# Thalamic Modulation of Auditory Cortical Processing via LP

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · 2020 · $554,049

## Abstract

Project Summary
In this RO1 renewal application, we will explore functional roles of a higher-order thalamic nucleus,
the lateral posterior nucleus (LP), in auditory cortical processing. LP is a rodent homologue of the
pulvinar nucleus. While previous studies have been mostly focused on involvements of pulvinar
in visual functions, there are salient connections between LP/pulvinar and auditory cortex,
suggesting potential involvements of LP/pulvinar in auditory information processing as well.
However, our knowledge on how LP influences auditory processing in the cortex is lacking.
Recently in our preliminary experiments we observed that LP activity could suppress auditory
responses in the primary auditory cortex (A1) of awake mice. This has prompted us to propose
an extensive investigation into the functional contribution of LP to auditory cortical processing in
A1. In Aim 1, we will perform in vivo recordings from individual neurons in supragranular and
granular layers of A1 in awake mice and examined their auditory response properties before and
after optogenetically inactivation and activation of LP. We will test the hypothesis that LP plays a
role in enhancing auditory processing in A1 through a surround-suppression mechanism. In Aim
2, we will specifically manipulate the activity of the LP to A1 axon terminals either optogenetically
or chemogenetically, and examine A1 neuron cell types that are innervated by the LP-A1
projection. We will test the hypothesis that the LP modulation of A1 responses is primarily
mediated by the LP projection to layer 1 inhibitory neurons. In Aim 3, by manipulating activity of
superior colliculus (SC), we will test the hypothesis that a SC-LP-A1 pathway mediates the
bottom-up suppressive modulation of A1 responses. In addition, it can also mediate a cross-
modality modulation of A1 responses by visual signals. Together, these experiments will enhance
our understanding of functional roles of non-primary sensory thalamic nuclei in general.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10020782
- **Project number:** 5R01DC008983-14
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Li I Zhang
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $554,049
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2007-08-01 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10020782

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10020782, Thalamic Modulation of Auditory Cortical Processing via LP (5R01DC008983-14). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10020782. Licensed CC0.

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