Visual experience induces 4–8 Hz synchrony between V1 and higher-order visual areas

Visual perceptual experience induces persistent 4–8 Hz oscillations in the mouse primary visual cortex (V1), encoding visual familiarity. Recent studies suggest that higher-order visual areas (HVAs) are functionally specialized and segregated into information streams processing distinct visual features. However, whether visual memories are processed and stored within the distinct streams is not understood. We report here that V1 and lateromedial (LM), but not V1 and anterolateral, become more phase synchronized in 4–8 Hz after the entrainment of visual stimulus that maximally induces responses in LM. Directed information analysis reveals changes in the top-down functional connectivity between V1 and HVAs. Optogenetic inactivation of LM reduces post-stimulus oscillation peaks in V1 and impairs visual discrimination behavior. Our results demonstrate that 4–8 Hz familiarity-evoked oscillations are specific for the distinct visual features and are present in the corresponding HVAs, where they may be used for the inter-areal communication with V1 during memory-related behaviors. [Display omitted] •Visual familiarity-induced 4–8 Hz oscillations in higher-order visual cortical areas•Visual feature-specific 4–8 Hz synchrony between LM and V1 or between AL and V1•Inactivating LM reduced V1 oscillation amplitudes•Visual discrimination was impaired when LM was inactivated after the visual stimulus We demonstrate that visual familiarity induces 4–8 Hz synchrony between higher-order visual areas (HVAs) and V1 in mice. Directed information analysis revealed changes in the functional connectivity from HVAs to V1. Optogenetic inactivation of LM during the delay period after the visual stimulus reduced the 4–8 Hz oscillation amplitude in V1 and impaired visual discrimination behavior.