The role of higher-order thalamus during learning and correct performance in goal-directed behavior

D La Terra; AS Bjerre; M Rosier; R Masuda; TJ Ryan; LM Palmer

Journal article

The role of higher-order thalamus during learning and correct performance in goal-directed behavior

D La Terra, AS Bjerre, M Rosier, R Masuda, TJ Ryan, LM Palmer

Elife | Published : 2022

DOI: 10.7554/eLife.77177

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Abstract

The thalamus is a gateway to the cortex. Cortical encoding of complex behavior can therefore only be understood by considering the thalamic processing of sensory and internally generated information. Here, we use two-photon Ca2+ imaging and optogenetics to investigate the role of axonal projections from the posteromedial nucleus of the thalamus (POm) to the forepaw area of the mouse primary somatosensory cortex (forepaw S1). By recording the activity of POm axonal projections within forepaw S1 during expert and chance performance in two tactile goal-directed tasks, we demonstrate that POm axons increase activity in the response and, to a lesser extent, reward epochs specifically during corre..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Lucy Palmer Author

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Grants

Awarded by Australian Research Council

Funding Acknowledgements

National Health and Medical Research Council APP1130716 National Health and Medical Research Council APP1063533 National Health and Medical Research Council APP1085708 Australian Research Council DP160103047Sylvia and Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation