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Induction of an Isoelectric Brain State to Investigate the Impact of Endogenous Synaptic Activity on Neuronal Excitability In Vivo
Published on: March 31, 2016
Cellular mechanisms of brain state-dependent gain modulation in visual cortex.
Pierre-Olivier Polack1, Jonathan Friedman, Peyman Golshani
1Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Nature Neuroscience
|July 23, 2013
Summary
Locomotion increases visual cortical neuron firing rates by altering membrane potential. Neuromodulators like noradrenaline drive this change, enhancing signal processing during movement.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Systems Neuroscience
- Sensory Processing
Background:
- Visual cortical neurons exhibit state-dependent firing rate changes.
- Locomotion alters visual stimulus processing, but underlying mechanisms remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cellular mechanisms controlling visual cortical neuron gain during locomotion.
- To identify the neuromodulatory control of visual cortex activity during different behavioral states.
Main Methods:
- Whole-cell recordings from excitatory and inhibitory neurons in mouse visual cortex.
- In vivo recordings during spontaneous locomotion on a spherical treadmill.
- Pharmacological manipulations to assess neuromodulatory roles.
Main Results:
- Locomotion induced membrane potential depolarization and reduced variability in most visual cortical neurons.
- Cholinergic input maintained resting membrane potential distribution during immobility.
- Noradrenergic input was critical for locomotion-induced depolarization.
Conclusions:
- Neuromodulation, particularly noradrenergic input, controls visual cortical neuron gain and signal-to-noise ratio during locomotion.
- These findings elucidate how brain states influence sensory processing.
- Identified a mechanism for state-dependent visual processing.
