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Whisking signals motor preparation and the behavioral state of mice

Sina E. Dominiak, Mostafa A. Nashaat, Keisuke Sehara, Hatem Oraby, Matthew E. Larkum, View ORCID ProfileRobert N.S. Sachdev
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/568030
Sina E. Dominiak
Institut für Biologie, Neurocure Center for Excellence, Chariteplatz 1 / Virchowweg 6, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin & Humboldt Universität, Berlin, 10117 Germany
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Mostafa A. Nashaat
Institut für Biologie, Neurocure Center for Excellence, Chariteplatz 1 / Virchowweg 6, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin & Humboldt Universität, Berlin, 10117 Germany
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Keisuke Sehara
Institut für Biologie, Neurocure Center for Excellence, Chariteplatz 1 / Virchowweg 6, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin & Humboldt Universität, Berlin, 10117 Germany
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Hatem Oraby
Institut für Biologie, Neurocure Center for Excellence, Chariteplatz 1 / Virchowweg 6, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin & Humboldt Universität, Berlin, 10117 Germany
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Matthew E. Larkum
Institut für Biologie, Neurocure Center for Excellence, Chariteplatz 1 / Virchowweg 6, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin & Humboldt Universität, Berlin, 10117 Germany
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Robert N.S. Sachdev
Institut für Biologie, Neurocure Center for Excellence, Chariteplatz 1 / Virchowweg 6, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin & Humboldt Universität, Berlin, 10117 Germany
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  • ORCID record for Robert N.S. Sachdev
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Abstract

A central function of the brain is to plan, predict and imagine the effect of movement in a dynamically changing environment. Here we show that the position of the vibrissae, sets of mobile tactile sensors on each side of the face, reflects the behavioral state and predicts the movement of mice, head-fixed in a plus-maze floating on air. Whisker position and whisking as well as nose position signal whether the animal is moving backward or forward, turning right or left, standing still or moving, expecting reward or licking. Surprisingly, the relationship between bilateral whisker position and behavioral state has little to do with tactile input from the whiskers. Thus, in addition to a tactile exploratory function, these mobile sensors on the face of a mouse signal the behavioral and motor preparation state of the animal.

Footnotes

  • Lead Contact: Robert Sachdev

  • Additional Information: The following funding sources have supported this project: 1) Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Grant No. 2112280105 to MEL; Grant No. LA 3442/3-1 & Grant No. LA 3442/5-1 to MEL) 2) European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program and Euratom research and training program 2014–2018 (under grant agreement No. 670118 to MEL). 3) Human Brain Project (EU Grant 720270, HBP SGA1 & SGA2, ‘Context-sensitive Multisensory Object Recognition: A Deep Network Model Constrained by Multi-Level, Multi-Species Data to MEL). 4) Einstein Stiftung.

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The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission.
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Posted March 07, 2019.
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Whisking signals motor preparation and the behavioral state of mice
Sina E. Dominiak, Mostafa A. Nashaat, Keisuke Sehara, Hatem Oraby, Matthew E. Larkum, Robert N.S. Sachdev
bioRxiv 568030; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/568030
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Whisking signals motor preparation and the behavioral state of mice
Sina E. Dominiak, Mostafa A. Nashaat, Keisuke Sehara, Hatem Oraby, Matthew E. Larkum, Robert N.S. Sachdev
bioRxiv 568030; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/568030

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