Open AccessDistinct ensembles in the noradrenergic locus coeruleus are associated with diverse cortical states
Author(s) -
Shahryar Noei,
I Zouridis,
Nikos K. Logothetis,
Stefano Panzeri,
NK Totah
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2116507119
Subject(s) - locus coeruleus , optogenetics , neuroscience , local field potential , stimulation , population , biology , nucleus , medicine , environmental health
Significance Brainstem locus coeruleus (LC) noradrenergic neurons produce an arousal-related state characterized by a broadband increase in high-frequency oscillations. This perspective was built upon electrical or optogenetic stimulation that artificially activates LC neurons synchronously. This has led to the conceptual model that LC activation is associated with a single cortical state. Here, we show that natural, spontaneously occurring LC single-unit activity consists of ensembles with largely nonoverlapping activation dynamics. Spontaneous activations of different LC ensembles are associated with different cortical states. Our results suggest that the role of the LC in controlling a single type of cortical state associated with arousal is an oversimplification. Instead, ensembles of LC neurons may control a diverse multitude of cortical states.