Biology subjects

Omprakash, C.

Publications and source records attributed to Omprakash, C..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Neuronal networks in the dorsal hippocampus causally regulate rescue behavior in mice

Prosocial behaviors, such as rescuing individuals in need, are crucial for social cohesion across species. While key brain regions involved in rescue behavior have been identified, the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. The hippocampus (HPC), known for its role in memory and spatial navigation, also contributes to emotional and social processing. However, its specific involvement in prosocial behavior is not well understood. Here, we investigate the causal role of the HPC in learning and executing rescue behavior in mice. Using chemogenetics, we show that the dorsal HPC (dHPC), but not the ventral HPC (vHPC), is essential for acquiring rescue behavior. Calcium imaging of the dHPC reveals network consolidation during successful rescues, with distinct synchronized ensembles and activity patterns linked to liberations of an individual in need. These findings establish a novel role for the dHPC in prosocial behavior, providing insights into the neural mechanisms underlying empathy-driven actions.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

A Visuomotor Model Enhances Human Position Sense

Integrating information from multiple sources reduces uncertainty. Besides sensory input, animals have access to another source of information about their body and the environment, i.e., their own motor commands, which alter the body and environment in a predictable way. Does this predictability reduce perceptual uncertainty, i.e., variance? Participants moved their unseen arm and reported movement endpoint locations. In two conditions, a predictive model of visuomotor contingencies could either be fully formed, and used for this estimation, or remained incomplete. This was achieved through context trials that provided visual endpoint feedback at a predictable vs. unpredictable latency, while carrying identical spatial information. In two experiments, we found that endpoint estimation was less variable when a full, spatiotemporal, model could be formed. Higher perceptual precision was paralleled by enhanced movement accuracy. We conclude that a visuomotor model provides a separate source of information, additional to sensory input, which enhances human position sense.

neuroscience↗