Abstract
The thalamocortical (TC) projection to layer 4 (L4) is thought to be the main route by which sensory organs communicate with cortex. Sensory information is believed to then propagate through the cortical column along the L4→L2/3→L5/6 pathway. Here, we show that sensory-evoked responses of L5/6 neurons in rats derive instead from direct TC synapses. Many L5/6 neurons exhibited sensory-evoked postsynaptic potentials with the same latencies as L4. Paired in vivo recordings from L5/6 neurons and thalamic neurons revealed substantial convergence of direct TC synapses onto diverse types of infragranular neurons, particularly in L5B. Pharmacological inactivation of L4 had no effect on sensory-evoked synaptic input to L5/6 neurons. L4 is thus not an obligatory distribution hub for cortical activity, and thalamus activates two separate, independent "strata" of cortex in parallel.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1591-1594 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Science |
| Volume | 340 |
| Issue number | 6140 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2013 |
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Deep cortical layers are activated directly by thalamus. / Constantinople, Christine; Bruno, Randy M.
In: Science, Vol. 340, No. 6140, 01.01.2013, p. 1591-1594.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Deep cortical layers are activated directly by thalamus
AU - Constantinople, Christine
AU - Bruno, Randy M.
PY - 2013/1/1
Y1 - 2013/1/1
N2 - The thalamocortical (TC) projection to layer 4 (L4) is thought to be the main route by which sensory organs communicate with cortex. Sensory information is believed to then propagate through the cortical column along the L4→L2/3→L5/6 pathway. Here, we show that sensory-evoked responses of L5/6 neurons in rats derive instead from direct TC synapses. Many L5/6 neurons exhibited sensory-evoked postsynaptic potentials with the same latencies as L4. Paired in vivo recordings from L5/6 neurons and thalamic neurons revealed substantial convergence of direct TC synapses onto diverse types of infragranular neurons, particularly in L5B. Pharmacological inactivation of L4 had no effect on sensory-evoked synaptic input to L5/6 neurons. L4 is thus not an obligatory distribution hub for cortical activity, and thalamus activates two separate, independent "strata" of cortex in parallel.
AB - The thalamocortical (TC) projection to layer 4 (L4) is thought to be the main route by which sensory organs communicate with cortex. Sensory information is believed to then propagate through the cortical column along the L4→L2/3→L5/6 pathway. Here, we show that sensory-evoked responses of L5/6 neurons in rats derive instead from direct TC synapses. Many L5/6 neurons exhibited sensory-evoked postsynaptic potentials with the same latencies as L4. Paired in vivo recordings from L5/6 neurons and thalamic neurons revealed substantial convergence of direct TC synapses onto diverse types of infragranular neurons, particularly in L5B. Pharmacological inactivation of L4 had no effect on sensory-evoked synaptic input to L5/6 neurons. L4 is thus not an obligatory distribution hub for cortical activity, and thalamus activates two separate, independent "strata" of cortex in parallel.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84879631867&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84879631867&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1126/science.1236425
DO - 10.1126/science.1236425
M3 - Article
C2 - 23812718
AN - SCOPUS:84879631867
VL - 340
SP - 1591
EP - 1594
JO - Science
JF - Science
SN - 0036-8075
IS - 6140
ER -