# Functional implications of a patch/matrix-like compartmental organization in the mouse inferior colliculus

> **NIH NIH F32** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2021 · $73,103

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
A major unresolved question in systems neuroscience is whether specialized anatomical structures support
specific functions in behavior. Therefore, this proposal will bridge the gap between anatomical circuit diagrams
and their predicted functional roles. Specifically, it will address the functional consequences of the
patch/matrix-like “modular” anatomical organization that has recently been characterized in the inferior
colliculus. This acoustico-motor nucleus can be subdivided into modular regions, characterized by high density
staining for GAD67 and other neurochemical markers, and extramodular regions that express calretinin. These
neurochemical divisions also correlate with differences in connectivity; for example, modular regions of the
lateral cortex receive input from somatosensory and motor structures, such as the dorsal column nuclei and
somatosensory and motor cortices, while extramodular areas receive auditory inputs from the auditory cortex
and other regions of the inferior colliculus. It is presently unknown whether this structural compartmentalization
gives rise to segregated streams for distinct types of information processing, as is seen in the patch/matrix
system in the striatum. Therefore, the goal of this proposal is to determine whether the modularity of the lateral
cortex is conserved at the functional level, thus giving rise to complementary processing zones with distinct
roles in acoustico-motor behavior. Two main hypotheses will be explored: 1) that auditory and somato-motor
signals activate distinct populations of cells in the lateral cortex, and 2) that modular zones serve as
somatosensory-driven gating regions for auditory information. These hypotheses will be tested using a
combination of two-photon calcium imaging, clustering analysis, optogenetics, and behavior. Cells in modular
and extramodular regions of the lateral cortex will be imaged in response to acoustic or somato-motor stimuli,
and clustering analysis will be used to determine whether the populations of neurons activated by each
modality form distinct groups. To determine whether somatosensory-recipient cells in modular regions of the
lateral cortex gate auditory responses, this pathway will be selectively manipulated while mice perform a two-
alternative unforced-choice sound localization task. The effect of optical activation and inhibition of the
somatosensory inputs on sound detection behavior will be assessed. The experiments outlined above will
further characterize the functional organization and behavioral relevance of the lateral cortex, which could have
important implications for both normal and pathological hearing. Furthermore, these experiments may reveal
generalizable principles regarding modular architectures, which could provide insights into other modular
structures, such as the striatum.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10220679
- **Project number:** 5F32MH120890-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Alexandria Marie Lesicko
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $73,103
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-06 → 2023-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10220679

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10220679, Functional implications of a patch/matrix-like compartmental organization in the mouse inferior colliculus (5F32MH120890-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10220679. Licensed CC0.

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