Sensory Nerve Signaling Important for Mouse Whisker Detection

An international research team investigates the relationship between nerve (neuron) activity in the whiskers of mice and executing a simple task. The study is published ahead of print in the journal Function.

The research team used two-photon imaging to directly compare the activity of two different neuron groups during a reward-based activity in which mice licked a water spout in response to whisker stimulation or an auditory tone.

The study’s results support the hypothesis that “signaling from [the primary whisker somatosensory barrel cortex] to the [secondary whisker somatosensory barrel cortex] might be important for whisker detection,” the authors wrote. Additional studies may help determine whether the properties of the involved neurons change.

Read the full article, “Projection-specific activity of layer 2/3 neurons imaged in mouse primary somatosensory barrel cortex during a whisker detection task,” in Function. Contact the APS Communications Office or call 301.634.7314 to speak to a member of the research team.

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