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Abstract #5401

Low frequency activity from somatosensory thalamus propagates brain-wide and modulates top-down visual processing

Alex T. L. Leong1,2, Russell W. Chan1,2, Xunda Wang1,2, Celia M. Dong1,2, Leon C. Ho1,2, and Ed X. Wu1,2

1Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Signal Processing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Top-down/descending control is a critical stage in sensory processing that underlies numerous cognitive processes. Recent studies uncovered the prevalence of converging long-range networks across multiple sensory modalities as anatomical substrates that likely mediate sensory top-down control. Using an optogenetic fMRI technique that we recently developed to examine patterns of large-scale brain-wide interactions mediated by the somatosensory thalamo-cortical network, we demonstrated that propagating low frequency activity (~1Hz) underlying such interactions enhanced visual responses in the superior colliculus. This work presents a new approach to investigate the functional roles of top-down control and their underlying brain mechanisms.

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