Learning speed and detection sensitivity controlled by distinct cortico-fugal neurons in visual cortex

Abstract
Data availability
Article and author information
Metrics

Abstract

Vertebrates can change their behavior upon detection of visual stimuli according to the outcome their actions produce. Such goal-directed behavior involves evolutionary conserved brain structures like the striatum and optic tectum, which receive ascending visual input from the periphery. In mammals, however, these structures also receive descending visual input from visual cortex (VC), via neurons that give rise to cortico-fugal projections. The function of cortico-fugal neurons in visually-guided, goal-directed behavior remains unclear. Here we address the impact of two populations of cortico-fugal neurons in mouse VC in the learning and performance of a visual detection task. We show that the ablation of striatal projecting neurons reduces learning speed while the ablation of superior colliculus projecting neurons does not impact learning but reduces detection sensitivity. This functional dissociation between distinct cortico-fugal neurons in controlling learning speed and detection sensitivity suggests an adaptive contribution of cortico-fugal pathways even in simple goal-directed behavior.

Data availability

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in the manuscript and supporting files. Numerical data for graphs represented in figures 1-6, figure 1-figure supplement 2,3,4,5, figure 2-figure supplement 1, figure 4-figure supplement 1 are provided as source data files. The software used to generate visual stimuli and record neuronal activity is available at: https://github.com/mscaudill/neuroGit and https://github.com/aresulaj/ResRueOlsSca18.

Article and author information

Author details

Sarah Ruediger

Physiology, UCSF and HHMI, San Francisco, United States

For correspondence
sarruedi@gmail.com

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Massimo Scanziani

Physiology, UCSF and HHMI, San Francisco, United States

For correspondence
massimo@ucsf.edu

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.

"This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0002-5331-9686

Funding

National Eye Institute (NIH R01EY025668)

Massimo Scanziani

Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Massimo Scanziani

European Molecular Biology Organization (ALTF741-2012)

Sarah Ruediger

Swiss National Science Foundation (151168)

Sarah Ruediger

Swiss National Science Foundation (138719)

Sarah Ruediger

The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.

Ethics

Animal experimentation: All experimental procedures were performed with the approval of the Committee on Animal Care at UCSD and UCSF. Authorization # AN179056

Copyright

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.