# Locomotion selectively enhances visual speed encoding in mouse medial higher visual areas

## TL;DR

This study shows that mouse brain areas involved in vision process visual speed better during movement, suggesting behavior influences sensory processing.

## Contribution

The paper reveals that locomotion selectively enhances visual speed encoding in medial higher visual areas of mice.

## Key findings

- Locomotion selectively boosts visual speed encoding in medial higher visual cortical areas.
- Direction encoding of drifting gratings is enhanced non-selectively across visual cortex during locomotion.
- Visual speed tuning properties differ between mouse visual areas.

## Abstract

Mammalian visual systems are comprised of multiple brain areas with distinct functional roles. While functional specializations have been proposed in the mouse based on visual feature encoding, the extent to which these specializations are contingent on ongoing behavior is unknown. To address this, we analyzed the neural encoding of visual motion stimuli by thousands of neurons recorded in six cortical and two thalamic visual areas while mice were stationary or locomoting. We found locomotion selectively enhanced visual speed encoding in medial higher visual cortical areas, indicating that these areas may be specialized for processing visual motion during locomotion. By contrast, the encoding of drifting gratings direction was enhanced non-selectively across the mouse visual cortex during locomotion. Our results reveal how a complex interplay of sensory input and ongoing behavior differentially shapes the efficacy of sensory processing in mouse higher visual areas, supporting context-dependent functional roles.

•We characterized visual speed encoding in 1000 s of neurons in 8 mouse visual areas•Dot field visual speed tuning properties varied between visual areas•Locomotion selectively enhanced visual speed encoding in medial higher visual areas•In contrast, locomotion non-selectively enhanced drifting grating direction encoding

We characterized visual speed encoding in 1000 s of neurons in 8 mouse visual areas

Dot field visual speed tuning properties varied between visual areas

Locomotion selectively enhanced visual speed encoding in medial higher visual areas

In contrast, locomotion non-selectively enhanced drifting grating direction encoding

Health sciences