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Anatomically and functionally distinct thalamocortical inputs to primary and secondary mouse whisker somatosensory cortices.


ABSTRACT: Subdivisions of mouse whisker somatosensory thalamus project to cortex in a region-specific and layer-specific manner. However, a clear anatomical dissection of these pathways and their functional properties during whisker sensation is lacking. Here, we use anterograde trans-synaptic viral vectors to identify three specific thalamic subpopulations based on their connectivity with brainstem. The principal trigeminal nucleus innervates ventral posterior medial thalamus, which conveys whisker-selective tactile information to layer 4 primary somatosensory cortex that is highly sensitive to self-initiated movements. The spinal trigeminal nucleus innervates a rostral part of the posterior medial (POm) thalamus, signaling whisker-selective sensory information, as well as decision-related information during a goal-directed behavior, to layer 4 secondary somatosensory cortex. A caudal part of the POm, which apparently does not receive brainstem input, innervates layer 1 and 5A, responding with little whisker selectivity, but showing decision-related modulation. Our results suggest the existence of complementary segregated information streams to somatosensory cortices.

SUBMITTER: El-Boustani S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7335197 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Anatomically and functionally distinct thalamocortical inputs to primary and secondary mouse whisker somatosensory cortices.

El-Boustani Sami S   Sermet B Semihcan BS   Foustoukos Georgios G   Oram Tess B TB   Yizhar Ofer O   Petersen Carl C H CCH  

Nature communications 20200703 1


Subdivisions of mouse whisker somatosensory thalamus project to cortex in a region-specific and layer-specific manner. However, a clear anatomical dissection of these pathways and their functional properties during whisker sensation is lacking. Here, we use anterograde trans-synaptic viral vectors to identify three specific thalamic subpopulations based on their connectivity with brainstem. The principal trigeminal nucleus innervates ventral posterior medial thalamus, which conveys whisker-selec  ...[more]

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