Naturalistic behaviors for studying object identification in auditory cortex

Abstract

Localizing and identifying sensory objects while exploring the environment are fundamental brain functions. Yet despite decades of study, we still do not fully understand how auditory cortex neurons represent sound locations, or how those representations are affected by context and behavior. In particular, little is known about brain function when sensory inputs are processed during active sensing. Here, we present results of gerbils, freely moving, performing the Sensory Island Task (SIT). In SIT, animals are free to forage for a specific spot (the island) in the experimental arena which, upon being found, triggers a change in the auditory stimulation location; which animals report by staying within the island for an extended time period, in order to receive a reward. By coupling one of the sound sources to reward delivery, we demonstrate that sound source identity shapes single cell spatial preference in the primary auditory cortex during active navigation. We further showcase other implementations of SIT which enable the study of the neural processes and behaviors underlying active perception in ethologically relevant scenes.