A circuit model of auditory cortex.

The mammalian sensory cortex is composed of multiple types of inhibitory and excitatory neurons, which form sophisticated microcircuits for processing and transmitting sensory information. Despite rapid progress in understanding the function of distinct neuronal populations, the parameters of connec...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Youngmin Park, Maria N Geffen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2020-07-01
Series:PLoS Computational Biology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008016
_version_ 1811219547542257664
author Youngmin Park
Maria N Geffen
author_facet Youngmin Park
Maria N Geffen
author_sort Youngmin Park
collection DOAJ
description The mammalian sensory cortex is composed of multiple types of inhibitory and excitatory neurons, which form sophisticated microcircuits for processing and transmitting sensory information. Despite rapid progress in understanding the function of distinct neuronal populations, the parameters of connectivity that are required for the function of these microcircuits remain unknown. Recent studies found that two most common inhibitory interneurons, parvalbumin- (PV) and somatostatin-(SST) positive interneurons control sound-evoked responses, temporal adaptation and network dynamics in the auditory cortex (AC). These studies can inform our understanding of parameters for the connectivity of excitatory-inhibitory cortical circuits. Specifically, we asked whether a common microcircuit can account for the disparate effects found in studies by different groups. By starting with a cortical rate model, we find that a simple current-compensating mechanism accounts for the experimental findings from multiple groups. They key mechanisms are two-fold. First, PVs compensate for reduced SST activity when thalamic inputs are strong with less compensation when thalamic inputs are weak. Second, SSTs are generally disinhibited by reduced PV activity regardless of thalamic input strength. These roles are augmented by plastic synapses. These roles reproduce the differential effects of PVs and SSTs in stimulus-specific adaptation, forward suppression and tuning-curve adaptation, as well as the influence of PVs on feedforward functional connectivity in the circuit. This circuit exhibits a balance of inhibitory and excitatory currents that persists on stimulation. This approach brings together multiple findings from different laboratories and identifies a circuit that can be used in future studies of upstream and downstream sensory processing.
first_indexed 2024-04-12T07:27:10Z
format Article
id doaj.art-990790702dc642e688a9f08e5f680cca
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1553-734X
1553-7358
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-12T07:27:10Z
publishDate 2020-07-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS Computational Biology
spelling doaj.art-990790702dc642e688a9f08e5f680cca2022-12-22T03:42:09ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Computational Biology1553-734X1553-73582020-07-01167e100801610.1371/journal.pcbi.1008016A circuit model of auditory cortex.Youngmin ParkMaria N GeffenThe mammalian sensory cortex is composed of multiple types of inhibitory and excitatory neurons, which form sophisticated microcircuits for processing and transmitting sensory information. Despite rapid progress in understanding the function of distinct neuronal populations, the parameters of connectivity that are required for the function of these microcircuits remain unknown. Recent studies found that two most common inhibitory interneurons, parvalbumin- (PV) and somatostatin-(SST) positive interneurons control sound-evoked responses, temporal adaptation and network dynamics in the auditory cortex (AC). These studies can inform our understanding of parameters for the connectivity of excitatory-inhibitory cortical circuits. Specifically, we asked whether a common microcircuit can account for the disparate effects found in studies by different groups. By starting with a cortical rate model, we find that a simple current-compensating mechanism accounts for the experimental findings from multiple groups. They key mechanisms are two-fold. First, PVs compensate for reduced SST activity when thalamic inputs are strong with less compensation when thalamic inputs are weak. Second, SSTs are generally disinhibited by reduced PV activity regardless of thalamic input strength. These roles are augmented by plastic synapses. These roles reproduce the differential effects of PVs and SSTs in stimulus-specific adaptation, forward suppression and tuning-curve adaptation, as well as the influence of PVs on feedforward functional connectivity in the circuit. This circuit exhibits a balance of inhibitory and excitatory currents that persists on stimulation. This approach brings together multiple findings from different laboratories and identifies a circuit that can be used in future studies of upstream and downstream sensory processing.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008016
spellingShingle Youngmin Park
Maria N Geffen
A circuit model of auditory cortex.
PLoS Computational Biology
title A circuit model of auditory cortex.
title_full A circuit model of auditory cortex.
title_fullStr A circuit model of auditory cortex.
title_full_unstemmed A circuit model of auditory cortex.
title_short A circuit model of auditory cortex.
title_sort circuit model of auditory cortex
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008016
work_keys_str_mv AT youngminpark acircuitmodelofauditorycortex
AT mariangeffen acircuitmodelofauditorycortex
AT youngminpark circuitmodelofauditorycortex
AT mariangeffen circuitmodelofauditorycortex