Visual Input Modulates Audiomotor Function via Hypothalamic Dopaminergic Neurons through a Cooperative Mechanism
- Authors
- Mu, Y., Li, X.Q., Zhang, B., and Du, J.L.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-120830-15
- Date
- 2012
- Source
- Neuron 75(4): 688-699 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Du, Jiu Lin, Mu, Yu, Zhang, Bo
- Keywords
- none
- MeSH Terms
-
- 6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione/pharmacology
- Acoustic Stimulation/adverse effects
- Action Potentials/drug effects
- Action Potentials/physiology
- Animals
- PubMed
- 22920259 Full text @ Neuron
Visual cues often modulate auditory signal processing, leading to improved sound detection. However, the synaptic and circuit mechanism underlying this cross-modal modulation remains poorly understood. Using larval zebrafish, we first established a cross-modal behavioral paradigm in which a preceding flash enhances sound-evoked escape behavior, which is known to be executed through auditory afferents (VIIIth nerves) and command-like neurons (Mauthner cells). In vivo recording revealed that the visual enhancement of auditory escape is achieved by increasing sound-evoked Mauthner cell responses. This increase in Mauthner cell responses is accounted for by the increase in the signal-to-noise ratio of sound-evoked VIIIth nerve spiking and efficacy of VIIIth nerve-Mauthner cell synapses. Furthermore, the visual enhancement of Mauthner cell response and escape behavior requires light-responsive dopaminergic neurons in the caudal hypothalamus and D1 dopamine receptor activation. Our findings illustrate a cooperative neural mechanism for visual modulation of audiomotor processing that involves dopaminergic neuromodulation.
