Quantitative map of multiple auditory cortical regions with a stereotaxic fine-scale atlas of the mouse brain

Abstract

Optical imaging studies have recently revealed the presence of multiple auditory cortical regions in the mouse brain. We have previously demonstrated, using flavoprotein fluorescence imaging, at least six regions in the mouse auditory cortex, including the anterior auditory field (AAF), primary auditory cortex (AI), the secondary auditory field (AII), dorsoanterior field (DA), dorsomedial field (DM), and dorsoposterior field (DP). While multiple regions in the visual cortex and somatosensory cortex have been annotated and consolidated in recent brain atlases, the multiple auditory cortical regions have not yet been presented from a coronal view. In the current study, we obtained regional coordinates of the six auditory cortical regions of the C57BL/6 mouse brain and illustrated these regions on template coronal brain slices. These results should reinforce the existing mouse brain atlases and support future studies in the auditory cortex.