Scanned optogenetic control of mammalian somatosensory input to map input-specific behavioral outputs
- University College London, United Kingdom
Abstract
Somatosensory stimuli guide and shape behavior, from immediate protective reflexes to longer-term learning and higher-order processes related to pain and touch. However, somatosensory inputs are challenging to control in awake mammals due to the diversity and nature of contact stimuli. Application of cutaneous stimuli is currently limited to relatively imprecise methods as well as subjective behavioral measures. The strategy we present here overcomes these difficulties, achieving 'remote touch' with spatiotemporally precise and dynamic optogenetic stimulation by projecting light to a small defined area of skin. We mapped behavioral responses in freely behaving mice with specific nociceptor and low-threshold mechanoreceptor inputs. In nociceptors, sparse recruitment of single action potentials shapes rapid protective pain-related behaviors, including coordinated head orientation and body repositioning that depend on the initial body pose. In contrast, activation of low-threshold mechanoreceptors elicited slow-onset behaviors and more subtle whole-body behaviors. The strategy can be used to define specific behavioral repertoires, examine the timing and nature of reflexes, and dissect sensory, motor, cognitive and motivational processes guiding behavior.
Data availability
All components necessary to assemble the optical system are listed in Figure 1 - table 1. A Solidworks assembly, the optical system control and acquisition software and behavioral analysis toolkit are available at https://github.com/browne-lab/throwinglight. The data that support the findings of this study are provided as source data files.
Article and author information
Author details
Ara Schorscher-Petcu
Funding
Wellcome Trust (109372/Z/15/Z)
- Liam E Browne
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
Ethics
Animal experimentation: All animal procedures were approved by University College London ethical review committees and conformed to UK Home Office regulations.
Copyright
© 2021, Schorscher-Petcu et al.
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
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Scanned optogenetic control of mammalian somatosensory input to map input-specific behavioral outputs
eLife 10:e62026.
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.62026
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