Figure 7.

Tactile-Evoked Forepaw Movements Are Signaled by L5 Neurons

(A) Mean V_m tactile-evoked responses with corresponding digit movement (green) and PSTHs from an L2/3 (red, top) and an L5 (blue, bottom) neuron in resting, quiet mice that showed no behavioral response (left, quiet-quiet [QQ]) or a short-latency digit movement following the stimulus (right, quiet-movement [QM]).

(B) Grand average tactile-evoked responses from all L2/3 and L5 neurons during QQ and QM trials.

(C) Population PSTHs of firing rates in L2/3 and L5 neurons following tactile stimulation in QQ and QM trials. Note that only L5 neurons show an evoked spiking response in the later phase (300–400 ms after stimulus onset).

(D) The amplitude of the V_m response to tactile stimulation is significantly larger for QM trials than in QQ trials in both L2/3 and L5 neurons. Filled circles with error bars show mean ± SEM. Lines show individual cells.

(E) The mean V_m in the 100 ms before stimulus onset is more hyperpolarized in QM trials than QQ trials in L5, but not in L2/3 neurons.

(F) The mean V_m in the late phase (300–400 ms following tactile stimulation) is significantly more depolarized after a QM trial than a QQ trial in both layers.

(G) Significant increase (background subtracted) in AP firing rates in QM trials as compared to QQ trials in the late phase (300–400 ms following tactile stimulation) in L5 neurons, but not in L2/3 neurons.

For all panels, ^∗p < 0.05, ^∗∗p < 0.01, and ^∗∗∗p < 0.001.