ErbB4 regulation of a thalamic reticular nucleus circuit for sensory selection

The authors show that mice lacking the gene Erbb4 in somatostatin-expressing (SOM) neurons of the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) show selective behavioral deficits in tasks involving switching attention between cues of different sensory modalities. Slice recordings also showed enhanced cortical drive in Erbb4-deficient TRN SOM neurons.