Biology subjects

Kocsis, K.

Publications and source records attributed to Kocsis, K..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Dual thalamic drive defines the intra-amygdala wiring complexity

The amygdala plays a key role in affective behaviors by integrating incoming signals and conveying them towards subcortical output regions. Current models suggest a serial information flow within the amygdala from the lateral and basolateral towards the central subnuclei driven by incoming thalamic and cortical excitation. However, due to the lack of universally accepted parcellation principles, the precise connectivity and thus, the signal propagation within the circuit remain debated. Using a molecular-based parcellation, our subnucleus-specific anatomical and electrophysiological mapping revealed a previously overlooked complexity in the intra-amygdala wiring pattern in mice. Specifically, the intra-amygdala signal transfer relies on separate lateral thalamus-driven routes via the lateral subnucleus mostly bypassing the anterior basolateral and centrolateral subnuclei. In contrast, the anterior basolateral nucleus, innervated by the dorsal midline thalamus, supplies mostly extra-, but not intra-amygdala routes. We also demonstrated that a similar dual thalamo-cortico-amygdala organization exists in the human brain. Collectively, our findings identified unconventional amygdala wiring principles challenging the traditional serial lateral-basolateral-central stream model which can redefine our understanding of behaviorally relevant intra-amygdala computations.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

Morphoelectric Diversity and Specialization of Neuronal Cell Types in the Primate Striatum

The basal ganglia are evolutionary ancient subcortical nuclei that form interconnected loops with the neocortex and limbic system to regulate movement, learning, habit formation, emotion, and motivation. Their dysfunction contributes to major neurological and psychiatric disorders, yet most cellular-level insights derive from rodent studies, leaving knowledge gaps in humans and translationally relevant primate species. To address this, we generated multi-modal Patch-seq data linking transcriptomic identity with morphological and electrophysiological properties in macaque striatum, the input nucleus of the basal ganglia. We found underappreciated diversity among medium spiny neurons, including non-canonical types, and variation aligned with functional gradients. Interneurons also exhibited spatial variation and even greater morphoelectric diversity, highlighting their functional modularity. Despite broad evolutionary conservation, we identified primate-specific features and key differences from rodent striatal neurons. By integrating molecular classification with cellular properties that shape network function, our findings provide insights into the functional organization of the primate striatum.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

Enhancing Retrieval Capacity of the Predictive Brain through Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Intervention

The ability to extract spatial or temporal regularities across experiences is crucial for skill development and predictive processes. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a key role in modulating competitive memory systems, supporting declarative/episodic memory as opposed to statistical learning. This regulatory role may explain findings of improved acquisition and consolidation of statistical regularities following the suppression of dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC) by repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). This raises a key question: Is access to models and prior statistical knowledge also modulated by the DLPFC? This preregistered study provides new insights by examining the role of the DLPFC in retrieving pre-existing knowledge of temporally distributed statistical regularities. Using a probabilistic learning task, healthy participants engaged in implicit statistical learning for 25 minutes. After a 24-hour consolidation period, participants received either 1 Hz rTMS or sham stimulation over the left, right, or bilateral DLPFC for 10 minutes before retesting. We found more effective access to statistical regularities in the bilateral DLPFC group compared to the sham group. Our results suggest that DLPFC suppression enhances the retrieval of statistical knowledge, particularly when interhemispheric compensatory mechanisms are prevented. These findings contribute to understanding competitive memory systems and offer implications for cognitive enhancement strategies.

neuroscience↗