Figure–ground discrimination in the avian brain: The nucleus rotundus and its inhibitory complex

In primates, neurons sensitive to figure–ground status are located in striate cortex (area V1) and extrastriate cortex (area V2). Although much is known about the anatomical structure and connectivity of the avian visual pathway, the functional organization of the avian brain remains largely unexplored. To pinpoint the areas associated with figure–ground segregation in the avian brain, we used a radioactively labeled glucose analog to compare differences in glucose uptake after figure–ground, color, and shape discriminations. We also included a control group that received food on a variable-interval schedule, but was not required to learn a visual discrimination. Although the discrimination task depended on group assignment, the stimulus displays were identical for all three experimental groups, ensuring that all animals were exposed to the same visual input. Our analysis concentrated on the primary thalamic nucleus associated with visual processing, the nucleus rotundus (Rt), and two nuclei providing regulatory feedback, the pretectum (PT) and the nucleus subpretectalis/interstitio-pretecto-subpretectalis complex (SP/IPS). We found that figure–ground discrimination was associated with strong and nonlateralized activity of Rt and SP/IPS, whereas color discrimination produced strong and lateralized activation in Rt alone. Shape discrimination was associated with lower activity of Rt than in the control group. Taken together, our results suggest that figure–ground discrimination is associated with Rt and that SP/IPS may be a main source of inhibitory control. Thus, figure–ground segregation in the avian brain may occur earlier than in the primate brain.

► Analyzed neural metabolic activity after three visual discriminations.
► Figure–ground task produced high activity of n. rotundus and n. subpretectalis.
► Metabolic activity of n. rotundus after color discrimination was strongly lateralized.
► Metabolic activity of n. rotundus after shape discrimination was lower than control.
► N. rotundus may be associated with figure–ground discrimination in avian brain.