title: Dendritic Spikes in Sensory Perception.
abstract: What is the function of dendritic spikes? One might argue that they provide conditions for neuronal plasticity or that they are essential for neural computation. However, despite a long history of dendritic research, the physiological relevance of dendritic spikes in brain function remains unknown. This could stem from the fact that most studies on dendrites have been performedin vitro. Fortunately, the emergence of novel techniques such as improved two-photon microscopy, genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs), and optogenetic tools has provided the means for vital breakthroughs inin vivodendritic research. These technologies enable the investigation of the functions of dendritic spikes in behaving animals, and thus, help uncover the causal relationship between dendritic spikes, and sensory information processing and synaptic plasticity. Understanding the roles of dendritic spikes in brain function would provide mechanistic insight into the relationship between the brain and the mind. In this review article, we summarize the results of studies on dendritic spikes from a historical perspective and discuss the recent advances in our understanding of the role of dendritic spikes in sensory perception.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Behavioral Neurophysiology, Brain Science Institute, RIKENWako City, Saitama, Japan; Department of Neurophysiology, Division of Medicine, University of YamanashiChuo-shi, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manita
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cellular Neurobiology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences Hachioji, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miyakawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology, Division of Medicine, University of Yamanashi Chuo-shi, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kitamura
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Behavioral Neurophysiology, Brain Science Institute, RIKEN Wako City, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murayama
keywords: bottom-up processing; dendritic integration; dendritic spike; neocortex; pyramidal neuron; sensory perception; top-down control