Abstract
Networks of synchronized fast-spiking interneurons are thought to be key elements in the generation of gamma (γ) oscillations (30–80 Hz) in the brain. We examined how such γ-oscillatory inhibition regulates the output of a cortical pyramidal cell. Specifically, we modeled a situation where a pyramidal cell receives inputs from γ-synchronized fast-spiking inhibitory interneurons. This model successfully reproduced several important aspects of a recent experimental result regarding the γ-inhibitory regulation of pyramidal cellular firing that is presumably associated with the sensation of whisker stimuli. Through an in-depth analysis of this model system, we show that there is an obvious rhythmic gating effect of the γ-oscillated interneuron networks on the pyramidal neuron’s signal transmission. This effect is further illustrated by the interactions of this interneuron network and the pyramidal neuron. Prominent power in the γ frequency range can emerge provided that there are appropriate delays on the excitatory connections and inhibitory synaptic conductance between interneurons. These results indicate that interactions between excitation and inhibition are critical for the modulation of coherence and oscillation frequency of network activities.
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Acknowledgments
This research was funded by a Hong Kong University Grants Council Grant Competitive Earmarked Research Grant (CERG) number PolyU 5279/08E. K. Morita is supported by KAKENHI 21700366 and 20246026 from MEXT. H. Robinson is supported by a grant from the EC Framework Programme 7 (No. 12788) and the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation.
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Li, X., Morita, K., Robinson, H.P.C. et al. Impact of gamma-oscillatory inhibition on the signal transmission of a cortical pyramidal neuron. Cogn Neurodyn 5, 241–251 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11571-011-9169-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11571-011-9169-6