The dynamics of stimulus selection in the nucleus isthmi pars magnocellularis of avian midbrain network
Abstract The nucleus isthmi pars magnocellularis (Imc) serves as a critical node in the avian midbrain network for encoding stimulus salience and selection. While reciprocal inhibitory projections among Imc neurons (inhibitory loop) are known to govern stimulus selection, existing studies have predo...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02255-w |
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| author | Longlong Qian Chongchong Jia Jiangtao Wang Li Shi Zhizhong Wang Songwei Wang |
| author_facet | Longlong Qian Chongchong Jia Jiangtao Wang Li Shi Zhizhong Wang Songwei Wang |
| author_sort | Longlong Qian |
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| description | Abstract The nucleus isthmi pars magnocellularis (Imc) serves as a critical node in the avian midbrain network for encoding stimulus salience and selection. While reciprocal inhibitory projections among Imc neurons (inhibitory loop) are known to govern stimulus selection, existing studies have predominantly focused on stimulus selection under stimuli of constant relative intensity. However, animals typically encounter complex and changeable visual scenes. Thus, how Imc neurons represent stimulus selection under varying relative stimulus intensities remains unclear. Here, we examined the dynamics of stimulus selection by in vivo recording of Imc neurons’ responses to spatiotemporally successive visual stimuli divided into two segments: the previous stimulus and the post stimulus. Our data demonstrate that Imc neurons can encode sensory memory of the previous stimulus, which modulates competition and salience representation in the post stimulus. This history-dependent modulation is also manifested in persistent neural activity after stimulus cessation. We identified, through neural tracing, focal inactivation, and computational modeling experiments, projections from the nucleus isthmi pars parvocellularis (Ipc) to “shepherd’s crook” (Shc) neurons, which could be either direct or indirect. These projections enhance Imc neurons’ responses and persistent neural activity after stimulus cessation. This connectivity supports a Shc-Ipc-Shc excitatory loop in the midbrain network. The coexistence of excitatory and inhibitory loops provides a neural substrate for continuous attractor network models, a proposed framework for neural information representation. This study also offers a potential explanation for how animals maintain short-term attention to targets in complex and changeable environments. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| spelling | doaj-art-7481c4db1f9541edbc3b2e5581034da82025-08-20T02:03:31ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111610.1038/s41598-025-02255-wThe dynamics of stimulus selection in the nucleus isthmi pars magnocellularis of avian midbrain networkLonglong Qian0Chongchong Jia1Jiangtao Wang2Li Shi3Zhizhong Wang4Songwei Wang5Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhou UniversityHenan Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Science and Brain-Computer Interface, Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhou UniversityAbstract The nucleus isthmi pars magnocellularis (Imc) serves as a critical node in the avian midbrain network for encoding stimulus salience and selection. While reciprocal inhibitory projections among Imc neurons (inhibitory loop) are known to govern stimulus selection, existing studies have predominantly focused on stimulus selection under stimuli of constant relative intensity. However, animals typically encounter complex and changeable visual scenes. Thus, how Imc neurons represent stimulus selection under varying relative stimulus intensities remains unclear. Here, we examined the dynamics of stimulus selection by in vivo recording of Imc neurons’ responses to spatiotemporally successive visual stimuli divided into two segments: the previous stimulus and the post stimulus. Our data demonstrate that Imc neurons can encode sensory memory of the previous stimulus, which modulates competition and salience representation in the post stimulus. This history-dependent modulation is also manifested in persistent neural activity after stimulus cessation. We identified, through neural tracing, focal inactivation, and computational modeling experiments, projections from the nucleus isthmi pars parvocellularis (Ipc) to “shepherd’s crook” (Shc) neurons, which could be either direct or indirect. These projections enhance Imc neurons’ responses and persistent neural activity after stimulus cessation. This connectivity supports a Shc-Ipc-Shc excitatory loop in the midbrain network. The coexistence of excitatory and inhibitory loops provides a neural substrate for continuous attractor network models, a proposed framework for neural information representation. This study also offers a potential explanation for how animals maintain short-term attention to targets in complex and changeable environments.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02255-wStimulus competitionDynamicsExcitatory loopSensory memoryAttractor network |
| spellingShingle | Longlong Qian Chongchong Jia Jiangtao Wang Li Shi Zhizhong Wang Songwei Wang The dynamics of stimulus selection in the nucleus isthmi pars magnocellularis of avian midbrain network Scientific Reports Stimulus competition Dynamics Excitatory loop Sensory memory Attractor network |
| title | The dynamics of stimulus selection in the nucleus isthmi pars magnocellularis of avian midbrain network |
| title_full | The dynamics of stimulus selection in the nucleus isthmi pars magnocellularis of avian midbrain network |
| title_fullStr | The dynamics of stimulus selection in the nucleus isthmi pars magnocellularis of avian midbrain network |
| title_full_unstemmed | The dynamics of stimulus selection in the nucleus isthmi pars magnocellularis of avian midbrain network |
| title_short | The dynamics of stimulus selection in the nucleus isthmi pars magnocellularis of avian midbrain network |
| title_sort | dynamics of stimulus selection in the nucleus isthmi pars magnocellularis of avian midbrain network |
| topic | Stimulus competition Dynamics Excitatory loop Sensory memory Attractor network |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02255-w |
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