Inhibition increases response variability and reduces stimulus discrimination in random networks of cortical neurons.

ABSTRACT: Much of what is known about the contribution of inhibition to stimulus discrimination is due to extensively studied sensory systems, which are highly structured neural circuits. The effect of inhibition on stimulus representation in less structured networks is not as clear. Here we exercise a biosynthetic approach in order to study the impacts of inhibition on stimulus representation in non-specialized network anatomy. Combining pharmacological manipulation, multisite electrical stimulation and recording from ex-vivo randomly rewired networks of cortical neurons, we quantified the effects of inhibition on response variability and stimulus discrimination at the population and single unit levels. We find that blocking inhibition quenches variability of responses evoked by repeated stimuli an

SUBMITTER: Haroush N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6428807 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature