DOI: 10.5061/dryad.z612jm6r0
title: Ventral pallidum efferent pathways via mediodorsal thalamus and lateral habenula mediate distinct aspects of default mode network regulation

description: Transitions between internal and external focus are fundamental to
 cognition. These shifts depend on the modulation of the Default Mode
 Network (DMN), of which the ventral pallidum (VP) is a key subcortical
 node. Here, we examine which VP efferent pathways mediate these
 transitions, using projection and cell-type-specific optogenetic
 silencing. We found that inhibition of the VP projection to lateral
 habenula (LHb) confers a learning advantage early during task acquisition.
 Conversely, silencing VP projections to mediodorsal thalamus (MD) improves
 performance during the late stage of the same task. Downregulation of the
 cholinergic VP population improved performance during both early and late
 stages. Thus, silencing these VP outputs promotes escape from a DMN brain
 state, facilitating attention to external stimuli. Our results confirm a
 role for VP in DMN regulation and indicate that MD and LHb VP efferent
 pathways, in concert with cholinergic neuromodulation, mediate different
 aspects of DMN regulation.
description: # Ventral pallidum efferent pathways via mediodorsal thalamus and lateral
 habenula mediate distinct aspects of default mode network regulation
 Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.z612jm6r0](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.z612jm6r0) ##
 Description of the data and file structure **Files:** **Figure1BC.mat**
 Action potential raster plot, peri-stimulus-time-histogram and spiking
 phase angle histogram in relation to optogenetic stimulation frequency for
 an example stimulation site at (B) 10Hz and (C) 40Hz light stimulation
 frequency. This dataset contains 4 variables: spt_VP_ex1 : spike times for
 one example unit with 10Hz light stimulation frequency for 10 trials (1x10
 cell) spPhases_VP_ex1 : spiking phase angle for the same unit spt_VP_ex2 :
 spike times for one example unit with 40Hz light stimulation frequency for
 10 trials (1x10 cell) spPhases_VP_ex2 : spiking phase angle for the same
 unit 
 
 **Figure1D.mat** Population analysis across VP stimulation sites of mean
 preferred phase angles in VP. This dataset contains 2 variables: Freq:
 stimulation frequency for each phase angle in the variable phases. phases:
 phase angles associated with the frequencies in the variable Freq.  
 **Figure2B.mat** Histogram of overall excitation and inhibition
 encountered in LHb following VP light stimulation at different
 frequencies. Spiking phase angle histogram for LHb units. This dataset
 contains 2 variables: aniExcit: 1-by-5 cell for each of the 5 frequencies
 (5-10-20-30-4) containing the unique animal ID from which the excited unit
 was acquired aniInhib: 1-by-5 cell for each of the 5 frequencies
 (5-10-20-30-4) containing the unique animal ID from which the inhibited
 unit was acquired   **Figure2C.mat** Population analysis across VP
 stimulation sites of mean preferred phase angles in LHb. This dataset
 contains 2 variables: Freq: stimulation frequency for each phase angle in
 the variable phases. phases: phase angles associated with the frequencies
 in the variable Freq. 
 
 **Figure2DEFG.mat** Action potential raster plot,
 peri-stimulus-time-histogram and spiking phase angle histogram in relation
 to optogenetic stimulation frequency for four example units. This dataset
 contains 8 variables: spt_ex(1-4) : spike times for one example unit with
 10Hz light stimulation frequency for 10 trials (1x10 cell)
 spPhases_ex(1-4) : spiking phase angle for the same unit 
 
 **Figure3CD.mat** (C) The mean VP spike triggered average of the LHb LFP
 (± SEM, shaded) suggest systematic impact of VP on LHb neural circuit
 activity. (D) The spike-LFP coherence for an example session. This dataset
 contains 4 variables : cohC : coherence values for light condition
 cohCsh : shuffled coherence values for control condition frAx : frequency
 values, for x axis STAon: spike-triggered average data 
 
 **Figure3EF.mat** Coherence at 40Hz compared to coherence at 35Hz across
 the population of VP-LHb recording sites This dataset contains 4
 variables : ap40OptoSig: 1-by-10 cell for 10 significant units. Each cell
 content is a double array corresponding to all the different trials, such
 that: 1-by-20 trials contains the coherence values at 40Hz for 20 trials.
 ap40OptoNS: 1-by-15 cell for 15 significant units. Each cell content is a
 double array corresponding to all the different trials, such that: 1-by-20
 trials contains the coherence values at 40Hz for 20 trials. ap35OptoSig:
 1-by-10 cell for 10 significant units. Each cell content is a double array
 corresponding to all the different trials, such that: 1-by-20 trials
 contains the coherence values at 35Hz for 20 trials.  ap35OptoNS: 1-by-15
 cell for 15 significant units. Each cell content is a double array
 corresponding to all the different trials, such that: 1-by-20 trials
 contains the coherence values at 35Hz for 20 trials. 
 
