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Updated: Jun 18, 2026

In Vivo Visualization of Spontaneous Activity in Neonatal Mouse Sensory Cortex at a Single-Neuron Resolution
Published on: November 21, 2023
The corticothalamocortical circuit drives higher-order cortex in the mouse
Brian B Theyel1, Daniel A Llano, S Murray Sherman
1Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA. btheyel@uchicago.edu
Corticothalamocortical circuits from layer 5B are key for information transfer in the brain. New optical imaging shows this pathway effectively activates higher-order sensory cortex.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sensory processing
- Cortical circuits
Background:
- The role of corticothalamocortical circuits in hierarchical information transfer remains unclear.
- Layer 5B projections are implicated but require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the functional role of corticothalamocortical circuits originating from layer 5B.
- To determine the efficacy of this pathway in information transfer through the cortical hierarchy.
Main Methods:
- Utilized novel optical imaging techniques in a brain slice preparation.
- Stimulated layer 5B in primary somatosensory cortex (S1BF) and recorded activity in higher-order areas.
- Interrupted corticocortical and thalamic pathways to isolate circuit contributions.
Main Results:
- Corticothalamocortical pathway stimulation evoked significant activity in higher-order somatosensory cortex.
- Disrupting direct corticocortical pathways highlighted the thalamus-dependent activation of secondary somatosensory cortex.
- Thalamic inhibition abolished, and subsequent washout restored, secondary somatosensory cortex activation.
- Layer 5B stimulation, not layer 6, drove corticothalamocortical activity.
Conclusions:
- The corticothalamocortical circuit is a viable pathway for information transfer to higher-order cortical areas.
- Layer 5B projections are critical drivers of this circuit's function.
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