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Updated: Feb 13, 2026
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Cross-Modal Multivariate Pattern Analysis
Published on: November 9, 2011
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Effects of Arousal on Mouse Sensory Cortex Depend on Modality
Daisuke Shimaoka1, Kenneth D Harris2, Matteo Carandini1
1UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6AE, UK.
Cell Reports
|March 22, 2018
Summary
Arousal impacts mouse sensory cortex differently across brain regions, yet consistently reduces sensory response strength. This study clarifies arousal
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sensory processing
- Cortical activity
Background:
- Arousal's modulation of sensory cortex activity is debated, with conflicting findings on enhancement versus suppression.
- Previous studies used different mouse models and sensory areas, leading to inconsistent results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To simultaneously measure arousal-induced modulation across multiple mouse cortical areas.
- To investigate modality-specific effects of arousal on neuronal activity.
- To determine arousal's impact on sensory response dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Utilized voltage-sensitive fluorescent proteins (VSFP) imaging for large-scale membrane potential estimation in mice.
- Employed temporal filters to correlate neuronal activity with arousal measures (running speed, pupil dilation).
- Simultaneously recorded activity in primary visual (V1), auditory (Au), barrel (S1b), and secondary visual (LM) cortices.
Main Results:
- Arousal induced distinct membrane potential changes: depolarization followed by hyperpolarization in V1 and Au, versus only hyperpolarization in S1b and LM.
- Temporal filters effectively predicted local cortical potential from arousal indicators.
- Arousal consistently reduced phasic responses to sensory stimuli across all measured cortical areas.
Conclusions:
- Arousal exerts diverse modulatory effects on membrane potential across different sensory cortical areas.
- Despite regional differences in membrane potential dynamics, arousal uniformly suppresses sensory response magnitude.
- Findings highlight the complex yet consistent role of arousal in sensory information processing.
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