Single neurons and networks in the mouse claustrum integrate input from widespread cortical sources

The claustrum is thought to be one of the most highly interconnected forebrain structures, but its organizing principles have yet to be fully explored at the level of single neurons. Here, we investigated the identity, connectivity, and activity of identified claustrum neurons in Mus musculus to und...

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Main Authors: Andrew M Shelton, David K Oliver, Ivan P Lazarte, Joachim S Grimstvedt, Ishaan Kapoor, Jake A Swann, Caitlin A Ashcroft, Simon N Williams, Niall Conway, Selma Tir, Amy Robinson, Stuart Peirson, Thomas Akam, Clifford G Kentros, Menno P Witter, Simon JB Butt, Adam Max Packer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: eLife Sciences Publications Ltd 2025-07-01
Series:eLife
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Online Access:https://elifesciences.org/articles/98002
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Summary:The claustrum is thought to be one of the most highly interconnected forebrain structures, but its organizing principles have yet to be fully explored at the level of single neurons. Here, we investigated the identity, connectivity, and activity of identified claustrum neurons in Mus musculus to understand how the structure’s unique convergence of input and divergence of output support binding information streams. We found that neurons in the claustrum communicate with each other across efferent projection-defined modules which were differentially innervated by sensory and frontal cortical areas. Individual claustrum neurons were responsive to inputs from more than one cortical region in a cell-type and projection-specific manner, particularly between areas of frontal cortex. In vivo imaging of claustrum axons revealed responses to both unimodal and multimodal sensory stimuli. Finally, chronic claustrum silencing specifically reduced animals’ sensitivity to multimodal stimuli. These findings support the view that the claustrum is a fundamentally integrative structure, consolidating information from around the cortex and redistributing it following local computations.
ISSN:2050-084X