The logic of cross-columnar interactions along horizontal circuits
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1
HHMI, United States
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2
UCSD , United States
The cerebral cortex constructs a coherent representation of the world by integrating distinct features of the sensory environment. While these features are initially processed in discrete cortical modules, called columns, horizontal connections between columns allow this information to be processed in a context dependent manner, ultimately resulting in a meaningful perception. Despite the wealth of physiological and psychophysical studies addressing the function of horizontal projections, the cellular mechanisms by which they coordinate activity among cortical columns are poorly understood. To address this question we selectively activated horizontal projection neurons in mouse somatosensory cortex, in vivo and in vitro, and determined how the resulting domains of excitation and inhibition impact columnar activity. Surprisingly, we found that horizontal projections suppress the superficial layers while simultaneously activating the deeper output layers of cortical columns. This layer specific modulation of activity does not result from a spatial separation of excitatory and inhibitory domains, but rather from a layer specific difference in the ratio between these two opposing, yet precisely overlapping conductances. Hence, through this novel mechanism of cross-columnar interaction individual columns exploit horizontal projections to compete for cortical space.
Conference:
Computational and Systems Neuroscience 2010, Salt Lake City, UT, United States, 25 Feb - 2 Mar, 2010.
Presentation Type:
Poster Presentation
Topic:
Poster session II
Citation:
Adesnik
H and
Scanziani
M
(2010). The logic of cross-columnar interactions along horizontal circuits.
Front. Neurosci.
Conference Abstract:
Computational and Systems Neuroscience 2010.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnins.2010.03.00084
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Received:
20 Feb 2010;
Published Online:
20 Feb 2010.
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Correspondence:
Hillel Adesnik, HHMI, La Jolla, United States, hillel.adesnik@gmail.com