Stimulation of somatosensory cortex locked to whisker motions in a mouse model of active sensing

Active sensing incorporates closed-loop behavioral selection of information during sensory acquisition. The rodent whisker tactile system provides an ideal platform for studying these processes. We developed methods to deliver optogenetic feedback to mouse primary somatosensory cortex (SI), time-locked to active sensing motions (whisking) estimated through facial electromyography (EMG). To explore the impact of SI activity on individual whisker motions, we delivered stimulation locked to EMG threshold crossings at multiple delays. We found that stimulation regularized whisking (increasing overall periodicity), and shifted whisking frequency. These behavioral changes emulate changes observed when rodents actively contact objects, suggesting a role for SI in action selection that could guide design of sensory neuroprostheses sensitive to active sensing context.