Identifying the functional role of Martinotti cells in cortical sensory processing.
Inhibitory interneurons are highly diverse, although the functional significance of their diversity is not yet well understood. This presents a barrier to understanding neural computation at the local circuit level. This review focuses on a recent study by Murayama et al. who used a novel in vivo technique in neocortex to demonstrate a specific sensory processing function of dendritic-targeting Martinotti interneurons. The function of Martinotti cells arises from their interaction with layer 5 pyramidal cell dendrites.
Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK. j.cottam@ucl.ac.uk
James C H
JC
Cottam
D000818:Animals; D003712:Dendrites / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007395:Interneurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D008959:Models, Neurological; D019579:Neocortex / Q000166:cytology*; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology