Topic: cortical processing

Higher-order thalamic nuclei have extensive connections with various cortical areas. Yet their functionals roles remain not well understood. In our recent studies, using optogenetic and chemogenetic tools we manipulated the activity of a higher-order thalamic nucleus, the lateral posterior nucleus (LP, analogous to the primate pulvinar nucleus) and its projections and examined the effects on sensory discrimination and information processing functions in the cortex. We found an overall suppressive effect on layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons in the cortex, resulting in enhancements of sensory featu

Successful integration of feedforward and feedback signals play a major role in cortical processing [1]. Pyramidal cells are thought to be the main sites to perform this integration locally. Signals from the two different pathways are integrated at distinct sites of the pyramidal cell [2]. Information originating up-stream, closer to primary sensory input, is integrated at basal peri-somatic dendrites and drives the cell's firing. Contextual information from down-stream sources is integrated at distal apical dendrites and amplifies the cell's firing only if coinciding with basal input. Importa

Interoception, the internal perception of bodily states such as heartbeat and hunger, plays a crucial role in shaping cognitive and emotional states. Given that previous studies have shown postural control influences cognitive and emotional processing, understanding how postural control influences interoception could contribute to reveal the neural basis of its effects on cognition and emotion. Here, we aimed to investigate the effects of posture on interoception by using heartbeat evoked potentials (HEPs), which are event-related potentials that reflect the cortical processing of heartbeats.T