induction-an-isoelectric-brain-state-to-investigate-impact-endogenous

Induction of an Isoelectric Brain State to Investigate the Impact of Endogenous Synaptic Activity on Neuronal Excitability <em>In Vivo</em>

The way neurons process information depends both on their intrinsic membrane properties and on the dynamics of the afferent synaptic network. In ...

Inserm U1127

CNRS UMR 7225

Sorbonne Universités

Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM)

The amplitude and temporal dynamics of spontaneous synaptic activity in the cerebral cortex vary as a function of brain states. To directly assess the impact of different ongoing synaptic activities on neocortical function, we performed in vivo intracellular recordings from barrel cortex neurons in rats under two pharmacological conditions generating either oscillatory or tonic synaptic drive. Cortical neurons membrane excitability and firing responses were compared, in the same neurons, before and after complete suppression of background synaptic drive following systemic injection of a high dose of anaesthetic. Compared to the oscillatory state, the tonic pattern resulted in a more depolarized and less fluctuating membrane potential (Vm), a lower input resistance (Rm) and steeper relations of firing frequency versus injected current (F-I). Whatever their temporal dynamics, suppression of background synaptic activities increased mean Vm, without affecting Rm, and induced a rightward shift of F-I curves. Both types of synaptic drive generated a high variability in current-induced firing rate and patterns in cortical neurons, which was much reduced after removal of spontaneous activity. These findings suggest that oscillatory and tonic synaptic patterns differentially facilitate the input-output function of cortical neurons but result in a similar moment-to-moment variability in spike responses to incoming depolarizing inputs.

Tristan Altwegg-Boussac

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