Spatial clustering of tuning in mouse primary visual cortex

Dario L. Ringach (), Patrick J. Mineault, Elaine Tring, Nicholas D. Olivas, Pablo Garcia-Junco-Clemente and Joshua T. Trachtenberg
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Dario L. Ringach: David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California
Patrick J. Mineault: David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California
Elaine Tring: David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California
Nicholas D. Olivas: David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California
Pablo Garcia-Junco-Clemente: David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California
Joshua T. Trachtenberg: David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract The primary visual cortex of higher mammals is organized into two-dimensional maps, where the preference of cells for stimulus parameters is arranged regularly on the cortical surface. In contrast, the preference of neurons in the rodent appears to be arranged randomly, in what is termed a salt-and-pepper map. Here we revisited the spatial organization of receptive fields in mouse primary visual cortex by measuring the tuning of pyramidal neurons in the joint orientation and spatial frequency domain. We found that the similarity of tuning decreases as a function of cortical distance, revealing a weak but statistically significant spatial clustering. Clustering was also observed across different cortical depths, consistent with a columnar organization. Thus, the mouse visual cortex is not strictly a salt-and-pepper map. At least on a local scale, it resembles a degraded version of the organization seen in higher mammals, hinting at a possible common origin.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12270

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