Conditional spike backpropagation generates burst discharge in a sensory neuron

Serotonergic Modulation of Sensory Neuron Activity and Behavior in Apteronotus albifrons

Organisms must constantly adapt to changes in their environment to survive. It is thought that neuromodulators such as serotonin enable sensory neurons to better process input encountered during different behavioral contexts. Here, we investigated how serotonergic innervation affects neural and behavioral responses to behaviorally relevant envelope stimuli in the weakly electric fish species Apteronotus albifrons. Under baseline conditions, we found that exogenous serotonin application within the electrosensory lateral line lobe increased sensory neuron excitability, thereby promoting burst firing. We found that serotonin enhanced the responses to envelope stimuli of pyramidal cells within the lateral segment of the electrosensory lateral line lobe (ELL) by increasing sensitivity, with the increase more pronounced for stimuli with higher temporal frequencies (i.e., >0.2 Hz). Such increases in neural sensitivity were due to increased burst firing. At the organismal level, bilateral serotonin application within the ELL lateral segment enhanced behavioral responses to sensory input through increases in sensitivity. Similar to what was observed for neural responses, increases in behavioral sensitivity were more pronounced for higher (i.e., >0.2 Hz) temporal frequencies. Surprisingly, a comparison between our results and previous ones obtained in the closely related species A. leptorhynchus revealed that, while serotonin application gave rise to similar effects on neural excitability and responses to sensory input, serotonin application also gave rise to marked differences in behavior. Specifically, behavioral responses in A. leptorhynchus were increased primarily for lower (i.e., ≤0.2 Hz) rather than for higher temporal frequencies. Thus, our results strongly suggest that there are marked differences in how sensory neural responses are processed downstream to give rise to behavior across both species. This is even though previous results have shown that the behavioral responses of both species to envelope stimuli were identical when serotonin is not applied.

Novel Functions of Feedback in Electrosensory Processing

Environmental signals act as input and are processed across successive stages in the brain to generate a meaningful behavioral output. However, a ubiquitous observation is that descending feedback projections from more central to more peripheral brain areas vastly outnumber ascending feedforward projections. Such projections generally act to modify how sensory neurons respond to afferent signals. Recent studies in the electrosensory system of weakly electric fish have revealed novel functions for feedback pathways in that their transformation of the afferent input generates neural firing rate responses to sensory signals mediating perception and behavior. In this review, we focus on summarizing these novel and recently uncovered functions and put them into context by describing the more "classical" functions of feedback in the electrosensory system. We further highlight the parallels between the electrosensory system and other systems as well as outline interesting future directions.

Cav3.2 T-type calcium channels shape electrical firing in mouse Lamina II neurons

The T-type calcium channel, Cav3.2, is necessary for acute pain perception, as well as mechanical and cold allodynia in mice. Being found throughout sensory pathways, from excitatory primary afferent neurons up to pain matrix structures, it is a promising target for analgesics. In our study, Cav3.2 was detected in ~60% of the lamina II (LII) neurons of the spinal cord, a site for integration of sensory processing. It was co-expressed with Tlx3 and Pax2, markers of excitatory and inhibitory interneurons, as well as nNOS, calretinin, calbindin, PKCγ and not parvalbumin. Non-selective T-type channel blockers slowed the inhibitory but not the excitatory transmission in LII neurons. Furthermore, T-type channel blockers modified the intrinsic properties of LII neurons, abolishing low-threshold activated currents, rebound depolarizations, and blunting excitability. The recording of Cav3.2-positive LII neurons, after intraspinal injection of AAV-DJ-Cav3.2-mcherry, showed that their intrinsic properties resembled those of the global population. However, Cav3.2 ablation in the dorsal horn of Cav3.2^GFP-Flox KI mice after intraspinal injection of AAV-DJ-Cav3.2-Cre-IRES-mcherry, had drastic effects. Indeed, it (1) blunted the likelihood of transient firing patterns; (2) blunted the likelihood and the amplitude of rebound depolarizations, (3) eliminated action potential pairing, and (4) remodeled the kinetics of the action potentials. In contrast, the properties of Cav3.2-positive neurons were only marginally modified in Cav3.1 knockout mice. Overall, in addition to their previously established roles in the superficial spinal cord and in primary afferent neurons, Cav3.2 channel appear to be necessary for specific, significant and multiple controls of LII neuron excitability.

Serotonin Selectively Increases Detectability of Motion Stimuli in the Electrosensory System

Serotonergic innervation of sensory areas is found ubiquitously across the central nervous system of vertebrates. Here, we used a system's level approach to investigate the role of serotonin on processing motion stimuli in the electrosensory system of the weakly electric fish Apteronotus albifrons. We found that exogenous serotonin application increased the firing activity of pyramidal neural responses to both looming and receding motion. Separating spikes belonging to bursts from those that were isolated revealed that this effect was primarily due to increased burst firing. Moreover, when investigating whether firing activity during stimulation could be discriminated from baseline (i.e., in the absence of stimulation), we found that serotonin increased stimulus discriminability only for some stimuli. This is because increased burst firing was most prominent for these. Further, the effects of serotonin were highly heterogeneous, with some neurons displaying large while others instead displaying minimal changes in responsiveness following serotonin application. Further analysis revealed that serotonin application had the greatest effect on neurons with low baseline firing rates and little to no effect on neurons with high baseline firing rates. Finally, the effects of serotonin on sensory neuron responses were largely independent of object velocity. Our results therefore reveal a novel function for the serotonergic system in selectively enhancing discriminability for motion stimuli.

Burst Firing in Bee Gustatory Neurons Prevents Adaptation

Animals detect changes in the environment using modality-specific, peripheral sensory neurons. The insect gustatory system encodes tastant identity and concentration through the independent firing of gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs) that spike rapidly at stimulus onset and quickly adapt. Here, we show the first evidence that concentrated sugar evokes a temporally structured burst pattern of spiking involving two GRNs within the gustatory sensilla of bumblebees. Bursts of spikes resulted when a sucrose-activated GRN was inhibited by another GRN at a frequency of ∼22 Hz during the first 1 s of stimulation. Pharmacological blockade of gap junctions abolished bursting, indicating that bee GRNs have electrical synapses that produce a temporal pattern of spikes when one GRN is activated by a sugar ligand. Bursting permitted bee GRNs to maintain a high rate of spiking and to exhibit the slowest rate of adaptation of any insect species. Feeding bout duration correlated with coherent bursting; only sugar concentrations that produced bursting evoked the bumblebee's feeding reflex. Volume of solution imbibed was a direct function of time in contact with food. We propose that gap junctions among GRNs enable a sustained rate of GRN spiking that is necessary to drive continuous feeding by the bee proboscis.

