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Delayed mutual information infers patterns of synaptic connectivity in a proprioceptive neural network

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Abstract

Understanding the patterns of interconnections between neurons in complex networks is an enormous challenge using traditional physiological approaches. Here we combine the use of an information theoretic approach with intracellular recording to establish patterns of connections between layers of interneurons in a neural network responsible for mediating reflex movements of the hind limb of an insect. By analysing delayed mutual information of the synaptic and spiking responses of sensory neurons, spiking and nonspiking interneurons in response to movement of a joint receptor that monitors the position of the tibia relative to the femur, we are able to predict the patterns of interconnections between the layers of sensory neurons and interneurons in the network, with results matching closely those known from the literature. In addition, we use cross-correlation methods to establish the sign of those interconnections and show that they also show a high degree of similarity with those established for these networks over the last 30 years. The method proposed in this paper has great potential to elucidate functional connectivity at the neuronal level in many different neuronal networks.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Vincent O’Connor and John Chad for their comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript. PLN and DMN were supported through awards from The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (United Kingdom) and CDM was supported through an award from the Research Foundation of Brazil (CNPq). PLN and CDM were supported by an award from the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES).

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical Engineering, Federal Technological University of Paraná, Av. Alberto Carazzai, 1640, Cornélio Procópio, Paraná, Brazil

    Wagner Endo

  2. Signal Processing Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. Trabalhador São Carlense, 400, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil

    Wagner Endo, Fernando P. Santos & Carlos D. Maciel

  3. Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, University of Southampton, University Road, Highfield, S017 1BJ, Southampton, UK

    David Simpson

  4. Centre for Biological Science, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, S017 1BJ, Southampton, UK

    Philip L. Newland

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  1. Wagner Endo
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  2. Fernando P. Santos
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  3. David Simpson
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  4. Carlos D. Maciel
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  5. Philip L. Newland
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Correspondence to Wagner Endo.

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Endo, W., Santos, F.P., Simpson, D. et al. Delayed mutual information infers patterns of synaptic connectivity in a proprioceptive neural network. J Comput Neurosci 38, 427–438 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10827-015-0548-6

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