Astrocytes improve tactile categorization by modulating sensory processing in neurons

Astrocytes are active elements in sensory processing; however, it remains unclear whether they contribute to the perception and categorization of sensory stimuli. Specifically, whether astrocytes in the secondary somatosensory cortex (S2), a higher-order cortical area whose neuronal activity underlies perceptual choices, actively contribute to this process is unknown. Here, we show that chemogenetic modulation of S2 astrocytes improves mice's performance on a categorization task. Calcium imaging shows that S2 astrocytes respond to vibrotactile stimuli in a nonlinear manner, comprising selective, variable, and inhibited response profiles. Furthermore, chemogenetic modulation of S2 astrocytes bidirectionally adjusts ensembles-specific gain of sensory-evoked neuronal responses, reshapes sensory adaptation and facilitation, and increases the signal-to-noise ratio of sensory-evoked responses. These findings demonstrate that the dynamics and interplay of S2 neuro-astrocyte circuits shape perceptual decision-making during sensory categorization.