A computational model for how the fast afterhyperpolarization paradoxically increases gain in regularly firing neurons

The gain of a neuron, the number and frequency of action potentials triggered in response to a given amount of depolarizing injection, is an important behavior underlying a neuron's function. Variations in action potential waveform can influence neuronal discharges by the differential activation of voltage- and ion-gated channels long after the end of a spike. One component of the action potential waveform, the afterhyperpolarization (AHP), is generally considered an inhibitory mechanism for limiting firing rates. In dentate gyrus granule cells (DGCs) expressing fast-gated BK channels, large fast AHPs (fAHP) are paradoxically associated with increased gain. In this article, we describe a mechanism for this behavior using a computational model. Hyperpolarization provided by the fAHP enhances activation of a dendritic inward current (a T-type Ca²⁺ channel is suggested) that, in turn, boosts rebound depolarization at the soma. The model suggests that the fAHP may both reduce Ca²⁺ channel inactivation and, counterintuitively, enhance its activation. The magnitude of the rebound depolarization, in turn, determines the activation of a subsequent, slower inward current (a persistent Na⁺ current is suggested) limiting the interspike interval. Simulations also show that the effect of AHP on gain is also effective for physiologically relevant stimulation; varying AHP amplitude affects interspike interval across a range of "noisy" stimulus frequency and amplitudes. The mechanism proposed suggests that small fAHPs in DGCs may contribute to their limited excitability. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The afterhyperpolarization (AHP) is canonically viewed as a major factor underlying the refractory period, serving to limit neuronal firing rate. We recently reported that enhancing the amplitude of the fast AHP (fAHP) in a relatively slowly firing neuron (vs. fast spiking neurons) expressing fast-gated BK channels augments neuronal excitability. In this computational study, we present a novel, quantitative hypothesis for how varying the amplitude of the fAHP can, paradoxically, influence a subsequent spike tens of milliseconds later.

Burst Firing in the Electrosensory System of Gymnotiform Weakly Electric Fish: Mechanisms and Functional Roles

Neurons across sensory systems and organisms often display complex patterns of action potentials in response to sensory input. One example of such a pattern is the tendency of neurons to fire packets of action potentials (i.e., a burst) followed by quiescence. While it is well known that multiple mechanisms can generate bursts of action potentials at both the single-neuron and the network level, the functional role of burst firing in sensory processing is not so well understood to date. Here we provide a comprehensive review of the known mechanisms and functions of burst firing in processing of electrosensory stimuli in gymnotiform weakly electric fish. We also present new evidence from existing data showing that bursts and isolated spikes provide distinct information about stimulus variance. It is likely that these functional roles will be generally applicable to other systems and species.

The neural dynamics of sensory focus

Coordinated sensory and motor system activity leads to efficient localization behaviours; but what neural dynamics enable object tracking and what are the underlying coding principles? Here we show that optimized distance estimation from motion-sensitive neurons underlies object tracking performance in weakly electric fish. First, a relationship is presented for determining the distance that maximizes the Fisher information of a neuron's response to object motion. When applied to our data, the theory correctly predicts the distance chosen by an electric fish engaged in a tracking behaviour, which is associated with a bifurcation between tonic and burst modes of spiking. Although object distance, size and velocity alter the neural response, the location of the Fisher information maximum remains invariant, demonstrating that the circuitry must actively adapt to maintain ‘focus' during relative motion.

Animals tracking objects can adapt their movements to optimise sensory coding. Using fish that sense objects as perturbations to an electric field, Clarke et al. reveal that the optimal object distance maintained by the fish is encoded within the firing properties of electrosensory neurons.

Firing and intrinsic properties of antennal lobe neurons in the Noctuid moth Agrotis ipsilon

The antennal lobe (AL) of the Noctuid moth Agrotis ipsilon has emerged as an excellent model for studying olfactory processing and its plasticity in the central nervous system. Odor-evoked responses of AL neurons and input-to-output transformations involved in pheromone processing are well characterized in this species. However, the intrinsic electrical properties responsible of the firing of AL neurons are poorly known. To this end, patch-clamp recordings in current- and voltage-clamp mode from neurons located in the two main clusters of cell bodies in the ALs were combined with intracellular staining on A. ipsilon males. Staining indicated that the lateral cluster (LC) is composed of 85% of local neurons (LNs) and 15% of projection neurons (PNs). The medial cluster (MC) contains only PNs. Action potentials were readily recorded from the soma in LNs and PNs located in the LC but not from PNs in the MC where recordings showed small or no action potentials. In the LC, the spontaneous activity of about 20% of the LNs presented irregular bursts while being more regular in PNs. We also identified a small population of LNs lacking voltage-gated Na(+) currents and generating spikelets. We focused on the firing properties of LNs since in about 60% of LNs, but not in PNs, action potentials were followed by depolarizing afterpotentials (DAPs). These DAPs could generate a second action potential, so that the activity was composed of action potential doublets. DAPs depended on voltage, Ca(2+)-channels and possibly on Ca(2+)-activated non-specific cationic channels. During steady state current injection, DAPs occurred after each action potential and did not require high-frequency firing. The amplitude of DAPs increased when the interspike interval was small, typically within bursts, likely arising from a Ca(2+) build up. DAPs were more often found in bursting than in non-bursting LNs but do not support bursting activity. DAPs and spike doublets also occurred during odor-evoked activity suggesting that they can mediate olfactory integration in the AL.

Neuromodulation of early electrosensory processing in gymnotiform weakly electric fish

Sensory neurons continually adapt their processing properties in response to changes in the sensory environment or the brain's internal state. Neuromodulators are thought to mediate such adaptation through a variety of receptors and their action has been implicated in processes such as attention, learning and memory, aggression, reproductive behaviour and state-dependent mechanisms. Here, we review recent work on neuromodulation of electrosensory processing by acetylcholine and serotonin in the weakly electric fish Apteronotus leptorhynchus. Specifically, our review focuses on how experimental application of these neuromodulators alters excitability and responses to sensory input of pyramidal cells within the hindbrain electrosensory lateral line lobe. We then discuss current hypotheses on the functional roles of these two neuromodulatory pathways in regulating electrosensory processing at the organismal level and the need for identifying the natural behavioural conditions that activate these pathways.

Serotonin selectively enhances perception and sensory neural responses to stimuli generated by same-sex conspecifics

Centrifugal serotonergic fibers innervating sensory brain areas are seen ubiquitously across systems and species but their function remains unclear. Here we examined the functional role of serotonergic innervation onto electrosensory neurons in weakly electric fish by eliciting endogenous release through electrical stimulation as well as exogenous focal application of serotonin in the vicinity of the cell being recorded from. Both approaches showed that the function of serotonergic input onto electrosensory pyramidal neurons is to render them more excitable by reducing the spike afterhyperpolarization amplitude and thereby promoting burst firing. Further, serotonergic input selectively improved neuronal responses to stimuli that occur during interactions between same-sex conspecifics but not to stimuli associated with either prey or that occur during interactions between opposite-sex conspecifics. Finally, we tested whether serotonin-mediated enhanced pyramidal neuron responses to stimuli associated with same-sex conspecifics actually increase perception by the animal. Our behavioral experiments show that exogenous injection and endogenous release of serotonin both increase the magnitude of behavioral responses to stimuli associated with same-sex conspecifics as well as simultaneously decrease aggressive behaviors. Thus, our data indicate that the serotonergic system inhibits aggressive behavior toward same-sex conspecifics, while at the same time increasing perception of stimuli associated with these individuals. This function is likely to be conserved across systems and species.

Bistability in Purkinje neurons: ups and downs in cerebellar research

The output of cerebellar Purkinje cells has been characterized extensively and theories regarding the role of simple spike (SS) and complex spike (CS) patterns have evolved through many different studies. A bistable pattern of SS output can be observed in vitro; however, differing views exist regarding the occurrence of bistable SS output in vivo. Bistability in Purkinje cell output is characterized by abrupt transitions between tonic firing and quiescence, usually evoked by synaptic inputs to the neuron. This is in contrast to the trimodal pattern of activity which has been found in vitro and in vivo when climbing fiber input to Purkinje cells is removed. The mechanisms underlying bistable membrane properties in Purkinje cells have been determined through in vitro studies and computational analysis. In vitro studies have further established that Purkinje cells possess the ability to toggle between firing states, but in vivo studies in both awake and anesthetized animals have found conflicting results as to the presence of toggling in the intact circuit. Here, we provide an overview of the current state of research on bistability, examining the mechanisms underlying bistability and current findings from in vivo studies. We also suggest possible reasons for discrepancies between in vivo studies and propose future studies which would aid in clarifying the role of bistability in the cerebellar circuit.

Analysis of the electrosensory pyramidal cell bursting model for weakly electric fish: model prediction under low levels of dendritic potassium conductance

Pyramidal cells in the electrosensory lateral line lobe (ELL) of weakly electric fish produce burst discharge. A Hodgkin-Huxley-type model, called ghostburster, consisting of two compartments (soma and dendrite) reproduces ELL pyramidal cell bursting observed in vitro. A previous study analyzed the ghostburster by treating Is and gDr,d as bifurcation parameters (Is: current injected into the somatic compartment and gDr,d: maximal conductance of the delayed rectifying potassium current in the dendritic compartment) and indicated that when both Is and gDr,d are set at particular values, the ghostburster shows a codimension-two bifurcation at which both saddle-node bifurcation of fixed points and saddle-node bifurcation of limit cycles occur simultaneously. In the present study, the ghostburster was investigated to clarify the bursting that occurred at gDr,d values smaller than that at the codimension-two bifurcation. Based on the number of spikes per burst, various burst patterns were observed depending on the (Is, gDr,d) values. Depending on the (Is, gDr,d) values, the burst trajectory in a phase space of the ghostburster showed either a high or a low degree of periodicity. Compared to the previous study, the present findings contribute to a more detailed understanding of ghostburster bursting.

Frequency-tuned cerebellar channels and burst-induced LTD lead to the cancellation of redundant sensory inputs

For optimal sensory processing, neural circuits must extract novel, unpredictable signals from the redundant sensory input in which they are embedded, but the detailed cellular and network mechanisms that implement such selective cancellation are presently unknown. Using a combination of modeling and experiment, we characterize in detail a cerebellar circuit in weakly electric fish, showing how it can carry out this computation. We use a model incorporating the wide range of experimentally estimated parallel fiber feedback delays and a burst-induced LTD rule derived from in vitro experiments to explain the precise cancellation of redundant signals observed in vivo. Our model demonstrates how the backpropagation-dependent burst dynamics adjusts the temporal pairing width of the plasticity mechanism to precisely match the frequency of the redundant signal. The model also makes the prediction that this cerebellar feedback pathway must be composed of frequency-tuned channels; this prediction is subsequently verified in vivo, highlighting a novel and general capability of cerebellar circuitry.

Efficient computation via sparse coding in electrosensory neural networks

The electric sense combines spatial aspects of vision and touch with temporal features of audition. Its accessible neural architecture shares similarities with mammalian sensory systems and allows for recordings from successive brain areas to test hypotheses about neural coding. Further, electrosensory stimuli encountered during prey capture, navigation, and communication, can be readily synthesized in the laboratory. These features enable analyses of the neural circuitry that reveal general principles of encoding and decoding, such as segregation of information into separate streams and neural response sparsification. A systems level understanding arises via linkage between cellular differentiation and network architecture, revealed by in vitro and in vivo analyses, while computational modeling reveals how single cell dynamics and connectivity shape the sparsification process.

Routing the flow of sensory signals using plastic responses to bursts and isolated spikes: experiment and theory

Processing complex sensory environments efficiently requires a diverse array of neural coding strategies. Neural codes relying on specific temporal patterning of action potentials may offer advantages over using solely spike rate codes. In particular, stimulus-dependent burst firing may carry additional information that isolated spikes do not. We use the well characterized electrosensory system of weakly electric fish to address how stimulus-dependent burst firing can determine the flow of information in feedforward neural circuits with different forms of short-term synaptic plasticity. Pyramidal cells in the electrosensory lateral line lobe burst in response to low-frequency, local (prey) signals. We show that the ability of pyramidal cells to code for local signals in the presence of additional high-frequency, global (communication) stimuli is uncompromised, while burst firing is reduced. We developed a bursting neuron model to understand how these effects, in particular noise-induced burst suppression, arise from interplay between incoming sensory signals and intrinsic neuronal dynamics. Finally, we examined how postsynaptic target populations preferentially respond to one of the two sensory mixtures (local vs local plus global) depending on whether the populations are in receipt of facilitating or depressing synapses. This form of feedforward neural architecture may allow for efficient information flow in the same neural pathway via either isolated or burst spikes, where the mechanisms by which stimuli are encoded are adaptable and sensitive to a diverse array of stimulus and contextual mixtures.

In vivo conditions influence the coding of stimulus features by bursts of action potentials

The functional role of burst firing (i.e. the firing of packets of action potentials followed by quiescence) in sensory processing is still under debate. Should bursts be considered as unitary events that signal the presence of a particular feature in the sensory environment or is information about stimulus attributes contained within their temporal structure? We compared the coding of stimulus attributes by bursts in vivo and in vitro of electrosensory pyramidal neurons in weakly electric fish by computing correlations between burst and stimulus attributes. Our results show that, while these correlations were strong in magnitude and significant in vitro, they were actually much weaker in magnitude if at all significant in vivo. We used a mathematical model of pyramidal neuron activity in vivo and showed that such a model could reproduce the correlations seen in vitro, thereby suggesting that differences in burst coding were not due to differences in bursting seen in vivo and in vitro. We next tested whether variability in the baseline (i.e. without stimulation) activity of ELL pyramidal neurons could account for these differences. To do so, we injected noise into our model whose intensity was calibrated to mimic baseline activity variability as quantified by the coefficient of variation. We found that this noise caused significant decreases in the magnitude of correlations between burst and stimulus attributes and could account for differences between in vitro and in vivo conditions. We then tested this prediction experimentally by directly injecting noise in vitro through the recording electrode. Our results show that this caused a lowering in magnitude of the correlations between burst and stimulus attributes in vitro and gave rise to values that were quantitatively similar to those seen under in vivo conditions. While it is expected that noise in the form of baseline activity variability will lower correlations between burst and stimulus attributes, our results show that such variability can account for differences seen in vivo. Thus, the high variability seen under in vivo conditions has profound consequences on the coding of information by bursts in ELL pyramidal neurons. In particular, our results support the viewpoint that bursts serve as a detector of particular stimulus features but do not carry detailed information about such features in their structure.

