Optogenetic auditory fMRI reveals the effects of visual cortical inputs on auditory midbrain response.

ABSTRACT: Sensory cortices contain extensive descending (corticofugal) pathways, yet their impact on brainstem processing - particularly across sensory systems - remains poorly understood. In the auditory system, the inferior colliculus (IC) in the midbrain receives cross-modal inputs from the visual cortex (VC). However, the influences from VC on auditory midbrain processing are unclear. To investigate whether and how visual cortical inputs affect IC auditory responses, the present study combines auditory blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) functional MRI (fMRI) with cell-type specific optogenetic manipulation of visual cortex. The results show that predominant optogenetic excitation of the excitatory pyramidal neurons in the infragranular layers of the primary VC enhances the noise-evoked BOL

SUBMITTER: Leong ATL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5992211 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature