Dataset supporting "Targeted photostimulation uncovers circuit motifs supporting short-term memory"

Dataset supporting paper: "Targeted photostimulation uncovers
circuit motifs supporting short-term memory"
We used two-photon photostimulation and imaging to measure coupling between functionally characterized motor cortex neurons in mice performing a memory guided response task.
Data structure and parameters are described in included data structure file.

Paper Abstract: Short-term memory is associated with persistent neural
activity that is maintained by positive feedback between neurons. To explore
the neural circuit motifs that produce memory-related persistent activity, we
measured coupling between functionally characterized motor cortex neurons, in
mice performing a memory guided response task. Targeted 2-photon
photostimulation of small (< 10) groups of neurons produced sparse calcium
responses in coupled neurons over approximately 100 micrometers. Neurons with similar
task-related selectivity were preferentially coupled. Photostimulating
different groups of neurons modulated activity in different subpopulations of
coupled neurons. Responses of stimulated and coupled neurons persisted for
seconds, far outlasting the duration of the photostimuli. Photostimuli produced
behavioral biases that were predictable based on the selectivity of the
perturbed neuronal population, even though photostimulation preceded the
behavioral response by seconds. Our results suggest that memory-related neural
circuits contain intercalated recurrently connected modules, which can
independently maintain selective persistent activity.