Topic: mPFC-LC synapses

The locus coeruleus (LC) is the primary source of norepinephrine in the brain and is known to modulate brain-wide arousal state. Recent evidence suggests that it also regulates immediate attentional responses by modulating the gain or reset of downstream cortical networks to optimize behavioral outcomes. Accordingly, cortical regions of high cognitive function, such as the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), are thought to directly influence LC output for this purpose. However, physiological evidence for monosynaptic connections between mPFC and LC neurons and their properties are still limited.