DOI: 10.5061/dryad.jh9w0vtq9
title: Data from: Auditory sensory processing induces cortical and thalamic event-related desynchronization in the mouse

description: Studies of human perception have shown early cortical signals for primary
 information encoding, and later signals for higher order processing. An
 important late signal is the cortical event-related desynchronization
 (ERD) in the alpha (8-12Hz) and beta (12-30Hz) frequency band, which has
 been linked to human perceptual awareness. Detailed mechanistic
 investigation of the ERD would be greatly facilitated by availability of a
 suitable animal model. We conducted local field potential recordings in
 the mouse frontal association cortex (FrA), thalamic intralaminar
 centrolateral nucleus (CL), primary auditory cortex (A1), and primary
 visual cortex (V1) during two auditory tasks. Fully audible brief 50 ms
 stimuli with both tasks produced early broadband gamma (30-100Hz)
 frequency activity at 0-250ms, followed by a late cortical alpha/beta ERD
 250 – 750 ms after stimulus onset. The ERD was statistically significant
 in FrA and A1, but not in V1. Interestingly, a significant ERD was also
 observed in thalamic CL. The magnitude of the ERD at full stimulus
 intensity, and the slope of the relationship between stimulus intensity
 versus ERD magnitude, were both largest in FrA, and smaller in CL and A1.
 Conversely, for early broadband gamma activity the magnitude at full
 intensity and slopes were largest in A1, smaller in CL and smaller still
 in FrA. These findings strongly support mice as a promising platform for
 further investigation of the ERD to better understand the origin and
 function of this robust yet understudied electrophysiological phenomenon.
description: # Data from: Auditory sensory processing induces cortical and thalamic
 event-related desynchronization in the mouse This repository contains the
 complete, unprocessed dataset underlying the publication: McGill, S. H.,
 Xin, Q., Yadav, T., Zhao, C. W., Paszkowski, P., Darby, F., Guha, M.,
 Nguyen, T., Jin, D. S., Nir, Y., Liu, J., Sieu, L-A., & Blumenfeld, H.
 (2025). Auditory sensory processing induces cortical and thalamic
 event-related desynchronization in the mouse. PLOS ONE, 20(10), e0334293.
 [https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0334293](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0334293) The repository archives all raw behavioral, electrophysiological, histological, and metadata files associated with this study, organized for transparency and reuse in accordance with best-practice guidelines of Dryad and PLOS One. ## 1. Overview The study investigated neural correlates of auditory processing in mice by recording local field potentials (LFPs) from the frontal association cortex (FrA), centrolateral thalamic nucleus (CL), primary auditory cortex (A1), and primary visual cortex (V1) during passive listening and go/no-go auditory discrimination tasks. Mice exhibited early broadband gamma activity (0–250 ms) followed by late alpha/beta event-related desynchronizations (ERDs) (250–750 ms) in cortical and thalamic regions. These observations are analogous to phenomena previously observed in humans. The data in this repository consists of: * Automated behavioral session outputs (`.txt`): trial-level records of task performance and related parameters * Electrophysiological recordings (`.smrx`, `.s2rx`): raw LFP data acquired with Spike2 alongside key data associated with animal behavior * Histological images (`.jpg`,`.png`,`.tif`): microscope images verifying electrode placements * Individual animal datasheets (`.xlsx`): metadata tables summarizing implant maps, water restriction weights, and session notes All compressed archives are provided in `.zip` format and can be extracted using native OS utilities or the open-source tool [7-Zip](https://www.7-zip.org/). ## 2. Data Collection and Experimental Design The data in this repository were collected from thirty-two C57Bl/6 mice (sixteen male and sixteen female) between two and six months of age. Neural activity was recorded from four regions of interest: the frontal association cortex (FrA), primary auditory cortex (A1), primary visual cortex (V1), and centrolateral thalamic nucleus (CL). During data collection, the animals participated in two behavioral paradigms: a passive listening task and an auditory Go/No-Go lick-response task. Auditory stimuli consisted of 50-millisecond complex chords spanning frequencies from 4 to 20 kHz. These sounds were presented at variable amplitudes superimposed on a white-noise background (63.5 dB baseline; 65.7 dB maximum). Local field potentials were acquired using a CED Micro1401-4 data acquisition unit at a sampling rate of 1 kHz, with signals low-pass filtered