Biology subjects

Dominguez-Iturza, N.

Publications and source records attributed to Dominguez-Iturza, N..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Single-neuron encoding of rapidly learned visual information reshapes human perception

Humans can swiftly learn to recognize visual objects after minimal exposure. Integrating new information with existing knowledge requires forming enduring neuronal representations to enable future recognition. Yet, the neuronal mechanisms in the human brain underlying such rapid perceptual changes remain unclear. We recorded single-neuron activity in occipital (OC) and medial temporal lobe (MTL) regions as participants rapidly learned to recognize degraded images. OC and MTL neurons modulated their activity to encode newly learned visual information and reshape perception. Population decoding revealed that OC neurons required additional processing time to resolve the identity of learned images, delaying neuronal responses in the MTL. Our findings indicate that OC supports recognition after rapid learning via extensive recurrent processing, potentially involving higher-order neocortical areas, without relying on feedback from MTL. These results provide mechanistic constraints for biologically plausible models of visual recognition and few-shot visual learning.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

Neuronal-class specific molecular cues drive differential myelination in the neocortex

In the neocortex, oligodendrocytes produce distinct amounts of myelin in each cortical layer and along the axons of individual neuron types. Here we present a comprehensive single-cell molecular map of mouse cortical oligodendrocytes across different cortical layers and stages of myelination, spanning the initiation of cortical myelination into adulthood. We apply this dataset to show that neuron-class specific signals drive oligodendrocyte maturation and differential myelination across cortical layers. We find that each layer contains a similar compendium of oligodendrocyte classes, indicating that oligodendrocyte heterogeneity cannot explain layer-specific myelination. To evaluate whether neuronal diversity drives differential myelination across cortical layers, we generated a predicted ligand-receptor interactome between projection neuron types and oligodendrocyte states, across cortical layers and time. In vivo functional testing identified Fgf18, Ncam1, and Rspo3 as novel, neuron-derived pro-myelinating signals. Our results highlight neuron-class-dependent control of myelin distribution in the neocortex.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2018

The autism and schizophrenia-associated protein CYFIP1 regulates bilateral brain connectivity

Copy-number variants of the CYFIP1 gene in humans have been linked to Autism and Schizophrenia, two neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by defects in brain connectivity. CYFIP1 regulates molecular events underlying post-synaptic functions. Here, we show that CYFIP1 plays an important role in brain functional connectivity and callosal functions. In particular, we find that Cyfip1 heterozygous mice have reduced brain functional connectivity and defects in white matter architecture, typically relating to phenotypes found in patients with Autism, Schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric disorders. In addition, Cyfip1 deficient mice present deficits in the callosal axons, namely reduced myelination, altered pre-synaptic function, and impaired bilateral-connectivity related behavior. Altogether, our results show that Cyfip1 haploinsufficiency compromises brain connectivity and function, which might explain its genetic association to neuropsychiatric disorders.

neuroscience↗