@article {1672, title = {Temporal and spatial tuning of dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus neurons in unanesthetized rats.}, journal = {J Neurophysiol}, volume = {115}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 06 01}, pages = {2658-71}, abstract = {

Visual response properties of neurons in the dorsolateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) have been well described in several species, but not in rats. Analysis of responses from the unanesthetized rat dLGN will be needed to develop quantitative models that account for visual behavior of rats. We recorded visual responses from 130 single units in the dLGN of 7 unanesthetized rats. We report the response amplitudes, temporal frequency, and spatial frequency sensitivities in this population of cells. In response to 2-Hz visual stimulation, dLGN cells fired 15.9 {\textpm} 11.4 spikes/s (mean {\textpm} SD) modulated by 10.7 {\textpm} 8.4 spikes/s about the mean. The optimal temporal frequency for full-field stimulation ranged from 5.8 to 19.6 Hz across cells. The temporal high-frequency cutoff ranged from 11.7 to 33.6 Hz. Some cells responded best to low temporal frequency stimulation (low pass), and others were strictly bandpass; most cells fell between these extremes. At 2- to 4-Hz temporal modulation, the spatial frequency of drifting grating that drove cells best ranged from 0.008 to 0.18 cycles per degree (cpd) across cells. The high-frequency cutoff ranged from 0.01 to 1.07 cpd across cells. The majority of cells were driven best by the lowest spatial frequency tested, but many were partially or strictly bandpass. We conclude that single units in the rat dLGN can respond vigorously to temporal modulation up to at least 30 Hz and spatial detail up to 1 cpd. Tuning properties were heterogeneous, but each fell along a continuum; we found no obvious clustering into discrete cell types along these dimensions.

}, keywords = {Animals, Evoked Potentials, Visual, Geniculate Bodies, Male, Neurons, Rats, Rats, Long-Evans, Wakefulness}, issn = {1522-1598}, doi = {10.1152/jn.00812.2014}, author = {Sriram, Balaji and Meier, Philip M and Reinagel, Pamela} } @article {122, title = {Transcriptional changes in sensory ganglia associated with primary afferent axon collateral sprouting in spared dermatome model.}, journal = {Genom Data}, volume = {6}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Dec}, pages = {249-52}, abstract = {

Primary afferent collateral sprouting is a process whereby non-injured primary afferent neurons respond to some stimulus and extend new branches from existing axons. Neurons of both the central and peripheral nervous systems undergo this process, which contributes to both adaptive and maladaptive plasticity (e.g., [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9]). In the model used here (the "spared dermatome" model), the intact sensory neurons respond to the denervation of adjacent areas of skin by sprouting new axon branches into that adjacent denervated territory. Investigations of gene expression changes associated with collateral sprouting can provide a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms controlling this process. Consequently, it can be used to develop treatments to promote functional recovery for spinal cord injury and other similar conditions. This report includes raw gene expression data files from microarray experiments in order to study the gene regulation in spared sensory ganglia in the initiation (7\ days) and maintenance (14\ days) phases of the spared dermatome model relative to intact ("na{\"\i}ve") sensory ganglia. Data has been deposited into GEO (GSE72551).

}, issn = {2213-5960}, doi = {10.1016/j.gdata.2015.10.005}, author = {Harrison, Benjamin J and Venkat, Gayathri and Hutson, Thomas and Rau, Kristofer K and Bunge, Mary Bartlett and Mendell, Lorne M and Gage, Fred H and Johnson, Richard D and Hill, Caitlin and Rouchka, Eric C and Moon, Lawrence and Petruska, Jeffrey C} } @article {197, title = {Tool morphology constrains the effects of tool use on body representations.}, journal = {J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform}, volume = {40}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Dec}, pages = {2143-53}, abstract = {

