Thalamocortical neural circuits: how they work and why they matter in health and disease

Thalamocortical circuits connect all parts of the thalamus with the cortex. These interconnected circuits form early in neural development and establish functional and dynamic reciprocal partnerships for neural communication. We know these circuits are critical for integrating sensory information, coordinating voluntary movements, and enabling effective cognitive functioning within the cortex. Furthermore, disruptions to these circuits cause deficits in cognition and sensory and motor impairments linked to many neurodevelopment, neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders and diseases. Magnetic resonance imaging provides a useful tool to identify changes in thalamocortical circuits in vivo, and in combination with neuropathological and genetic evidence can better inform our understanding of how and when thalamocortical circuits contribute to our sensory, motor, and cognitive abilities. Finally, advanced in vivo MRI methods are now supporting clinicians and researchers to characterise thalamocortical dysfunction early on in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease, and to identify effective treatments in neurodevelopmental disorders, like attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder. This talk will explain how thalamocortical circuits develop and work in the mammalian brain, and how MRI can be used to identify changes in thalamocortical circuits in human and animal neuroimaging datasets.