Microprism-based two-photon imaging of the mouse inferior colliculus reveals novel organizational principles of the auditory midbrain

To navigate real-world listening conditions, the auditory system relies on the integration of multiple sources of information. However, to avoid inappropriate cross-talk between inputs, highly connected neural systems need to strike a balance between integration and segregation. Here, we develop a n...

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Main Authors: Baher A Ibrahim, Yoshitaka Shinagawa, Austin Douglas, Gang Xiao, Alexander R Asilador, Daniel A Llano
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: eLife Sciences Publications Ltd 2025-03-01
Series:eLife
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Online Access:https://elifesciences.org/articles/93063
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author Baher A Ibrahim
Yoshitaka Shinagawa
Austin Douglas
Gang Xiao
Alexander R Asilador
Daniel A Llano
author_facet Baher A Ibrahim
Yoshitaka Shinagawa
Austin Douglas
Gang Xiao
Alexander R Asilador
Daniel A Llano
author_sort Baher A Ibrahim
collection DOAJ
description To navigate real-world listening conditions, the auditory system relies on the integration of multiple sources of information. However, to avoid inappropriate cross-talk between inputs, highly connected neural systems need to strike a balance between integration and segregation. Here, we develop a novel approach to examine how repeated neurochemical modules in the mouse inferior colliculus lateral cortex (LC) allow controlled integration of its multimodal inputs. The LC had been impossible to study via imaging because it is buried in a sulcus. Therefore, we coupled two-photon microscopy with the use of a microprism to reveal the first-ever sagittal views of the LC to examine neuronal responses with respect to its neurochemical motifs under anesthetized and awake conditions. This approach revealed marked differences in the acoustic response properties of LC and neighboring non-lemniscal portions of the inferior colliculus. In addition, we observed that the module and matrix cellular motifs of the LC displayed distinct somatosensory and auditory responses. Specifically, neurons in modules demonstrated primarily offset responses to acoustic stimuli with enhancement in responses to bimodal stimuli, whereas matrix neurons showed onset response to acoustic stimuli and suppressed responses to bimodal stimulation. Thus, this new approach revealed that the repeated structural motifs of the LC permit functional integration of multimodal inputs while retaining distinct response properties.
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spelling doaj-art-bd2a5634b63d4ec49aeb19762adbb6822025-08-20T02:06:35ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2025-03-011210.7554/eLife.93063Microprism-based two-photon imaging of the mouse inferior colliculus reveals novel organizational principles of the auditory midbrainBaher A Ibrahim0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0062-7589Yoshitaka Shinagawa1Austin Douglas2Gang Xiao3Alexander R Asilador4Daniel A Llano5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0933-1837Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, United States; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, United StatesDepartment of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, United States; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, United StatesSchool of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United StatesDepartment of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, United States; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, United States; Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United StatesBeckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, United States; School of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States; Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United StatesDepartment of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, United States; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, United States; School of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States; Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States; Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United StatesTo navigate real-world listening conditions, the auditory system relies on the integration of multiple sources of information. However, to avoid inappropriate cross-talk between inputs, highly connected neural systems need to strike a balance between integration and segregation. Here, we develop a novel approach to examine how repeated neurochemical modules in the mouse inferior colliculus lateral cortex (LC) allow controlled integration of its multimodal inputs. The LC had been impossible to study via imaging because it is buried in a sulcus. Therefore, we coupled two-photon microscopy with the use of a microprism to reveal the first-ever sagittal views of the LC to examine neuronal responses with respect to its neurochemical motifs under anesthetized and awake conditions. This approach revealed marked differences in the acoustic response properties of LC and neighboring non-lemniscal portions of the inferior colliculus. In addition, we observed that the module and matrix cellular motifs of the LC displayed distinct somatosensory and auditory responses. Specifically, neurons in modules demonstrated primarily offset responses to acoustic stimuli with enhancement in responses to bimodal stimuli, whereas matrix neurons showed onset response to acoustic stimuli and suppressed responses to bimodal stimulation. Thus, this new approach revealed that the repeated structural motifs of the LC permit functional integration of multimodal inputs while retaining distinct response properties.https://elifesciences.org/articles/93063inferior colliculusmidbrainauditorymultiphotontwo-photon
spellingShingle Baher A Ibrahim
Yoshitaka Shinagawa
Austin Douglas
Gang Xiao
Alexander R Asilador
Daniel A Llano
Microprism-based two-photon imaging of the mouse inferior colliculus reveals novel organizational principles of the auditory midbrain
eLife
inferior colliculus
midbrain
auditory
multiphoton
two-photon
title Microprism-based two-photon imaging of the mouse inferior colliculus reveals novel organizational principles of the auditory midbrain
title_full Microprism-based two-photon imaging of the mouse inferior colliculus reveals novel organizational principles of the auditory midbrain
title_fullStr Microprism-based two-photon imaging of the mouse inferior colliculus reveals novel organizational principles of the auditory midbrain
title_full_unstemmed Microprism-based two-photon imaging of the mouse inferior colliculus reveals novel organizational principles of the auditory midbrain
title_short Microprism-based two-photon imaging of the mouse inferior colliculus reveals novel organizational principles of the auditory midbrain
title_sort microprism based two photon imaging of the mouse inferior colliculus reveals novel organizational principles of the auditory midbrain
topic inferior colliculus
midbrain
auditory
multiphoton
two-photon
url https://elifesciences.org/articles/93063
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