Ionic and neuromodulatory regulation of burst discharge controls frequency tuning |
| |
Authors: | W. Hamish Mehaffey, Lee D. Ellis, Rü diger Krahe, Robert J. Dunn,Maurice J. Chacron, |
| |
Affiliation: | aHotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4N1;bCenter for Research in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada H3G 1A4;cDepartment of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada H3A 1B1;dDepartment of Physiology and Physics, Center for Non-linear Dynamics, McGill University, McIntyre Medical Sciences Building, 3655 Promenade Sir William Osler, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3G 1Y6 |
| |
Abstract: | 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. |
| |
Keywords: | Information theory Weakly electric fish Calcium dynamics Neuromodulation Acetylcholine Bursting |
本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录! |
|