Neurons in the primary visual cortex of freely moving rats encode both sensory and non-sensory task variables

Zhang, Anqi, Zador, Anthony M (December 2023) Neurons in the primary visual cortex of freely moving rats encode both sensory and non-sensory task variables. PLoS Biology, 21 (12). e3002384. ISSN 1545-7885

PDF journal.pbio.3002384.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (3MB)

Abstract

Neurons in primary visual cortex (area V1) are strongly driven by both sensory stimuli and non-sensory events. However, although the representation of sensory stimuli has been well characterized, much less is known about the representation of non-sensory events. Here, we characterize the specificity and organization of non-sensory representations in rat V1 during a freely moving visual decision task. We find that single neurons encode diverse combinations of task features simultaneously and across task epochs. Despite heterogeneity at the level of single neuron response patterns, both visual and nonvisual task variables could be reliably decoded from small neural populations (5 to 40 units) throughout a trial. Interestingly, in animals trained to make an auditory decision following passive observation of a visual stimulus, some but not all task features could also be decoded from V1 activity. Our results support the view that even in V1-the earliest stage of the cortical hierarchy-bottom-up sensory information may be combined with top-down non-sensory information in a task-dependent manner.

Item Type:	Paper
Subjects:	organism description > animal organism description > animal behavior organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions organism description > animal > mammal organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types > neurons organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types > neurons organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types > neurons organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions organism description > animal > mammal > rodent > rat organism description > animal > mammal > rodent > rat organism description > animal > mammal > rodent organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > tissues types and functions organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > tissues types and functions > visual cortex
CSHL Authors:	Zador, Anthony M. Zhang, Anqi
Communities:	CSHL labs > Zador lab School of Biological Sciences > Publications
SWORD Depositor:	CSHL Elements
Depositing User:	CSHL Elements
Date:	December 2023
Date Deposited:	28 Dec 2023 13:31
Last Modified:	29 Feb 2024 20:03
PMCID:	PMC10721203
Related URLs:	Publisher
URI:	https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/41367

Actions (login required)

Administrator's edit/view item