Dong Nuo, Tan Yuping, Wang Yuyuan, Chen Yumin, Xu Haibing
Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
PLoS One. 2025 Aug 7;20(8):e0329788. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0329788. eCollection 2025.
Depth perception is crucial for spatial awareness, enabling animals to interpret three-dimensional environments. Although the primary visual cortex (V1) is known to process depth information, the specific contributions of V1 neurons to various aspects of depth perception remain underexplored. In this study, we investigated how V1 neurons engage in both passive and active depth-related tasks, examining whether distinct neuronal populations support different aspects of depth processing. Using in vivo calcium imaging in freely moving mice, we observed that specific groups of V1 neurons are selectively active in passive (visual cliff) and active (depth discrimination) tasks, suggesting functional segregation within V1. Additionally, neurons in the primary visual cortex prefer encoding objective positions rather than egocentric distances in non-depth-based tasks. Moreover, egocentric distance discrimination, as reflected by the primary visual cortex, appears to be more prospective. These findings provide insight into V1's versatility, highlighting its potential role in spatial navigation and decision-making.
深度感知对于空间意识至关重要，使动物能够解读三维环境。虽然已知初级视觉皮层（V1）处理深度信息，但V1神经元对深度感知各个方面的具体贡献仍未得到充分探索。在本研究中，我们调查了V1神经元如何参与被动和主动的深度相关任务，研究不同的神经元群体是否支持深度处理的不同方面。通过对自由活动小鼠进行体内钙成像，我们观察到特定组的V1神经元在被动（视觉悬崖）和主动（深度辨别）任务中选择性活跃，表明V1内存在功能分离。此外，在非基于深度的任务中，初级视觉皮层中的神经元更喜欢编码目标位置而非自我中心距离。而且，初级视觉皮层所反映的自我中心距离辨别似乎更具前瞻性。这些发现为V1的多功能性提供了见解，突出了其在空间导航和决策中的潜在作用。
