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Journal article

Subcortical circuits mediate communication between primary sensory cortical areas in mice

Abstract:
Integration of information across the senses is critical for perception and is a common property of neurons in the cerebral cortex, where it is thought to arise primarily from corticocortical connections. Much less is known about the role of subcortical circuits in shaping the multisensory properties of cortical neurons. We show that stimulation of the whiskers causes widespread suppression of sound-evoked activity in mouse primary auditory cortex (A1). This suppression depends on the primary somatosensory cortex (S1), and is implemented through a descending circuit that links S1, via the auditory midbrain, with thalamic neurons that project to A1. Furthermore, a direct pathway from S1 has a facilitatory effect on auditory responses in higher-order thalamic nuclei that project to other brain areas. Crossmodal corticofugal projections to the auditory midbrain and thalamus therefore play a pivotal role in integrating multisensory signals and in enabling communication between different sensory cortical areas.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1038/s41467-021-24200-x

Authors


More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MSD
Department:
Physiology Anatomy & Genetics
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0001-9889-8303
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MSD
Department:
Physiology Anatomy & Genetics
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0002-3612-2048
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MSD
Department:
Physiology Anatomy & Genetics
Oxford college:
Merton College
Role:
Author


Publisher:
Springer Nature
Journal:
Nature Communications More from this journal
Volume:
12
Article number:
3916
Publication date:
2021-06-24
Acceptance date:
2021-06-02
DOI:
EISSN:
2041-1723


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
1181443
Local pid:
pubs:1181443
Deposit date:
2021-06-11

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