title: Multimodal sensory integration in single cerebellar granule cells in vivo.
abstract: The mammalian cerebellum is a highly multimodal structure, receiving inputs from multiple sensory modalities and integrating them during complex sensorimotor coordination tasks. Previously, using cell-type-specific anatomical projection mapping, it was shown that multimodal pathways converge onto individual cerebellar granule cells (Huang et al., 2013). Here we directly measure synaptic currents using in vivo patch-clamp recordings and confirm that a subset of single granule cells receive convergent functional multimodal (somatosensory, auditory, and visual) inputs via separate mossy fibers. Furthermore, we show that the integration of multimodal signals by granule cells can enhance action potential output. These recordings directly demonstrate functional convergence of multimodal signals onto single granule cells.
authors.affiliation: Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.|Department of Pharmacology, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Taro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.affiliation: Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.|Department of Pharmacology, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Misa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimuta
authors.affiliation: Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Häusser
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D056228:Feedback, Sensory; D009043:Motor Activity; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D009435:Synaptic Transmission
keywords: EPSC; cerebellum; granule cell; multisensory; neuroscience; patch-clamp methodology; rat; synaptic integration