Neurophysiological and computational principles of cortical rhythms in cognition

Synchronous rhythms represent a core mechanism for sculpting temporal coordination of neural activity in the brain-wide network. This review focuses on oscillations in the cerebral cortex that occur during cognition, in alert behaving conditions. Over the last two decades, experimental and modeling work has made great strides in elucidating the detailed cellular and circuit basis of these rhythms, particularly gamma and theta rhythms. The underlying physiological mechanisms are diverse (ranging from resonance and pacemaker properties of single cells to multiple scenarios for population synchronization and wave propagation), but also exhibit unifying principles. A major conceptual advance was the realization that synaptic inhibition plays a fundamental role in rhythmogenesis, either in an interneuronal network or in a reciprocal excitatory-inhibitory loop. Computational functions of synchronous oscillations in cognition are still a matter of debate among systems neuroscientists, in part because the notion of regular oscillation seems to contradict the common observation that spiking discharges of individual neurons in the cortex are highly stochastic and far from being clocklike. However, recent findings have led to a framework that goes beyond the conventional theory of coupled oscillators and reconciles the apparent dichotomy between irregular single neuron activity and field potential oscillations. From this perspective, a plethora of studies will be reviewed on the involvement of long-distance neuronal coherence in cognitive functions such as multisensory integration, working memory, and selective attention. Finally, implications of abnormal neural synchronization are discussed as they relate to mental disorders like schizophrenia and autism.

Neural heterogeneities and stimulus properties affect burst coding in vivo

Many neurons tend to fire clusters of action potentials called bursts followed by quiescence in response to sensory input. While the mechanisms that underlie burst firing are generally well understood in vitro, the functional role of these bursts in generating behavioral responses to sensory input in vivo are less clear. Pyramidal cells within the electrosensory lateral line lobe (ELL) of weakly electric fish offer an attractive model system for studying the coding properties of burst firing, because the anatomy and physiology of the electrosensory circuitry are well understood, and the burst mechanism of ELL pyramidal cells has been thoroughly characterized in vitro. We investigated the coding properties of bursts generated by these cells in vivo in response to mimics of behaviorally relevant sensory input. We found that heterogeneities within the pyramidal cell population had quantitative but not qualitative effects on burst coding for the low frequency components of broadband time varying input. Moreover, spatially localized stimuli mimicking, for example, prey tended to elicit more bursts than spatially global stimuli mimicking conspecific-related stimuli. We also found small but significant correlations between burst attributes such as the number of spikes per burst or the interspike interval during the burst and stimulus attributes such as stimulus amplitude or slope. These correlations were much weaker in magnitude than those observed in vitro. More surprisingly, our results show that correlations between burst and stimulus attributes actually decreased in magnitude when we used low frequency stimuli that are expected to promote burst firing. We propose that this discrepancy is attributable to differences between ELL pyramidal cell burst firing under in vivo and in vitro conditions.

SK channels gate information processing in vivo by regulating an intrinsic bursting mechanism seen in vitro

Understanding the mechanistic substrates of neural computations that lead to behavior remains a fundamental problem in neuroscience. In particular, the contributions of intrinsic neural properties such as burst firing and dendritic morphology to the processing of behaviorally relevant sensory input have received much interest recently. Pyramidal cells within the electrosensory lateral line lobe of weakly electric fish display an intrinsic bursting mechanism that relies on somato-dendritic interactions when recorded in vitro: backpropagating somatic action potentials trigger dendritic action potentials that lead to a depolarizing afterpotential (DAP) at the soma. We recorded intracellularly from these neurons in vivo and found firing patterns that were quite different from those seen in vitro: we found no evidence for DAPs as each somatic action potential was followed by a pronounced afterhyperpolarization (AHP). Calcium chelators injected in vivo reduced the AHP, thereby unmasking the DAP and inducing in vitro-like bursting in pyramidal cells. These bursting dynamics significantly reduced the cell's ability to encode the detailed time course of sensory input. We performed additional in vivo pharmacological manipulations and mathematical modeling to show that calcium influx through N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors activate dendritic small conductance (SK) calcium-activated potassium channels, which causes an AHP that counteracts the DAP and leads to early termination of the burst. Our results show that ion channels located in dendrites can have a profound influence on the processing of sensory input by neurons in vivo through the modulation of an intrinsic bursting mechanism.

Behaviorally relevant burst coding in primary sensory neurons

Bursts of action potentials in sensory interneurons are believed to signal the occurrence of particularly salient stimulus features. Previous work showed that bursts in an identified, ultrasound-tuned interneuron (AN2) of the cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus code for conspicuous increases in amplitude of an ultrasound stimulus, resulting in behavioral responses that are interpreted as avoidance of echolocating bats. We show that the primary sensory neurons that inform AN2 about high-frequency acoustic stimuli also produce bursts. As is the case for AN2, bursts in sensory neurons perform better as feature detectors than isolated, nonburst, spikes. Bursting is temporally correlated between sensory neurons, suggesting that on occurrence of a salient stimulus feature, AN2 will receive strong synaptic input in the form of coincident bursts, from several sensory neurons, and that this might result in bursting in AN2. Our results show that an important feature of the temporal structure of interneuron spike trains can be established at the earliest possible level of sensory processing, i.e., that of the primary sensory neuron.

Reduction of spike afterdepolarization by increased leak conductance alters interspike interval variability

Data from neurons in vivo have shown that spike output can often sustain episodes of high variability. Theoretical studies have indicated that the high conductance state of neurons brought on by synaptic activity can contribute to an increase in the variability of spike output by decreasing the integration timescale of the neuron. In the present work, we were interested in understanding how background synaptic conductance activity alters the interspike interval (ISI) variability of layer III pyramidal cells of the medial entorhinal cortex. We compared ISI variability in pyramidal cells as a result of synaptic current- or conductance-mediated membrane fluctuations. We found that the effects of background synaptic conductance activity on ISI variability depend on the neuron type. In pyramidal cells lacking spike frequency adaptation, the variability increased in relation to a comparable synaptic current stimulus. In contrast, in pyramidal cells displaying spike frequency adaptation, the synaptic conductance stimulus produced lower ISI variability. To understand this result, we constructed a phenomenological model that reproduced the basic properties of these neurons under control and increased leak conductance. We found that leak can change the properties of the neuron by acting as a bifurcation parameter that reduces the afterdepolarization (ADP) and decreases the slope (gain) of the frequency-current relationship, particularly for transient stimuli. A lower gain with the added leak causes a reduction in ISI variability. We conclude that the ability of a high conductance state to increase ISI variability cannot be generalized and can depend on the spike ADP dynamics expressed by the neuron.

Regulation of somatic firing dynamics by backpropagating dendritic spikes

Pyramidal cells of the apteronotid ELL have been shown to display a characteristic mechanism of burst discharge, which has been shown to play an important role in sensory coding. This form of bursting depends on a reciprocal dendro-somatic interaction, in which discharge of a somatic spike causes a dendritic spike, which in turn contributes a dendro-somatic current flow to create a depolarizing afterpotential (DAP) in the soma. We review here our recent work showing how the timing of this DAP influences the somatic firing dynamics, and how the degree of inactivation of dendritic Na(+) currents can cause an increased delay between somatic and dendritic spikes. This ultimately allows the DAP to become more effective at increasing the excitability of the somatic spike generating mechanism. Further, this delay between dendritic and somatic spiking can be regulated by strongly hyperpolarizing GABA(B) mediated dendritic inhibition, allowing the burst dynamics to fall under synaptic regulation. In contrast, a weaker, shunting inhibition due to GABA(A) mediated dendritic inhibition can regulate the dendritic spike waveform to decrease the dendro-somatic current flow and the resulting DAP. We therefore show that the qualitative behaviour of an individual cell can depend on the degree of synaptic input, and the exact timing of events across the spatial extent of the neuron. Thus, our results serve to illustrate the complex dynamics that can be observed in cells with significant dendritic arborisation, a nearly ubiquitous adaptation amongst principal neurons.

