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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 30, 2025

In Vivo Intracerebral Stereotaxic Injections for Optogenetic Stimulation of Long-Range Inputs in Mouse Brain Slices

In Vivo Intracerebral Stereotaxic Injections for Optogenetic Stimulation of Long-Range Inputs in Mouse Brain Slices

Published on: September 20, 2019

Visual Corticotectal Neurons in Awake Rabbits: Receptive Fields and Driving Monosynaptic Thalamocortical Inputs.

Chuyi Su¹, Rosangela F Mendes-Platt¹, Jose-Manuel Alonso^1,2

¹Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience

|March 14, 2024

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Corticotectal neurons in the visual cortex exhibit diverse receptive field structures, impacting visual processing. A fast thalamic pathway to the superior colliculus was identified, potentially enhancing visual information transfer.

Keywords:

antidromic awake state corticotectal layer 5 thalamo-corticotectal thalamocortical

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 30, 2025

In Vivo Intracerebral Stereotaxic Injections for Optogenetic Stimulation of Long-Range Inputs in Mouse Brain Slices

In Vivo Intracerebral Stereotaxic Injections for Optogenetic Stimulation of Long-Range Inputs in Mouse Brain Slices

Published on: September 20, 2019

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Published on: July 23, 2020

Laser-scanning Photostimulation of Optogenetically Targeted Forebrain Circuits

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Published on: December 27, 2013

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Visual Cortex
Superior Colliculus

Background:

The superior colliculus receives significant input from corticotectal neurons in the visual cortex.
The precise function of these corticotectal neurons is not fully understood due to limited knowledge of their response properties and connectivity.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the response properties, receptive field structures, and connectivity of corticotectal neurons.
To characterize the axonal conduction times and thalamic inputs of identified corticotectal neurons in awake rabbits.

Main Methods:

Utilized antidromic methods to identify corticotectal neurons in awake male and female rabbits.
Measured axonal conduction times, thalamic inputs, and receptive field properties using sinusoidal drifting gratings.

Main Results:

Identified three distinct ON-OFF receptive field structures (Cx, S2, S1) among corticotectal neurons, indicating heterogeneity in spatial integration.
Cx type neurons exhibited fast conduction, high spontaneous activity, and strong visual responses; S2 type showed high orientation selectivity; S1 type had slow conduction.
Discovered a fast-conducting thalamic-mediated corticotectal pathway, primarily involving Cx-type neurons, providing direct input to the superior colliculus.

Conclusions:

Corticotectal neurons display homogeneous nonlinear spatial summation but heterogeneous ON-OFF input integration.
A novel, fast corticotectal pathway from the thalamus to the superior colliculus may specialize in rapid visual information transmission.