Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

2.8K
The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor...
2.8K
Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex01:24

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

391
The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at...
391
Association Areas of the Cortex01:21

Association Areas of the Cortex

5.0K
Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
5.0K
Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay01:27

Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay

1.4K
The thalamus, often called “the gateway to the cerebral cortex,” is vital in processing and directing sensory and motor signals throughout the brain. Almost all inputs destined for the cerebral cortex, except for olfactory signals, are relayed through the thalamus. The thalamus is  a sophisticated relay station, channeling information from various brain regions to the cerebral cortex, as well as a filter, prioritizing certain signals over others based on current physiological...
1.4K
Neural Circuits01:25

Neural Circuits

1.0K
Neural circuits and neuronal pools are two of the main structures found in the nervous system. Neural circuits are networks of neurons that work together to carry out a specific task or process. They consist of interconnected neurons and glial cells, which provide structural and metabolic support.
Neuronal pools are collections of nerve cells with similar functions and interact through chemical and electrical signals. These pools include both interneurons (the central neural circuit nodes that...
1.0K
Diencephalon: Hypothalamus and Coordination01:23

Diencephalon: Hypothalamus and Coordination

1.3K
The hypothalamus is a small yet highly complex and essential brain region that plays a crucial role in regulating various bodily functions. Anatomically, it is located at the base of the brain, just above the brainstem and below the thalamus, forming part of the limbic system.
The hypothalamus interacts with other brain regions, including the pituitary gland, through a direct physical connection called the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. The hypothalamus receives somatic and visceral inputs and...
1.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Asymmetric cortical projections to striatal direct and indirect pathways distinctly control actions.

eLife·2025
Same author

Parallel Streams of Direct Corticogeniculate Feedback from Mid-level Extrastriate Cortex in the Macaque Monkey.

eNeuro·2024
Same author

Parallel pathways carrying direction-and orientation-selective retinal signals to layer 4 of the mouse visual cortex.

Cell reports·2024
Same author

High-Resolution Laminar Identification in Macaque Primary Visual Cortex Using Neuropixels Probes.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2024
Same author

Author Correction: Conserved and divergent gene regulatory programs of the mammalian neocortex.

Nature·2024
Same author

Postsynaptic cell type and synaptic distance do not determine efficiency of monosynaptic rabies virus spread measured at synaptic resolution.

eLife·2023

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 1, 2025

Modification of a Colliculo-thalamocortical Mouse Brain Slice, Incorporating 3-D printing of Chamber Components and Multi-scale Optical Imaging
06:05

Modification of a Colliculo-thalamocortical Mouse Brain Slice, Incorporating 3-D printing of Chamber Components and Multi-scale Optical Imaging

Published on: September 18, 2015

8.3K

Complementary Organization of Mouse Driver and Modulator Cortico-thalamo-cortical Circuits.

Rachel M Cassidy1,2, Angel V Macias1, Willian N Lagos1

  • 1The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California 92037.

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience
|January 17, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Cortico-thalamo-cortical (CTC) circuits in the mouse visual system show distinct rules for layer 5 and layer 6 inputs to the pulvinar, influencing sensory processing and cortical interactions.

Keywords:
corticothalamicpulvinarrabies tracingthalamocorticalvisual cortex

More Related Videos

Visualization of Thalamocortical Axon Branching and Synapse Formation in Organotypic Cocultures
06:16

Visualization of Thalamocortical Axon Branching and Synapse Formation in Organotypic Cocultures

Published on: March 28, 2018

6.4K
In Vivo Wireless Optogenetic Control of Skilled Motor Behavior
07:52

In Vivo Wireless Optogenetic Control of Skilled Motor Behavior

Published on: November 22, 2021

3.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 1, 2025

Modification of a Colliculo-thalamocortical Mouse Brain Slice, Incorporating 3-D printing of Chamber Components and Multi-scale Optical Imaging
06:05

Modification of a Colliculo-thalamocortical Mouse Brain Slice, Incorporating 3-D printing of Chamber Components and Multi-scale Optical Imaging

Published on: September 18, 2015

8.3K
Visualization of Thalamocortical Axon Branching and Synapse Formation in Organotypic Cocultures
06:16

Visualization of Thalamocortical Axon Branching and Synapse Formation in Organotypic Cocultures

Published on: March 28, 2018

6.4K
In Vivo Wireless Optogenetic Control of Skilled Motor Behavior
07:52

In Vivo Wireless Optogenetic Control of Skilled Motor Behavior

Published on: November 22, 2021

3.2K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Visual System Research
  • Circuitry Mapping

Background:

  • Corticocortical (CC) projections enable hierarchical visual processing.
  • Indirect cortico-thalamo-cortical (CTC) pathways via the pulvinar relay sensory signals and mediate cortical interactions.
  • The organization of transthalamic pathways in the mouse visual system remains largely uncharacterized.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the organizational principles of CTC circuits in the mouse visual system.
  • To determine if transthalamic pathways link all higher visual areas (HVAs) and follow systematic rules.
  • To map the input/output relationships of pulvinar neurons projecting to different HVAs.

Main Methods:

  • Intrinsic signal imaging was used to map HVAs in mice.
  • Projection-specific rabies tracing targeted five pulvinar→HVA pathways.
  • Postmortem cortical tissue was aligned to in vivo maps for precise quantification of projecting areas and cell types.

Main Results:

  • Layer 5 corticothalamic (L5CT) 'driver' inputs predominantly originate from the primary visual cortex (V1).
  • L5CT inputs from lateral HVAs avoid driving reciprocal connections, supporting the 'no-strong-loops' hypothesis.
  • Layer 6 corticothalamic (L6CT) 'modulator' inputs are broadly distributed and favor reciprocal connections.
  • All HVAs receive disynaptic input from the superior colliculus.

Conclusions:

  • CTC circuits in the pulvinar are organized based on the target HVA and the input cell type.
  • Driving and modulating higher-order pathways follow complementary connection rules, mirroring first-order cortico-thalamic circuits.
  • These findings reveal a systematic organization of transthalamic pathways in the mouse visual system.