Reconsidering the border between the visual and posterior parietal cortex of mice

Abstract

The posterior parietal cortex (PPC) contributes to multisensory and sensory-motor integration, as well as spatial navigation. Based on studies in primates, the PPC is composed of several subdivisions with differing connection patterns, including areas that exhibit retinotopy. In mice the exact anatomical location and composition of the PPC is poorly understood. We present a revised delineation in which we classify the higher-order visual areas RL, AM and MMA as subregions of the mouse PPC. Retrograde and anterograde tracing revealed connectivity, characteristic for primate PPC, with sensory, retrosplenial, orbitofrontal, cingulate and motor cortex, as well as with several thalamic nuclei and the superior colliculus in the mouse. Regarding cortical input, RL receives major input from the somatosensory barrel field, while AM receives more input from the trunk, whereas MMA receives strong inputs from retrosplenial, cingulate and orbitofrontal cortices. These input differences suggest that each new PPC sub-region has a distinct function. Summarized, we put forward a new refined cortical map, including a mouse PPC that contains at least 6 sub-regions, RL, AM, MMA and PtP, MPta, LPta/A. These results will facilitate a more detailed understanding about the role that the PPC and its subdivisions play in multisensory integration-based behavior in mice. HighlightsO_LIHigher-order visual areas RL, AM and MMA are part of the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) of the mouse based on connectivity. C_LIO_LIThe mouse PPC contains at least 6 sub-regions, including RL, AM, MMA, PtP, LPtA/A and MPtA C_LIO_LISpecialized cortical input patterns to the new PPC subdivisions may reflect division of function. C_LIO_LIA new flattened map for mouse cortex represents refined auditory, visual, retrosplenial and PPC areas. C_LI