at 100 Hz. All analyses described in the accompanying manuscript were performed in MATLAB R2023b. The dataset supports replication of the published results, including time–frequency spectrogram generation, cluster-based permutation testing, power spectral density (PSD) analyses across early (0–250 ms) and late (250–750 ms) post-stimulus windows, and regression analyses relating stimulus intensity to LFP power within defined frequency bands. ## 3. Repository Structure Each major data category for each mouse is stored in a separate compressed archive. Except for the consolidated `Animal_Datasheets.zip`, each archive corresponds to a single experimental subject. | Archive Name | Organizational Scope | Primary Contents | File Types | Notes | | ---------------------------------- | -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `*_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip` | Per animal | Text exports generated automatically by the behavioral control program, organized by training/testing session | `.txt` | Each archive contains both session results and session settings files for each session | | `*_Spike2_Recordings.zip` | Per animal | Continuous electrophysiological recordings and corresponding acquisition settings | `.smrx`, `.s2rx` | Each recording also stores electrical outputs of the behavioral testing apparatus including audio for temporal alignment of events with LFP channels | | `*_Histology_Slides.zip` | Per animal | Microscope images documenting electrode placement | `.jpg`, `.png`, `.tif` | Each image corresponds to one slide and includes up to eight coronal brain sections | | `Animal_Datasheets.zip` | All animals | Reference spreadsheets summarizing metadata for every implanted subject | `.xlsx` | Contains electrode patch configurations, animal weights during water restriction, and qualitative notes. | File names within each archive follow standardized conventions described in Section 4. ## 4. Archive Contents and File Naming Conventions ### 4.1 Behavioral Session Results Each behavioral session dataset is stored within an archive named according to the convention `AnimalName_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip`. Within each archive, two types of text files are included for every behavioral session: a session results file and a session settings file. The session results files follow the naming pattern of `AnimalName_SessionDate_session_results[_SessionNumber].txt`, while the session settings files follow the corresponding pattern `AnimalName_SessionDate_session_settings[_SessionNumber].txt`. Each results-settings pair represents a single behavioral session. If multiple sessions were conducted on the same day, the ordinal value appended as `_SessionNumber` distinguishes them. For the first session of each day, this identifier is omitted. #### 4.1.1 Session Results (`.txt`) The session results files are tab-delimited text tables in which each row represents a single behavioral trial and each column corresponds to a recorded variable or parameter. These files can be opened using most standard spreadsheet or data-analysis programs, including Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice Calc, MATLAB, or R. The table below summarizes the key variables contained within the session results files and provides brief descriptions and examples of their contents: | Variable | Description | Example | | ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------- | | `Trial_Number` | Sequential index identifying each trial within the session | 1, 2, 3… | | `Trial_Type` | Trial category indicating whether a stimulus was presented (`Stimulus`), omitted (`Catch`), or delivered at perithreshold intensity (`Threshold`) | "Stimulus" | | `StimulusPhase_sound_volume` | Scalar multiplier defining the relative amplitude of the auditory stimulus | 0.05 | | `LickAllowedPhase_Response` | Recorded mouse response, indicating whether a lick was detected (`R`) or absent (`None`) | "R" | #### 4.1.2 Session Settings (`.txt`) The session settings files contain newline-delimited key–value pairs that specify the parameters used to configure each behavioral session. These parameters define how the session was administered, including the task type, reward limits, and maximum duration. The files can be opened and read in any text editor or parsed programmatically using standard data-processing tools. The table below summarizes the principal parameters included in the session settings files, along with brief descriptions and representative examples: | Key | Description | Example | | -------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------- | | `Session_Type` | String identifier of passive listening (`Passive_Listening_Task`) or go/no-go sessions (`Simple_Auditory_Session_Stage_N`) | "Simple\_Auditory\_Session\_Stage\_4" | | `Max_Rewards` | Indicates the maximum number of rewards available to the mouse during the session | 128 | | `Max_Time` | Defines the maximum allowed session duration in seconds before automatic termination | 1800 | #### 4.1.3 List of All Associated Archives * Alluring_Siren_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Ambassador_Oak_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Breathless_Knight_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Charmbreaker_Devil_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Cramped_Bunker_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Cunning_Lethemancer_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Downhill_Charge_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Drogskol_Reaver_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Fart_Mouse_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Filigree_Familiar_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Gearshift_Ace_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Geyserfield_Stalker_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Grim_Flayer_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Harvest_Season_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Humble_Budoka_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Impelled_Giant_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Jade_Guardian_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Jirana_Kudro_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Kessig_Naturalist_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Killer_Service_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Lathnu_Hellion_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Lore_Drakkis_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Molten_Tributary_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Neurok_Transmuter_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Oakgnarl_Warrior_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Phantasmagorian_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Reliquary_Tower_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Serum_Sovereign_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Setessan_Skirmisher_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Simic_Fluxmage_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Tangled_Kelp_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip * Voldaren_Thrillseeker_Behavioral_Session_Results.zip ### 4.2 Spike2 Recordings Each electrophysiological dataset is contained within an archive named according to the convention `AnimalName_Spike2_Recordings.zip`. Within each archive, there are two files for every recording session: a data file (`.smrx`) and a corresponding settings file (`.s2rx`). The data files follow the naming pattern `AnimalName_SessionDate[_SessionNumber].smrx`, while the settings files follow the corresponding pattern `AnimalName_SessionDate[_SessionNumber].s2rx`. Each file pair represents a single recording session, and the optional `_SessionNumber` field is included only when multiple sessions occurred on the same day. The `.smrx data` files contain multichannel recordings collected using Spike2 acquisition software. Each channel represents a specific signal source, as summarized in the table below. | Channel | Label | Signal Source | | ------- | ---------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | 1–3 | `LFP1Low`, `LFP2Low`, `LFP3Low` | Low-pass–filtered local field potentials (LFPs) | | 4–6 | `LFP1Full`, `LFP2Full`, `LFP3Full` | Unfiltered local field potentials recorded from the same electrodes as channels 1–3 | | 7 | `Camera` | TTL pulses marking the onset and offset of each camera frame | | 8 | `Wheel` | Continuous analog signal representing the rotation angle of the running wheel | | 10 | `Lick` | TTL pulses generated by the lick sensor upon contact detection | | 11 | `Reward` | TTL pulses indicating the timing of water reward delivery | | 12 | `Light` | Binary signal denoting the state of the punishment light (high = on, low = off) | | 13 | `Audio` | Analog waveform corresponding to the auditory stimulus presented during each trial | | 14 | `Motor` | TTL signal indicating activation of the lick-port motor mechanism | | 15 | `SigOut` | Encoded digital signal used to mark transitions between behavioral phases (e.g. stimulus, lick, punishment, delay) and to store session metadata | Channels 1 and 4, 2 and 5, and 3 and 6 represent the same electrodes recorded after and before analog low-pass filtering, respectively. The `SigOut` channel additionally records extended high and low pulses to mark key events, including the start of each session and transitions between behavioral states. The `.smrx` and `.s2rx` files can be