Figure 1. Target-specific V_m dynamics in S1 projection neurons during task performance.

(A) Top, the experimental setup. Bottom, a representative two-photon image of a CTB-labeled M1-p neuron (green) with a recording pipette (red). (B) Detection task trial structure (FA: false alarm, CR: correct rejection). (C) Behavioral performance during whole-cell recordings (HR: hit rates, FAR: false alarm rates, GP: ‘Good performer’, N: ‘Naive’). (D, E) Left, grand average changes in V_m (thick line: mean, thin lines: ± sem) and action potential (AP) firing rate for hit trials recorded from S2-p neurons (red) and M1-p neurons (blue) in ‘Good performer’ (D) and ‘Naive’ (E) mice (Arrow: 1 ms stimulation of the C2 whisker). A box plot indicates reaction time (1st lick). Right, box plots for postsynaptic potential (PSP) amplitude, secondary late V_m depolarization quantified at 0.05–0.25 s, V_m depolarization during the lick period (at 0.25–1.0 s), and evoked AP rates at early (0–0.05 s), late (0.05–0.25 s) and lick (0.25–1.0 s) periods.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.15798.003

Figure 1—figure supplement 1. Hit V_m traces from S1 projection neurons in ‘Good performer’ mice.

(A) Left and middle, example V_m traces obtained from two individual S2-p neurons on two representative hit trials. Right, the averaged subthreshold V_m trace is superimposed with individual traces. APs are truncated. PSTHs for corresponding AP rates and the distribution of the first lick timings are also shown. (B) Same as A, but for M1-p neurons.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.15798.007

Figure 1—figure supplement 2. Hit V_m traces from S1 projection neurons in ‘Naive’ mice.

(A) Left and middle, example V_m traces obtained from two individual S2-p neurons on two representative hit trials. Right, the averaged subthreshold V_m trace is superimposed with individual traces. APs are truncated. PSTHs for corresponding AP rates and the distribution of the first lick timings are also shown. (B) Same as A, but for M1-p neurons.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.15798.008

Figure 1—figure supplement 3. Average hit V_m traces and PSTHs.

(A) Average hit V_m traces obtained from individual cells (thin lines) from S2-p (left) and M1-p (right) neurons of ‘Good performer’ mice. The grand average V_m traces (thick lines) are superimposed. The dotted line indicates the stimulus onset. (B) Left, grand average of subthreshold responses from S2-p (red) and M1-p (blue) neurons are shown at high temporal resolution (superimposed with the baseline V_m subtracted). An arrow indicates the onset of whisker stimulation. Middle, grand average PSTHs at high temporal resolution with the baseline AP rates subtracted. Time 0 is the onset of whisker stimulation. Right, quantification of evoked AP rate at initial 20 ms after whisker deflection. (C and D) Same as A and B, but for ‘Naive’ mice. (E) Quantification of △V_m and △AP rate at 0.05 – 0.35 s and 0.35 – 1.0 s on hit trials in ‘Naive’ mice. (F) PSP amplitude, V_m depolarization at the late (0.05–0.25 s) and lick (0.25 – 1.0 s) periods and evoked AP rates at early (0 – 0.05 s), late (0.05 – 0.25 s) and lick (0.25 – 1.0 s) periods were analyzed on a mouse-by-mouse basis for ‘Good performer’ mice (n = 9 mice for M1-p neurons; n = 17 mice for S2-p neurons). (G) Same as F, but for ‘Naive’ mice (n = 6 mice for M1-p neurons; n = 9 mice for S2-p neurons).

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.15798.009

Figure 1—figure supplement 4. Target-specific changes of hit responses with task learning.

(A and B) Left, grand average changes in V_m (thick line: mean, thin lines: ± sem) and AP rate for hit trials recorded from S2-p neurons (A) and M1-p neurons (B) in ‘Good performer’ (colored) and ‘Naive’ (black) mice (Arrow: 1 ms stimulation of the C2 whisker). Right, box plots for PSP amplitude, V_m depolarization at the late (0.05–0.25 s) and lick (0.25 – 1.0 s) periods and evoked AP rates at early (0 – 0.05 s), late (0.05 – 0.25 s) and lick (0.25 – 1.0 s) periods.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.15798.010