Cortical oscillations arise from contextual interactions that regulate sparse coding.

ABSTRACT: Precise spike times carry information and are important for synaptic plasticity. Synchronizing oscillations such as gamma bursts could coordinate spike times, thus regulating information transmission in the cortex. Oscillations are driven by inhibitory neurons and are modulated by sensory stimuli and behavioral states. How their power and frequency are regulated is an open question. Using a model cortical circuit, we propose a regulatory mechanism that depends on the activity balance of monosynaptic and disynaptic pathways to inhibitory neurons: Monosynaptic input causes more powerful oscillations whereas disynaptic input increases the frequency of oscillations. The balance of stimulation to the two pathways modulates the overall distribution of spikes, with stronger disynaptic stimulation

SUBMITTER: Jadi MP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4020078 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature