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An inferior-superior colliculus circuit controls auditory cue-directed visual spatial attention
1Division of Neurobiology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
Neuron
|October 26, 2021
Summary
A midbrain circuit involving the inferior-superior colliculus provides key attention signals for visual tasks. This pathway is crucial for directing spatial attention based on auditory cues, impacting brain regions like the visual cortex.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Systems Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Selective attention influences neural activity across brain regions.
- The precise origin of attention signals, especially in multisensory contexts, remains incompletely understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neural circuit underlying auditory cue-directed spatial attention.
- To identify the source of attention signals modulating visual processing.
Main Methods:
- Developed a novel visual task in mice using auditory cues for spatial attention.
- Recorded neuronal activity in the visual cortex (V1), superior colliculus (SC), and nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus (nBIC).
- Utilized lesioning or inactivation techniques to assess the necessity of specific neural populations.
Main Results:
- The superior colliculus (SC) and visual cortex (V1) exhibited strong attentional modulation.
- The nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus (nBIC) showed delay period activity crucial for SC and V1 modulation.
- This nBIC delay activity, not cue-evoked activity, was essential for task performance.
Conclusions:
- An inferior-superior colliculus circuit, specifically nBIC delay activity, serves as a critical source of attention signals.
- This midbrain pathway directs auditory cue-based spatial attention to visual stimuli.
- Establishes a new paradigm for studying attention in mice and highlights a key midbrain role.
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