Cortico-thalamic communication for action coordination in a skilled motor sequence.

ABSTRACT: The coordination of forelimb and orofacial movements to compose an ethological reach-to-consume behavior likely involves neural communication across brain regions. Leveraging wide-field imaging and photo-inhibition to survey across the cortex, we identified a cortical network and a high-order motor area (MOs-c), which coordinate action progression in a mouse reach-and-withdraw-to-drink (RWD) behavior. Electrophysiology and photo-inhibition across multiple projection neuron types within the MOs-c revealed differential contributions of pyramidal tract and corticothalamic (CT^MOs) output channels to action progression and hand-mouth coordination. Notably, CT^MOs display sustained firing throughout RWD sequence and selectively enhance RWD-relevant activity in postsynaptic t

SUBMITTER: Li Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10634836 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature