Cited by 663Neural dynamics and brain functionMemory and Neural MechanismsNeuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research

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Thalamic amplification of cortical connectivity sustains attentional control

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Schmitt, L. Ian, Wimmer, Ralf D., Nakajima, Miho, Happ, Michael, Mofakham, Sima, Halassa, Michael M.·2017·Nature

DOI 10.1038/nature22073PMC PMC5570520

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Abstract

Although interactions between the thalamus and cortex are critical for cognitive function, the exact contribution of the thalamus to these interactions remains unclear. Recent studies have shown diverse connectivity patterns across the thalamus, but whether this diversity translates to thalamic functions beyond relaying information to or between cortical regions is unknown. Here we show, by investigating the representation of two rules used to guide attention in the mouse prefrontal cortex (PFC), that the mediodorsal thalamus sustains these representations without relaying categorical information. Specifically, mediodorsal input amplifies local PFC connectivity, enabling rule-specific neural sequences to emerge and thereby maintain rule representations. Consistent with this notion, broadly enhancing PFC excitability diminishes rule specificity and behavioural performance, whereas enhancing mediodorsal excitability improves both. Overall, our results define a previously unknown principle in neuroscience; thalamic control of functional cortical connectivity. This function, which is dissociable from categorical information relay, indicates that the thalamus has a much broader role in cognition than previously thought.

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Authors: Schmitt, L. I., Wimmer, R. D., Nakajima, M., Happ, M., Mofakham, S., & Halassa, M. M.
Affiliations: NYU Langone Health (US)
Corresponding author: Halassa, Michael M.
ORCID: Schmitt, L. Ian
Wimmer, Ralf D.
Happ, Michael
Mofakham, Sima
Halassa, Michael M.
Venue: Nature
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published: 2017-05
Volume: 545
Issue: 7653
Pages: 219-223
ISSN: 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
1476-4687
DOI: 10.1038/nature22073
PMC: PMC5570520
OpenAlex: W2611485120
Cited by: 663
References: 42
Citations by year: 2026: 51 · 2025: 64 · 2024: 62 · 2023: 64 · 2022: 72 · 2021: 90 · 2020: 66 · 2019: 64 · 2018: 105 · 2017: 24
FWCI: 40.67
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Licence: www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations: Nature (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Funders: National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH107680)
Topics: Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
Keywords: mediodorsal thalamus, prefrontal cortex, cortical connectivity, attentional control, rule representation, thalamocortical interactions, neural sequences, persistent activity
MeSH terms: Animals, Attention, Cognition, Male, Neural Pathways, Thalamus, Prefrontal Cortex, Mice, Optogenetics

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Thalamic amplification of cortical connectivity sustains attentional control

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