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Interneuron-mediated inhibition synchronizes neuronal activity during slow oscillation
Jen-Yung Chen1, Sylvain Chauvette, Steven Skorheim
1Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
The Journal of Physiology
|May 30, 2012
Summary
Synaptic inhibition controls active state termination during sleep slow oscillations. Reduced inhibition can cause seizure-like activity, highlighting inhibition
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sleep Science
- Computational Neuroscience
Background:
- Slow-wave sleep (SWS) is characterized by electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns of large-amplitude field potential fluctuations.
- These fluctuations reflect synchronized neuronal activity and silence across cortical networks.
- While the initiation of active states during SWS is understood, the mechanisms driving the transition to silence are unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the roles of intrinsic and synaptic inhibition in regulating state transitions during sleep slow oscillations.
- To explore how altered inhibition impacts cortical network dynamics during sleep.
Main Methods:
- In vivo electrophysiology in animal models.
- Thalamocortical network computational simulations.
Main Results:
- Synaptic inhibition is crucial for the duration and synchrony of active state termination in normal conditions.
- Reduced interneuron-mediated inhibition disrupts regular slow oscillation patterns, leading to asynchronous network transitions.
- Significantly decreased synaptic inhibition can trigger synchronized, seizure-like bursting activity, with fast active state termination mediated by intrinsic hyperpolarizing conductances.
Conclusions:
- Both intrinsic and synaptic inhibition play critical roles in modulating sleep slow rhythms.
- Understanding these inhibitory mechanisms is key to comprehending sleep dynamics and potential disruptions.
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