Dendritic backpropagation and synaptic plasticity in the mormyrid electrosensory lobe

This study is concerned with the origin of backpropagating action potentials in GABAergic, medium ganglionic layer neurones (MG-cells) of the mormyrid electrosensory lobe (ELL). The characteristically broad action potentials of these neurones are required for the expression of spike timing dependent plasticity (STDP) at afferent parallel fibre synapses. It has been suggested that this involves active conductances in MG-cell apical dendrites, which constitute a major component of the ELL molecular layer. Immunohistochemistry showed dense labelling of voltage gated sodium channels (VGSC) throughout the molecular layer, as well as in the ganglionic layer containing MG somata, and in the plexiform and upper granule cell layers of ELL. Potassium channel labelling was sparse, being most abundant in the deep fibre layer and the nucleus of the electrosensory lobe. Intracellular recordings from MG-cells in vitro, made in conjunction with voltage sensitive dye measurements, confirmed that dendritic backpropagation is active over at least the inner half of the molecular layer. Focal TTX applications demonstrated that in most case the origin of the backpropagating action potentials is in the proximal dendrites, whereas the small narrow spikes also seen in these neurones most likely originate in the axon. It had been speculated that the slow time course of membrane repolarisation following the broad action potentials was due to a poor expression of potassium channels in the dendritic compartments, or to their voltage- or calcium-sensitive inactivation. However application of TEA and 4AP confirmed that both A-type and delayed rectifying potassium channels normally contribute to membrane repolarisation following dendritic and axonal spikes. An alternative explanation for the shape of MG action potentials is that they represent the summation of active events occurring more or less synchronously in distal dendrites. Coincidence of backpropagating action potentials with parallel fibre input produces a strong local depolarisation that could be sufficient to cause local secretion of GABA, which might then cause plastic change through an action on presynaptic GABA(B) receptors. However, STP depression remained robust in the presence of GABAB receptor antagonists.

Novel modes of rhythmic burst firing at cognitively-relevant frequencies in thalamocortical neurons

It is now widely accepted that certain types of cognitive functions are intimately related to synchronized neuronal oscillations at both low (alpha/theta) (4-7/8-13 Hz) and high (beta/gamma) (18-35/30-70 Hz) frequencies. The thalamus is a key participant in many of these oscillations, yet the cellular mechanisms by which this participation occurs are poorly understood. Here we describe how, under appropriate conditions, thalamocortical (TC) neurons from different nuclei can exhibit a wide array of largely unrecognised intrinsic oscillatory activities at a range of cognitively-relevant frequencies. For example, both metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) and muscarinic Ach receptor (mAchR) activation can cause rhythmic bursting at alpha/theta frequencies. Interestingly, key differences exist between mGluR- and mAchR-induced bursting, with the former involving extensive dendritic Ca2+ electrogenesis and being mimicked by a non-specific block of K+ channels with Ba2+, whereas the latter appears to be more reliant on proximal Na+ channels and a prominent spike afterdepolarization (ADP). This likely relates to the differential somatodendritic distribution of mGluRs and mAChRs and may have important functional consequences. We also show here that in similarity to some neocortical neurons, inhibiting large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels in TC neurons can lead to fast rhythmic bursting (FRB) at approximately 40 Hz. This activity also appears to rely on a Na+ channel-dependent spike ADP and may occur in vivo during natural wakefulness. Taken together, these results show that TC neurons are considerably more flexible than generally thought and strongly endorse a role for the thalamus in promoting a range of cognitively-relevant brain rhythms.

A novel role for MNTB neuron dendrites in regulating action potential amplitude and cell excitability during repetitive firing

Principal cells of the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) are simple round neurons that receive a large excitatory synapse (the calyx of Held) and many small inhibitory synapses on the soma. Strangely, these neurons also possess one or two short tufted dendrites, whose function is unknown. Here we assess the role of these MNTB cell dendrites using patch-clamp recordings, imaging and immunohistochemistry techniques. Using outside-out patches and immunohistochemistry, we demonstrate the presence of dendritic Na+ channels. Current-clamp recordings show that tetrodotoxin applied onto dendrites impairs action potential (AP) firing. Using Na+ imaging, we show that the dendrite may serve to maintain AP amplitudes during high-frequency firing, as Na+ clearance indendritic compartments is faster than axonal compartments. Prolonged high-frequency firing can diminish Na+ gradients in the axon while the dendritic gradient remains closer to resting conditions; therefore, the dendrite can provide additional inward current during prolonged firing. Using electron microscopy, we demonstrate that there are small excitatory synaptic boutons on dendrites. Multi-compartment MNTB cell simulations show that, with an active dendrite, dendritic excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) elicit delayed APs compared with calyceal EPSCs. Together with high- and low-threshold voltage-gated K+ currents, we suggest that the function of the MNTB dendrite is to improve high-fidelity firing, and our modelling results indicate that an active dendrite could contribute to a 'dual' firing mode for MNTB cells (an instantaneous response to calyceal inputs and a delayed response to non-calyceal dendritic excitatory postsynaptic potentials).

Ionic and neuromodulatory regulation of burst discharge controls frequency tuning

Sensory neurons encode natural stimuli by changes in firing rate or by generating specific firing patterns, such as bursts. Many neural computations rely on the fact that neurons can be tuned to specific stimulus frequencies. It is thus important to understand the mechanisms underlying frequency tuning. In the electrosensory system of the weakly electric fish, Apteronotus leptorhynchus, the primary processing of behaviourally relevant sensory signals occurs in pyramidal neurons of the electrosensory lateral line lobe (ELL). These cells encode low frequency prey stimuli with bursts of spikes and high frequency communication signals with single spikes. We describe here how bursting in pyramidal neurons can be regulated by intrinsic conductances in a cell subtype specific fashion across the sensory maps found within the ELL, thereby regulating their frequency tuning. Further, the neuromodulatory regulation of such conductances within individual cells and the consequences to frequency tuning are highlighted. Such alterations in the tuning of the pyramidal neurons may allow weakly electric fish to preferentially select for certain stimuli under various behaviourally relevant circumstances.