 **Figure4.mat** Pie chart showing the number of excited, inhibited and
 non-modulates units and peri-stimulus-time-histograms of example units in
 (A) LHb, (B) MD and (C) mPFC (ACC and PRL). (D) Change in firing rate in
 mPFC across different stimulation depths. This dataset contains 5
 variables: mEv: 6-by-8 double array, corresponding to 6 different bins of
 stimulation depths and 8 different bins of recording depths exPRL: spike
 times for an example PrL unit for 20 trials exMD: spike times for an
 example MD unit for 20 trials exACC: spike times for an example ACC unit
 for 20 trials exLHb: spike times for an example LHb unit for 20 trials  
 **Figure5C.mat** Lever pressing rate comparing between control condition
 and optogenetic inhibition for the three manipulations: (A) VPàLHb, (B)
 VPàMD and (C) VP ChAT. This dataset contains 6 variables: MD_Ctrl: 4-by-3
 double array, rows (4): animals, columns (3): This array includes the
 pressing rate values per session for the MD group under the control
 condition. MD_Arch: 4-by-3 double array, rows (4): animals, columns (3):
 days. This array includes the pressing rate values per session for the MD
 group under the light condition. LHb_Ctrl: 5-by-3 double array, rows (5):
 animals, columns (3): days. This array includes the pressing rate values
 per session for the LHb group under the control condition. LHb_Arch:
 5-by-3 double array, rows (5): animals, columns (3): days. This array
 includes the pressing rate values per session for the LHb group under the
 light condition. ChAT_Ctrl: 5-by-3 double array, rows (5): animals,
 columns (3): days. This array includes the pressing rate values per
 session for the ChAT group under the control condition. ChAT_Arch: 5-by-3
 double array, rows (5): animals, columns (3): days. This array includes
 the pressing rate values per session for the ChAT group under the light
 condition. *Note that one day is one session. 
 
 **Figure5EFG.mat** The performance of individual rats during the three
 different training stages of an auditory discrimination task for control
 trials and trials with optogenetic silencing for the three manipulations:
 (E) VPàLHb, (F) VPàMD and (G) VP ChAT. This dataset contains 18 variables.
 The rows of each of the variables represent one animal and the columns one
 session, such that if a variable is a matrix of 5-by-7, it contains the
 performance (correct/(correct+incorrect) values of 5 rats for 7 sessions.
 Each variable correspond to a different animal cohort and training stage.
 Specifically: dataEndCtrl_ChAT: ChAT group, last stage, control condition
 dataEndCtrl_LHb: LHb group, last stage, control condition dataEndCtrl_MD:
 MD group, last stage, control condition dataEndOpto_ChAT: ChAT group, last
 stage, light (/opto) condition dataEndOpto_LHb: LHb group, last stage,
 opto condition dataEndOpto_MD:  MD group, last stage, opto condition
 dataFirstCtrl_ChAT: ChAT group, early stage, control condition
 dataFirstCtrl_LHb: LHb group, early stage, control condition
 dataFirstCtrl_MD: MD group, early stage, control condition
 dataFirstOpto_ChAT: ChAT group, early stage, opto condition
 dataFirstOpto_LHb: LHb group, early stage, opto condition
 dataFirstOpto_MD: MD group, early stage, opto condition dataMidCtrl_ChAT:
 ChAT group, middle stage, control condition dataMidCtrl_LHb: LHb group,
 middle stage, control condition dataMidCtrl_MD: MD group, middle stage,
 control condition dataMidOpto_ChAT: ChAT group, middle stage, opto
 condition dataMidOpto_LHb: LHb group, middle stage, opto condition
 dataMidOpto_MD: MD group, middle stage, opto condition 
 
 **Figure6A.mat** Example LFP segments of gamma band (40-60Hz) in VP and
 AC during high lever pressing periods and low lever pressing periods. This
 dataset contains 2 variables: AClfp: LFP segment of Auditory Cortex (AC)
 VPlfp: LFP segment of Ventral Pallidum (VP) ***Note: Missing Values
 (NaNs)*** The variables `AClfp` and `VPlfp` contain a small number of
 `NaN` values.\ These `NaN` entries represent **excluded signal samples**
 that occurred during preprocessing.\ They were **not replaced or
 interpolated** in order to preserve the integrity of the raw LFP signals.
 `NaN` values can be interpreted as **no valid data** for those time
 points.\ Users analyzing these datasets should handle `NaN`s appropriately
 depending on their processing pipeline (e.g., ignore, interpolate, or mask
 them). 
 
