The Cerebral Cortex and Thalamus

Description:

For the first time, Drs. Usrey and Sherman, along with a who's who of luminaries in neuroscience research, seek to codify the roles that the cortex and thalamus and their interdependence on each other play for sensation, action, and cognition. The thalamus, in addition, has often been treated as a minor, rather insignificant player in cortical functioning. In the not too distant past, the thalamus was considered a rather boring, machine-like relay of subcortical information to the cortex. Over the past decade, there has been a groundswell of new and renewed interest in the thalamus and thalamocortical interactions, leading to discoveries demonstrating the thalamus's ongoing and essential role in cortical functioning and, likewise, the significance of the cortex for thalamic functioning.The Cerebral Cortex and Thalamus is a groundbreaking volume bringing together a cohesive account of cortical and thalamic mechanisms for control of behavior with an emphasis on the importance of interactions between the two structures. The book elucidates the research that makes it increasingly clear that the cortex and thalamus are necessary partners for sensory, motor, and cognitive functions. Interactions between thalamus and cortex are not only essential for proper brain function, they are also sensitive to a range of diseases that can have devastating consequences on individuals and society. An essential text for graduate students, early career investigators, and investigators looking to shift their research focus, The Cerebral Cortex and Thalamus is organized into topical sections covering circuit properties of thalamus and cortex, thalamocortical and corticothalamic motifs, sensory systems, motor systems, interareal cortical communication, cognitive properties, development and plasticity, evolution, computation, and disease.

Table of Contents:

Section I. Introduction

1. Introduction and Overview

Section II. Thalamic Cell and Circuit Properties

2. Thalamus and Prethalamus Cell Types and Their Interconnections
3. Biophysical Properties of Thalamic Cell Types
4. Heterogeneity of Thalamic Input Landscapes
5. Synaptic Properties of Thalamic and Prethalamic Inputs

Section III. Cortical Cell and Circuit Properties

6. Anatomical and Physiological Basis for the Flow of Thalamocortical Inputs Across the Layers of the Primary Sensory Cortex
7. Biophysical Properties of Cortical Excitatory Neurons
8. Functional Roles of Cortical Inhibitory Interneurons
9. Transformation of Receptive Fields Across Laminae
10. Neuromodulation in Cortical Circuits

Section IV. Pathways Between the Thalamus and the Cortex

11. Thalamic Output Pathways: Global Layout and Nucleus-Level Organization
12. Thalamic Output Pathways: Single-Cell Organization Level
13. Thalamocortical Synapses
14. Structure and Function of Corticothalamic Pathways of Layer 6 Neurons
15. Corticothalamic Layer 5 Pathways and Synapses
16. The Thalamic Reticular Nucleus: Anatomo-Functional Mechanisms and Concept

Section V. Sensory Systems

17. A Comparative Approach to Parallel Geniculocortical Pathways
18. Thalamic Contributions to Visual Cortical Receptive Fields
19. Corticogeniculate Feedback and Visual Processing
20. Visual Processing in the Pulvinar
21. Auditory Thalamic Nuclei, Cell Types, and Parallel Pathways
22. Sensory Representations in the Auditory Cortex and Thalamus
23. The Role of the Thalamus for Human Auditory and Visual Speech Perception
24. Corticothalamic Interactions in the Auditory System
25. General Organization and Parallel Pathways in the Somatosensory System
26. Duplicated Thalamocortical Input: Lessons From the Somatosensory System
27. Layer 6 Corticothalamic Neurons in the Somatosensory System
28. The Vestibular Thalamus
29. Thalamocortical Contributions to Chemical Senses
30. Thalamic Contributions to Multisensory Convergence and Processing

Section VI. Motor Systems

31. Thalamic Control of Motor Cortical Synchrony
32. Intrinsic Properties of Neurons in Motor Thalamus and Connected Cortex
33. Connectivity of Motor Cortex, Motor Thalamus, and Striatum
34. Models of Thalamocortical Interactions in Motor Control
35. Thalamocortical Contributions to Neural Dynamics and Behavior
36. Oculomotor Thalamus and Efference Copy

Section VII. Inter-Areal Cortical Communication

37. The Evolving Concept of Cortical Hierarchy
38. Feedforward and Feedback Connections: Functional Connectivity, Synaptic Physiology, and Function
39. Modular Architecture of Layer 1 as a Template for the Organization of the Mouse Distributed Hierarchical Visual Network
40. Mechanisms of Cortico-Cortical Communication
41. Predictive Coding: Forward and Backward Connectivity
42. Cortico-Cortical Communication Through the Thalamus: Trans-Thalamic Pathways

Section VIII. Cognitive Properties

43. Memory and the Human Anterior Thalamus
44. Memory and the Rodent Anterior Thalamus
45. Attention and Thalamocortical Interactions
46. The Mediodorsal Thalamus and Decision-Making
47. Thalamic Contribution to Cortical Network Functions
48. Thalamic Bases of Goal-Directed Behaviors

Section IX. Development and Plasticity

49. Mechanisms Underlying the Refinement of the Retinogeniculate Synapse
50. Postnatal Development of the Thalamocortical Circuit and of Sensory-Driven Cortical Activity
51. Critical Period Plasticity and Development of Binocular Vision
52. Development and Plasticity of Feature Selectivity
53. Development of Corticothalamic Projections
54. The Connections of the Prefrontal Cortex and Thalamus and Plasticity Within This Circuitry
55. Cross-Modal Plasticity of Cortical and Thalamic Circuits

Section X. Evolution

56. The Coevolution of the Neocortex and Dorsal Thalamus in Mammals: Scaling Relationships Between and Within Structures
57. Evolution of Frontal Cortex and Thalamus in Primates
58. Evolution and Development of Thalamocortical Relationships
59. Evolution and Elaboration of Thalamocortical Action Maps

Section XI. Computational Approaches to Thalamocortical Dynamics, Encoding, and Algorithms

60. Connecting Neural Dynamics and Computation Across Spatial and Temporal Scales
61. Modeling Thalamocortical Oscillations: Mechanisms and Impact
62. Control of Thalamocortical Signaling Through Spike Timing and Synchrony
63. How the LGN Forwards Retinal Information to the Cortex
64. Predictive Coding in Cortical and Corticothalamic Hierarchical Networks

Section XII. Disease and Pathophysiology

65. Corticothalamic Network Abnormalities Underlying Absence Seizures
66. Thalamic Dysconnectivity Across the Schizophrenia Illness Course and Psychosis Spectrum
67. Thalamus, Thalamocortical Networks, and Non-Motor Symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease
68. Thalamic Changes in Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease
69. Contribution of Thalamocortical Loops to the Development, Persistence, and Complications of Alcohol Use Disorder
70. Frontotemporal Dementia
71. Visuospatial and Motor Deficits Following Pulvinar Lesions
72. Concluding Thoughts

Index