Attention-induced variance and noise correlation reduction in macaque V1 is mediated by NMDA receptors

Attention improves perception by affecting different aspects of the neuronal code. It enhances firing rates, it reduces firing rate variability and noise correlations of neurons, and it alters the strength of oscillatory activity. Attention-induced rate enhancement in striate cortex requires cholinergic mechanisms. The neuropharmacological mechanisms responsible for attention-induced variance and noise correlation reduction or those supporting changes in oscillatory activity are unknown. We show that ionotropic glutamatergic receptor activation is required for attention-induced rate variance, noise correlation, and LFP gamma power reduction in macaque V1, but not for attention-induced rate modulations. NMDA receptors mediate attention-induced variance reduction and attention-induced noise correlation reduction. Our results demonstrate that attention improves sensory processing by a variety of mechanisms that are dissociable at the receptor level.