A Direct Projection from Mouse Primary Visual Cortex to Dorsomedial Striatum

作者:Khibnik Lena A; Tritsch Nicolas X; Sabatini Bernardo L*
来源:PLos One, 2014, 9(8): e104501.
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0104501

摘要

The mammalian striatum receives inputs from many cortical areas, but the existence of a direct axonal projection from the primary visual cortex (V1) is controversial. In this study we use anterograde and retrograde tracing techniques to demonstrate that V1 directly innervates a topographically defined longitudinal strip of dorsomedial striatum in mice. We find that this projection forms functional excitatory synapses with direct and indirect pathway striatal projection neurons (SPNs) and engages feed-forward inhibition onto these cells. Importantly, stimulation of V1 afferents is sufficient to evoke phasic firing in SPNs. These findings therefore identify a striatal region that is functionally innervated by V1 and suggest that early visual processing may play an important role in striatal-based behaviors.

  • 出版日期2014-8-20