Neurons in the barrel cortex turn into processing whisker and odor signals: a cellular mechanism for the storage and retrieval of associative signals

Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience
Dangui WangJin-Hui Wang

Abstract

Associative learning and memory are essential to logical thinking and cognition. How the neurons are recruited as associative memory cells to encode multiple input signals for their associated storage and distinguishable retrieval remains unclear. We studied this issue in the barrel cortex by in vivo two-photon calcium imaging, electrophysiology, and neural tracing in our mouse model that the simultaneous whisker and olfaction stimulations led to odorant-induced whisker motion. After this cross-modal reflex arose, the barrel and piriform cortices connected. More than 40% of barrel cortical neurons became to encode odor signal alongside whisker signal. Some of these neurons expressed distinct activity patterns in response to acquired odor signal and innate whisker signal, and others encoded similar pattern in response to these signals. In the meantime, certain barrel cortical astrocytes encoded odorant and whisker signals. After associative learning, the neurons and astrocytes in the sensory cortices are able to store the newly learnt signal (cross-modal memory) besides the innate signal (native-modal memory). Such associative memory cells distinguish the differences of these signals by programming different codes and signify th...Continue Reading

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Citations

Mar 1, 2018·F1000Research·Jin-Hui Wang, Shan Cui
Apr 25, 2017·F1000Research·Jin-Hui Wang, Shan Cui
Aug 19, 2021·FASEB Journal : Official Publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology·Meenakshi PardasaniNixon M Abraham

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
Fluorescence

Software Mentioned

UPSG
- Ruler
Fluoviewer
pClamp
MB
ZL
MATLAB
NIH ImageJ

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