Session Number
Project ID: MEDH 05
Advisor(s)
Devon Greer; Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine
Dr. Gregory Schwartz; Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine
Discipline
Medical and Health Sciences
Start Date
20-4-2022 11:55 AM
End Date
20-4-2022 12:20 PM
Abstract
In the mouse brain, there are 59 retinorecipient regions, including the medial amygdala (MeA). The MeA is a sensory integrating region where social information is processed, especially those related to sexual selection, aggression, and pup retrieval. The neurons that link visual input to the brain are known as retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). There are ~47 mouse RGC subtypes, each with their own light stimulus sensitivities and activity patterns. As the MeA is notorious as the sexually dimorphic social behavioral hub, it is worthwhile beginning to explore sex differences or laterality differences in this retinorecipient area. Using anterograde, intravitreal injections in the retinal terminal densities at the MeA from cable length, fill volume, tortuosity, and branch points, differences between the left MeA and the right MeA in male and female mice were explored. To identify which RGC subtypes are expressed in the MeA, we used functional and morphological analysis after retroviral tracing. These findings determined a broad overrepresentation of direction-selective and orientation-selective subtypes. Determining the functional specificity of RGCs projecting to the MeA may provide insight on the role of visual input in these medial amygdala-related behaviors.
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Exploring Retinal Projection to the Medial Amygdala: Laterality, Sex, and Cell Types
In the mouse brain, there are 59 retinorecipient regions, including the medial amygdala (MeA). The MeA is a sensory integrating region where social information is processed, especially those related to sexual selection, aggression, and pup retrieval. The neurons that link visual input to the brain are known as retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). There are ~47 mouse RGC subtypes, each with their own light stimulus sensitivities and activity patterns. As the MeA is notorious as the sexually dimorphic social behavioral hub, it is worthwhile beginning to explore sex differences or laterality differences in this retinorecipient area. Using anterograde, intravitreal injections in the retinal terminal densities at the MeA from cable length, fill volume, tortuosity, and branch points, differences between the left MeA and the right MeA in male and female mice were explored. To identify which RGC subtypes are expressed in the MeA, we used functional and morphological analysis after retroviral tracing. These findings determined a broad overrepresentation of direction-selective and orientation-selective subtypes. Determining the functional specificity of RGCs projecting to the MeA may provide insight on the role of visual input in these medial amygdala-related behaviors.