TY - JOUR T1 - Auditory cortex neurons show task-related and learning-dependent selectivity toward sensory input and reward during the learning process of an associative memory task JF - eneuro JO - eNeuro DO - 10.1523/ENEURO.0046-22.2022 SP - ENEURO.0046-22.2022 AU - Shogo Takamiya AU - Kazuki Shiotani AU - Tomoya Ohnuki AU - Yuma Osako AU - Yuta Tanisumi AU - Shoko Yuki AU - Hiroyuki Manabe AU - Junya Hirokawa AU - Yoshio Sakurai Y1 - 2022/05/12 UR - http://www.eneuro.org/content/early/2022/05/12/ENEURO.0046-22.2022.abstract N2 - The activity of primary auditory cortex (A1) neurons is modulated not only by sensory inputs but also by other task-related variables in associative learning. However, it is unclear how A1 neural activity changes dynamically in response to these variables during the learning process of associative memory tasks. Therefore, we developed an associative memory task using auditory stimuli in rats. In this task, rats were required to associate tone frequencies (high and low) with a choice of ports (right or left) to obtain a reward. The activity of A1 neurons in the rats during the learning process of the task was recorded. A1 neurons increased their firing rates either when the rats were presented with a high or low tone (frequency-selective cells) before they chose either the left or right port (choice-direction cells), or when they received a reward after choosing either the left or right port (reward-direction cells). Furthermore, the proportion of frequency-selective cells and reward-direction cells increased with task acquisition and reached the maximum level in the last stage of learning. These results suggest that A1 neurons have task- and learning-dependent selectivity toward sensory input and reward when auditory tones and behavioral responses are gradually associated during task training. This selective activity of A1 neurons may facilitate the formation of associations, leading to the consolidation of associative memory.Significance StatementThe activity of the primary auditory cortex (A1) neurons is modulated not only by sensory inputs but also by other task-related variables in associative learning. However, it is unclear how A1 neural activity changes dynamically in response to these variables during the learning processes of associative memory tasks. This study showed that neurons in A1 have the task-related and learning-dependent selectivity toward sensory inputs and rewards when auditory tones and behavioral responses are gradually associated during the training of an associative memory task. We conclude that this selective activity of A1 neurons might facilitate the formation of associations, leading to the consolidation of associative memory. ER -