midbrain toward spinal motoneurons in monkeys. J Physiol 2022; 600:1731-1752. [PMID: 35122444 PMCID: PMC9306604 DOI: 10.1113/jp282429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract Motivation boosts motor performance. Activity of the ventral midbrain (VM), consisting of the ventral tegmental area (VTA), the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and the retrorubral field (RRF), plays an important role in processing motivation. However, little is known about the neural substrate bridging the VM and the spinal motor output. We hypothesized that the VM might exert a modulatory influence over the descending motor pathways. By retrograde transneuronal labelling with rabies virus, we demonstrated the existence of multisynaptic projections from the VM to the cervical enlargement in monkeys. The distribution pattern of spinal projection neurons in the VM exhibited a caudorostral gradient, in that the RRF and the caudal part of the SNc contained more retrogradely labelled neurons than the VTA and the rostral part of the SNc. Electrical stimulation of the VM induced muscle responses in the contralateral forelimb with a delay of a few milliseconds following the responses of the ipsilateral primary motor cortex (M1). The magnitude and number of evoked muscle responses were associated with the stimulus intensity and number of pulses. The muscle responses were diminished during M1 inactivation. Thus, the present study has identified a multisynaptic VM–spinal pathway that is mediated, at least in part, by the M1 and might play a pivotal role in modulatory control of the spinal motor output. Key points Motivation to obtain reward is thought to boost motor performance, and activity in the ventral midbrain is important to the motivational process. Little is known about a neural substrate bridging the ventral midbrain and the spinal motor output. Retrograde trans‐synaptic experiments revealed that the ventral midbrain projects multisynaptically to the spinal cord in macaque monkeys. Ventral midbrain activation by electrical stimulation generated cortical activity in the motor cortex and forelimb muscle activity. A multisynaptic ventral midbrain–spinal pathway most probably plays a pivotal role in modulatory control of the spinal motor output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michiaki Suzuki
- Neural Prosthetics Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya, Tokyo, 156-8506, Japan.,Department of Developmental Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan.,Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, Kanagawa, 240-0193, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichi Inoue
- Systems Neuroscience Section, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nakagawa
- Systems Neuroscience Section, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan.,Present address: Department of Molecular Neuroscience, World Premier International Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Ishida
- Neural Prosthetics Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya, Tokyo, 156-8506, Japan.,Present address: Schizophrenia Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya, Tokyo, 156-8506, Japan
| | - Kenta Kobayashi
- Section of Viral Vector Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan
| | - Tadashi Isa
- Department of Developmental Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan.,Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, Kanagawa, 240-0193, Japan.,Section of Viral Vector Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan.,Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan.,Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi), Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| | - Masahiko Takada
- Systems Neuroscience Section, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan
| | - Yukio Nishimura
- Neural Prosthetics Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya, Tokyo, 156-8506, Japan.,Department of Developmental Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan.,Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, Kanagawa, 240-0193, Japan
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15
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Prediction errors disrupt hippocampal representations and update episodic memories. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2117625118. [PMID: 34911768 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2117625118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain supports adaptive behavior by generating predictions, learning from errors, and updating memories to incorporate new information. Prediction error, or surprise, triggers learning when reality contradicts expectations. Prior studies have shown that the hippocampus signals prediction errors, but the hypothesized link to memory updating has not been demonstrated. In a human functional MRI study, we elicited mnemonic prediction errors by interrupting familiar narrative videos immediately before the expected endings. We found that prediction errors reversed the relationship between univariate hippocampal activation and memory: greater hippocampal activation predicted memory preservation after expected endings, but memory updating after surprising endings. In contrast to previous studies, we show that univariate activation was insufficient for understanding hippocampal prediction error signals. We explain this surprising finding by tracking both the evolution of hippocampal activation patterns and the connectivity between the hippocampus and neuromodulatory regions. We found that hippocampal activation patterns stabilized as each narrative episode unfolded, suggesting sustained episodic representations. Prediction errors disrupted these sustained representations and the degree of disruption predicted memory updating. The relationship between hippocampal activation and subsequent memory depended on concurrent basal forebrain activation, supporting the idea that cholinergic modulation regulates attention and memory. We conclude that prediction errors create conditions that favor memory updating, prompting the hippocampus to abandon ongoing predictions and make memories malleable.
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16
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Herpers J, Arsenault JT, Vanduffel W, Vogels R. Stimulation of the ventral tegmental area induces visual cortical plasticity at the neuronal level. Cell Rep 2021; 37:109998. [PMID: 34758325 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
fMRI studies have shown that pairing a task-irrelevant visual feature with electrical micro-stimulation of the ventral tegmental area (VTA-EM) is sufficient to increase the sensory cortical representation of the paired feature and to improve perceptual performance. However, since fMRI provides an indirect measure of neural activity, the neural response changes underlying the fMRI activations are unknown. Here, we pair a task-irrelevant grating orientation with VTA-EM while attention is directed to a difficult orthogonal task. We examine the changes in neural response properties in macaques by recording spiking activity in the posterior inferior temporal cortex, the locus of fMRI-defined plasticity in previous studies. We observe a relative increase in mean spike rate and preference for the VTA-EM paired orientation compared to an unpaired orientation, which is unrelated to attention. These results demonstrate that VTA-EM-stimulus pairing is sufficient to induce sensory cortical plasticity at the spiking level in nonhuman primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerome Herpers
- Laboratory for Neuro- and Psychophysiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven Medical School, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - John T Arsenault
- Laboratory for Neuro- and Psychophysiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven Medical School, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Wim Vanduffel
- Laboratory for Neuro- and Psychophysiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven Medical School, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02144, USA
| | - Rufin Vogels
- Laboratory for Neuro- and Psychophysiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven Medical School, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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17
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Islam KUS, Meli N, Blaess S. The Development of the Mesoprefrontal Dopaminergic System in Health and Disease. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:746582. [PMID: 34712123 PMCID: PMC8546303 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.746582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Midbrain dopaminergic neurons located in the substantia nigra and the ventral tegmental area are the main source of dopamine in the brain. They send out projections to a variety of forebrain structures, including dorsal striatum, nucleus accumbens, and prefrontal cortex (PFC), establishing the nigrostriatal, mesolimbic, and mesoprefrontal pathways, respectively. The dopaminergic input to the PFC is essential for the performance of higher cognitive functions such as working memory, attention, planning, and decision making. The gradual maturation of these cognitive skills during postnatal development correlates with the maturation of PFC local circuits, which undergo a lengthy functional remodeling process during the neonatal and adolescence stage. During this period, the mesoprefrontal dopaminergic innervation also matures: the fibers are rather sparse at prenatal stages and slowly increase in density during postnatal development to finally reach a stable pattern in early adulthood. Despite the prominent role of dopamine in the regulation of PFC function, relatively little is known about how the dopaminergic innervation is established in the PFC, whether and how it influences the maturation of local circuits and how exactly it facilitates cognitive functions in the PFC. In this review, we provide an overview of the development of the mesoprefrontal dopaminergic system in rodents and primates and discuss the role of altered dopaminergic signaling in neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Ushna S Islam
- Neurodevelopmental Genetics, Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Norisa Meli
- Neurodevelopmental Genetics, Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,Institute of Neuropathology, Section for Translational Epilepsy Research, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Sandra Blaess
- Neurodevelopmental Genetics, Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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18
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Electrical stimulation of the macaque ventral tegmental area drives category-selective learning without attention. Neuron 2021; 109:1381-1395.e7. [PMID: 33667342 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Perception improves by repeated practice with visual stimuli, a phenomenon known as visual perceptual learning (VPL). The interplay of attentional and neuromodulatory reward signals is hypothesized to cause these behavioral and associated neuronal changes, although VPL can occur without attention (i.e., task-irrelevant VPL). In addition, task-relevant VPL can be category-selective for simple attended oriented stimuli. Yet, it is unclear whether category-selective task-irrelevant VPL occurs and which brain centers mediate underlying forms of adult cortical plasticity. Here, we show that pairing subliminal complex visual stimuli (faces and bodies) with electrical microstimulation of the ventral tegmental area (VTA-EM) causes category-selective task-irrelevant VPL. These perceptual improvements are accompanied by fMRI signal changes in early and late visual and frontal areas, as well as the cerebellum, hippocampus, claustrum, and putamen. In conclusion, Pavlovian pairing of unattended complex stimuli with VTA-EM causes category-selective learning accompanied by changes of cortical and subcortical neural representations in macaques.
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