title: Identification of a brainstem circuit regulating visual cortical state in parallel with locomotion.
abstract: Sensory processing is dependent upon behavioral state. In mice, locomotion is accompanied by changes in cortical state and enhanced visual responses. Although recent studies have begun to elucidate intrinsic cortical mechanisms underlying this effect, the neural circuits that initially couple locomotion to cortical processing are unknown. The mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) has been shown to be capable of initiating running and is associated with the ascending reticular activating system. Here, we find that optogenetic stimulation of the MLR in awake, head-fixed mice can induce both locomotion and increases in the gain of cortical responses. MLR stimulation below the threshold for overt movement similarly changed cortical processing, revealing that MLR's effects on cortex are dissociable from locomotion. Likewise, stimulation of MLR projections to the basal forebrain also enhanced cortical responses, suggesting a pathway linking the MLR to cortex. These studies demonstrate that the MLR regulates cortical state in parallel with locomotion.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
authors.forename: A Moses
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hoy
authors.affiliation: Intramural Program, National Institute of Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA; Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
authors.forename: Antonello
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bonci
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wilbrecht
authors.affiliation: Center for Integrative Neuroscience, Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Stryker
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA. Electronic address: cniell@uoregon.edu.
authors.forename: Cristopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Niell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology*; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000502:physiology*