Local thalamic interneurons drive spindle termination and enable sleep-dependent learning.

ABSTRACT: The thalamus is central to fundamental brain functions including sensation, attention, and sleep through the precise generation and regulation of neuronal ensemble oscillatory activity. Sensory thalamic circuits are considered feedforward structures, lacking lateral connectivity, while recurrence in the network is mediated by interactions with inhibitory neurons of the thalamic reticular nucleus. Here, we define previously uncharacterized functional roles of local thalamic interneurons, a component of the sensory thalamus whose function has remained unexplored. We demonstrate that local interneuron activation induces rebound oscillations in thalamocortical relay neurons ex vivo and neocortical spindles in vivo, while their inhibition increases spindle occurrence, overall spin

SUBMITTER: Simko J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12485706 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature