Calcium imaging in visual cortex during fidget behaviors in mice

Multiple recent studies have shown that motor activity greatly impacts the
activity of primary sensory areas like V1. Yet, the role of this motor
related activity in sensory processing is still unclear.  Here we
dissect how these behavior signals are broadcast to different layers and
areas of the visual cortex. To do so, we leveraged a standardized and
spontaneous behavioral fidget event in passively viewing mice.
Importantly, this behavior event had no relevance to any ongoing task
allowing us to compare its neuronal correlates with visually relevant
behaviors (e.g running).  A large two-photon Ca2+ imaging
database of neuronal responses uncovered four neural response types during
fidgets that were consistent in their proportion and response patterns
across all visual areas and layers of the visual cortex. Indeed, the layer
and area identity could not be decoded above chance level based only on
neuronal recordings. In contrast to running behavior, fidget evoked neural
responses that were independent to visual processing.  The broad
availability of visually orthogonal standardized behavior signals could be
a key component in how the cortex selects, learns and binds local sensory
information with motor outputs. Contrary to behaviorally relevant motor
outputs, irrelevant motor signals could project to separate local neural
subspaces.