Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
09:29
Stereotactically-guided Ablation of the Rat Auditory Cortex, and Localization of the Lesion in the Brain
Published on: October 11, 2017
Layer 1 NDNF interneurons modulate thalamocortical input to the auditory cortex
Jie Tao1, Yiheng Chen2, Mahiber Polat3
1Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine/Advanced Institute for Brain and Intelligence, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China.
Iscience
|August 1, 2026
Summary
The basal ventromedial thalamus (bVM) influences auditory cortex (AuC) circuits. Neuron-derived neurotrophic factor-positive interneurons (NDNF-INs) mediate this effect, regulating thalamocortical information flow via specific microcircuits.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Cortical Circuits
Background:
- Neural microcircuits in the auditory cortex (AuC) are crucial for processing sound.
- The basal region of the ventromedial nucleus of the thalamus (bVM) impacts AuC neuronal activity and sound discrimination.
- The precise microcircuit mechanisms by which bVM influences AuC remain largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the microcircuit organization through which the bVM influences AuC neuronal responsiveness.
- To identify specific neuronal populations and pathways involved in bVM-AuC communication.
Main Methods:
- Anatomical tracing techniques were employed to map neural connections.
- Slice electrophysiology was used to record neuronal activity.
- Optogenetics enabled the manipulation of neural activity to determine functional roles.
Main Results:
- The bVM forms direct connections with neuron-derived neurotrophic factor-positive interneurons (NDNF-INs) in layer 1 and pyramidal neurons (PYRs) in layer 2/3 of the AuC.
- NDNF-INs selectively control bVM-driven inputs to parvalbumin-expressing interneurons (PV-INs), but not to vasoactive intestinal peptide-expressing interneurons (VIP-INs) or somatostatin-expressing interneurons (SST-INs).
- This suggests a cell-specific disinhibitory circuit within the AuC L2/3.
Conclusions:
- A detailed circuit diagram for the bVM → AuC pathway has been established.
- NDNF-INs are identified as critical regulators of thalamocortical information flow in the auditory system.
- These findings provide insights into the cellular mechanisms underlying auditory processing and sound discrimination.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay
The thalamus, often called “the gateway to the cerebral cortex,” is vital in processing and directing sensory and motor signals throughout the brain. Almost all inputs destined for the cerebral cortex, except for olfactory signals, are relayed through the thalamus. The thalamus is a sophisticated relay station, channeling information from various brain regions to the cerebral cortex, as well as a filter, prioritizing certain signals over others based on current physiological states or needs.
01:15Auditory Pathway
Auditory pathways constitute the complex neural circuits responsible for transmitting and interpreting auditory information from the peripheral auditory system to the brain. Sound waves are initially captured by the outer ear, funneled through the ear canal, and reach the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the middle ear's ossicles to the inner ear's cochlea.
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...
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When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.
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01:13The Cochlea
The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.
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