A role for the claustrum in cognitive control

Early hypotheses of claustrum function were fueled by neuroanatomical data and yielded suggestions that the claustrum is involved in processes ranging from salience detection to multisensory integration for perceptual binding. While these hypotheses spurred useful investigations, incompatibilities inherent in these views must be reconciled to further conceptualize claustrum function amid a wealth of new data. Here, we review the varied models of claustrum function and synthesize them with developments in the field to produce a novel functional model: Network Instantiation in Cognitive Control (NICC). This model proposes that frontal cortices direct the claustrum to flexibly instantiate cortical networks to subserve cognitive control. We present literature support for this model and provide testable predictions arising from this conceptual framework.

Annotations

(28/12/2023, 12:11:12 )

CLA NICC: “frontal cortices direct the claustrum to flexibly instantiate cortical networks to subserve cognitive control”

“new model of claustrum function: Network Instantiation in Cognitive Control (NICC). This model proposes that frontal cortices direct the claustrum to flexibly instantiate cortical networks to subserve cognitive control.” (Madden et al., 2022, p. 2)

“The NICC model posits that the claustrum instantiates cortical networks through synchronization of cortical network nodes in a manner commensurate with the cognitive demand of a given task. This function is achieved in three parts: the claustrum receives frontal cortical task demand information, transforms and amplifies this signal, and finally synchronizes targeted cortical areas to instantiate a cognitive network.” (Madden et al., 2022, p. 15-16)

Smyhies et al., 2012 extending Crick & Koch, 2005 on CLA Binding through CLA oscillation synchronization

“In an elaboration upon the “binding hypothesis” of Crick and Koch, Smythies, Edelstein and Ramachandran [27] proposed that the claustrum synchronizes oscillations from different cortical regions to give rise to binding.” (Madden et al., 2022, p. 4-5)

[[CLA lesion]]

“However, in a study of five epilepsy patients, bilateral electrical stimulation of the claustrum did not result in loss or alteration of subjective awareness [31], and the claustrum remains relatively quiescent during a conscious resting state [22, 23, 30, 32]” (Madden et al., 2022, p. 5)

CLA salience hypothesis through Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) connections

“A role for the claustrum in salience processing for attention was proposed in 2008 [33]. This was prompted by anatomical data showing that the claustrum is strongly connected with anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), which is implicated in monitoring conflicts in decision making processing [34, 35] and is a component of the salience network [33, 36]” (Madden et al., 2022, p. 5)

“The claustrum was recently proposed to play a role in cortical network switching

[7]” (Madden et al., 2022, p. 6)

CLA connections “characteristics of a network hub”

“The claustrum possesses hallmark characteristics of a network hub. The claustrum has the highest connectivity per unit volume in the brain [10].” (Madden et al., 2022, p. 8)

CLA lesion and cognitive control

“Accordingly, claustrum abnormalities are associated with a variety of neuropsychiatric symptoms [10, 78], including difficulties in cognitive control [79].” (Madden et al., 2022, p. 8)

[[CLA psychadelics]]

“High expression of serotonin 2A receptor in the claustrum [104-110], the primary target for the psychedelic drug psilocybin, suggests the claustrum may participate in cognitive network disruption by psychedelic drugs. Indeed, psilocybin administration in humans decreases right claustrum functional connectivity with DMN and increases functional connectivity with FPN, and the integrity of both DMN and FPN networks is associated with functional connectivity with the right claustrum [103].” (Madden et al., 2022, p. 10 - 11)

[[FM3 Introduction]]

“The claustrum is a thin, elongated sub-cortical telencephalic nucleus that possesses bidirectional connections with many areas of the cerebral cortex [1-13]. The claustrum is positioned between the insula and putamen and, in primates, is bounded by the external and extreme capsules (Figure 1). The claustrum appears in all therian mammals, at least some monotremes [14-16] and was recently discovered in reptiles [17].” (Madden et al., 2022, p. 3) intro

Access Required