Higher-order functions of the central auditory system throughout learning

Sound carries meaning, shapes memory, and drives behavior. Animals must not only detect danger and initiate escape, or recognize communication cues and respond appropriately, but also retain these learned associations over time. Here, I will present data from two complementary lines of research that aim to elucidate the role of the auditory cortex (AC) and medial geniculate body (MGB) in learning and long-term task execution. First, using an auditory go/no-go task and optogenetics, we demonstrate that while the AC initially drives both rapid learning and slower performance gains, it becomes dispensable once mice reach expert levels. Two-photon calcium imaging reveals higher-order signals—reward-prediction and action suppression—that guide learning and performance, uncoupled from acoustic representations. Second, we investigate the role of the MGB after learning is complete and animals perform the task expertly. Using temporally restricted optogenetic inactivation during the choice period, we find that the MGB’s dominant function is choice execution, linking stimuli to actions. A more modest deficit from stimulus-only silencing suggests the MGB also contributes to stimulus encoding. Together, these findings highlight how the central auditory system contributes to learning and task execution, extending beyond acoustic processing to include complex, non-sensory computations that evolve across auditory regions.