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Related Concept Videos

Neural Circuits01:25

Neural Circuits

Neural circuits and neuronal pools are two of the main structures found in the nervous system. Neural circuits are networks of neurons that work together to carry out a specific task or process. They consist of interconnected neurons and glial cells, which provide structural and metabolic support.
Neuronal pools are collections of nerve cells with similar functions and interact through chemical and electrical signals. These pools include both interneurons (the central neural circuit nodes that...
Neuronal Communication01:28

Neuronal Communication

Neurons, the fundamental units of the brain and nervous system, communicate through complex electrochemical signals that underpin all cognitive and bodily functions. This communication is primarily facilitated by a process involving the generation and propagation of an action potential along the axon of the neuron. When the internal electrical charge of a neuron surpasses a certain threshold, an action potential is triggered. This rapid change in voltage travels swiftly along the axon to the...
Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex01:23

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at the...
Integration of Synaptic Events01:28

Integration of Synaptic Events

Synaptic integration mainly includes the summation of graded potentials. Graded potentials, regardless of their type, cause subtle alterations in membrane voltage, resulting in either depolarization or hyperpolarization. These incremental changes, when combined or summed, can propel the neuron toward its threshold. Consider, for example, a membrane experiencing a +15 mV shift, causing it to depolarize from -70 mV to -55 mV. In this scenario, graded potentials govern the membrane's ability to...
The Synapse02:47

The Synapse

Neurons communicate with one another by passing on their electrical signals to other neurons. A synapse is the location where two neurons meet to exchange signals. At the synapse, the neuron that sends the signal is called the presynaptic cell, while the neuron that receives the message is called the postsynaptic cell. Note that most neurons can be both presynaptic and postsynaptic, as they both transmit and receive information.
Synaptic Signaling01:09

Synaptic Signaling

Neurons communicate at synapses, or junctions, to excite or inhibit the activity of other neurons or target cells, such as muscles. Synapses may be chemical or electrical.
Most synapses are chemical, meaning an electrical impulse or action potential spurs the release of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. The neuron sending the signal is called the presynaptic neuron, and the neuron receiving the signal is the postsynaptic neuron.
The presynaptic neuron fires an action potential that...

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Related Experiment Video

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Large-scale Three-dimensional Imaging of Cellular Organization in the Mouse Neocortex
09:55

Large-scale Three-dimensional Imaging of Cellular Organization in the Mouse Neocortex

Published on: September 5, 2018

A synaptic organizing principle for cortical neuronal groups.

Rodrigo Perin1, Thomas K Berger, Henry Markram

  • 1Blue Brain Project, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|March 9, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Neuronal circuitry exhibits predictable patterns, not a clean slate. Specific synaptic organizing principles create small-world networks, suggesting innate neuronal groups form perception

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Computational Neuroscience
  • Systems Neuroscience

Background:

  • Neuronal circuitry was traditionally viewed as highly plastic and shaped by experience.
  • The precise rules governing synaptic connectivity and network formation remained largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the principles of synaptic connectivity and network topology in pyramidal neurons.
  • To determine if neuronal connectivity is predetermined or solely experience-dependent.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of synaptic connectivity and weights in neocortical pyramidal neuron groups.
  • Examination of network topology, including clustering and connection probability.
  • Identification of rules governing neuronal clustering and network formation.

Main Results:

  • Synaptic connectivity and weights in pyramidal neurons are highly predictable.
  • Synaptic weights saturate early, with connectivity proportional to common neighbors.
  • Neurons form small-world networks with a simple clustering rule, independent of experience.
  • Pyramidal neurons cluster into spatially distributed groups, forming interlaced networks.

Conclusions:

  • A fundamental synaptic organizing principle exists, independent of individual experience.
  • These innate neuronal groups may serve as basic building blocks for perception.
  • Acquired memory could involve the combination of these elementary neuronal assemblies.