M2 Cortex Circuitry and Sensory-Induced Behavioral Alterations in Huntington's Disease: Role of Superior Colliculus

Early and progressive cortico-striatal circuit alterations have been widely characterized in Huntington's disease (HD) patients. Cortical premotor area, M2 cortex in rodents, is the most affected cortical input to the striatum from early stages in patients and is associated to the motor learning deficits present in HD mice. Yet, M2 cortex sends additional long-range axon collaterals to diverse output brain regions beyond basal ganglia. Here, we aimed to elucidate the contribution of M2 cortex projections to HD pathophysiology in mice. Using fMRI, M2 cortex showed most prominent functional connectivity alterations with the superior colliculus (SC) in symptomatic R6/1 HD male mice. Structural alterations were also detected by tractography, although diffusion weighted imaging measurements suggested preserved SC structure and similar electrophysiological responses were obtained in the SC on optogenetic stimulation of M2 cortical axons. Male and female HD mice showed behavioral alterations linked to SC function, including decreased defensive behavioral responses toward unexpected stimuli, such as a moving robo-beetle, and decreased locomotion on an unexpected flash of light. Additionally, GCamp6f fluorescence recordings with fiber photometry showed that M2 cortex activity was engaged by the presence of a randomly moving robo-bettle, an effect absent in HD male mice. Moreover, acute chemogenetic M2 cortex inhibition in WT mice shift behavioral responses toward an HD phenotype. Collectively, our findings highlight the involvement of M2 cortex activity in visual stimuli-induced behavioral responses, which are deeply altered in the R6/1 HD mouse model. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Understanding brain circuit alterations in brain disorders is critical for developing circuit-based therapeutic interventions. The cortico-striatal circuit is the most prominently disturbed in Huntington's disease (HD); and particularly, M2 cortex has a prominent role. However, the same M2 cortical neurons send additional projections to several brain regions beyond striatum. We characterized new structural and functional circuitry alterations of M2 cortex in HD mouse models and found that M2 cortex projection to the superior colliculus (SC) was deeply impaired. Moreover, we describe differential responses to unexpected sensory stimulus in HD mouse models, which relies on SC function. Our data highlight the involvement of M2 cortex in SC-dependent sensory processing and its alterations in HD pathophysiology.