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Gravity orientation tuning in macaque anterior thalamus.

ABSTRACT: Gravity may provide a ubiquitous allocentric reference to the brain's spatial orientation circuits. Here we describe neurons in the macaque anterior thalamus tuned to pitch and roll orientation relative to gravity, independently of visual landmarks. We show that individual cells exhibit two-dimensional tuning curves, with peak firing rates at a preferred vertical orientation. These results identify a thalamic pathway for gravity cues to influence perception, action and spatial cognition.

SUBMITTER: Laurens J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5791896 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Gravity orientation tuning in macaque anterior thalamus.

Laurens Jean J Kim Byounghoon B Dickman J David JD Angelaki Dora E DE

Nature neuroscience 20161024 12

Gravity may provide a ubiquitous allocentric reference to the brain's spatial orientation circuits. Here we describe neurons in the macaque anterior thalamus tuned to pitch and roll orientation relative to gravity, independently of visual landmarks. We show that individual cells exhibit two-dimensional tuning curves, with peak firing rates at a preferred vertical orientation. These results identify a thalamic pathway for gravity cues to influence perception, action and spatial cognition. ...[more]

PMID: 27775722

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