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Activity in developing prefrontal cortex is shaped by sleep and sensory experience
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Activity in developing prefrontal cortex is shaped by sleep and sensory experience

Lex J Gómez, James C Dooley and Mark S Blumberg
eLife, Vol.12, e82103
02/06/2023
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.82103
PMCID: PMC9901933
PMID: 36745108
url
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.82103View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

In developing rats, behavioral state exerts a profound modulatory influence on neural activity throughout the sensorimotor system, including primary motor cortex (M1). We hypothesized that similar state-dependent modulation occurs in prefrontal cortical areas with which M1 forms functional connections. Here, using 8- and 12-day-old rats cycling freely between sleep and wake, we record neural activity in M1, secondary motor cortex (M2), and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). At both ages in all three areas, neural activity increased during active sleep (AS) compared with wake. Also, regardless of behavioral state, neural activity in all three areas increased during periods when limbs were moving. The movement-related activity in M2 and mPFC, like that in M1, is driven by sensory feedback. Our results, which diverge from those of previous studies using anesthetized pups, demonstrate that AS-dependent modulation and sensory responsivity extend to prefrontal cortex. These findings expand the range of possible factors shaping the activity-dependent development of higher-order cortical areas.
Animals Motor Cortex Movement Prefrontal Cortex Rats Sleep Sleep, REM

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