Distinct regulation of intrinsic persistent firing by cholinergic, noradrenergic and dopaminergic neuromodulations in the mouse auditory cortex

Neuromodulators shape brain function by regulating neural activity in area- and state-dependent manners. While persistent firing (PF), a cellular correlate of short-term information retention, is strongly regulated by neuromodulation in executive and memory areas, such regulation in the sensory cortex remains less well understood. Here, using in vitro patch-clamp recordings, we investigated how cholinergic, noradrenergic, and dopaminergic systems regulate intrinsic PF in mouse auditory cortex (AC) neurons. We found that cholinergic and noradrenergic activation support PF, similar to observations in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) but unlike noradrenergic suppression seen in the hippocampus. In contrast, dopamine and D1 receptor activation showed no clear effect on AC PF, contrasting with their suppressive role in the PFC. Furthermore, PF was significantly stronger in corticocollicular than corticocallosal neurons. These findings reveal diverse monoamine regulation of intrinsic PF, offering a potential cellular basis for sensory information maintenance under conditions of stress and reward.