State dependent constraints on claustrocortical communication and function

Neural activity in the claustrum has been associated with a range of vigilance states, yet the activity patterns and efficacy of synaptic communication of identified claustrum neurons have not been thoroughly determined. Here we show that claustrum neurons projecting to the retrosplenial cortex were most active during synchronized cortical states such as non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep and were suppressed during increased cortical desynchronization in arousal, movement, and REM sleep. The efficacy of claustrocortical signaling was also increased during NREM and diminished during movement due in part to increased cholinergic tone. Finally, claustrum activation during NREM sleep enhanced memory consolidation through the phase-resetting of cortical delta waves. Therefore, claustrocortical communication is constrained to function most effectively during cognitive processes associated with synchronized cortical states, such as memory consolidation. Key PointsO_LIClaustrum neurons are suppressed/activated during desynchronized/synchronized cortical states C_LIO_LIClaustrocortical connectivity is increased in non-REM and suppressed during movement C_LIO_LIClaustrocortical communication is heightened during low cholinergic tone C_LIO_LIClaustrum - modulated cortical delta waves enhance the consolidation of a labile memory C_LI