Performance in even a simple perceptual task depends on mouse secondary visual areas

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Primary visual cortex (V1) in the mouse projects to numerous brain areas, including several secondary visual areas, frontal cortex, and basal ganglia. While it has been demonstrated that optogenetic silencing of V1 strongly impairs visually-guided behavior, it is not known which downstream areas are required for visual behaviors. Here we trained mice to perform a contrast-increment change detection task, for which substantial stimulus information is present in V1. Optogenetic silencing of visual responses in secondary visual areas revealed that their activity is required for even this simple visual task. <jats:italic>In vivo</jats:italic> electrophysiology showed that, although inhibiting secondary visual areas could produce some feedback effects in V1, the principal effect was profound suppression at the location of the optogenetic light. The results show that pathways through secondary visual areas are necessary for even simple visual behaviors.</jats:p>

Narrowband gamma oscillations propagate and synchronize throughout the mouse thalamocortical visual system

“…In LGN, ON and OFF neurons fired at distinct phases of NBG, and this phase separation was maintained relative to NBG LFP in V1 and HVAs, particularly in areas RL, LM, and AL. These specific HVAs are necessary for detection of stimulus contrast (Goldbach et al, 2021;Jin and Glickfeld, 2020). Synchronized pre-stimulus NBG activity could dictate the timing and propagation of the very first spikes in cortex that are essential for perception (Resulaj et al, 2018).…”

Selective representations of texture and motion in mouse higher visual areas

“…6c). We examined a set of visual features that were previously implied to modulate visual system, including contrast 32,34 , luminance, edge density 26 , DOG entropy 33 , and OF speed and direction 23 (Supplementary Fig. 5).…”

Amplified cortical neural responses as animals learn to use novel activity patterns

“…We determined the location of V1 in the cranial window using a hemodynamic intrinsic imaging protocol previously described in (Goldbach et al, 2021). Briefly, we delivered small visual stimuli to head-fixed animals at different retinotopic positions and measured hemodynamic-related changes in absorption by measuring reflected 530 nm light.…”

“…Mice were head-fixed and trained first to hold a lever and release in response to a visual stimulus (Gabor patch; 14° FWHM, spatial frequency 0.1 cycle/degree), that increased contrast relative to a gray screen (Goldbach et al, 2021; Histed et al, 2012), and then to an optogenetic stimulus that directly activated layer 2/3 neurons in V1. Mice initiated behavioral trials by pressing and holding a lever for 400-4000 ms (according to a geometric distribution, to reduce variation in the stimulus appearance time hazard function, see Goldbach et al, 2021, their Figure 2), and then the stimulus appeared for 100 ms in the animal’s right monocular hemifield. Animals had up to 550 ms to report the stimulus by releasing the lever.…”

“…For optogenetic behavior experiments without simultaneous 2-photon imaging we delivered light through a fiber aimed at the cortical surface (Goldbach et al, 2021). A fiber-coupled LED light source (M625F2, Thorlabs, peak wavelength 625 nm) was coupled via a fiber patch cable to a fiber optic cannula (400 µm core diameter, 0.39 NA, Thorlabs CFMLC14L02) cemented above V1.…”