Local dynamics of gap-junction-coupled interneuron networks.
Interneurons coupled by both electrical gap-junctions (GJs) and chemical GABAergic synapses are major components of forebrain networks. However, their contributions to the generation of specific activity patterns, and their overall contributions to network function, remain poorly understood. Here we demonstrate, using computational methods, that the topological properties of interneuron networks can elicit a wide range of activity dynamics, and either prevent or permit local pattern formation. We systematically varied the topology of GJ and inhibitory chemical synapses within simulated networks, by changing connection types from local to random, and changing the total number of connections. As previously observed we found that randomly coupled GJs lead to globally synchronous activity. In contrast, we found that local GJ connectivity may govern the formation of highly spatially heterogeneous activity states. These states are inherently temporally unstable when the input is uniformly random, but can rapidly stabilize when the network detects correlations or asymmetries in the inputs. We show a correspondence between this feature of network activity and experimental observations of transient stabilization of striatal fast-spiking interneurons (FSIs), in electrophysiological recordings from rats performing a simple decision-making task. We suggest that local GJ coupling enables an active search-and-select function of striatal FSIs, which contributes to the overall role of cortical-basal ganglia circuits in decision-making.
Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. troylau@umich.edu
Troy
T
Lau
Gregory J
GJ
Gage
Joshua D
JD
Berke
Michal
M
Zochowski
D000818:Animals; D003198:Computer Simulation; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000378:metabolism*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D007395:Interneurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D013569:Synapses / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
D018698:Glutamic Acid