 **Figure6B.mat** Comparison of overall gamma band amplitude for session
 in during high lever pressing and low lever pressing in VP and AC. This
 dataset contains 4 variables: AChighgamma: gamma amplitude in AC during
 high lever pressing AClowgamma: gamma amplitude in AC during low lever
 pressing VPhighgamma: gamma amplitude in VP during high lever pressing
 VPlowgamma: gamma amplitude in VP during low lever pressing 
 
 **Figure6C.mat**  Example recording session illustrating a peak in gamma
 band power in VP, but not AC. This dataset contains 4 variables:
 AChighexample: power spectral density for AC during high lever pressing
 for example session AClowexample: power spectral density for AC during low
 lever pressing for example session VPhighexample: power spectral density
 for VP during high lever pressing for example session VPlowexample: power
 spectral density for VP during low lever pressing for example session 
 
 **Figure6D.mat** Population analysis showing that gamma band activity is
 significantly higher in VP, mPFC and MD, but not AC during high lever
 pressing epochs compared to low lever pressing epochs. This dataset
 contains 16 variables: AChigh_FR: gamma activity during high lever
 pressing under FR schedule in AC AChigh_VI: gamma activity during high
 lever pressing under VI schedule in AC AClow_FR: gamma activity during low
 lever pressing under FR schedule in AC AClow_VI: gamma activity during low
 lever pressing under VI schedule in AC MDhigh_FR: gamma activity during
 high lever pressing under FR schedule in MD MDhigh_VI: gamma activity
 during high lever pressing under VI schedule in MD MDlow_FR: gamma
 activity during low lever pressing under FR schedule in MD MDlow_VI: gamma
 activity during low lever pressing under VI schedule in MD mPFChigh_FR:
 gamma activity during high lever pressing under FR schedule in mPFC
 mPFChigh_VI: gamma activity during high lever pressing under VI schedule
 in mPFC mPFClow_FR: gamma activity during low lever pressing under FR
 schedule in mPFC mPFClow_VI: gamma activity during low lever pressing
 under VI schedule in mPFC VPhigh_FR: gamma activity during high lever
 pressing under FR schedule in VP VPhigh_VI: gamma activity during high
 lever pressing under VI schedule in VP VPlow_FR: gamma activity during low
 lever pressing under FR schedule in mPFC VPlow_VI: gamma activity during
 low lever pressing under VI schedule in VP 
 
 **Figure6E.mat** Barplot showing gamma band activity during high lever
 pressing and low lever pressing for VP, AC, MD and mPFC during FR and VI
 sessions. This dataset contains 2 variables:\ FRGammaDiff: Difference in
 gamma activity between high and low lever pressing during FR rewarding
 schedule. Each column corresponds to one region as shown in Fig.6E.
 VIGammaDiff: Difference in gamma activity between high and low lever
 pressing during VI rewarding schedule. Each column corresponds to one
 region as shown in Fig.6E. 
 
 **Figure7A.mat** Gamma band power in VP during S+ (rewarded conditions)
 vs S- (non-rewarded conditions). (Bottom) Power spectral density
 calculated from LFPs recorded in the VP for S+ and S- conditions for
 example sessions. This dataset contains 6 variables: VP_sPlus: Gamma band
 power in VP during S+  VP_sMinus: Gamma band power in VP during S-
 VP_rat1_Splus: VP power spectral density for S+ for an example rat
 VP_rat1_Sminus: VP power spectral density for S- for an example rat
 VP_rat2_Splus: VP power spectral density for S+ for an example rat
 VP_rat2_Sminus: VP power spectral density for S- for an example rat 
 
 **Figure7B.mat** Gamma band power in mPFC during S+ (rewarded conditions)
 vs S- (non-rewarded conditions). (Bottom) Power spectral density
 calculated from LFP’s recorded in the mPFC for S+ and S- conditions for
 example sessions. This dataset contains 6 variables: mPFC_sPlus: Gamma
 band power in mPFC during S+ mPFC \_sMinus: Gamma band power in mPFC
 during S- mPFC \_rat1_Splus: mPFC power spectral density for S+ for an
 example rat mPFC \_rat1_Sminus: mPFC power spectral density for S- for an
 example rat mPFC \_rat2_Splus: mPFC power spectral density for S+ for an
 example rat mPFC \_rat2_Sminus: mPFC power spectral density for S- for an
 example rat **Figure7C.mat** Gamma band power in AC during S+ (rewarded
 conditions) vs S- (non-rewarded conditions). (Bottom) Power spectral
 density calculated from LFP’s recorded in the AC for S+ and S- conditions
 for example sessions. This dataset contains 6 variables: AC_sPlus: Gamma
 band power in mPFC during S+ AC \_sMinus: Gamma band power in mPFC during
 S- AC \_rat1_Splus: AC power spectral density for S+ for an example rat
 AC_rat1_Sminus: AC power spectral density for S- for an example rat
 AC_rat2_Splus: AC power spectral density for S+ for an example rat
 AC_rat2_Sminus: AC power spectral density for S- for an example rat 
 
 **How to Load and Use the Data** All dataset files are provided in MATLAB
 `.mat` format.\ Users can load the data directly into MATLAB or compatible
 software (e.g., Python with `scipy.io.loadmat`) using:
 `load('filename.mat')` Example: ```
 load('Figure6A.mat') plot(AClfp) title('Auditory Cortex LFP
 segment') xlabel('Time (s)') ylabel('γ Amplitude
 (μV)') ``` This will import the variables described above into the
 workspace and plot the example LFP segment.\ No custom code or scripts are
 required to use the data.\ All variables are standard MATLAB arrays,
 cells, or structures, and can be accessed or plotted directly after
 loading.