Unbalanced synaptic inhibition can create intensity-tuned auditory cortex neurons

Andrew Y. Y. Tan; Craig A. Atencio; Daniel B. Polley; Michael M. Merzenich; Christoph E. Schreiner

doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2007.01.019

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Unbalanced synaptic inhibition can create intensity-tuned auditory cortex neurons

Andrew Y. Y. Tan·Craig A. Atencio·Daniel B. Polley·Michael M. Merzenich·Christoph E. Schreiner

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Abstract

Intensity-tuned auditory cortex neurons may be formed by intensity-tuned synaptic excitation. Synaptic inhibition has also been shown to enhance, and possibly even create intensity-tuned neurons. Here we show, using in vivo whole cell recordings in pentobarbital-anesthetized rats, that some intensity-tuned neurons are indeed created solely through disproportionally large inhibition at high intensities, without any intensity-tuned excitation. Since inhibition is essentially cortical in origin, these neurons provide examples of auditory feature-selectivity arising de novo at the cortex.

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Andrew Y. Y. Tan, Craig A. Atencio, Daniel B. Polley, Michael M. Merzenich, Christoph E. Schreiner. 2006-07-21. Unbalanced synaptic inhibition can create intensity-tuned auditory cortex neurons. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2007.01.019

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