Distinct subnetworks of the mouse anterior thalamic nuclei
Abstract
Abstract Currently, classification of neuron types in the mouse thalamus remains largely incomplete. The anterior thalamic nuclei (ATN), a Papez circuit component, encompass the anterodorsal (AD), anteroventral (AV), and anteromedial (AM) thalamic nuclei. Structurally, the ATN facilitate communication among the neocortex, hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus. Functionally, they play pivotal roles in learning, memory, spatial navigation, and goal-directed behaviors. Therefore, the ATN provide a promising avenue to investigate the relationship between structural and functional complexity with neuron type diversity. In male mice, comprehensive, systematically collected, pathway tracing data revealed several connectionally unique ATN cell populations, suggesting multiple parallel subnetworks run through each nucleus. Further, we applied genetic sparse labeling, brain clearing, 3D microscopic imaging, and computational informatics to morphologically characterize and catalog ATN neuron types. This study provides insights into how the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala interact through neuron type-specific ATN subnetworks to coordinate cognitive and emotional aspects of goal-directed behavior.
Article Details
Authors (30)
Houri Hintiryan
Mitchell Rudd
Sumit Nanda
Adriana E. Gutierrez
Darrick Lo
Tyler Boesen
Luis Garcia
Jiandong Sun
Christian Estrada
Hyun-Seung Mun
Seita Yamashita
Yeji E. Han
Ian Bowman
Lin Gou
Chunru Cao
Jennifer Gonzalez
Keivan Moradi
Qiuying Zhao
Inga Yenokian
Aishwarya Dev
Brian Zingg
Hanpeng Xu
Qing Xue
Muye Zhu
Lijuan Liu
Xin Chen
Zhixi Yun
Hanchuan Peng
Nicholas N. Foster
Hong-Wei Dong