Fast-spiking Cells Research Articles

Correlation between intrinsic firing patterns and thalamocortical synaptic responses of neurons in mouse barrel cortex

We used a thalamocortical slice preparation to record both spike trains and synaptically evoked responses from neurons of mouse barrel cortex. Cells were classified as regular spiking (RS), intrinsically bursting (IB), or fast spiking (FS) according to their temporal firing patterns when injected with current. RS cells were further separated into two subtypes, RS1 and RS2 cells, the latter encountered only in the infragranular layers. Synaptic responses were elicited by focal electrical stimuli in the ventrobasal nucleus of the thalamus (VB) while holding the cells at different membrane potentials. Postsynaptic potentials were classified as excitatory (EPSPs) or inhibitory (IPSPs), and their latencies were measured from the onset of the extracellularly recorded fiber volley in layer IV. EPSPs fell into three groups, according to latency. Those in the early cluster had latencies shorter than 1 msec and were coincident with the postsynaptic layer IV population response; they were considered monosynaptic. A second group, with latencies between 1.3 and 2.5 msec, were coincident with all IPSPs and were classified as disynaptic. The rest had latencies longer than 5 msec and were considered polysynaptic. The synaptic order of a cell was correlated with its laminar position and its electrophysiological class. Specifically, monosynaptic responses were restricted to infragranular RS cells and to FS cells, while disynaptic EPSPs were found in supragranular RS cells and in IB cells. Disynaptic IPSPs were found in both deep and superficial layers; in the deep layers they nearly always followed monosynaptic EPSPs, while in the superficial layers they were mostly found in isolation. We conclude that the intrinsic spiking characteristics of a neuron are an important determinant of its position in the cortical circuit and may have a substantial role in determining its response properties.

Correlation of physiologically and morphologically identified neuronal types in human association cortex in vitro

1. We examined whether the three physiologically defined neuron types described for rodent neocortex were also evident in human association cortex studied in an in vitro brain slice preparation. We also examined the relationship between physiological and morphological cell type in human neocortical neurons. In particular, we tested whether burst-firing neurons were numerous in regions of human cortex that are susceptible to seizures. 2. Although we sampled regular-spiking and fast-spiking neurons, we observed no true burst-firing neurons, as defined for rodent cortex. We did find neurons that displayed a voltage-dependent shift in firing behavior. Because this behavior was due, in large part, to a low-threshold calcium conductance, we called these cells low-threshold spike (LTS) neurons. 3. Regular-spiking neurons and LTS neurons only differed in the voltage dependence of firing behavior and the first few interspike intervals (ISIs) of repetitive firing in response to small current injections (from hyperpolarized membrane potentials). Because of the general similarities between the two types, we consider the LTS cells to be a subgroup of regular-spiking cells. 4. All biocytin-filled regular-spiking neurons were spiny and pyramidal and found in layers II-VI. The lone filled fast-spiking cell was aspiny and nonpyramidal (layer V). The LTS neurons were morphologically heterogeneous. We found 80% of LTS neurons to be spiny and pyramidal, but 20% were aspiny nonpyramidal cells. LTS neurons were located in layers II-VI. 5. In conclusion, human association cortex contains two of three physiological cell types described in rodent cortex: regular spiking and fast spiking. These physiological types corresponded to spiny, pyramidal, and aspiny, nonpyramidal cells, respectively. We sampled no intrinsic burst-firing neurons in human association cortex. LTS neurons exhibited voltage-dependent changes in firing behavior and were morphologically heterogeneous: most LTS cells were spiny and pyramidal, but two cells were found to be aspiny and nonpyramidal. It is not clear whether the absence of burst-firing neurons or the morphological heterogeneity of LTS neurons are due to species differences or differences in cortical areas.

