Cholinergic and noradrenergic axonal activity contains a behavioral-state signal that is coordinated across the dorsal cortex
Fluctuations in brain and behavioral state are supported by broadly projecting neuromodulatory systems. In this study, we use mesoscale two-photon calcium imaging to examine spontaneous activity of cholinergic and noradrenergic axons in awake mice in order to determine the interaction between arousa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
2023-04-01
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| Series: | eLife |
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| Online Access: | https://elifesciences.org/articles/81826 |
| _version_ | 1827935197791780864 |
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| author | Lindsay Collins John Francis Brett Emanuel David A McCormick |
| author_facet | Lindsay Collins John Francis Brett Emanuel David A McCormick |
| author_sort | Lindsay Collins |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Fluctuations in brain and behavioral state are supported by broadly projecting neuromodulatory systems. In this study, we use mesoscale two-photon calcium imaging to examine spontaneous activity of cholinergic and noradrenergic axons in awake mice in order to determine the interaction between arousal/movement state transitions and neuromodulatory activity across the dorsal cortex at distances separated by up to 4 mm. We confirm that GCaMP6s activity within axonal projections of both basal forebrain cholinergic and locus coeruleus noradrenergic neurons track arousal, indexed as pupil diameter, and changes in behavioral engagement, as reflected by bouts of whisker movement and/or locomotion. The broad coordination in activity between even distant axonal segments indicates that both of these systems can communicate, in part, through a global signal, especially in relation to changes in behavioral state. In addition to this broadly coordinated activity, we also find evidence that a subpopulation of both cholinergic and noradrenergic axons may exhibit heterogeneity in activity that appears to be independent of our measures of behavioral state. By monitoring the activity of cholinergic interneurons in the cortex, we found that a subpopulation of these cells also exhibit state-dependent (arousal/movement) activity. These results demonstrate that cholinergic and noradrenergic systems provide a prominent and broadly synchronized signal related to behavioral state, and therefore may contribute to state-dependent cortical activity and excitability. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T07:50:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-07255aef24f5454d90230396f4e2aadf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-084X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T07:50:38Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | eLife Sciences Publications Ltd |
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| spelling | doaj.art-07255aef24f5454d90230396f4e2aadf2023-06-02T16:04:26ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2023-04-011210.7554/eLife.81826Cholinergic and noradrenergic axonal activity contains a behavioral-state signal that is coordinated across the dorsal cortexLindsay Collins0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8588-2780John Francis1Brett Emanuel2https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8494-728XDavid A McCormick3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9803-8335Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, United StatesInstitute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, United StatesInstitute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, United StatesInstitute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, United StatesFluctuations in brain and behavioral state are supported by broadly projecting neuromodulatory systems. In this study, we use mesoscale two-photon calcium imaging to examine spontaneous activity of cholinergic and noradrenergic axons in awake mice in order to determine the interaction between arousal/movement state transitions and neuromodulatory activity across the dorsal cortex at distances separated by up to 4 mm. We confirm that GCaMP6s activity within axonal projections of both basal forebrain cholinergic and locus coeruleus noradrenergic neurons track arousal, indexed as pupil diameter, and changes in behavioral engagement, as reflected by bouts of whisker movement and/or locomotion. The broad coordination in activity between even distant axonal segments indicates that both of these systems can communicate, in part, through a global signal, especially in relation to changes in behavioral state. In addition to this broadly coordinated activity, we also find evidence that a subpopulation of both cholinergic and noradrenergic axons may exhibit heterogeneity in activity that appears to be independent of our measures of behavioral state. By monitoring the activity of cholinergic interneurons in the cortex, we found that a subpopulation of these cells also exhibit state-dependent (arousal/movement) activity. These results demonstrate that cholinergic and noradrenergic systems provide a prominent and broadly synchronized signal related to behavioral state, and therefore may contribute to state-dependent cortical activity and excitability.https://elifesciences.org/articles/81826noradrenalineacetylcholineaxon |
| spellingShingle | Lindsay Collins John Francis Brett Emanuel David A McCormick Cholinergic and noradrenergic axonal activity contains a behavioral-state signal that is coordinated across the dorsal cortex eLife noradrenaline acetylcholine axon |
| title | Cholinergic and noradrenergic axonal activity contains a behavioral-state signal that is coordinated across the dorsal cortex |
| title_full | Cholinergic and noradrenergic axonal activity contains a behavioral-state signal that is coordinated across the dorsal cortex |
| title_fullStr | Cholinergic and noradrenergic axonal activity contains a behavioral-state signal that is coordinated across the dorsal cortex |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cholinergic and noradrenergic axonal activity contains a behavioral-state signal that is coordinated across the dorsal cortex |
| title_short | Cholinergic and noradrenergic axonal activity contains a behavioral-state signal that is coordinated across the dorsal cortex |
| title_sort | cholinergic and noradrenergic axonal activity contains a behavioral state signal that is coordinated across the dorsal cortex |
| topic | noradrenaline acetylcholine axon |
| url | https://elifesciences.org/articles/81826 |
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