Abstract
We employ computer simulation to investigate the function of neural circuitries between thalamic sensory relay nuclei, primary sensory cortices, and the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN). Computational similarities exist between these circuits and the architecture of a simple artificial neural network. We impose processing parameters on this network architecture in keeping with anatomical and physiological details of the mammalian geniculo-cortical visual pathway, and then run the simulation on a task involving multiple simultaneous inputs from the simulated visual field. After two to three loops through the simulation, activity in cortical and thalamic units whose receptive fields include the stronger stimulus remains constant, while activity in other cortical and thalamic units activated by weaker stimuli declines toward resting values. These results suggest that the modeled neural circuitry functions to “prime” selective attentional mechanisms further up the visual streams toward specific portions of the total visual stimulus. Besides extending existing models and evidence about the function of these neural circuits, our results also provide physiologists with predicted activity profiles of thalamic and cortical elements of the modeled neural system for a task not yet studied experimentally.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bernstein M, Bickle J, Means L, Boyd SG, Worley C (1997) Modeling stimulus-driven selective visual attention using thalamocortical and intrathalamic cell properties and connectivities. Soc. Neurosci. Abs. 23:1599.
Carlson NR (1994) Physiology of Behavior (5th ed.). Allyn and Bacon, Boston.
Crick F, Koch C (1990) Towards a neurobiological theory of consciousness. Seminars in Neurosci. 2:263–275.
Dowling JE (1979) Information processing by local circuits: The vertebrate retina as a model system: In: FO Schmitt, FG Worden, eds. The Neurosciences: Fourth Study Program. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA. pp. 163–181.
Gallant JL, Conner CE, van Essen DC (1998) Neural activity in areas V1, V2, and V4 during free viewing of natural scenes compared to controlled viewing. Forthcoming in NeuroReports 9.
Goldberg ME, Eggers HM, Gouras P (1991) The ocular motor system. In: ER Kandel, JH Schwartz, TM Jessel, eds. Principles of Neural Science (3rd ed.). Elsevier, New York. pp. 660–678.
Golomb D, Wang XJ, Rinzel J (1994) Synchronization properties of spindle oscillations in a thalamic reticular nucleus model. J. Neurophysiol. 72:109–126.
Grossberg S (1978) Atheory of visual coding, memory, and development. In: EJ Leeuwenberg, HFJM Buffart, eds. Formal Theories of Visual Perception. Wiley, New York.
Hubel DH, Wiesel TN (1962) Receptive fields, binocular interaction and functional architecture in the cat' visual cortex. J. Physiol. (London) 160:106–154.
Jones EG (1985) The Thalamus. Plenum Press, New York.
Kaplan E, Purpura K, Shapley RM(1987) Contrast effects the transmission of visual information through the mammalian lateral geniculate nucleus. J. Physiol. 391:267–288.
LaBerge D, Carter M, Brown V (1992) A network simulation of thalamic circuit operations in selective attention. Neural Comput. 4:318–331.
Liu XZ, Warren R, Jones EG(1995) Synaptic distribution of afferents from reticular nucleus in ventroposterior nucleus of cat thalamus. J. Comp. Neurol. 352:187–202.
Lund JS (1988) Anatomical organization of macaque monkey striate visual cortex. Ann. Rev. Neurosci. 11:253–288.
Mason C, Kandel ER(1991) Central visual pathways. In: ER Kandel, JH Schwartz, TM Jessell, eds. Principles of Neural Science (3rd ed.). Elsevier, New York. pp. 660–678.
McClelland JL, Rumelhart DE (1987) Explorations in Parallel Distributed Processing: A Handbook of Models, Programs,and Exercises. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.
McCormick DA (1989) Cholinergic and noradrenergic modulation of thalamocortical processing. Trends in Neurosci. 12:215–221.
Sanchez-Vives M, Bal T, Kim U, von Krosigk M, McCormick DA (1996) Are the interlaminar zones of the ferret dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus actually part of the perigeniculate nucleus? J. Neurosci. 16:5923–5941.
Sanchez-Vives M, Bal T, McCormick DA (1997) Inhibitory interactions between perigeniculate GABAergic neurons. J Neurosci. 17:8894–8908.
Sanchez-Vives M, McCormick DA (1997) Functional properties of perigeniculate inhibition of dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus thalamocortical neurons in vitro. J. Neurosci. 17:8880–8893.
Shepherd GM (1994) Neurobiology (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press, New York.
Sherman SM, Guillery RW (1996) The functional organization of thalamocortical relays. J. Neurophysiol. 76:1367–1395.
Sherman SM, Koch C (1986) The control of retinogeniculate transmission in the mammalian lateral geniculate nucleus. Exper. Brain Res. 63:1–20.
Sherman SM, Koch C (1998) Thalamus. In: G Shepherd, ed. The Synaptic Organization of the Brain (4th ed.). Oxford University Press, New York. pp. 289–328.
Srinivasan MV, Laughlin SB, Dubs A (1983) Predictive coding: A fresh view of inhibition in the retina. Proc. Royal Soc. Ser. B 216:327–459.
Steriade M, Jones EG, Llinás R (1990) Thalamic Oscillations and Signaling. Wiley, New York.
Steriade M, Llinás R (1988) The functional states of the thalamus and the associated neuronal interplay. Physiol. Rev. 68:649–742.
Steriade M, McCormick DA, Sejnowski TJ (1993) Thalamocortical oscillations in the sleeping and aroused brain. Science 262:679–685.
Tsotsos JK, Culhane SM, Wai WYK, Lai Y, Davis N, Nuflo F (1995) Modeling visual attention via selective tuning. Artificial Intelligence 78:507–545.
Warren RA, Jones EG (1994) Glutamate activation of cat thalamic reticular nucleus: Effect on response properties of ventroposterior neurons. Exper. Brain Res. 100:215–226.
Yen CT, Conley M, Hendry SHC, Jones EG (1985a) The morphology of physiologically identified GABAergic neurons in the somatic sensory part of the thalamic reticular nucleus in the cat. J. Neurosci. 5:254–268.
Yen CT, Conley M, Jones EG (1985b) Morphological and functional types of neurons in cat ventral posterior thalamic nucleus. J. Neurosci. 5:316–338.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bickle, J., Bernstein, M., Heatley, M. et al. A Functional Hypothesis for LGN-V1-TRN Connectivities Suggested by Computer Simulation. J Comput Neurosci 6, 251–261 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008805922693
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008805922693