Functional Principles of Whisker-Mediated Touch Perception

Maravall, Miguel; Diamond, Mathew E.

doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-2975-7_8

Cited by 2 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 194 publications

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“…Object features define the kinetic signature of whisker movements (Diamond et al . ; Maravall & Diamond, ) and whiskers translate texture‐related object features into a code of high‐acceleration, high‐velocity, stick‐slip events (Wolfe et al . ; Diamond et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Texture discrimination is a fundamental sensory percept for rats and is achieved through their large facial macrovibrissae. Object features define the kinetic signature of whisker movements (Diamond et al 2008a;Maravall & Diamond, 2015) and whiskers translate texture-related object features into a code of high-acceleration, high-velocity, stick-slip events (Wolfe et al 2008;Diamond et al 2008a;Jadhav & Feldman, 2010;Morita et al 2011) which are encoded in sparse temporal firing patterns in input and infragranular layers of whisker-recipient barrel cortex (Jadhav et al 2009). Disentangling neural representations that encode feature elements from those that provide important and meaningful information is crucial to understanding brain function (Diamond et al 2008b), and we now report that the rat whisker cortex encodes complex texture signals across the entire cortical column through laminar-specific patterns that, when considering an entire texture train, are resistant to adaptation caused by fast whisker protraction (as in active whisking) preceding texture signals.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Laminar‐specific encoding of texture elements in rat barrel cortex

Allitt

Alwis

Rajan

2017

The Journal of Physiology

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Texture discrimination by rats is exquisitely guided by fine-grain mechanical stick-slip motions of the face whiskers as they encounter, stick to and slip past successive texture-defining surface features such as bumps and grooves. Neural encoding of successive stick-slip texture events will be shaped by adaptation, common to all sensory systems, whereby receptor and neural responses to a stimulus are affected by responses to preceding stimuli, allowing resetting to signal novel information. Additionally, when a whisker is actively moved to contact and brush over surfaces, that motion itself generates neural responses that could cause adaptation of responses to subsequent stick-slip events. Nothing is known about encoding in the rat whisker system of stick-slip events defining textures of different grain or the influence of adaptation from whisker protraction or successive texture-defining stick-slip events. Here we recorded responses from halothane-anaesthetized rats in response to texture-defining stimuli applied to passive whiskers. We demonstrate that: across the columnar network of the whisker-recipient barrel cortex, adaptation in response to repetitive stick-slip events is strongest in uppermost layers and equally lower thereafter; neither whisker protraction speed nor stick-slip frequency impede encoding of stick-slip events at rates up to 34.08 Hz; and layer 2 normalizes responses to whisker protraction to resist effects on texture signalling. Thus, within laminar-specific response patterns, barrel cortex reliably encodes texture-defining elements even to high frequencies.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Laminar‐specific encoding of texture elements in rat barrel cortex

Allitt

Alwis

Rajan

2017

The Journal of Physiology

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“…Specifically, it is still debated whether information relevant for guiding future actions is held in memory in frontal areas, such as premotor cortices (Goard et al, 2016;Guo et al, 2014;Leavitt et al, 2017;Li et al, 2015;Romo and de Lafuente, 2013), or in posterior areas, such as posterior parietal cortex (Harvey et al, 2012;Leavitt et al, 2017;Morcos and Harvey, 2016;Siegel et al, 2015). A key factor that could contribute to different cortical activity patterns is that subjects, specifically mice, can solve a complex task by deploying a variety of behavioral strategies (Diamond et al, 2008;Maravall and Diamond, 2015;Platt and Huettel, 2008;Venkatraman et al, 2009). For example, when a behaviorally relevant texture approaches the whiskers of mice, they tend to either actively seek the texture (active strategy or generative mode; Guo et al, 2014;Knutsen et al, 2006;Maravall and Diamond, 2015;Morita et al, 2011), or, in contrast, they passively wait for the texture to touch their whiskers (passive strategy or receptive mode; Maravall and Diamond, 2015;Miyashita and Feldman, 2013;Morita et al, 2011;St€ uttgen and Schwarz, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A key factor that could contribute to different cortical activity patterns is that subjects, specifically mice, can solve a complex task by deploying a variety of behavioral strategies (Diamond et al, 2008;Maravall and Diamond, 2015;Platt and Huettel, 2008;Venkatraman et al, 2009). For example, when a behaviorally relevant texture approaches the whiskers of mice, they tend to either actively seek the texture (active strategy or generative mode; Guo et al, 2014;Knutsen et al, 2006;Maravall and Diamond, 2015;Morita et al, 2011), or, in contrast, they passively wait for the texture to touch their whiskers (passive strategy or receptive mode; Maravall and Diamond, 2015;Miyashita and Feldman, 2013;Morita et al, 2011;St€ uttgen and Schwarz, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioral Strategy Determines Frontal or Posterior Location of Short-Term Memory in Neocortex

Gilad

Gallero‐Salas

Groos

et al. 2018

Neuron

125

197

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The location of short-term memory in mammalian neocortex remains elusive. Here we show that distinct neocortical areas maintain short-term memory depending on behavioral strategy. Using wide-field and single-cell calcium imaging, we measured layer 2/3 neuronal activity in mice performing a whisker-based texture discrimination task with delayed response. Mice either deployed an active strategy-engaging their body toward the approaching texture-or passively awaited the touch. Independent of strategy, whisker-related posterior areas encoded choice early after touch. During the delay, in contrast, persistent cortical activity was located medio-frontally in active trials but in a lateral posterior area in passive trials. Perturbing these areas impaired performance for the associated strategy and also provoked strategy switches. Frontally maintained information related to future action, whereas activity in the posterior cortex reflected past stimulus identity. Thus, depending on behavioral strategy, cortical activity is routed differentially to hold information either frontally or posteriorly before converging to similar action.

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Functional Principles of Whisker-Mediated Touch Perception

Cited by 2 publications

References 194 publications

Laminar‐specific encoding of texture elements in rat barrel cortex

Laminar‐specific encoding of texture elements in rat barrel cortex

Behavioral Strategy Determines Frontal or Posterior Location of Short-Term Memory in Neocortex

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