Neuronal correlates of visually guided dynamic pursuit in freely moving mice
Maria Florencia Iacaruso
Group leader
The Francis Crick Institute, London

Résumé : Intercepting a moving target requires a tight coupling between sensory perception and motor action. The most efficient strategy necessitates estimating the future position of the target and reacting rapidly to sudden changes in the target’s trajectory. Mice can hunt moving prey and have been established as a successful model to study visually guided pursuit and prey capture behaviours. The superior colliculus (SC), a primary retinorecipient brain region attributed with rapid sensorimotor processing, has been implicated in these behaviours. However, the ability of mice to adapt their pursuit strategy based on the direction of travel and speed of their target, as well as the underlying neuronal circuit mechanisms, have not yet been determined. To investigate this, we developed a closed-loop virtual prey capture paradigm. In this task, mice can anticipate the future location of moving visual targets, adjust their pursuit strategy to the demands of the task and react to sudden target’s manoeuvres. I will discuss the role of the SC and the neuronal correlates underlying sensorimotor update and prediction during interceptive pursuit.

Invitée par Ede Rancz – lundi 26 mai 2025, à 11h – Salle de conférence de l’Inmed