Abstract
Visual cues often modulate auditory signal processing, leading to improved sound detection. However, the synaptic and circuit mechanism underlying this cross-modal modulation remains poorly understood. Using larval zebrafish, we first established a cross-modal behavioral paradigm in which a preceding flash enhances sound-evoked escape behavior, which is known to be executed through auditory afferents (VIII(th) nerves) and command-like neurons (Mauthner cells). In vivo recording revealed that the visual enhancement of auditory escape is achieved by increasing sound-evoked Mauthner cell responses. This increase in Mauthner cell responses is accounted for by the increase in the signal-to-noise ratio of sound-evoked VIII(th) nerve spiking and efficacy of VIII(th) nerve-Mauthner cell synapses. Furthermore, the visual enhancement of Mauthner cell response and escape behavior requires light-responsive dopaminergic neurons in the caudal hypothalamus and D1 dopamine receptor activation. Our findings illustrate a cooperative neural mechanism for visual modulation of audiomotor processing that involves dopaminergic neuromodulation.
Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione / pharmacology
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Acoustic Stimulation / adverse effects
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Action Potentials / drug effects
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Action Potentials / physiology
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Animals
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Apomorphine / pharmacology
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Behavior, Animal
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Benzazepines / pharmacology
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Biotin / analogs & derivatives
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Biotin / metabolism
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Cell Communication / drug effects
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Cell Communication / physiology*
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Dopamine Agonists / pharmacology
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Dopamine Antagonists / pharmacology
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Dopaminergic Neurons / drug effects
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Dopaminergic Neurons / physiology*
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Escape Reaction / drug effects
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Escape Reaction / physiology*
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Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / pharmacology
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Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / drug effects
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Flufenamic Acid / pharmacology
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Functional Laterality
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Glycyrrhetinic Acid / pharmacology
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Hypothalamus / cytology*
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In Vitro Techniques
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Larva
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Light
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Locomotion / physiology*
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Microscopy, Confocal
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Morpholinos / pharmacology
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Patch-Clamp Techniques
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Photic Stimulation / methods
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Psychoacoustics
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Receptors, Dopamine D1 / physiology
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Signal-To-Noise Ratio
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Time Factors
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Valine / analogs & derivatives
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Valine / pharmacology
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Visual Pathways / drug effects
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Visual Pathways / physiology*
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Zebrafish
Substances
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Benzazepines
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Dopamine Agonists
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Dopamine Antagonists
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Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists
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Morpholinos
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Receptors, Dopamine D1
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SCH 23390
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neurobiotin
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Flufenamic Acid
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6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione
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Biotin
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2-amino-5-phosphopentanoic acid
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Valine
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Apomorphine
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Glycyrrhetinic Acid