Long-lasting, subtype-specific regulation of somatostatin interneurons during sensory learning

Somatostatin (SST)-expressing inhibitory neurons are a major class of neocortical gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) neurons, where morphological, electrophysiological, and transcriptomic analyses indicate more than a dozen different subtypes. However, whether this diversity is related to specific roles in cortical computations and plasticity remains unclear. Here we identify learning-dependent, subtype-specific plasticity in layer 2/3 somatostatin neurons of the mouse somatosensory cortex. Martinotti-type, somatostatin neurons expressing calbindin-2 show a selective decrease in excitatory synaptic input and stimulus-evoked calcium responses as mice learn a stimulus-reward association. Using these insights, we develop a label-free classifier using basal activity from in vivo imaging that accurately predicts learning-associated response plasticity. Our data indicate that molecularly-defined SST neuron subtypes play specific and highly-regulated roles in sensory information processing and learning. Methods Data were collected through different experimental preparations. Figures 1, 3, and 4 use calcium imaging data. Figure 2 uses confocal fluorescence imaging data processed through the image analysis program Imaris 8.4.1.