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Information transfer in entrained cortical neurons.
P H E Tiesinga1, J M Fellous, J V José
1Sloan-Swartz Center for Theoretical Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. tiesinga@salk.edu
Network (Bristol, England)
|March 7, 2002
Summary
Synchronized inhibitory inputs from cortical interneurons entrain pyramidal cells, enhancing information transfer. This occurs because reduced output variability during entrainment minimizes internal correlations, boosting signal precision.
Area of Science:
- Computational Neuroscience
- Neurophysiology
- Systems Neuroscience
Background:
- Cortical interneurons utilize gap junctions for synchronized inhibitory output.
- Synchronized inhibition can entrain pyramidal cells, influencing neural network dynamics.
- Understanding information processing in neural circuits requires analyzing spike train variability and precision.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how synchronized inhibitory inputs affect information transfer in a model neuron.
- To determine the impact of entrainment on spike train entropy and mutual information.
- To validate theoretical predictions with experimental data from rodent brain slices.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a single-compartment Hodgkin-Huxley model neuron.
- Simulated entrainment using periodic inhibitory inputs with high spike-timing precision and variable spike counts.
- Quantified information transfer using Shannon entropy and mutual information.
Main Results:
- Entrainment led to a sharp reduction in output spike train Shannon entropy.
- Mutual information between inhibitory input counts and output spike phase lag significantly increased during entrainment.
- This information transfer enhancement was attributed to the reduced influence of internal correlations on output variability.
Conclusions:
- Synchronized inhibitory drive enhances information transfer by reducing output variability.
- Precise inhibitory inputs can improve the fidelity of neural signal processing.
- Findings were supported by in vitro experimental recordings from rat neocortex and hippocampus.