What factors constrain whether tool use modulates the user{\textquoteright}s body representations? To date, studies on representational plasticity following tool use have primarily focused on the act of using the tool. Here, we investigated whether the tool{\textquoteright}s morphology also serves to constrain plasticity. In 2 experiments, we varied whether the tool was morphologically similar to a target body part (Experiment 1, hand; Experiment 2, arm). Participants judged the tactile distance between pairs of points applied to their tool-using target body surface and forehead (control surface) before and after tool use. We applied touch in 2 orientations, allowing us to quantify how tool use modulates the representation{\textquoteright}s shape. Significant representational plasticity in hand shape (increase in width, decrease in length) was found when the tool was morphologically similar to a hand (Experiment 1A), but not when the tool was arm-shaped (Experiment 1B). Conversely, significant representational plasticity was found on the arm when the tool was arm-shaped (Experiment 2B), but not when hand-shaped (Experiment 2A). Taken together, our results indicate that morphological similarity between the tool and the effector constrains tool-induced representational plasticity. The embodiment of tools may thus depend on a match-to-template process between tool morphology and representation of the body.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Body Image, Discrimination (Psychology), Distance Perception, Female, Form Perception, Humans, Judgment, Male, Size Perception, Tool Use Behavior, Touch Perception, Young Adult}, issn = {1939-1277}, doi = {10.1037/a0037777}, author = {Miller, Luke E and Longo, Matthew R and Saygin, Ayse P} } @article {134, title = {Target-dependent regulation of neurotransmitter specification and embryonic neuronal calcium spike activity.}, journal = {J Neurosci}, volume = {30}, year = {2010}, month = {2010 Apr 21}, pages = {5792-801}, abstract = {

Neurotransmitter specification has been shown to depend on genetic programs and electrical activity; however, target-dependent regulation also plays important roles in neuronal development. We have investigated the impact of muscle targets on transmitter specification in Xenopus spinal neurons using a neuron-muscle coculture system. We find that neuron-muscle contact reduces the number of neurons expressing the noncholinergic transmitters GABA, glycine, and glutamate, while having no effect on the incidence of ChAT expression. We show that muscle activity is necessary for target-dependent reduction of noncholinergic transmitter expression. In addition, we demonstrate that coculture with muscle cells suppresses early spontaneous calcium spike activity in neurons and the presence of muscle cells abolishes activity-dependent transmitter specification. The results indicate that target-dependent regulation can be crucial in establishing neurotransmitter phenotypes and altering early neuronal excitability.

}, keywords = {Animals, Calcium Signaling, Cells, Cultured, Coculture Techniques, Myoblasts, Neurons, Neurotransmitter Agents, Xenopus laevis}, issn = {1529-2401}, doi = {10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5659-09.2010}, author = {Xiao, Qian and Xu, Lin and Spitzer, Nicholas C} } @article {193, title = {Targeting single neuronal networks for gene expression and cell labeling in vivo.}, journal = {Neuron}, volume = {67}, year = {2010}, month = {2010 Aug 26}, pages = {562-74}, abstract = {

To understand fine-scale structure and function of single mammalian neuronal networks, we developed and validated a strategy to genetically target and trace monosynaptic inputs to a single neuron in vitro and in vivo. The strategy independently targets a neuron and its presynaptic network for specific gene expression and fine-scale labeling, using single-cell electroporation of DNA to target infection and monosynaptic retrograde spread of a genetically modifiable rabies virus. The technique is highly reliable, with transsynaptic labeling occurring in every electroporated neuron infected by the virus. Targeting single neocortical neuronal networks in vivo, we found clusters of both spiny and aspiny neurons surrounding the electroporated neuron in each case, in addition to intricately labeled distal cortical and subcortical inputs. This technique, broadly applicable for probing and manipulating single neuronal networks with single-cell resolution in vivo, may help shed new light on fundamental mechanisms underlying circuit development and information processing by neuronal networks throughout the brain.

}, keywords = {Animals, Electroporation, Gene Expression, Genetic Vectors, Histological Techniques, In Vitro Techniques, Mice, Neocortex, Neural Pathways, Neuroanatomical Tract-Tracing Techniques, Neuronal Tract-Tracers, Neurons, Presynaptic Terminals, Pyramidal Cells, Rabies virus, Rats, Reproducibility of Results, Visual Cortex}, issn = {1097-4199}, doi = {10.1016/j.neuron.2010.08.001}, author = {Marshel, James H and Mori, Takuma and Nielsen, Kristina J and Callaway, Edward M} } @article {209, title = {Temporal horizons in decision making.}, journal = {Journal of Neuroscience, Psychology, and Economics}, volume = {2}, year = {2009}, pages = {1}, author = {Wittmann, Marc and Paulus, Martin P} }