Lack of orientation and direction selectivity in a subgroup of fast-spiking inhibitory interneurons: cellular and synaptic mechanisms and comparison with other electrophysiological cell types.

ABSTRACT: Neurons in cat area 17 can be grouped in 4 different electrophysiological cell classes (regular spiking, intrinsically bursting, chattering, and fast spiking [FS]). However, little is known of the functional properties of these different cell classes. Here we compared orientation and direction selectivity between these cell classes in cat area 17 and found that a subset of FS inhibitory neurons, usually with complex receptive fields, exhibited little selectivity in comparison with other cell types. Differences in occurrence and amplitude of gamma-range membrane fluctuations, as well as in numbers of action potentials in response to optimal visual stimuli, did not parallel differences observed for orientation and direction selectivity. Instead, differences in selectivity resulted mostly fro

SUBMITTER: Nowak LG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3136126 | biostudies-literature | 2008 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature