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Published on: May 7, 2020
Zona Incerta: An Integrative Node for Global Behavioral Modulation
Xiyue Wang1, Xiao-Lin Chou1, Li I Zhang2
1Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
Abstract:
Zona incerta (ZI) is a largely inhibitory subthalamic region connecting with many brain areas. Early studies have suggested involvement of ZI in various functions such as visceral activities, arousal, attention, and locomotion, but the specific roles of different ZI subdomains or cell types have not been well examined. Recent studies combining optogenetics, behavioral assays, neural tracing, and neural activity-recording reveal novel functional roles of ZI depending on specific input-output connectivity patterns. Here, we review these studies and summarize functions of ZI into four categories: sensory integration, behavioral output control, motivational drive, and neural plasticity. In view of these new findings, we propose that ZI serves as an integrative node for global modulation of behaviors and physiological states.
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