Intrinsic frequency tuning in ELL pyramidal cells varies across electrosensory maps

The tuning of neuronal responsiveness to specific stimulus frequencies is an important computation across many sensory modalities. The weakly electric fish Apteronotus leptorhynchus detects amplitude modulations of a self-generated quasi-sinusoidal electric organ discharge to sense its environment. These fish have to parse a complicated electrosensory environment with a wide range of possible frequency content. One solution has been to create multiple representations of the sensory input across distinct maps in the electrosensory lateral line lobe (ELL) that participate in distinct behavioral functions. E- and I-type pyramidal cells in the ELL that process sensory input further exhibit a preferred range of stimulus frequencies in relation to the different behaviors and sensory maps. We tested the hypothesis that variations in the intrinsic spiking mechanism of E- and I-type pyramidal cells contribute to map-specific frequency tuning. We find that E-cells exhibit a systematic change in their intrinsic spike characteristics and frequency tuning across sensory maps, whereas I-cells are constant in both spike characteristics and frequency tuning. As frequency tuning becomes more high-pass in E-cells, the refractory variables of spike half-width and afterhyperpolarization magnitude increase, spike threshold increases, adaptation becomes faster, and the gain of the spiking response decreases. These findings indicate that frequency tuning across sensory maps in the ELL is supported by differences in the intrinsic spike characteristics of pyramidal cells, revealing a link between cellular biophysical properties and signal processing in sensory maps with defined behavioral roles.

Pyramidal neurons: dendritic structure and synaptic integration

Pyramidal neurons are characterized by their distinct apical and basal dendritic trees and the pyramidal shape of their soma. They are found in several regions of the CNS and, although the reasons for their abundance remain unclear, functional studies--especially of CA1 hippocampal and layer V neocortical pyramidal neurons--have offered insights into the functions of their unique cellular architecture. Pyramidal neurons are not all identical, but some shared functional principles can be identified. In particular, the existence of dendritic domains with distinct synaptic inputs, excitability, modulation and plasticity appears to be a common feature that allows synapses throughout the dendritic tree to contribute to action-potential generation. These properties support a variety of coincidence-detection mechanisms, which are likely to be crucial for synaptic integration and plasticity.

Population coding by electrosensory neurons

Sensory stimuli typically activate many receptors at once and therefore should lead to increases in correlated activity among central neurons. Such correlated activity could be a critical feature in the encoding and decoding of information in central circuits. Here we characterize correlated activity in response to two biologically relevant classes of sensory stimuli in the primary electrosensory nuclei, the electrosensory lateral line lobe, of the weakly electric fish Apteronotus leptorhynchus. Our results show that these neurons can display significant correlations in their baseline activities that depend on the amount of receptive field overlap. A detailed analysis of spike trains revealed that correlated activity resulted predominantly from a tendency to fire synchronous or anti-synchronous bursts of spikes. We also explored how different stimulation protocols affected correlated activity: while prey-like stimuli increased correlated activity, conspecific-like stimuli decreased correlated activity. We also computed the correlations between the variabilities of each neuron to repeated presentations of the same stimulus (noise correlations) and found lower amounts of noise correlation for communication stimuli. Therefore the decrease in correlated activity seen with communication stimuli is caused at least in part by reduced noise correlations. This differential modulation in correlated activity occurred because of changes in burst firing at the individual neuron level. Our results show that different categories of behaviorally relevant input will differentially affect correlated activity. In particular, we show that the number of correlated bursts within a given time window could be used by postsynaptic neurons to distinguish between both stimulus categories.

Threshold fatigue and information transfer

Neurons in vivo must process sensory information in the presence of significant noise. It is thus plausible to assume that neural systems have developed mechanisms to reduce this noise. Theoretical studies have shown that threshold fatigue (i.e. cumulative increases in the threshold during repetitive firing) could lead to noise reduction at certain frequencies bands and thus improved signal transmission as well as noise increases and decreased signal transmission at other frequencies: a phenomenon called noise shaping. There is, however, no experimental evidence that threshold fatigue actually occurs and, if so, that it will actually lead to noise shaping. We analyzed action potential threshold variability in intracellular recordings in vivo from pyramidal neurons in weakly electric fish and found experimental evidence for threshold fatigue: an increase in instantaneous firing rate was on average accompanied by an increase in action potential threshold. We show that, with a minor modification, the standard Hodgkin-Huxley model can reproduce this phenomenon. We next compared the performance of models with and without threshold fatigue. Our results show that threshold fatigue will lead to a more regular spike train as well as robustness to intrinsic noise via noise shaping. We finally show that the increased/reduced noise levels due to threshold fatigue correspond to decreased/increased information transmission at different frequencies.

Spatiotemporal burst coding for extracting features of spatiotemporally varying stimuli

Encoding features of spatiotemporally varying stimuli is quite important for understanding the neural mechanisms of various sensory coding. Temporal coding can encode features of time-varying stimulus, and population coding with temporal coding is adequate for encoding spatiotemporal correlation of stimulus features into spatiotemporal activity of neurons. However, little is known about how spatiotemporal features of stimulus are encoded by spatiotemporal property of neural activity. To address this issue, we propose here a population coding with burst spikes, called here spatiotemporal burst (STB) coding. In STB coding, the temporal variation of stimuli is encoded by the precise onset timing of burst spike, and the spatiotemporal correlation of stimuli is emphasized by one specific aspect of burst firing, or spike packet followed by silent interval. To show concretely the role of STB coding, we study the electrosensory system of a weakly electric fish. Weakly electric fish must perceive the information about an object nearby by analyzing spatiotemporal modulations of electric field around it. On the basis of well-characterized circuitry, we constructed a neural network model of the electrosensory system. Here we show that STB coding encodes well the information of object distance and size by extracting the spatiotemporal correlation of the distorted electric field. The burst activity of electrosensory neurons is also affected by feedback signals through synaptic plasticity. We show that the control of burst activity caused by the synaptic plasticity leads to extracting the stimulus features depending on the stimulus context. Our results suggest that sensory systems use burst spikes as a unit of sensory coding in order to extract spatiotemporal features of stimuli from spatially distributed stimuli.

SK channels provide a novel mechanism for the control of frequency tuning in electrosensory neurons

One important characteristic of sensory input is frequency, with sensory neurons often tuned to narrow stimulus frequency ranges. Although vital for many neural computations, the cellular basis of such frequency tuning remains mostly unknown. In the electrosensory system of Apteronotus leptorhynchus, the primary processing of important environmental and communication signals occurs in pyramidal neurons of the electrosensory lateral line lobe. Spike trains transmitted by these cells can encode low-frequency prey stimuli with bursts of spikes and high-frequency communication signals with single spikes. Here, we demonstrate that the selective expression of SK2 channels in a subset of pyramidal neurons reduces their response to low-frequency stimuli by opposing their burst responses. Apamin block of the SK2 current in this subset of cells induced bursting and increased their response to low-frequency inputs. SK channel expression thus provides an intrinsic mechanism that predisposes a neuron to respond to higher frequencies and thus specific, behaviorally relevant stimuli.

Interval coding. I. Burst interspike intervals as indicators of stimulus intensity

Short interspike intervals such as those that occur during burst firing are hypothesized to be distinct features of the neural code. Although a number of correlations between the occurrence of burst events and aspects of the stimulus have been identified, the relationship between burst characteristics and information transfer is uncertain. Pyramidal cells in the electrosensory lobe of the weakly electric fish, Apteronotus leptorhynchus, respond to dynamic broadband electrosensory stimuli with bursts and isolated spikes. In the present study, we mimic synaptic input during sensory stimulation by direct stimulation of electrosensory pyramidal cells with broadband current in vitro. The pyramidal cells respond to this stimulus with burst interspike intervals (ISIs) that are reliably and precisely correlated with the intensity of stimulus upstrokes. We found burst ISIs must differ by a minimum of 2 ms to discriminate, with low error, differences in stimulus intensity. Based on these results, we define and quantify a candidate interval code for the processing of sensory input. Finally, we demonstrate that interval coding is restricted to short ISIs such as those generated in burst events and that the proposed interval code is distinct from rate and timing codes.

Interval coding. II. Dendrite-dependent mechanisms

The rich temporal structure of neural spike trains provides multiple dimensions to code dynamic stimuli. Popular examples are spike trains from sensory cells where bursts and isolated spikes can serve distinct coding roles. In contrast to analyses of neural coding, the cellular mechanics of burst mechanisms are typically elucidated from the neural response to static input. Bridging the mechanics of bursting with coding of dynamic stimuli is an important step in establishing theories of neural coding. Electrosensory lateral line lobe (ELL) pyramidal neurons respond to static inputs with a complex dendrite-dependent burst mechanism. Here we show that in response to dynamic broadband stimuli, these bursts lack some of the electrophysiological characteristics observed in response to static inputs. A simple leaky integrate-and-fire (LIF)-style model with a dendrite-dependent depolarizing afterpotential (DAP) is sufficient to match both the output statistics and coding performance of experimental spike trains. We use this model to investigate a simplification of interval coding where the burst interspike interval (ISI) codes for the scale of a canonical upstroke rather than a multidimensional stimulus feature. Using this stimulus reduction, we compute a quantization of the burst ISIs and the upstroke scale to show that the mutual information rate of the interval code is maximized at a moderate DAP amplitude. The combination of a reduced description of ELL pyramidal cell bursting and a simplification of the interval code increases the generality of ELL burst codes to other sensory modalities.

Muscarinic receptors control frequency tuning through the downregulation of an A-type potassium current

The functional role of cholinergic input in the modulation of sensory responses was studied using a combination of in vivo and in vitro electrophysiology supplemented by mathematical modeling. The electrosensory system of weakly electric fish recognizes different environmental stimuli by their unique alteration of a self-generated electric field. Variations in the patterns of stimuli are primarily distinguished based on their frequency. Pyramidal neurons in the electrosensory lateral line lobe (ELL) are often tuned to respond to specific input frequencies. Alterations in the tuning of the pyramidal neurons may allow weakly electric fish to preferentially select for certain stimuli. Here we show that muscarinic receptor activation in vivo enhances the excitability, burst firing, and subsequently the response of pyramidal cells to naturalistic sensory input. Through a combination of in vitro electrophysiology and mathematical modeling, we reveal that this enhanced excitability and bursting likely results from the down-regulation of an A-type potassium current. Further, we provide an explanation of the mechanism by which these currents can mediate frequency tuning.

Regulation of burst dynamics improves differential encoding of stimulus frequency by spike train segregation

Distinguishing between different signals conveyed in a single sensory modality presents a significant problem for sensory processing. The weakly electric fish Apteronotus leptorhynchus use electrosensory information to encode both low-frequency signals associated with environmental and prey signals and high-frequency communication signals between conspecifics. We identify a mechanism whereby the GABA(B) component of a feedback pathway to the electrosensory lobe is recruited to regulate the intrinsic burst dynamics and coding properties of pyramidal cells for these behaviorally relevant input signals. Through recordings in an in vitro slice preparation and a reduced model of pyramidal cells, we show that recruitment of dendritic GABA(B) currents can shift the timing of a backpropagating spike and its influence on an intrinsic burst mechanism. This regulation of burst firing alters the coding properties of pyramidal cells by improving the correlation of burst and tonic spikes with respect to low- or high-frequency components of complex stimuli. GABA(B) modulation of spike backpropagation thus improves the segregation of burst and tonic spikes evoked by simulated sensory input, allowing pyramidal cells to parcel the spike train into coding streams for the low- and high-frequency components. As the feedback pathway is predicted to be activated in circumstances where environmental and communication stimuli coexist, these data reveal a novel means by which inhibitory input can regulate spike backpropagation to improve signal segregation.

Dendritic D-type potassium currents inhibit the spike afterdepolarization in rat hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons

In CA1 pyramidal neurons, burst firing is correlated with hippocampally dependent behaviours and modulation of synaptic strength. One of the mechanisms underlying burst firing in these cells is the afterdepolarization (ADP) that follows each action potential. Previous work has shown that the ADP results from the interaction of several depolarizing and hyperpolarizing conductances located in the soma and the dendrites. By using patch-clamp recordings from acute rat hippocampal slices we show that D-type potassium current modulates the size of the ADP and the bursting of CA1 pyramidal neurons. Sensitivity to alpha-dendrotoxin suggests that Kv1-containing potassium channels mediate this current. Dual somato-dendritic recording, outside-out dendritic recordings, and focal application of dendrotoxin together indicate that the channels mediating this current are located in the apical dendrites. Thus, our data present evidence for a dendritic segregation of Kv1-like channels in CA1 pyramidal neurons and identify a novel action for these channels, showing that they inhibit action potential bursting by restricting the size of the ADP.

Neural strategies for optimal processing of sensory signals

The electrosensory system is used for both spatial navigation tasks and communication. An electric organ generates a sinusoidal electric field and cutaneous electroreceptors respond to this field. Objects such as prey or rocks cause a local low-frequency modulation of the electric field; this cue is used by electric fish for navigation and prey capture. The interference of the electric fields of conspecifics produces beats, often with high frequencies, that are also sensed by the electroreceptors; furthermore, these electric fish can transiently modulate their electric discharge as a communication signal. Thus these fish must therefore detect a variety of low-intensity signals that differ greatly in their spatial extent, frequency, and duration. Behavioral studies suggest that they are highly adapted to these tasks. Experimental and theoretical analyses of the neural circuitry for the electrosense has demonstrated many commonalities with the more common senses, e.g., topographic mapping and receptive fields with On or Off centers and surround inhibition. The integration of computational and experimental analyses has demonstrated novel mechanisms that appear to optimize weak signal detection in the electrosense including: noise shaping by correlations within single spike trains, induction of oscillations by delayed feedback inhibition, the requirement for maps with differing receptive field sizes tuned for different stimulus parameters, and the role of non-plastic feedback for adaptive cancellation of redundant signals. It is likely that these mechanisms will also be operative in other sensory systems.

Historical reflections on the afterhyperpolarization--firing rate relation of vertebrate spinal neurons

In mammalian spinal motoneurons (MNs), the slow component of the afterhyperpolarization (AHP) that follows the spike of each action potential is a major but not the sole determinant of the cells' firing rate. In this brief historical review, we emphasize four points about the AHP-firing rate relation. (1) There is a relatively sparse literature across vertebrates that directly addresses this topic. (2) After the advent of intracellular recording in the early 1950s, there was evidence from mammals to the contrary of an idea that subsequently became prevalent: that the high-firing rates attainable by spinal interneurons (INs) and low-threshold MNs was attributable to their small AHP at rheobase. (3) Further work is needed to determine whether our present findings on the AHP-firing rate relation of turtle cells generalize to the spinal neurons of other vertebrate species. (4) Relevant to point 3, substantial in vivo and in vitro work is potentially available in raw data used in reports on several mammalian and non-mammalian vertebrates. In summary, the factors in addition to the slow AHP that help determine spinal INs and MN firing rate deserve further evaluation across vertebrates, with relevant data already potentially available in several laboratories.

