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Experience shapes activity dynamics and stimulus coding of VIP inhibitory cells
Marina Garrett1, Sahar Manavi1, Kate Roll1
1Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, United States.
Elife
|February 27, 2020
Summary
Visual experience alters brain circuits. In mice, VIP inhibitory cells in the visual cortex responded differently to familiar versus novel images, suggesting distinct processing modes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Visual Cortex Research
- Cellular Neuroscience
Background:
- Cortical circuits adapt with learning, but impacts on specific inhibitory cell types remain unclear.
- Understanding cell-type-specific plasticity is crucial for comprehending brain function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how visual experience affects excitatory and VIP (vasoactive intestinal peptide) inhibitory cells in mouse visual cortex layer 2/3.
- To determine if VIP cell activity patterns change between novel and familiar visual stimuli during a task.
Main Methods:
- Mice learned a visual change detection task using natural scene images.
- Two-photon imaging recorded activity of excitatory and VIP cells during task performance with familiar and novel images.
Main Results:
- VIP cell activity showed distinct temporal dynamics for novel versus familiar images.
- VIP cells were stimulus-driven by novel images but suppressed by familiar stimuli.
- VIP cells exhibited ramping activity when expected stimuli were omitted in predictable sequences.
Conclusions:
- VIP inhibitory cells in the visual cortex adopt different processing modes depending on stimulus familiarity.
- These findings highlight the dynamic role of VIP cells in visual processing and learning.
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