Cortical layer 6 control of sensory responses in higher-order thalamus

Key points: Thalamic activity is regulated by corticothalamic feedback from layers 5B and 6. To selectively study the importance of the layer 6 corticothalamic (L6 CT) projection, a transgenic mouse line was used in which layer 6 cells projecting to posterior medial thalamus (POm) were targeted for expression of channelrhodopsin-2. Repetitive optogenetic stimulation of this sub-type of L6 cells caused a rapid adaptation in POm spiking output, but had little effect on the spiking activity in the other cortical layers. L6 photoactivation increased POm spiking to the first, but not to subsequent whisker deflections in a 4 Hz train. A sub-population of L6 CT cells that can cause an initial increase in POm activity, that is not sustained with repetitive stimulation, could indicate that this L6 projection does not modulate ongoing sensory processing, but rather serves to briefly increase POm activity in specific behavioural contexts.

Abstract: Thalamic activity is regulated by corticothalamic feedback from layers 5B and 6. The nature of these feedback systems differs, one difference being that whereas layer 5 provides 'driver' input, the layer 6 input is thought to be 'modulatory'. To selectively study the importance of the layer 6 corticothalamic (L6 CT) projection, a transgenic mouse line was used in which layer 6 cells projecting to posterior medial thalamus (POm) were targeted for expression of channelrhodopsin-2 and in vivo electrophysiology recordings were done in urethane-anaesthetized mice. Pre- and postsynaptic targets were identified using tracing techniques and light-sheet microscopy in cleared intact brains. We find that optogenetic activation of this subtype of L6 CT cells (L6-Drd1) has little effect on cortical activity, but activates POm. Repetitive photoactivation of L6-Drd1 cells evoked a reliable response following every photoactivation, whereas in the connected POm area spiking was only initially increased. The response to repetitive whisker stimulation showed a similar pattern with only an initial increase in whisker-evoked spiking. Furthermore, the increase in whisker-evoked spiking with optogenetic activation of L6-Drd1 cells is additive, rather than multiplicative, causing even cells that in the absence of L6 activation produce relatively few spikes to increase their spiking substantially. We show that layer 6 corticothalamic cells can provide a strong, albeit rapidly depressing, input to POm. This type of cortical L6 activity could be important for rapid gain control in POm, rather than providing a modulation in phase with the whisking cycle.