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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 9, 2025

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Corticothalamic Projections Gate Alpha Rhythms in the Pulvinar.

Nelson Cortes1, Reza Abbas Farishta1, Hugo J Ladret1,2

  • 1Laboratoire des Neurosciences de la Vision, École d'optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.

Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience
|December 23, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Corticothalamic terminals modulate pulvinar activity, generating distinct oscillatory rhythms. Different terminal types from cortical areas 17 and 21a create bi-stable network states, influencing neuronal communication across the hierarchy.

Keywords:
alpha rhythmcortical and subcortical loopscortical oscillationscorticothalamic projectionsmathematical modelingpulvinar

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Computational Neuroscience
  • Systems Neuroscience

Background:

  • Corticothalamic (CT) terminals exhibit diverse properties based on cortical origin.
  • These terminals influence pulvinar nucleus activity, crucial for intercortical regulation.
  • Understanding CT terminal roles is key to deciphering neuronal communication across cortical hierarchies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To theoretically investigate the impact of different CT terminal types on pulvinar neuron activity.
  • To explore how these terminals contribute to oscillatory rhythms and network states.
  • To model the transthalamic pathway's role in information flow between cortical areas and the pulvinar.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a theoretical model of corticothalamic projections with two terminal types (1 and 2).
  • Simulated network dynamics incorporating facilitation (type 1) and depression (type 2) properties.
  • Constructed a feedforward network model including cortical areas 17 and 21a and a pulvinar-like network.

Main Results:

  • Co-activation of terminal types 1 and 2 generates distinct alpha-band oscillations in pulvinar neurons.
  • CT projections from areas 17 and 21a exhibit antagonistic actions, modulating network states between oscillatory and asynchronous spiking.
  • The transthalamic pathway propagates alpha waves from the pulvinar to area 21a, with this transfer ceasing upon loop closure.

Conclusions:

  • The pulvinar exhibits bi-stable spiking activity (oscillatory or asynchronous), controlled by cortico-pulvinar projections.
  • Different hierarchical cortical inputs gate pulvinar responses, influencing information processing.
  • This study provides insights into the dynamic regulation of neuronal communication by corticothalamic pathways.