1) Some exciting science in turbulent times: How do mice distinguish self-generated vs. object-generated looming stimuli? Our new study combines VR and neural recordings from superior colliculus (SC) 🧠🐭 to explore this question. Check out our preprint doi.org/10.1101/2024... 🧵 - ThreadSky

auschulz.bsky.social • 23 days ago

1) Some exciting science in turbulent times:

How do mice distinguish self-generated vs. object-generated looming stimuli? Our new study combines VR and neural recordings from superior colliculus (SC) 🧠🐭 to explore this question.

Check out our preprint https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.12.06.627189 🧵

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auschulz.bsky.social•23 days ago

2) In a fun collaboration with fantastic Stefano Zucca, @ppjgoncalves.bsky.social, @jakhmack.bsky.social, @amansaleem.bsky.social, and Sam Solomon we assessed how neurons in Superficial (SCs) and Intermediate (SCim) layers represent looming stimuli by using an immersive Virtual Reality environment.

auschulz.bsky.social•23 days ago

3) First, we characterized responses to approaching objects at different speeds, targeting Superficial (SCs) and Intermediate (SCim) layers of the Superior Colliculus.

auschulz.bsky.social•23 days ago

4) We then looked at SC responses to looming stimuli generated when mice navigate the VR environment. We found vision-dominated responses in SCs while animal speed greatly influenced SCim responses.

auschulz.bsky.social•23 days ago

5) Surprisingly, we found behavioural responses triggered by the VR environments emerging from the first day of exposure, with animals spontaneously slowing down as they got closer to the object. 🏃🏃🛑

auschulz.bsky.social•23 days ago

6) Finally, to assess how mice distinguish self-generated vs. object-generated stimuli, we replay image sequences generated by the animal's own movement from previous VR trials, thus decoupling the visual motion from their current behavior.

auschulz.bsky.social•23 days ago

7) Classifying sequences of neural population activity revealed that SCs and SCim neurons differentiate self-generated vs. object-generated looming stimuli beyond what is already accounted for by other covariates, such as speed. 🏃🏼‍ ⏰ 🗺️

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