Functional reciprocal connections of the rat entorhinal cortex and subicular complex with the medial frontal cortex: an in vivo intracellular study

We used in vivo intracellular recording techniques in the rat in order to determine the properties of projections from the medial frontal cortex to the entorhinal cortex and subicular complex. Three main results were obtained. (1) A high proportion (65%) of neurons within the medial frontal cortex were antidromically activated at short latency (0.4–1.9 ms) by electrica stimulation of the entorhinal cortex or subicular complex. This provided physiological evidence for fast direct projections from the medial frontal cortex to the entorhinal cortex and subicular complex. (2) Clear excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) were evoked in 8% of the cells within the entorhinal cortex, subicular complex, or adjacent cortices after electrical stimulation of the medial frontal cortex. (3) The most salient synaptic response was inhibition, as shown by the presence of inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) in 50% of the cells sampled. Similar results were obtained for the reciprocal pathway: 56% of the sampled cells in the entorhinal cortex or subicular complex responded with antidromic spikes to stimulation of the medial cortex; 4% of medial frontal neurons responded to stimulation of the entorhinal cortex or subicular complex with clear EPSPs, and 48% with IPSPs. The latencies of most synaptic responses, 15–25 ms, were inconsistent with monosynaptic activation. This suggests that oligosynaptic relays amplified the signal within or en route to their targets, and/or that cells with more slowly propagating axons were also present but not sampled by the intracellular electrodes. Finally, responsive fast-spiking cells (candidate inhibitory neurons) were encountered within target structures. The results provide evidence that these distant cortical regions are functionally connected in a reciprocal manner, and that both principal and inhibitory neurons are excited by this projection system.

Synchronized excitation and inhibition driven by intrinsically bursting neurons in neocortex

1. The cellular mechanisms of synchronous synaptic activity were studied in isolated slices of rat SmI neocortex in which gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-mediated inhibition was slightly suppressed. Intracellular measurements were made from single neurons, and extracellular recordings monitored the timing and intensity of population events. 2. Neurons in cortical layers II-VI were classified by the attributes of their single action potentials and repetitive firing patterns during injection of intracellular current pulses. Regular-spiking (RS) cells occurred in all layers and had relatively long-duration spikes and strong frequency adaptation. Intrinsically bursting (IB) cells occurred only in layers IV and V and generated bursts of greater than or equal to 3 spikes; some IB cells of lower-layer V produced repetitive bursts during long depolarizing pulses. Fast-spiking (FS) cells had brief spikes and little or no adaptation and fired at high frequencies. 3. When GABAA-mediated inhibition was slightly reduced with low doses of bicuculline methiodide (BMI, 0.8-1.0 microM), synchronous events were evoked by stimulating layer VI with single shocks. Synchronous events were characterized by prominent, often all-or-none extracellular field potentials that propagated horizontally for variable distances up to several millimeters. Large field potentials were invariably correlated with excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs and IPSPs) in single neurons. Both PSPs and field potentials often had long (up to 250 ms) and variable latencies, and sometimes two or more events were generated by single stimuli. In all cases the PSPs and field potentials were synchronous. Both field potentials and single cells sometimes generated short epochs (3-7 peaks) of rhythmic events at 20-50 Hz. 4. The physiological class of single neurons was correlated with the relative dominance of excitation and inhibition during each synchronous event. In phase with each synchronous event, most RS cells were very strongly inhibited with only small amounts of concurrent excitation. By contrast, IB cells were strongly and consistently excited, with relatively little inhibition. FS cells were also phasically excited. 5. Anatomic studies have identified RS and IB cells as pyramidal cells and FS cells as GABAergic nonpyramidal cells. This implies that, during the synchronous events of the present study, the majority of pyramidal cells were dominated by IPSPs. Synchronous excitation of FS cells, the presumed inhibitory interneurons, is consistent with this. Only a subset of the pyramidal neurons, almost all of them IB cells of the middle layers, displayed strong, synchronous excitation and clusters of action potentials.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Physiological heterogeneity of nonpyramidal cells in rat hippocampal CA1 region.

