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Sparse optical microstimulation in barrel cortex drives learned behaviour in freely moving mice

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  • Daniel Huber

    (Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Farm Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia 20147, USA
    Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA)

  • Leopoldo Petreanu

    (Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Farm Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia 20147, USA
    Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA)

  • Nima Ghitani

    (Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Farm Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia 20147, USA)

  • Sachin Ranade

    (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA)

  • Tomáš Hromádka

    (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA)

  • Zach Mainen

    (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA)

  • Karel Svoboda

    (Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Farm Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia 20147, USA
    Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA)

Abstract

Electrical microstimulation can establish causal links between the activity of groups of neurons and perceptual and cognitive functions1,2,3,4,5,6. However, the number and identities of neurons microstimulated, as well as the number of action potentials evoked, are difficult to ascertain7,8. To address these issues we introduced the light-gated algal channel channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2)9 specifically into a small fraction of layer 2/3 neurons of the mouse primary somatosensory cortex. ChR2 photostimulation in vivo reliably generated stimulus-locked action potentials10,11,12,13 at frequencies up to 50 Hz. Here we show that naive mice readily learned to detect brief trains of action potentials (five light pulses, 1 ms, 20 Hz). After training, mice could detect a photostimulus firing a single action potential in approximately 300 neurons. Even fewer neurons (approximately 60) were required for longer stimuli (five action potentials, 250 ms). Our results show that perceptual decisions and learning can be driven by extremely brief epochs of cortical activity in a sparse subset of supragranular cortical pyramidal neurons.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Huber & Leopoldo Petreanu & Nima Ghitani & Sachin Ranade & Tomáš Hromádka & Zach Mainen & Karel Svoboda, 2008. "Sparse optical microstimulation in barrel cortex drives learned behaviour in freely moving mice," Nature, Nature, vol. 451(7174), pages 61-64, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:451:y:2008:i:7174:d:10.1038_nature06445
    DOI: 10.1038/nature06445
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    Cited by:

    1. Lloyd E. Russell & Mehmet Fişek & Zidan Yang & Lynn Pei Tan & Adam M. Packer & Henry W. P. Dalgleish & Selmaan N. Chettih & Christopher D. Harvey & Michael Häusser, 2024. "The influence of cortical activity on perception depends on behavioral state and sensory context," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, December.
    2. Ravi Pancholi & Lauren Ryan & Simon Peron, 2023. "Learning in a sensory cortical microstimulation task is associated with elevated representational stability," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.
    3. Mohamad Motaharinia & Kim Gerrow & Roobina Boghozian & Emily White & Sun-Eui Choi & Kerry R. Delaney & Craig E. Brown, 2021. "Longitudinal functional imaging of VIP interneurons reveals sup-population specific effects of stroke that are rescued with chemogenetic therapy," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, December.

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