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A network of fast-spiking cells in the neocortex connected by electrical synapses

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  • Mario Galarreta

    (University of Tennessee, Memphis)

  • Shaul Hestrin

    (University of Tennessee, Memphis)

Abstract

Encoding of information in the cortex is thought to depend on synchronous firing of cortical neurons1,2. Inhibitory neurons are known to be critical in the coordination of cortical activity3,4,5, but how interaction among inhibitory cells promotes synchrony is not well understood4,6,7,8,9,10,11,12. To address this issue directly, we have recorded simultaneously from pairs of fast-spiking (FS) cells, a type of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-containing neocortical interneuron13. Here we report a high occurrence of electrical coupling among FS cells. Electrical synapses were not found among pyramidal neurons or between FS cells and other cortical cells. Some FS cells were interconnected by both electrical and GABAergic synapses. We show that communication through electrical synapses allows excitatory signalling among inhibitory cells and promotes their synchronous spiking. These results indicate that electrical synapses establish a network of fast-spiking cells in the neocortex which may play a key role in coordinating cortical activity.

Suggested Citation

  • Mario Galarreta & Shaul Hestrin, 1999. "A network of fast-spiking cells in the neocortex connected by electrical synapses," Nature, Nature, vol. 402(6757), pages 72-75, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:402:y:1999:i:6757:d:10.1038_47029
    DOI: 10.1038/47029
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    Cited by:

    1. Cofré, Rodrigo & Cessac, Bruno, 2013. "Dynamics and spike trains statistics in conductance-based integrate-and-fire neural networks with chemical and electric synapses," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 13-31.
    2. Liu, Chen & Wang, Jiang & Wang, Lin & Yu, Haitao & Deng, Bin & Wei, Xile & Tsang, Kaiming & Chan, Wailok, 2014. "Multiple synchronization transitions in scale-free neuronal networks with electrical and chemical hybrid synapses," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 1-12.
    3. Yilmaz, Ergin, 2014. "Impacts of hybrid synapses on the noise-delayed decay in scale-free neural networks," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 1-8.
    4. Wang, Jing & Liu, Shenquan & Liu, Xuanliang, 2014. "Quantification of synchronization phenomena in two reciprocally gap-junction coupled bursting pancreatic β-cells," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 65-71.

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