Sound induces change in orientation preference of V1 neurons: Audio-visual cross-influence

Abstract

In the cortex, demarcated unimodal sensory regions often respond to unforeseen sensory stimuli and exhibit plasticity. The goal of the current investigation was to test evoked responses of primary visual cortex (V1) neurons when an adapting auditory stimulus is applied in isolation. Using extracellular recordings in anesthetized cats, we demonstrate that, unlike the prevailing observation of only slight modulations in the firing rates of the neurons, sound imposition in isolation entirely shifted the peaks of orientation tuning curves of neurons in both supra- and infragranular layers of V1. Our results suggest that neurons specific to either layer dynamically integrate features of sound and modify the organization of the orientation map of V1. Intriguingly, these experiments present novel findings that the mere presentation of a prolonged auditory stimulus may drastically recalibrate the tuning properties of the visual neurons and highlight the phenomenal neuroplasticity of V1 neurons.\n\nHighlightsO_LIProlonged application of sound shifts preferred orientation of neurons in area 17 of cats.\nC_LIO_LIOrientation tuning shifts in the individual neurons in supra- and infragranular layers of V1.\nC_LIO_LISupra- and infragranular layers of V1 operate together but also as distinct compartments following sound adaptation.\nC_LIO_LIVisual cortex is specifically and dynamically impacted by non-visual stimuli.\nC_LIO_LISound adaptation certainly modifies the organization of orientation maps in V1.\nC_LI