Laminar- and subfield-specific neural dynamics in the mouse auditory cortex

Abstract

The auditory cortex (AC) is the final stage of the sound processing in the brain. However, its functional role and mechanism have not been fully understood. Because the AC consists of multiple subfields and laminar structure, it is necessary to analyze the characteristics of neural responses in each subfield and layer. Here, we first propose a new method of identifying subfields using the transcranial flavoprotein fluorescence imaging, then implanting an electrode into the identified site and conducting chronic neural recording. Next, we show that the response properties in each AC subfield dynamically modulated by behavioral contexts. Finally, we focus on tinnitus as a typical form of auditory dysfunction, and analyze neural activities in each AC subfield and layer of the mice with pharmacologically induced tinnitus. These series of results will give us important knowledge for neural mechanism of sound information processing in the AC and auditory dysfunctions such as tinnitus.