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Correlating whisker behavior with membrane potential in barrel cortex of awake mice

Nature Neuroscience volume 9, pages 608–610 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

To investigate synaptic events underlying sensory perception, we made whole-cell membrane potential recordings of barrel cortex neurons in awake mice while recording whisker-related behavior. During quiet periods, we recorded slow, large-amplitude membrane potential changes, which switched during whisking to small, fast fluctuations that were correlated with whisker position. Robust subthreshold responses were evoked by passive whisker stimulation during quiet behavior and by active whisker contact with an object.

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Figure 1: Membrane potential dynamics during whisker-related behavior.
Figure 2: Responses to passive stimulation during quiet wakefulness and whisking.
Figure 3: Membrane potential correlate of active touch.

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Acknowledgements

We thank R. Rödel (Max Planck Institute, Heidelberg, Germany) and C. Nicolas (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland) for electronic design and construction of the magnetic whisker stimulators; E. Ahissar and M. Diamond for help and advice with whisker filming; and I. Ferezou, J.F.A. Poulet and A. Borgdorff for discussion and critical reading of the manuscript. The authors are grateful to the Swiss National Science Foundation and the Leenaards Foundation for their support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, SV-BMI-LSENS AAB 105, Station 15, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland

    Sylvain Crochet & Carl C H Petersen

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  1. Sylvain Crochet
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  2. Carl C H Petersen
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Correspondence to Carl C H Petersen.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Supplementary information

Supplementary Fig. 1

EEG recordings from head-fixed mice (PDF 942 kb)

Supplementary Fig. 2

Membrane potential dynamics during behavior (PDF 1093 kb)

Supplementary Fig. 3

Measuring neuronal input resistance (PDF 644 kb)

Supplementary Table 1

Comparison of quiet (Q) and whisking (W) behaviour (PDF 80 kb)

Supplementary Table 2

Neurons selected for analysis (PDF 73 kb)

Supplementary Methods (PDF 452 kb)

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Crochet, S., Petersen, C. Correlating whisker behavior with membrane potential in barrel cortex of awake mice. Nat Neurosci 9, 608–610 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn1690

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