Dynamic encoding of natural luminance sequences by LGN bursts.

ABSTRACT: In the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of the thalamus, visual stimulation produces two distinct types of responses known as tonic and burst. Due to the dynamics of the T-type Ca(2+) channels involved in burst generation, the type of response evoked by a particular stimulus depends on the resting membrane potential, which is controlled by a network of modulatory connections from other brain areas. In this study, we use simulated responses to natural scene movies to describe how modulatory and stimulus-driven changes in LGN membrane potential interact to determine the luminance sequences that trigger burst responses. We find that at low resting potentials, when the T channels are de-inactivated and bursts are relatively frequent, an excitatory stimulus transient alone is sufficient to evok

SUBMITTER: Lesica NA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1475766 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature