Vocal production differentially affects fast- and broad-spiking neurons in auditory cortex

Abstract

Vocalization, foundational for information exchange in animals, is supported by vocalization-modulated neurons that occur across species and brain areas. These neurons are typically studied in an undifferentiated manner, despite the heterogeneous nature of the cortical circuitry regarding cell types. Overlooking this diversity risks producing incomplete models of cortical function. Here, we address this challenge by studying large-scale, cell-type specific auditory cortical activity during vocalization in the bat Carollia perspicillata, a vocal specialist. We discovered that vocalisation-related modulatory effects in the auditory cortex, a critical attribute of the underlying circuit, differ starkly between putative inhibitory and pyramidal neurons. During calling, novel cell assemblies and temporal spiking patterns emerge wherein inhibitory cells play a pivotal role. Further, vocalization-specific neural decorrelations affect inhibitory cells most strongly. Together, these results demonstrate that vocalization-related neuronal activity is cell-type specific at the single- and multi-cellular levels of cortical organisation and highlight the importance of inhibitory neurons for auditory cortical dynamics during vocal production.