opened using the proprietary Spike2 software developed by Cambridge Electronic Design (CED). For users seeking open-source alternatives, CED provides freely available MATLAB and Python libraries capable of reading and processing these file types, which can be downloaded at [https://ced.co.uk/downloads/latestsoftware](https://ced.co.uk/downloads/latestsoftware). #### 4.2.1 List of All Associated Archives * Alluring_Siren_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Ambassador_Oak_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Breathless_Knight_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Charmbreaker_Devil_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Cramped_Bunker_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Cunning_Lethemancer_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Downhill_Charge_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Drogskol_Reaver_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Fart_Mouse_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Filigree_Familiar_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Gearshift_Ace_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Geyserfield_Stalker_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Grim_Flayer_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Harvest_Season_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Humble_Budoka_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Impelled_Giant_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Jade_Guardian_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Jirana_Kudro_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Kessig_Naturalist_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Killer_Service_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Lathnu_Hellionn_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Lore_Drakkis_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Molten_Tributary_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Neurok_Transmuter_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Oakgnarl_Warrior_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Phantasmagorian_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Reliquary_Tower_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Setessan_Skirmisher_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Serum_Sovereign_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Simic_Fluxmage_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Tangled_Kelp_Spike2_Recordings.zip * Voldaren_Thrillseeker_Spike2_Recordings.zip ### 4.3 Histology Slides Each set of histological images is contained within an archive named according to the format `AnimalName_Histology_Slides.zip`. Within each archive, individual image files are labeled according to one of two naming conventions: either `AnimalName_FileCreationDate_SliceRegion_SlideNumber` or, in some cases, `AnimalName_FileCreationDate_SlideNumber`. Both formats reflect the labels written directly on the physical glass slides from which the images were derived. In the first convention, the `SliceRegion` field identifies the approximate brain region or electrode site represented in the image. The following codes are used to indicate these regions: | Code | Brain Region / Electrode Site | | ---- | ------------------------------ | | CL | Centrolateral thalamic nucleus | | AUD | Primary auditory cortex | | VIS | Primary visual cortex | | FRA | Frontal association cortex | | GND | Ground screw reference | Each image file, typically in `.jpg`, `.png`, or `.tif` format, contains up to eight coronal brain sections captured from a single glass slide. The images were acquired using a Leica DM6 B microscope and stitched together using Leica’s LAS-X imaging software to create composite representations of electrode trajectories and surrounding anatomical structures. All image files can be viewed using standard operating system image viewers. For users seeking open-source software, the program [Oculante](https://github.com/woelper/oculante) provides a lightweight, cross-platform alternative suitable for high-resolution image inspection. #### 4.3.1 List of All Associated Archives * Alluring_Siren_Histology_Slides.zip * Ambassador_Oak_Histology_Slides.zip * Breathless_Knight_Histology_Slides.zip * Charmbreaker_Devil_Histology_Slides.zip * Cramped_Bunker_Histology_Slides.zip * Cunning_Lethemancer_Histology_Slides.zip * Downhill_Charge_Histology_Slides.zip * Drogskol_Reaver_Histology_Slides.zip * Fart_Mouse_Histology_Slides.zip * Filigree_Familiar_Histology_Slides.zip * Gearshift_Ace_Histology_Slides.zip * Geyserfield_Stalker_Histology_Slides.zip * Grim_Flayer_Histology_Slides.zip * Harvest_Season_Histology_Slides.zip * Humble_Budoka_Histology_Slides.zip * Impelled_Giant_Histology_Slides.zip * Jade_Guardian_Histology_Slides.zip * Jirana_Kudro_Histology_Slides.zip * Kessig_Naturalist_Histology_Slides.zip * Killer_Service_Histology_Slides.zip * Lathnu_Hellion_Histology_Slides.zip * Lore_Drakkis_Histology_Slides.zip * Molten_Tributary_Histology_Slides.zip * Neurok_Transmuter_Histology_Slides.zip * Oakgnarl_Warrior_Histology_Slides.zip * Phantasmagorian_Histology_Slides.zip * Reliquary_Tower_Histology_Slides.zip * Setessan_Skirmisher_Histology_Slides.zip * Simic_Fluxmage_Histology_Slides.zip * Tangled_Kelp_Histology_Slides.zip * Voldaren_Thrillseeker_Histology_Slides.zip ### 4.4 Animal Datasheets All metadata and reference information for the experimental animals are contained within a single archive named `Animal_Datasheets.zip`. Each file within this archive is an Excel workbook labeled according to the convention `CreationDate_AnimalName_Data Sheets.xlsx`, where `CreationDate` denotes the date on which the datasheet was first created. Each workbook corresponds to a single animal and contains three worksheets, entitled as follows: * Head Post -&gt; Head Stage Patch * Water Restriction Weight * Behavioral Session Data These files can be opened in Microsoft Excel or any compatible spreadsheet program. For users preferring open-source software, [LibreOffice](https://www.libreoffice.org/) offers full support for viewing and editing `.xlsx` files across major operating systems. The purpose of each worksheet and the meaning of its columns are described below. In general, however, these files were only used as a means of taking notes and collected data that would be useful to later reference. #### 4.4.1 Worksheet: *Head Post -&gt; Head Stage Patch* This sheet documents how the animal’s head-mounted electrode connector (“head post”) is wired to the headstage preamplifiers used for recording local field potentials (LFPs). This page will allow users to determine which Spike2 LFP channel corresponds to each implanted brain region and to understand how each connector pin is used. Each row corresponds to a single wire/pin on the patch cable. The columns are: | Column Header | Description | Units / Type | Interpretation Notes | | ------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `Head Post Cable Channel` | Identifier for the wire/pin on the patch cable that connects to one of the outer pins on the mouse’s head connector. Values are Roman numerals (`I`–`VI`), and correspond to the labels on the patch cable wires and male connector pins. | Text (Roman Numeral) | Used to match a particular patch cable wire to the corresponding pin on the mouse’s head post. Pins are paired as (1,2), (3,4), and (5,6) for bipolar electrodes. | | `Head Post Color` | Color marking on the head post (female connector) indicating which hole the wire should connect to. | Text (Color) | Typically `"White"`, `"Blue"`, or `"Red"`. Colors are used to track which pin pair corresponds to each electrode location. | | `Head Stage` | Label of the headstage preamplifier channel that the wire connects to. | Text (Label) | Includes shorthand for brain region and Spike2 LFP channel, e.g. `"CL"`, `"FRA"`, `"VIS"`, `"AUD"`, or full labels like `"CL LFP 3"`, `"AUD LFP 1"`. | | `Electrode` | Indicates whether the wire connects to the anode or cathode input of the headstage channel. | Text (Terminal End) | Values are `"Negative"` (anode) or `"Positive"` (cathode). Together with `Head Stage` and `Head Post Cable Channel`, this defines the full electrode wiring configuration. | For interpretation of LFP channels, note that `LFP1` is always connected to the auditory cortex (AUD), `LFP3` is always connected to the centrolateral thalamic nucleus (CL), and `LFP2` is connected to either the frontal association cortex (FRA) or the visual cortex (VIS), depending on which region was implanted in a given animal. #### 4.4.2 Worksheet: *Water Restriction Weight* This sheet tracks daily weights, baseline weight changes, and water allocation for each animal during water restriction. It also includes derived fields related to reward volumes and the amount of supplemental water administered. Each row corresponds to a single day of record. The columns are: | Column Header | Description | Units / Type | Interpretation Notes | | --------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `Date` | Date on which the measurement was taken. | Date | Used to align weight and hydration status with behavioral and electrophysiological sessions. | | `Measured Weight (g)` | Weight of the mouse plus its container as read from the scale. | Number (Grams) | Measured with a triple-beam balance to 0.1 g precision. | | `Container Weight (g)` | Weight of the container (e.g., beaker) used during weighing. | Number (Grams) | Measured separately using the same balance to allow subtraction. | | `Mouse Weight (g)` | Calculated weight of the mouse alone. | Number (Grams) | Computed as `Measured Weight (g) – Container Weight (g)`. | | `Weight Change from Baseline (%)` | Percent change in mouse weight relative to the defined baseline weight for the current water restriction period. | Percentage | Computed as `(Mouse Weight – Baseline Weight) / Baseline Weight`. Note that the baseline weight is always reset when water restriction is restarted following removal from water restriction. | | `Water req (mL)` | Daily water requirement for the animal, entered manually. | Number (Milliliters) | Target amount of water the mouse should receive on that day, including both rewards and supplemental water. | | `Reward volume (ml)` | Volume of water dispensed per reward delivery, as measured during daily calibration. | Number (Milliliters) | Typically calibrated to \~0.005–0.006 mL per reward by dispensing multiple rewards into a weigh boat, measuring the total volume, and adjusting an inline needle valve accordingly. | | `Max Rewards (#)` | Maximum number of rewards that can be delivered by the apparatus before reaching the allotted requirement. | Number (Count) | Computed as `Water req (mL) / Reward volume (mL)`. | | `Rewards today (#)` | Number of reward volumes delivered to the mouse by the behavioral apparatus on that day. | Number (Count) | Does not necessarily equal the volume actually consumed (e.g., spillage is not tracked). | | `Water to administer (mL)` | Volume of additional water to be given manually after training to reach the daily water requirement. | Number (Milliliters) | Typically computed as `Water req (mL) – (Rewards today (#) * Reward volume (mL))`. | | `Notes` | Free-text field for qualitative observations related to weight, water intake, health, or deviations from the standard schedule. | Text | Used to record any special circumstances or comments for that day. | #### 4.4.3 Worksheet: *Behavioral Session Data* This sheet provides a session-level summary of behavioral performance, training stage, and derived metrics for each behavioral session. Each row corresponds to a single session for that animal. The columns are: | Column Header | Description | Units / Type | Interpretation Notes | | ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `Session Number` | Ordinal index of the session for that animal. | Number (Ordinal Rank) | Indicates whether the session is the first, second, etc., in the sequence of training/testing sessions. | | `Date` | Date on which the behavioral session took place. | Date | Can be used to align with electrophysiology recordings and water restriction records. | | `Stage` | Training or testing stage for the session. | Number (Stage Label) | For Go/No-Go sessions: Stage 0 = pre-training assessment; 1 = lick spout training; 2 = stimulus–reward association; 3 = conditional licking with repeat incorrect trials; 4 = fully trained random trial types. Passive listening sessions are always Stage 1. | | `Session Type` | Behavioral paradigm used for the session. | Text | Values are `"Passive Listening"` or `"Go/No-Go"`. | | `Number of Trials` | Total number of trials administered during the session. | Number (Count) | Includes all trial types (stimulus, catch, perithreshold, etc.). | | `Rewards Administered` | Total number of reward deliveries during the session. | Number (Count) | Counts the number of reward events, not the exact volume consumed. | | `Length (Minutes)` | Duration of the session. | Number (Minutes) | Total time from session start to end. | | `Trial Response Count` | Number of trials in which a lick response was detected. | Number (Count) | Includes responses to any trial type. | | `Hits` | Number of trials with a maximum-intensity stimulus in which the mouse gave a lick response. | Number (Count) | Used in calculation of accuracy and d′ for stimulus trials. | | `Misses` | Number of trials with a maximum-intensity stimulus in which no lick response occurred. | Number (Count) | Complements `Hits` for maximum-intensity stimulus trials. | | `False Alarms` | Number of catch (no-stimulus) trials in which a lick response occurred. | Number (Count) | Used in calculation of catch trial accuracy and d′. | | `Correct Rejections` | Number of catch (no-stimulus) trials in which no lick response occurred. | Number (Count) | Complements `False Alarms` for catch trials. | | `Overall Accuracy` | Overall proportion of correct trials. | Percentage | Typically computed as `(Hits + Correct Rejections) / (Hits + Correct Rejections + Misses + False Alarms) * 100`. | | `Stimulus Trial Accuracy` | Accuracy on maximum-intensity stimulus trials only. | Percentage | Typically computed as `Hits / (Hits + Misses) * 100`. | | `Catch Trial Accuracy` | Accuracy on catch (no-stimulus) trials only. | Percentage | Typically computed as `Correct Rejections / (Correct Rejections + False Alarms) * 100`. Negative or missing values indicate that the measure is not valid for that session. | | `Threshold Response Rate` | Proportion of perithreshold-intensity trials in which the mouse licked. | Percentage | Used to summarize response tendencies on perithreshold trials. | | `Median Stimulus Licks` | Median number of licks on maximum-intensity stimulus trials where a response occurred. | Number (Count) | Descriptive statistic; often not used in the final analyses and may be empty for many sessions. | | `Stddev Stimulus Licks` | Standard deviation of lick counts on maximum-intensity stimulus trials where a response occurred. | Number (Count) | Complements `Median Stimulus Licks`; often empty. | | `Median Catch Licks` | Median number of licks on catch (no-stimulus) trials where a response occurred. | Number (Count) | Descriptive statistic; often empty because the lickport is retracted after the first lick. | | `Stddev Catch Licks` | Standard deviation of lick counts on catch trials with a lick response. | Number (Count) | Complements `Median Catch Licks`; often empty. | | `Median Threshold Licks` | Median number of licks on perithreshold trials where a response occurred. | Number (Count) | Descriptive statistic; typically of limited use and often empty. | | `Stddev Threshold Licks` | Standard deviation of lick counts on perithreshold trials with a lick response. | Number (Count) | Complements `Median Threshold Licks`; often empty. | | `dPrime` | Signal detection measure combining hit rate and false alarm rate. | Number (Unitless) | Standard d′ measure from signal detection theory; higher values indicate better discrimination between stimulus and catch trials. | | `Notes` | Free-text field containing any additional observations or comments about the session. | Text | May include qualitative details about animal behavior, hardware issues, or other anomalies. | In this worksheet, negative values or missing entries in accuracy-related fields (e.g. `Catch Trial Accuracy`) indicate that the measure is not valid or not defined for that particular session. #### 4.4.4 List of All Associated Archives * Animal_Datasheets.zip ## 5. Usage and Reuse Notes This dataset is intended to support a range of research and analytical applications related to sensory processing and neural dynamics. It enables full reproduction of the analyses presented in McGill et al. (2025), including the figures derived from spectral and event-related analyses of local field potentials. Beyond replication, the data may be used to investigate event-related desynchronization (ERD) mechanisms across cortical and thalamic regions, to benchmark algorithms for signal processing and time–frequency analysis, or to develop automated pipelines for annotating neural and behavioral data. ## 6. Software and Viewing Recommendations | Data Type | Recommended Software | | ------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Compressed Archives | [7-Zip](https://www.7-zip.org/) or native OS archive utility | | Behavioral Data | [Microsoft Excel](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/excel), [LibreOffice Calc](https://www.libreoffice.org/), [MATLAB](https://www.mathworks.com/products/matlab.html), or [R](https://www.r-project.org/) | | Electrophysiology | [Spike2](https://ced.co.uk/products/spkovin) (by Cambridge Electronic Design) or [CED MATLAB/Python libraries](https://ced.co.uk/downloads/latestsoftware) | | Histology Images | Standard viewer or [Oculante](https://github.com/woelper/oculante) | | Datasheets | [Microsoft Excel](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/excel) or [LibreOffice Calc](https://www.libreoffice.org/) | ## 7. Licensing and Contact Information This dataset is released under a CC0 Public Domain Dedication. All materials may be freely reused, redistributed, or adapted without restriction, provided that appropriate credit is given to the original authors and citation of the associated publication is included where possible. Questions regarding the dataset’s structure, contents, or analysis procedures may be directed to the corresponding author listed in the accompanying PLOS ONE publication. Data collection and analysis were conducted through the Yale Blumenfeld Laboratory. Additional acknowledgments and funding sources are detailed in the manuscript. ### Notes for Users This dataset provides an open foundation for exploring the neural mechanisms underlying auditory event-related desynchronization in mice. Researchers interested in cross-species comparisons of ERD, sensory processing, or thalamocortical dynamics are encouraged to reuse these data and to reference McGill et al. (2025) when doing so.