The visual corticostriatal loop through the tail of the caudate: circuitry and function

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Systems Neuroscience
• Computational Neuroscience

Background:

• The visual cortex connects to the striatum, specifically the tail of the caudate, forming a corticostriatal loop.
• The precise function of this visual corticostriatal system is not well understood.
• Corticostriatal systems are crucial for motor control, learning, and cognition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the known anatomy of the visual corticostriatal loop across mammalian species.
• To summarize empirical research on the function of the tail of the caudate.
• To explore potential functions of the visual loop's closed and open components within broader corticostriatal theories.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of anatomical studies on the visual corticostriatal system.
• Synthesis of findings from empirical research on the tail of the caudate.
• Theoretical analysis integrating anatomical and functional data with computational models.

Main Results:

• The visual corticostriatal system exhibits both closed-loop (recurrent) and open-loop (divergent) projection patterns.
• Previous research provides limited but growing insights into the tail of the caudate's role.
• Anatomical evidence across species (rodents, cats, monkeys, humans) highlights conserved features.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the visual corticostriatal system requires integrating anatomical data with functional studies.
• The distinct loop components likely contribute differentially to information processing.
• Further research is needed to fully elucidate the role of visual information within corticostriatal circuits.