Feedback optimizes neural coding and perception of natural stimuli.

ABSTRACT: Growing evidence suggests that sensory neurons achieve optimal encoding by matching their tuning properties to the natural stimulus statistics. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here we demonstrate that feedback pathways from higher brain areas mediate optimized encoding of naturalistic stimuli via temporal whitening in the weakly electric fish Apteronotus leptorhynchus. While one source of direct feedback uniformly enhances neural responses, a separate source of indirect feedback selectively attenuates responses to low frequencies, thus creating a high-pass neural tuning curve that opposes the decaying spectral power of natural stimuli. Additionally, we recorded from two populations of higher brain neurons responsible for the direct and indirect descending inputs.

SUBMITTER: Huang CG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6181564 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature