Controlling the Flow of Visual Information through the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus: From Single Cells to Neural Networks.

1991 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christof Koch
Keyword(s):  
Neural Networks ◽  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Lateral Geniculate

Response properties of cells in rabbit's lateral geniculate nucleus during reversible blockade of retinal on-center channel

1983 ◽  
Vol 50 (5) ◽  
pp. 1236-1245 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. G. Knapp ◽  
L. A. Mistler
Keyword(s):  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Receptive Fields ◽  
Uniform Field ◽  
Vertebrate Species ◽  
Response Properties ◽  
Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Functional Classes ◽  
On And Off Pathways

In the vertebrate retina, visual information is segregated into an on channel excited by light increment and a complementary off channel excited by light decrement. We used 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (APB), which selectively blocks the on channel in the retina (29), to determine the contributions of the on and off pathways to response properties of neurons in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of anesthetized, paralyzed rabbits. Visually evoked responses were recorded from 46 single cells in the LGN before, during, and after vitreal perfusion with 200-1,000 microM APB. APB reversibly blocked responses of on uniform-field cells and on center concentric-field cells to stationary, flashing spots of light. Responses to off uniform-field cells and off-center concentric-field cells were largely unaffected. APB did not differentially affect responses elicited from the receptive-field centers, as opposed to the surrounds, of on-center concentric-field cells. This finding suggests that these cells are driven exclusively by the on retinal channel and that the center-surround organization of their receptive fields does not result from a convergence of the on and off pathways. We studied a small number of cells that were selective for stimulus direction or motion. In each case, APB eliminated the cell's response to a moving light edge. The surviving response to a moving dark edge retained its original direction or motion preference, suggesting that these response properties do not depend critically on interactions between the on and the off pathways. The findings obtained in the rabbit are reminiscent of the results of similar investigations in the cat (10, 11) and the monkey (25). Taken together, they indicate that in the LGN of several vertebrate species there is a precise segregation vertebrate species there is a precise segregation of on and off information, at least for some functional classes of cells. The combination of on and off information does not seem to play a major role in establishing the response properties observed at this level in the visual system.

The multifaceted role of inhibitory interneurons in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHARLES L. COX ◽  
JOSEPH A. BEATTY
Keyword(s):  
Glutamate Receptors ◽  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Metabotropic Glutamate ◽  
Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Presynaptic Dendrites ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Stimulation Of

AbstractIntrinsic interneurons within the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) provide a feed-forward inhibitory pathway for afferent visual information originating from the retina. These interneurons are unique because in addition to traditional axodendritic output onto thalamocortical neurons, these interneurons have presynaptic dendrites that form dendrodendritic synapses onto thalamocortical neurons as well. These presynaptic dendrites, termed F2 terminals, are tightly coupled to the retinogeniculate afferents that synapse onto thalamocortical relay neurons. Retinogeniculate stimulation of F2 terminals can occur through the activation of ionotropic and/or metabotropic glutamate receptors. The stimulation of ionotropic glutamate receptors can occur with single stimuli and produces a short-lasting inhibition of the thalamocortical neuron. By contrast, activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors requires tetanic activation and results in longer-lasting inhibition in the thalamocortical neuron. The F2 terminals are predominantly localized to the distal dendrites of interneurons, and the excitation and output of F2 terminals can occur independent of somatic activity within the interneuron thereby allowing these F2 terminals to serve as independent processors, giving rise to focal inhibition. By contrast, strong transient depolarizations at the soma can initiate a backpropagating calcium-mediated potential that invades the dendritic arbor activating F2 terminals and leading to a global form of inhibition. These distinct types of output, focal versus global, could play an important role in the temporal and spatial roles of inhibition that in turn impacts thalamocortical information processing.

scholarly journals Spatial receptive fields in the retina and dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of mice lacking rods and cones

2015 ◽  
Vol 114 (2) ◽  
pp. 1321-1330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher A. Procyk ◽  
Cyril G. Eleftheriou ◽  
Riccardo Storchi ◽  
Annette E. Allen ◽  
Nina Milosavljevic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Retinal Degeneration ◽  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Spatial Information ◽  
Receptive Fields ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Multielectrode Arrays ◽  
Rods And Cones ◽  
Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate

In advanced retinal degeneration loss of rods and cones leaves melanopsin-expressing intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) as the only source of visual information. ipRGCs drive non-image-forming responses (e.g., circadian photoentrainment) under such conditions but, despite projecting to the primary visual thalamus [dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN)], do not support form vision. We wished to determine what precludes ipRGCs supporting spatial discrimination after photoreceptor loss, using a mouse model ( rd/rd cl) lacking rods and cones. Using multielectrode arrays, we found that both RGCs and neurons in the dLGN of this animal have clearly delineated spatial receptive fields. In the retina, they are typically symmetrical, lack inhibitory surrounds, and have diameters in the range of 10–30° of visual space. Receptive fields in the dLGN were larger (diameters typically 30–70°) but matched the retinotopic map of the mouse dLGN. Injections of a neuroanatomical tracer (cholera toxin β-subunit) into the dLGN confirmed that retinotopic order of ganglion cell projections to the dLGN and thalamic projections to the cortex is at least superficially intact in rd/rd cl mice. However, as previously reported for deafferented ipRGCs, onset and offset of light responses have long latencies in the rd/rd cl retina and dLGN. Accordingly, dLGN neurons failed to track dynamic changes in light intensity in this animal. Our data reveal that ipRGCs can convey spatial information in advanced retinal degeneration and identify their poor temporal fidelity as the major limitation in their ability to provide information about spatial patterns under natural viewing conditions.

scholarly journals Feedback from V1 and inhibition from beyond the classical receptive field modulates the responses of neurons in the primate lateral geniculate nucleus

2002 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 583-592 ◽  
Author(s):  
BEN S. WEBB ◽  
CHRIS J. TINSLEY ◽  
NICK E. BARRACLOUGH ◽  
ALEXANDER EASTON ◽  
AMANDA PARKER ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Receptive Field ◽  
Firing Rate ◽  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Striate Cortex ◽  
Temporal Frequency ◽  
Optimal Size ◽  
Marmoset Monkey ◽  
Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Classical Receptive Field

It is well established that the responses of neurons in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) can be modulated by feedback from visual cortex, but it is still unclear how cortico-geniculate afferents regulate the flow of visual information to the cortex in the primate. Here we report the effects, on the gain of LGN neurons, of differentially stimulating the extraclassical receptive field, with feedback from the striate cortex intact or inactivated in the marmoset monkey, Callithrix jacchus. A horizontally oriented grating of optimal size, spatial frequency, and temporal frequency was presented to the classical receptive field. The grating varied in contrast (range: 0–1) from trial to trial, and was presented alone, or surrounded by a grating of the same or orthogonal orientation, contained within either a larger annular field, or flanks oriented either horizontally or vertically. V1 was ablated to inactivate cortico-geniculate feedback. The maximum firing rate of LGN neurons was greater with V1 intact, but was reduced by visually stimulating beyond the classical receptive field. Large horizontal or vertical annular gratings were most effective in reducing the maximum firing rate of LGN neurons. Magnocellular neurons were most susceptible to this inhibition from beyond the classical receptive field. Extraclassical inhibition was less effective with V1 ablated. We conclude that inhibition from beyond the classical receptive field reduces the excitatory influence of V1 in the LGN. The net balance between cortico-geniculate excitation and inhibition from beyond the classical receptive field is one mechanism by which signals relayed from the retina to V1 are controlled.

Response of Single Cells in Monkey Lateral Geniculate Nucleus to Monochromatic Light

Science ◽  
1958 ◽  
Vol 127 (3292) ◽  
pp. 238-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. L. DE VALOIS ◽  
C. J. SMITH ◽  
S. T. KITAI ◽  
A. J. KAROLY
Keyword(s):  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Monochromatic Light ◽  
Lateral Geniculate

scholarly journals Cell-type specific arousal-dependent modulation of thalamic activity in the lateral geniculate nucleus

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benedek Molnár ◽  
Péter Sere ◽  
Sándor Bordé ◽  
Krisztián Koós ◽  
Péter Horváth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Potential ◽  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Neuronal Membrane ◽  
Intracellular Recordings ◽  
Lateral Geniculate ◽  
State Dependent ◽  
Cell Type Specific ◽  
Evoked Activity ◽  
Corticothalamic Feedback

ABSTRACTState dependent thalamocortical activity is important for sensory coding, oscillations and cognition. The lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) relays visual information to the cortex, but the state dependent spontaneous and visually evoked activity of LGN neurons in awake behaving animals remains controversial. Using a combination of pupillometry, extracellular and intracellular recordings from identified LGN neurons we show that thalamocortical neurons and interneurons are distinctly correlated to arousal forming two complementary coalitions. Intracellular recordings indicated that the membrane potential of LGN TC neurons was tightly correlated to fluctuations in pupil size. Inactivating the corticothalamic feedback to the LGN suppressed the arousal dependency of LGN neurons. Taken together our results show that LGN neuronal membrane potential and action potential output are dynamically linked to arousal dependent brain states in awake mice and this might have important functional implications.

Light adaptation in cells of macaque lateral geniculate nucleus and its relation to human light adaptation

1983 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 864-878 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Virsu ◽  
B. B. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Receptive Field ◽  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Light Adaptation ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
Field Size ◽  
Adaptation Level ◽  
Response Functions ◽  
Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Intensity Response

Responses of macaque lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) cells to stimuli of different incremental intensities and wavelength compositions were studied at different levels of light adaptation from scotopic to low photopic levels. Stimuli were large in comparison with receptive-field size. Human increment thresholds were measured for comparison. The strength of responses grew in many cells from threshold up to a saturation level as a logarithmic function of incremental intensity. More complex intensity-response functions were also obtained, particularly from parvocellular layer (PCL) cells, but the shape and slope of the intensity-response function changed as a function of adaptation level only with chromatic backgrounds. As a function of adaptation level, the intensity-response functions shifted along the logarithmic abscissa but not sufficiently for a complete contrast constancy. Thus responses to any constant contrast became smaller when adaptation level decreased. The change from cone to rod responses, when possible, took place without noticeable change in shape of intensity-response functions, and much of the adaptive shift of the functions could be attributed to the change-over between rods and cones. Differences between different cells in light adaptation and dark-adapted sensitivity were large, mostly because of variation in the strength of rod input. The strongest excitatory rod inputs were found in PCL cells activated by short-wavelength light, so that the highest sensitivity at low levels of illumination occurred in blue- and blue-green-sensitive cells. The lowest increment thresholds based on cones matched the thresholds of macaque cone late receptor potentials recorded by Boynton and Whitten (3). They were also similar to human cone thresholds measured psychophysically but only for small stimulus sizes that may approximate the size of the receptive-field centers. Human sensitivity was much higher when measured with large stimulus sizes, indicating integration at post-geniculate neural levels. Light adaptation, as evaluated with respect to contrast constancy and Weber law behavior, was similarly incomplete in monkey single cells and human perception. A few cat LGN cells were studied in a control experiment; results agreed with previous findings. The light adaptation of cat cels was more complete and sensitivity higher than those observed under comparable conditions in macaque single cells and human. The maintained activity level of cells was little affected by the intensity of steady backgrounds. Thus, the steady-state hyper-polarisation of receptors was not transmitted to LGN cells.

Cortical feedback increases visual information transmitted by monkey parvocellular lateral geniculate nucleus neurons

1994 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 601-617 ◽  
Author(s):  
John W. McClurkin ◽  
Lance M. Optican ◽  
Barry J. Richmond
Keyword(s):  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Striate Cortex ◽  
Temporal Distribution ◽  
Information Measure ◽  
Signal Separation ◽  
Transmitted Information ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Stimulus Parameters

AbstractWe studied the effect of cooling the striate cortex on parvocellular lateral geniculate nucleus (PLGN) neurons in awake monkeys. Cooling the striate cortex produced both facilitation and inhibition of the responses of all neurons, depending on the stimulus presented. Cooling the striate cortex also altered the temporal distribution of spikes in the responses of PLGN neurons. Shannon's information measure revealed that cooling the striate cortex reduced the average stimulus-related information transmitted by all PLGN neurons. The reduction in transmitted information was associated with both facilitation and inhibition of the response. Cooling the striate cortex reduced the amount of information transmitted about all of the stimulus parameters tested: pattern, luminance, spatial contrast, and sequential contrast. The effect of cooling was nearly the same for codes based on the number of spikes in the response as for codes based on their temporal distribution. The reduction in transmitted information occurred because the differences among the responses to different stimuli (signal separation) were reduced, not because the variability of the responses to individual stimuli (noise) was increased. We conclude that one function of corticogeniculate feedback is to improve the ability of PLGN neurons to discriminate among stimuli by enhancing the differences among their responses.

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