Functional differentiation of nonpyramidal cells was studied by intracellular recording and staining of cells located in the stratum pyramidale or along the border between the stratum radiatum and the stratum lacunosum-moleculare of slices prepared from rat hippocampal CA1 region. In the stratum pyramidale, nonpyramidal cells (fast-spiking cells, type I cells) exhibited brief-duration action potentials (mean spike-width at one-half amplitude = 0.28 ms, N = 9) and little or no frequency adaptation of spike discharge to depolarizing current pulse. These cells ramified axon collaterals mainly in the stratum pyramidale or in the apical side of the stratum oriens. The HRP-injected nonpyramidal cells located between the stratum radiatum and the stratum lacunosum-moleculare (type II cells) showed different physiological characteristics from fast-spiking cells in the stratum pyramidale. The spike width was longer than that of fast-spiking cells (mean duration measured at one-half amplitude = 0.61 ms, N = 11) and these cells exhibited adaptation of spike discharge in response to depolarizing current pulses. Following hyperpolarizing current pulses, a depolarizing potential was produced in some type II cells. Although most cells of this group sent axon collaterals into the stratum radiatum or into the stratum lacunosum-moleculare, there were also cells whose axon collaterals extended to and ramified in the stratum pyramidale. In contrast to pyramidal cells, spikes of both types of nonpyramidal cells did not broaden during repetitive firing evoked by large depolarizing current pulses. Stimulation of the stratum radiatum caused excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials in both type I and II cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Fast-spiking non-pyramidal cells in the hippocampal CA 3 region, dentate gyrus and subiculum of rats

Intracellular recording and injection of horseradish peroxidase in rat hippocampal slice preparations revealed the existence of fast-spiking cells and their morphology of non-pyramidal cell type in the CA 3 region, dentate gyrus and subiculum.

Fast spiking cells in rat hippocampus (CA 1 region) contain the calcium-binding protein parvalbumin

Fast spiking cells in the CA 1 region of the rat hippocampus were revealed as γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic non-pyramidal cells containing the calcium-binding protein parvalbumin by intracellular injection of Lucifer yellow in vitro in combination with postem-bedding parvalbumin immunohistochemistry.

Two subtypes of non-pyramidal cells in rat hippocampal formation identified by intracellular recording and HRP injection

Intracellular recording and injection of horseradish peroxidase in rat hippocampal slice preparations revealed the existence of two physiologically distinct types of non-pyramidal cells: one a fast spiking type and the other a non-fast spiking type. In the CA1 pyramidal cell layer and the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus fast spiking cells were found, while in the border area between the stratum lacunosum-moleculare and the stratum radiatum, non-fast spiking cells were found exclusively. These two types of non-pyramidal cells may play different roles in the functions of hippocampal neuronal networks.

Single-cell activity and synchronous bursting in the rat hippocampus during waking behavior and sleep

Eighty-one of eighty-five isolated neurons recorded from the rat dorsal hippocampus (Ammon's horn and area dentata) were classifiable into four types according to their firing patterns and behavioral correlates. Sixty-two percent of the total neurons were complex spike cells which fired slowly ( < 2 s ) most of the time, but were most active during slow-wave sleep, slightly less active during awake immobility, and least active during awake movement and paradoxical sleep. Theta cells (21% of the total) generally fired much faster than complex spike cells and increased their discharge rate whenever rhythmical slow activity was present in the hippocampal EEG (i.e., during awake movement and paradoxical sleep). The behavioral correlates of seven putative granule cells were similar to those of theta cells. However, the behavior-dependent changes in firing frequency were much more pronounced in the former than in the latter. Three (fast) complex spike cells were observed which fired much faster than any other complex spike cell during all states and showed the behavioral correlates similar to those of theta cells. The complex spike cells, theta cells, and fast complex spike cells were found in both Ammon's horn and dentate hilus. A type of multiunit burst was recorded from the pyramidal cell layer. It occurred most frequently during slow-wave sleep, slightly less frequently during awake immobility, and was virtually absent during awake movement and paradoxical sleep. The multiunit burst was considered to represent a summed activity of synchronously bursting complex spike cells. Possible cellular mechanisms of the state-dependent activities in the different neuronal populations of the hippocampus are discussed.

