title: Auditory cortex directs the input-specific remodeling of thalamus.
abstract: Input-specific remodeling is observed both in the primary auditory cortex (AI) and the ventral division of the medial geniculate body of the thalamus (MGBv) through motivation such as learning. Here, we show the role of AI in the MGBv remodeling induced by the electrical stimulation (ES) of the central division of the inferior colliculus (ICc). For the MGBv neurons with frequency tunings different from those of electrically stimulated ICc neurons, their frequency tunings shifted towards the tunings of the ICc neurons. AI neurons also showed this input-specific remodeling after ES of the ICc (ESICc). Interestingly, the input-specific remodeling of MGBv was eliminated when the AI was inactivated using cortical application of muscimol. For the MGBv neurons tuned to the same frequency as the stimulated ICc neurons, their tunings were kept but their responses were facilitated after the ESICc. In contrast to the input-specific tuning shifts, this facilitation was rarely impacted by the AI inactivation. Thus, we conclude that AI directs the input-specific remodeling of MGBv induced by ESICc. It is suggested that the tuning shift in the MGBv primarily takes place in the AI and is relayed to the MGBv through the corticofugal system while the MGBv mainly highlights the frequency information emphasized in ICc.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada.
authors.forename: Sultan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada.
authors.forename: Lingzhi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada.
authors.forename: Xiuping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada. Electronic address: juyan@ucalgary.ca.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004566:Electrodes; D005260:Female; D005829:Geniculate Bodies / Q000502:physiology; D006309:Hearing; D007245:Inferior Colliculi / Q000378:metabolism; D007858:Learning; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009118:Muscimol / Q000737:chemistry; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D013788:Thalamus / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D009118:Muscimol
keywords: Auditory cortex; Auditory thalamus; Corticofugal; Mouse; Plasticity