Spatial coding and receptive field properties of neurons in the electrosensory lateral line lobe of Gnathonemus petersii stimulated by real objects

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Spatial coding and receptive field properties of neurons in the electrosensory lateral line lobe of Gnathonemus petersii stimulated by real objects Simone Gertz1, Jacob Engelmann2 and Gerhard Von Der Emde1* 1 University of Bonn, Zoology, Germany 2 University of Bielefeld, Germany The weakly electric fish Gnathonemus petersii explores its environment by active electrolocation, during which they emit electric signals and perceive the resulting electrical field with epidermal electroreceptors. Objects within the electric field project “electric images” onto the sensory surface of the fish. Analyzing these images enables the fish to discriminate between different object parameters, like material. This is an impressive ability, which has been extensively studied in behavioural experiments. The focus of the present study is to understand this capability at the neuronal level, i.e. to find out how information about objects is processed in the first central stage of the ascending electrosensory pathway, the electrosensory lateral line lobe (ELL). Thus, we relate the sensory input (= electric image of objects) to the neuronal response. We recorded extracellularly from single neurons in the ELL while presenting either a plastic or a metal cube (8mm³) within their receptive field (RF). The response of the neuron was analyzed for the parameters discharge rate, first spike latency and the consistency of the PSTH pattern. Further we used Receiver-Operating characteristic (ROC)-analysis to compare the quality of either coding strategy. The RF organization was analyzed with respect to the two cell classes found in the ELL, I(inhibitory)- and E(excitatory)-cells. We recorded neurons with RFs in all body regions, Schnauzenorgan, head and trunk, so the location was also included in the analysis. We propose that at the level of the ELL, both spike rate and first spike latency are used for coding, either separately or as mixed coding. Within the amplitude range investigated, we found linear encoding for both materials tested. There were neither significantly differences in RF size between the two cell classes nor in the different body regions, but the structural organization increases in complexity from rostral to caudal. However, our data indicates poor spatial resolution at the single cell level, thus the spatial sensitivity needed to completely process the electric image of an object can only be achieved by population coding upstream of the ELL. Keywords: active electrolocation, electric image, ELL, first spike latency, Neural coding, spike rate, weakly electric fish Conference: Tenth International Congress of Neuroethology, College Park. Maryland USA, United States, 5 Aug - 10 Aug, 2012. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation (see alternatives below as well) Topic: Sensory: Electrosensory Citation: Gertz S, Engelmann J and Von Der Emde G (2012). Spatial coding and receptive field properties of neurons in the electrosensory lateral line lobe of Gnathonemus petersii stimulated by real objects. Conference Abstract: Tenth International Congress of Neuroethology. doi: 10.3389/conf.fnbeh.2012.27.00237 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 30 Apr 2012; Published Online: 07 Jul 2012. * Correspondence: Dr. Gerhard Von Der Emde, University of Bonn, Zoology, Bonn, 53115, Germany, vonderemde@uni-bonn.de Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Simone Gertz Jacob Engelmann Gerhard Von Der Emde Google Simone Gertz Jacob Engelmann Gerhard Von Der Emde Google Scholar Simone Gertz Jacob Engelmann Gerhard Von Der Emde PubMed Simone Gertz Jacob Engelmann Gerhard Von Der Emde Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.