Biology subjects

Steenbergen, F.

Publications and source records attributed to Steenbergen, F..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Prefrontal orchestration: a cortical network for rodent motor inhibition

Goal-directed action control and behavioral flexibility are prerequisites for effective, adaptive behavior. Both abilities rely on functional motor inhibition, which is linked to the prefrontal cortex (PFC), where distinct subsections collaborate in functional networks. How these PFC subsections interact and which roles they play during motor inhibition remains incompletely understood. In this study, we employed an action-preparation task in rats, combined with bidirectional optogenetic interventions, opto-fMRI, single unit electrophysiology and local field potential synchrony measurements across PFC subsections. Our findings support a clear and simple model of action inhibition within the prefrontal network. This model suggests prelimbic cortex (PL) as an input-dependent switch between motor inhibition and execution, modulated by an infralimbic cortex (IL)-dominated network. This distribution of tasks allows the PL to mediate goal-directed action while the IL ensures behavioral flexibility. O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=137 SRC="FIGDIR/small/618207v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (35K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@147ab98org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@52b6f9org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@6ab566org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1ab5044_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG O_FLOATNOGraphical Abstract:C_FLOATNO Behavioral measurements were conducted alongside optogenetic modulation of PL, IL or VO. Inhibitory modulation led to varying effects on performance, while excitatory ChR2 stimulation of PL, IL or VO led to analogous effects on proactive motor inhibition. To identify shared nodes recruited by ChR2 stimulation of distinct PFC subareas, we performed whole-brain mapping with opto-fMRI. This revealed an overlapping activation volume spanning PFC, BF, Fr, Cg2, and M2. Notably, this common activation volume closely outlined the entirety of the IL-recruited regions; IL excitation also produced robust behavioral effects. Multisite recordings revealed task performance-dependent PL-IL delta synchrony. PCA of single-unit activity during behavior revealed varied neural patterns among PFC subsections, highlighting PL to have the most the homogenous input-driven activity. The findings can be interpreted as PL acting as an input-dependent switch between motor inhibition and execution, modulated by IL to maintain behavioral flexibility. C_FIG

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2022

FreiBox: A versatile open-source behavioral setup for investigating the neuronal correlates of behavioral flexibility via 1-photon imaging in freely moving mice

To survive in a complex and changing environment, animals must adapt their behavior. This ability is called behavioral flexibility and is classically evaluated by a reversal learning paradigm. During such a paradigm, the animals adapt their behavior according to a change of the reward contingencies. To study these complex cognitive functions (from outcome evaluation to motor adaptation), we developed a versatile, low-cost, open-source platform, allowing us to investigate the neuronal correlates of behavioral flexibility with 1-photon calcium imaging. This platform consists of FreiBox, a novel low-cost Arduino behavioral setup, as well as further open-source tools which we developed and integrated into our framework. FreiBox is controlled by a custom Python interface and integrates a new licking sensor (Strain Gauge lickometer) for controlling spatial licking behavioral tasks. In addition to allowing both discriminative and serial reversal learning, the Arduino can track mouse licking behavior in real time to control task events in a sub-millisecond timescale. To complete our setup, we also developed and validated an affordable commutator, crucial for recording calcium imaging with the Miniscope V4 in freely moving mice. Further, we demonstrated that FreiBox can be associated with 1-photon imaging and other open-source initiatives (e.g., Open Ephys), to form a versatile platform for exploring the neuronal substrates of licking based behavioral flexibility in mice. The combination of the FreiBox behavioral setup and our low-cost commutator represents a highly competitive and complementary addition to the recently emerging battery of open-source initiatives. Significance StatementBehavioral flexibility is essential to survive in a complex and changing environment. To study this cognitive ability in freely-moving mice, we developed a versatile, low-cost, open-source behavioral setup, called FreiBox, allowing us to investigate the neuronal correlates of licking-based behavioral flexibility. FreiBox is controlled by a custom Python interface and integrates a new licking sensor for controlling spatial licking behavioral tasks (e.g. discriminative learning, reversal learning). We also developed and validated an active commutator to record calcium imaging with the Miniscope V4 in freely moving mice. Finally, we demonstrated that FreiBox can be associated with 1-photon imaging and other open-source initiatives, to form a versatile platform for exploring the neuronal substrates of licking based behavioral flexibility in mice.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2022

3D pose estimation enables virtual head-fixation in freely moving rats

The impact of spontaneous movements on neuronal activity has created the need to quantify behavior. We present a versatile framework to directly capture the 3D motion of freely definable body points in a marker-free manner with high precision and reliability. Combining the tracking with neural recordings revealed multiplexing of information in the motor cortex neurons of freely moving rats. By integrating multiple behavioral variables into a model of the neural response, we derived a virtual head-fixation for which the influence of specific body movements was removed. This strategy enabled us to analyze the behavior of interest (e.g., front paw movements). Thus, we unveiled an unexpectedly large fraction of neurons in the motor cortex with tuning to the paw movements, which was previously masked by body posture tuning. Once established, our framework can be efficiently applied to large datasets while minimizing the experimental workload caused by animal training and manual labeling.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2019

Real-time detection of neural oscillation bursts allows behaviourally relevant neurofeedback

Neural oscillations are increasingly interpreted as transient bursts, yet a method to measure these short-lived events in real-time is missing. Here we present a real-time data analysis system, capable to detect short and narrowband bursts, and demonstrate its usefulness for volitional increase of beta-band burst-rate in rats. This neurofeedback-training induced changes in overall oscillatory power, and bursts could be decoded from the movement of the rats, thus enabling future investigation of the role of oscillatory bursts.

neuroscience↗