Alpha Modulation of Spiking Activity Across Multiple Brain Regions in Mice Performing a Tactile Selective Detection...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Systems Neuroscience
• Computational Neuroscience

Background:

• Neuronal spiking and local field potential oscillations are key to cognitive and sensory functions.
• Alpha oscillations (8-12 Hz) and their coupling with neuronal spiking are well-studied in primates but less so in other mammals.
• Understanding alpha modulation across brain regions and cell types is vital for sensory processing and decision-making research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate alpha phase modulation of neuronal spiking in diverse mouse brain regions.
• To explore the relationship between alpha modulation, cell types, and sensory processing.
• To determine the role of alpha modulation in task performance and attention.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Neuropixels 1.0 probes for chronic neural recordings in mouse somatosensory cortex, prefrontal cortex, striatum, and amygdala.
• Recorded neural activity during a whisker-based selective detection task.
• Analyzed spontaneous alpha modulation of single-neuron spiking during intertrial intervals.

Main Results:

• Observed significant alpha phase modulation of neuronal spiking across recorded brain regions and cell types.
• Phase-modulated neurons showed enhanced responses to stimuli and stronger task-related firing rate changes.
• Alpha modulation during baseline activity correlated with task performance, with stronger modulation preceding correct trials.

Conclusions:

• Alpha phase modulation of neuronal spiking varies significantly across brain regions and cell types in mice.
• Spiking activity modulated by alpha oscillations is linked to improved sensory responsiveness and task engagement.
• Disrupted alpha modulation may underlie attentional lapses during cognitive tasks.