Information transmission of local circuits in the primary visual cortex revealed by juxta-cellular single-cell stimulation

• Project/Area Number: 21700433
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Neurophysiology and muscle physiology
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: TANAKA Hiroki 大阪大学, 臨床医工学融合研究教育センター, 特任准教授(常勤) (40335386)
• Project Period (FY): 2009 – 2010
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2010)
• Budget Amount: ¥2,210,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥510,000); Fiscal Year 2010: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000); Fiscal Year 2009: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000)
• Keywords: 大脳皮質 / 局所回路 / 神経結合 / 傍細胞電気刺激 / 第一次視覚野 / 視覚

Research Abstract

Detailed description of local neural circuits in the cerebral cortex is important for understanding how visual cortices work. Here, we established a method to stimulate single cortical neuron and analyze how inputs from the neuron affect spiking activities of nearby neurons. Using juxtacellular recording and current stimulation with single glass electrodes we evoked and recorded spikes from single cells (juxta-cells) in the cat visual cortex (area 17). Simultaneously we recorded activities of neighboring cells (nearby-cells) using silicon multi-site electrodes. Current (0.5～3nA) was repetitively applied (0.5 sec ON and 0.5 sec OFF) while blank screen or sinusoidal gratings of various orientations were presented to the eyes. Single cells in the cortex alone can increase or decrease firing rate of nearby cells. The efficacy rate mostly distributes in the range of +/-0.2. For excitatory connection, the efficacy increases linearly (response map) with tuning similarities of pre-neurons (juxta-cells) and post neurons (nearby cells), whereas the efficacy for inhibitory connection does not depend on the tuning similarities.

Research Products

• [Presentation] nputs from single neurons in the visual cortex affect spike-timing of locally connected neurons but do not modulate their firing rate and sensory tuning curves (2010)
  • Author(s): Tanaka H. Asada Y, Mizoguchi R, Ohzawa H, Fujita I, and Tamura H.
  • Organizer: Soc Neurosci 2010
  • Place of Presentation: SanDiego(Poster 277)
  • Year and Date: 2010-11-15
• [Presentation] Inputs from single neurons in the visual cortex affect spike-timing of locally connected neurons but do not modulate their firing rate and sensory tuning curves (2010)
  • Author(s): Tanaka, et al
  • Organizer: 北米神経科学学科
  • Place of Presentation: サンディエゴ(USA)
  • Year and Date: 2010-11-15
• [Presentation] Inputs from single neurons in the visual cortex affect spike timing of locally connected neurons that do not modulate their firing rate and sensory tuning curve (2010)
  • Author(s): Tanaka, H., Asada Y., Mizoguchi, R., Ohzawa I., Fujita, I. and Tamura, H.
  • Organizer: 日本神経科学学会
  • Place of Presentation: 神戸(Poster)
  • Year and Date: 2010-09-02
• [Presentation] Inputs from single neurons in the visual cortex affect spike timing of locally connected neurons but do not modulate their firing rate and sensory tuning curve (2010)
  • Author(s): Tanaka, et al
  • Organizer: 日本神経科学学会
  • Place of Presentation: 神戸
  • Year and Date: 2010-09-02
• [Presentation] コントラスト空間分布を効率よく伝える機構としてのV1野高次受容野構造 (2010)
  • Author(s): 田中宏喜
  • Organizer: 電気情報通信学会ニューロンコンピューティング研究会
  • Place of Presentation: 京都大学(招待講演)
  • Year and Date: 2010-07-15