More than Meets the Eye: the Relationship between Pupil Size and Locus Coeruleus Activity
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Using both direct neural recordings and electrical microstimulation, Joshi et al. (2016) show that locus coeruleus (LC) activity closely matches moment-to-moment changes in pupil size. But what causes these two measures to be related is not straightforward.
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Assuming pupil size indexes NA release from the locus coeruleus, these results suggest raised phasic neuromodulatory signalling in ASD.
“Thus, under the assumption that pupil size is an index of NA release from the locus coruleus (LC) 40 these results are suggestive of raised phasic neuromodulatory signalling in ASD.”
From Adults with autism overestimate the volatility of the sensory environment (2017) · cites this paper as [40]
In the Abstract (page unavailable), the paper says pupil size closely tracks activity in noradrenergic LC neurons, supporting the premise for which it is cited. It does not establish that pupil size indexes noradrenaline release specifically, and it cautions that the mechanism linking pupil size and LC activity remains unclear. The ASD interpretation is the citing authors’ inference, not a finding attributed to this source. (LLM, conf=0.84)
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Cites
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Rational regulation of learning dynamics by pupil-linked arousal systems
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Adults with autism overestimate the volatility of the sensory environment
Lawson, R. P., Mathys, C., & Rees, G. (2017) · Nature Neuroscience · doi:10.1038/nn.4615 · Cited by 470 · see citing works
Balancing new against old information: the role of puzzlement surprise in learning
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- Authors
- Costa, V. D., & Rudebeck, P. H.
- Affiliations
- National Institute of Mental Health (US)
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (US)
- Corresponding author
- Costa, Vincent D.
- Rudebeck, Peter H.
- Venue
- Neuron
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2016-01
- Volume
- 89
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 8-10
- ISSN
- 0896-6273 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4706987
- OpenAlex
- W2232373047
- Cited by
- 124
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 6
- FWCI
- 5.63
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Neuron (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (Z99 MH999999)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
- Keywords
- pupil size, locus coeruleus, pupillary light reflex, neuronal activity, electrical microstimulation, arousal
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Cerebellar Cortex, Locus Coeruleus, Male, Neurons, Pupil
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