The Superior Colliculus/Tectum: Cell Types, Circuits, Computations, Behaviors

78.6K
views
46
authors
12
articles
Editors
4
Impact
Loading...
5,718 views
48 citations
7,011 views
34 citations
Original Research
04 May 2018
Parvalbumin and GABA Microcircuits in the Mouse Superior Colliculus
Claudio A. Villalobos
3 more and 
Michele A. Basso
Article Cover Image

The mammalian superior colliculus (SC) is a sensorimotor midbrain structure responsible for orienting behaviors. Although many SC features are known, details of its intrinsic microcircuits are lacking. We used transgenic mice expressing reporter genes in parvalbumin-positive (PV+) and gamma aminobutyric acid-positive (GABA+) neurons to test the hypothesis that PV+ neurons co-localize GABA and form inhibitory circuits within the SC. We found more PV+ neurons in the superficial compared to the intermediate SC, although a larger percentage of PV+ neurons co-expressed GABA in the latter. Unlike PV+ neurons, PV+/GABA+ neurons showed predominantly rapidly inactivating spiking patterns. Optogenetic activation of PV+ neurons revealed direct and feedforward GABAergic inhibitory synaptic responses, as well as excitatory glutamatergic synapses. We propose that PV+ neurons in the SC may be specialized for a variety of circuit functions within the SC rather than forming a homogeneous, GABAergic neuronal subtype as they appear to in other regions of the brain.

12,773 views
66 citations
11,835 views
34 citations
Recommended Research Topics
Frontiers Logo

Frontiers in Neuroscience

News from the Psychology, Neurobiology and Genetic Fields on Social and Economic Behavioral Studies
Edited by Itzhak Aharon, Mitsuhiro Okada, Sacha Bourgeois-Gironde
175.6K
views
31
authors
8
articles
Frontiers Logo

Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience

Novel cellular interactions regulating the neural control of the intestines
Edited by Brian David Gulbransen, James J Galligan
151.1K
views
25
authors
10
articles
Frontiers Logo

Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience

Demystifying Serotonin: Molecules, Circuits, and Behaviors
Edited by Yu-Qiang Ding, Minmin Luo
190.1K
views
80
authors
15
articles
Frontiers Logo

Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience

The Cerebellum Inside Out: Cells, Circuits and Functions
Edited by Egidio D‘Angelo, Chris I De Zeeuw, Claudia Angela Michela Gandini Wheeler-Kingshott
120.6K
views
120
authors
20
articles
Frontiers Logo

Frontiers in Neural Circuits

Neuronal Co-transmission
Edited by Erik Svensson, John Apergis-Schoute, Geoffrey Burnstock, Michael Nusbaum, David Parker, Louis-Eric Trudeau, Miguel Angel Morales
120.9K
views
57
authors
11
articles