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Integration of quanta in cerebellar granule cells during sensory processing

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  • Paul Chadderton

    (University College London)

  • Troy W. Margrie

    (University College London)

  • Michael Häusser

    (University College London)

Abstract

To understand the computations performed by the input layers of cortical structures, it is essential to determine the relationship between sensory-evoked synaptic input and the resulting pattern of output spikes. In the cerebellum, granule cells constitute the input layer, translating mossy fibre signals into parallel fibre input to Purkinje cells1. Until now, their small size and dense packing1,2 have precluded recordings from individual granule cells in vivo. Here we use whole-cell patch-clamp recordings to show the relationship between mossy fibre synaptic currents evoked by somatosensory stimulation and the resulting granule cell output patterns. Granule cells exhibited a low ongoing firing rate, due in part to dampening of excitability by a tonic inhibitory conductance mediated by GABAA (γ-aminobutyric acid type A) receptors. Sensory stimulation produced bursts of mossy fibre excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) that summate to trigger bursts of spikes. Notably, these spike bursts were evoked by only a few quantal EPSCs, and yet spontaneous mossy fibre inputs triggered spikes only when inhibition was reduced. Our results reveal that the input layer of the cerebellum balances exquisite sensitivity with a high signal-to-noise ratio. Granule cell bursts are optimally suited to trigger glutamate receptor activation3,4,5 and plasticity6,7,8 at parallel fibre synapses, providing a link between input representation and memory storage in the cerebellum.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Chadderton & Troy W. Margrie & Michael Häusser, 2004. "Integration of quanta in cerebellar granule cells during sensory processing," Nature, Nature, vol. 428(6985), pages 856-860, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:428:y:2004:i:6985:d:10.1038_nature02442
    DOI: 10.1038/nature02442
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    Cited by:

    1. Lloyd E. Russell & Mehmet Fişek & Zidan Yang & Lynn Pei Tan & Adam M. Packer & Henry W. P. Dalgleish & Selmaan N. Chettih & Christopher D. Harvey & Michael Häusser, 2024. "The influence of cortical activity on perception depends on behavioral state and sensory context," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, December.
    2. Claudia Clopath & Jean-Pierre Nadal & Nicolas Brunel, 2012. "Storage of Correlated Patterns in Standard and Bistable Purkinje Cell Models," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(4), pages 1-10, April.
    3. Shyam Diwakar & Paola Lombardo & Sergio Solinas & Giovanni Naldi & Egidio D'Angelo, 2011. "Local Field Potential Modeling Predicts Dense Activation in Cerebellar Granule Cells Clusters under LTP and LTD Control," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(7), pages 1-13, July.
    4. Claudia Clopath & Nicolas Brunel, 2013. "Optimal Properties of Analog Perceptrons with Excitatory Weights," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(2), pages 1-6, February.

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