A C-terminal domain directs Kv3.3 channels to dendrites

Pyramidal neurons of the electrosensory lateral line lobe (ELL) of Apteronotus leptorhynchus express Kv3-type voltage-gated potassium channels that give rise to high-threshold currents at the somatic and dendritic levels. Two members of the Kv3 channel family, AptKv3.1 and AptKv3.3, are coexpressed in these neurons. AptKv3.3 channels are expressed at uniformly high levels in each of four ELL segments, whereas AptKv3.1 channels appear to be expressed in a graded manner with higher levels of expression in segments that process high-frequency electrosensory signals. Immunohistochemical and recombinant channel expression studies show a differential distribution of these two channels in the dendrites of ELL pyramidal neurons. AptKv3.1 is concentrated in somas and proximal dendrites, whereas AptKv3.3 is distributed throughout the full extent of the large dendritic tree. Recombinant channel expression of AptKv3 channels through in vivo viral injections allowed directed retargeting of AptKv3 subtypes over the somadendritic axis, revealing that the sequence responsible for targeting channels to distal dendrites lies within the C-terminal domain of the AptKv3.3 protein. The targeting domain includes a consensus sequence predicted to bind to a PDZ (postsynaptic density-95/Discs large/zona occludens-1)-type protein-protein interaction motif. These findings reveal that different functional roles for Kv3 potassium channels at the somatic and dendritic level of a sensory neuron are attained through specific targeting that selectively distributes Kv3.3 channels to the dendritic compartment.

Nonlinear information processing in a model sensory system

Understanding the mechanisms by which sensory neurons encode and decode information remains an important goal in neuroscience. We quantified the performance of optimal linear and nonlinear encoding models in a well-characterized sensory system: the electric sense of weakly electric fish. We show that linear encoding models generally perform better under spatially localized stimulation than under spatially diffuse stimulation. Through pharmacological blockade of feedback input and spatial saturation of the receptive field center, we show that there is significantly less synaptic noise under spatially diffuse stimuli as compared with spatially localized stimuli. Modeling results suggest that pyramidal cells nonlinearly encode sensory information through shunting in their dendrites and clarify the influence of synaptic noise on the performance of linear encoding models. Finally, we used information theory to quantify the performance of linear decoders. While the optimal linear decoder for spatially localized stimuli could capture 60% of the information in pyramidal cell spike trains, the optimal linear decoder for spatially diffuse stimuli could only capture 40% of the information. These results show that nonlinear decoders are necessary to fully access information in pyramidal cell spike trains, and we discuss potential mechanisms by which higher-order neurons could decode this information.

The origin of spontaneous synchronized burst in cultured neuronal networks based on multi-electrode arrays

Many neural networks in mammalian central nervous system (CNS) fire single spike and complex spike burst. In fact, the conditions for triggering burst are not well understood. In the paper multi-electrode arrays (MEA) are used to record the spontaneous electrophysiological activities of cultured rat hippocampal neuronal network for a long time. After about 3 weeks culture, a transition from single spike to burst is observed in several networks. All of these spikes fire quickly before burst begins. The firing rate during the burst is lower than that just before the burst, but differences of inter-spike intervals (ISIs) between two firing patterns are not clear. Moreover, the electrical activities on neighboring electrodes show strong synchrony during the burst activities. In a word, the generation of the burst requires that network should have a sufficient level of excitation as well as a balance of synaptic inhibition.

R-type calcium channels contribute to afterdepolarization and bursting in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons

Action potentials in pyramidal neurons are typically followed by an afterdepolarization (ADP), which in many cells contributes to intrinsic burst firing. Despite the ubiquity of this common excitable property, the responsible ion channels have not been identified. Using current-clamp recordings in hippocampal slices, we find that the ADP in CA1 pyramidal neurons is mediated by an Ni2+-sensitive calcium tail current. Voltage-clamp experiments indicate that the Ni2+-sensitive current has a pharmacological and biophysical profile consistent with R-type calcium channels. These channels are available at the resting potential, are activated by the action potential, and remain open long enough to drive the ADP. Because the ADP correlates directly with burst firing in CA1 neurons, R-type calcium channels are crucial to this important cellular behavior, which is known to encode hippocampal place fields and enhance synaptic plasticity.

Electrophysiological changes in isolated spinal cord white matter in response to oxygen deprivation

STUDY DESIGN

In vitro studies using isolated guinea pig spinal cord white matter.

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether lack of oxygen can cause irreversible impairment of electrical impulse conduction.

SETTING

Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.

METHODS

The hypoxic injury was induced by reducing the oxygen tension of the perfused solution by 80%. Compound action potentials (CAPs) were monitored before, during, and after oxygen deprivation.

RESULTS

We have found that 60 min of hypoxia reduced the conduction to 30% of preinjury level and recovered to approximately 60% of the preinjury level upon reoxygenation. Larger axons appeared to be more vulnerable to oxygen deprivation. We noted a significant decrease and recovery of the depolarizing afterpotential (DAP). Likewise, there was a delay and recovery of absolute and relative refractory period. Concomitantly, the ability of axons to follow repetitive stimuli was suppressed following oxygen deprivation but recovered upon reoxygenation.

CONCLUSION

Following 60 min of oxygen deprivation and 30 min of reoxygenation, mammalian spinal cord white matter can partially recover electrical impulse conduction. However, within the same period, cords gained a complete recovery of other electrical properties, such as the depression of DAP, the delaying of refractory period, and the decreased ability to respond to repetitive stimuli. Compared to previous findings when both oxygen and glucose were deprived, we conclude that glucose plays a relatively minor role during the acute stage of oxygen deprivation in mammalian spinal cord white matter.

Distribution and function of potassium channels in the electrosensory lateral line lobe of weakly electric apteronotid fish

Potassium channels are one of the fundamental requirements for the generation of action potentials in the nervous system, and their characteristics shape the output of neurons in response to synaptic input. We review here the distribution and function of a high-threshold potassium channel (Kv3.3) in the electrosensory lateral line lobe of the weakly electric fish Apteronotus leptorhynchus, with particular focus on the pyramidal cells in this brain structure. These cells contain both high-threshold Kv3.3 channels, as well as low-threshold potassium channels of unknown molecular identity. Kv3.3 potassium channels regulate burst discharge in pyramidal cells and enable sustained high frequency firing through their ability to reduce an accumulation of low-threshold potassium current.

Deterministic multiplicative gain control with active dendrites

Multiplicative gain control is a vital component of many theoretical analyses of neural computations, conferring the ability to scale neuronal firing rate in response to synaptic inputs. Many theories of gain control in single cells have used precisely balanced noisy inputs. Such noisy inputs can degrade signal processing. We demonstrate a deterministic method for the control of gain without the use of noise. We show that a depolarizing afterpotential (DAP), arising from active dendritic spike backpropagation, leads to a multiplicative increase in gain. Reduction of DAP amplitude by dendritic inhibition dilutes the multiplicative effect, allowing for divisive scaling of the firing rate. In contrast, somatic inhibition acts in a subtractive manner, allowing spatially distinct inhibitory inputs to perform distinct computations. The simplicity of this mechanism and the ubiquity of its elementary components suggest that many cell types have the potential to display a dendritic division of neuronal output.