Semiconductor manufacturing in Central Europe : Brian Dance. Semiconductor Int. 48 (November 1983)

Synchronous oscillations in neural activity are found over wide areas of the cortex. Specific populations of interneurons are believed to play a significant role in generating these synchronized oscillations through mutual synaptic and gap-junctional interactions. Little is known, though, about the mechanism of how oscillations are maintained stably by particular types of interneurons and by their local networks. To obtain more insight into this, we measured membrane-potential responses to small current-pulse perturbations during regular firing, to construct phase resetting curves (PRCs) for three types of interneurons: nonpyramidal regular-spiking (NPRS), low-threshold spiking (LTS), and fast-spiking (FS) cells. Within each cell type, both monophasic and biphasic PRCs were observed, but the proportions and sensitivities to perturbation amplitude were clearly correlated to cell type. We then analyzed the experimentally measured PRCs to predict oscillation stability, or firing reliability, of cells for a complex stochastic input, as occurs in vivo. To do this, we used a method from random dynamical system theory to estimate Lyapunov exponents of the simplified phase model on the circle. The results indicated that LTS and NPRS cells have greater oscillatory stability (are more reliably entrained) in small noisy inputs than FS cells, which is consistent with their distinct types of threshold dynamics.

A strategy for rule verification shrinks LSI layouts : Clark Beck and Steve Hardy. Electronics 141 (15 December 1983)

Synchronous oscillations in neural activity are found over wide areas of the cortex. Specific populations of interneurons are believed to play a significant role in generating these synchronized oscillations through mutual synaptic and gap-junctional interactions. Little is known, though, about the mechanism of how oscillations are maintained stably by particular types of interneurons and by their local networks. To obtain more insight into this, we measured membrane-potential responses to small current-pulse perturbations during regular firing, to construct phase resetting curves (PRCs) for three types of interneurons: nonpyramidal regular-spiking (NPRS), low-threshold spiking (LTS), and fast-spiking (FS) cells. Within each cell type, both monophasic and biphasic PRCs were observed, but the proportions and sensitivities to perturbation amplitude were clearly correlated to cell type. We then analyzed the experimentally measured PRCs to predict oscillation stability, or firing reliability, of cells for a complex stochastic input, as occurs in vivo. To do this, we used a method from random dynamical system theory to estimate Lyapunov exponents of the simplified phase model on the circle. The results indicated that LTS and NPRS cells have greater oscillatory stability (are more reliably entrained) in small noisy inputs than FS cells, which is consistent with their distinct types of threshold dynamics.

A new chip carrier for high performance applications: integrated decoupling capacitor chip carrier (IDCCC) : Christian M. Val and Jacques E. Martin. IEEE Trans. Components Hybrids Mfg Technol.Chmt-6 (3), 290 (September 1983)

Synchronous oscillations in neural activity are found over wide areas of the cortex. Specific populations of interneurons are believed to play a significant role in generating these synchronized oscillations through mutual synaptic and gap-junctional interactions. Little is known, though, about the mechanism of how oscillations are maintained stably by particular types of interneurons and by their local networks. To obtain more insight into this, we measured membrane-potential responses to small current-pulse perturbations during regular firing, to construct phase resetting curves (PRCs) for three types of interneurons: nonpyramidal regular-spiking (NPRS), low-threshold spiking (LTS), and fast-spiking (FS) cells. Within each cell type, both monophasic and biphasic PRCs were observed, but the proportions and sensitivities to perturbation amplitude were clearly correlated to cell type. We then analyzed the experimentally measured PRCs to predict oscillation stability, or firing reliability, of cells for a complex stochastic input, as occurs in vivo. To do this, we used a method from random dynamical system theory to estimate Lyapunov exponents of the simplified phase model on the circle. The results indicated that LTS and NPRS cells have greater oscillatory stability (are more reliably entrained) in small noisy inputs than FS cells, which is consistent with their distinct types of threshold dynamics.