# Vagus nerve stimulation modulates information representation of sustained activity in layer specific manner in the rat auditory cortex

## TL;DR

Vagus nerve stimulation changes how sound information is processed in specific layers of the rat brain, which could help improve brain-inspired AI and therapies.

## Contribution

First evidence that VNS modulates auditory information in a layer- and frequency-specific way in the rat auditory cortex.

## Key findings

- VNS impairs high-gamma band representation in deeper cortical layers.
- VNS enhances theta band representation in deeper layers and slightly improves high-gamma in superficial layers.
- The effects suggest VNS modulates feed-forward and feedback pathways in the auditory cortex.

## Abstract

Understanding how vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) modulates cortical information processing is essential to developing sustainable, adaptive artificial intelligence inspired by biological systems. This study presents the first evidence that VNS alters the representation of auditory information in a manner that is both layer- and frequency band-specific within the rat auditory cortex. Using a microelectrode array, we meticulously mapped the band-specific power and phase-locking value of sustained activities in layers 2/3, 4, and 5/6, of the rat auditory cortex. We used sparse logistic regression to decode the test frequency from these neural characteristics and compared the decoding accuracy before and after applying VNS. Our results showed that VNS impairs high-gamma band representation in deeper layers (layers 5/6), enhances theta band representation in those layers, and slightly improves high-gamma representation in superficial layers (layers 2/3 and 4), demonstrating the layer-specific and frequency band-specific effect of VNS. These findings suggest that VNS modulates the balance between feed-forward and feed-back pathways in the auditory cortex, providing novel insights into the mechanisms of neuromodulation and its potential applications in brain-inspired computing and therapeutic interventions.