Summary
Excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) were evoked in principal cells of the cat's dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus by electrical stimulation of cortico-geniculate fibres. The EPSPs had a pronounced frequency sensitivity. They were barely detectable at stimulation frequencies below 3 Hz but increased dramatically in size at higher frequencies. At 30–50 Hz their amplitude typically exceeded that of EPSPs from optic tract fibres. A prominent EPSP potentiation was also obtained with pair pulse stimulation. The findings are discussed in relation to the hypothesis that the cortico-geniculate system serves as a variable gain regulator for the visual input to the cortex.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ahlsén G (1984) Brain stem neurones with differential projection to functional subregions of the dorsal lateral geniculate complex in the cat. Neuroscience 12: 817–838
Ahlsén G, Lindström S (1982) Excitation of perigeniculate neurones via axon collaterals of principal cells. Brain Res 236: 447–481
Ahlsén G, Lindström S (1983) Corticofugal projection to perigeniculate neurones in the cat. Acta Physiol Scand 118: 181–184
Ahlsén G, Grant K. Lindström S (1982) Monosynaptic excitation of principal cells in the lateral geniculate nucleus by corticofugal fibres. Brain Res 234: 454–458
Ahlsén G, Lindström S, Lo F-S (1984) Inhibition from the brain stem of inhibitory interneurones of the cat's dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus. J Physiol (Lond) 347: 593–609
Ahlsén G, Lindström S, Lo F-S (1985) Interaction between inhibitory pathways to principal cells in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat. Exp Brain Res 58: 134–143
Crick F (1984) Function of the thalamic reticular complex: the searchlight hypothesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 81: 4586–4590
Del Castillo J, Katz B (1954) Statistical factors involved in neuromuscular facilitation and depression. J Physiol (Lond) 124: 574–585
Dubin MW, Cleland BG (1977) Organization of visual inputs to interneurons of lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat. J Neurophysiol 40: 410–427
Ferster D, Lindström S (1983) An intracellular analysis of geniculo-cortical connectivity in area 17 of the cat. J Physiol (Lond) 342: 181–215
Ferster D, Lindström S (1985a) Augmenting responses evoked in area 17 of the cat by intracortical axon collaterals of corticogeniculate cells. J Physiol (Lond) 367: 217–232
Ferster D, Lindström S (1985b) Synaptic excitation of neurones in area 17 of the cat by intracortical axon collaterals of cortico-geniculate cells. J Physiol (Lond) 367: 233–252
Gilbert CD, Kelly JP (1975) The projection of cells in different layers of the cat's visual cortex. J Comp Neurol 163: 81–106
Koch C (1987) The action of the corticofugal pathway on sensory thalamic nuclei: a hypothesis. Neurosci 23: 399–406
Lindström S (1982) Synaptic organization of inhibitory pathways to principal cells in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat. Brain Res 234: 447–453
Lindström S (1983) Interneurones in the lateral geniculate nucleus with monosynaptic excitation from retinal ganglion cells. Acta Physiol Scand 119: 101–103
Lindström S, Wróbel A (1985) Frequency enhancement of corticofugal excitation in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat. Neurosci Lett [Suppl] 22: S311
Livingstone MS, Hubel DH (1981) Effects of sleep and arousal on the processing of visual information in the cat. Nature 291: 554–561
Lømo T (1971) Potentiation of monosynaptic EPSPs in the perforant path-dentate granule cell synapse. Exp Brain Res 12: 46–63
Magleby KL (1973) The effect of tetanic and post-tetanic potentiation on facilitation of transmitter release at the frog neuromuscular junction. J Physiol (Lond) 234: 353–371
McNaughton BL (1980) Evidence for two physiologically distinct perforant pathways to the fascia dentata. Brain Res 199: 1–19
Murphy PC, Sillito AM (1987) Corticofugal feedback influences the generation of length tuning in the visual pathway. Nature 329: 727–729
Robson JA (1983) The morphology of corticofugal axons to the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus in the cat. J Comp Neurol 216: 89–103
Schmielau F, Singer W (1977) The role of visual cortex for binocular interactions in the cat lateral geniculate nucleus. Brain Res 120: 354–361
Singer W (1973) The effect of mesencephalic reticular stimulation on intracellular potentials of cat lateral geniculate neurones. Brain Res 61: 35–54
Singer W (1977) Control of thalamic transmission by corticofugal and ascending reticular pathways in the visual system. Physiol Rev 57: 386–420
Singer W, Tretter F, Cynader M (1976) The effect of reticular stimulation on spontaneous and evoked activity in the visual cortex. Brain Res 102: 71–90
Tsumoto T, Suda K (1980) Three groups of cortico-geniculate neurons and their distribution in binocular and monocular segments of cat striate cortex. J Comp Neurol 193: 223–236
Tsumoto T, Creutzfeldt OD, Legendy CR (1978) Functional organization of the corticofugal system from visual cortex to lateral geniculate nucleus in the cat (with an appendix on geniculo-cortical monosynaptic connections). Exp Brain Res 32: 345–364
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lindström, S., Wróbel, A. Frequency dependent corticofugal excitation of principal cells in the cat's dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus. Exp Brain Res 79, 313–318 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00608240
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00608240