# Brain‐Wide Spatiotemporally Distinct Traveling Waves Drive Anxiety‐Like Behaviors in Mice

## TL;DR

This study shows how brain-wide traveling waves, starting in specific areas, spread across the mouse brain and are linked to anxiety-like behaviors.

## Contribution

The study reveals the full propagation dynamics of cortical traveling waves and their role in modulating anxiety and neuroplasticity in mice.

## Key findings

- Optogenetic activation induces CSD-like waves that spread from the cortex to subcortical structures.
- These waves cause anxiety-like behaviors and increase dendritic spine density.
- Wave propagation patterns vary based on their origin in the brain.

## Abstract

Cortical traveling waves coordinate communication among distributed neural ensembles to modulate brain function and dysfunction through distinct spatiotemporal propagation patterns. However, the brain‐wide propagation dynamics of traveling waves from different origins and their roles in regulating behavior remain unclear. Using optogenetics alongside whole‐brain fMRI in mice, it is demonstrated that optogenetic activation of the medial prefrontal cortex and primary somatosensory area induces cortical spreading depression (CSD)‐like traveling waves. These waves propagate beyond the ipsilateral cortex to the contralateral cortex and midbrain, reaching subcortical structures along cortico‐amygdala‐striatal pathways, ultimately terminating in the striatum ≈4 min after induction. The propagation directions in the cortex, speed, duration, and region involvement vary with wave origins. Furthermore, these CSD‐like traveling waves induce anxiety‐like behaviors and increase dendritic spine density. The findings elucidate the complete process from induction to termination of traveling waves across the whole brain and reveal their previously undiscovered role in driving anxiety.

J.Liu et al. reveal the complete propagation dynamics of cortical traveling waves, from local circuitry initiation to long‐range propagation, and identify their functional relevance in modulating anxiety‐like behaviors and underlying cellular neuroplasticity in mice.