Excitatory neurons

Rapid learning confers significant advantages to animals in ecological environments. Despite the need for speed, animals appear to only slowly learn to associate rewarded actions with predictive cues. This slow learning is thought to be supported by a gradual expansion of predictive cue representation in the sensory cortex. However, evidence is growing that animals learn more rapidly than classical performance measures suggest, challenging the prevailing model of sensory cortical plasticity. Here, we investigated the relationship between learning and sensory cortical representations. We traine

…the direct product of the activity of neurons and synapses. Making progress on this open question, often called the bridging problem, was identified by Richard Axel as the most important challenge in neuroscience today. The research community must identify, from among the ever growing volume of neuroscientific knowledge a conceptual core of basic elements and principles which may suffice for bringing about the brain’s function. Here we describe such a minimalistic model of the brain, and we demonstrate its power by

The dynamic interplay of inhibitory and excitatory neurons drives the cortical functional repertoire. In the mammalian neocortex, inhibitory neurons are diverse. They are characterized by a variety of cellular attributes that enable their specialized roles in regulating information processing. It is increasingly clear that the major subtype specification of inhibitory neurons is given by their molecular identity, defined by techniques such as gene expression profiling. However, the molecular class alone provides limited insight into the anatomical, physiological, and connectivity properties of

…2021) to image Ca2+ transients in excitatory neurons from large volumes. We developed an open-source, GPU-accelerated volumetric cell extra

Classical views suggest that memories are stored in assemblies of excitatory neurons that become strongly interconnected during learning. However, recent experimental and theoretical results have challenged this view, leading to the hypothesis that memories are encoded in assemblies containing both excitatory (E) and inhibitory (I) neurons. Understanding the effects of these E-I assemblies on memory function is therefore essential. Using a biologically constrained model of an olfactory memory network, I will first describe how introducing E-I assemblies reorganizes odor-evoked activity pattern

…Our model, comprising inhibitory and excitatory neurons, reproduces these response patterns, especially under inhibition-dominated conditions. W

The neocortex is stereotypically organized into layers of excitatory neurons arranged in a precise parallel orientation. Here we show that dynamic adhesion both preceding and following radial migration is essential for this organization. Neuronal adhesion is regulated by the Mowat-Wilson syndrome-associated transcription factor Zeb2 (Sip1/Zfhx1b) through direct repression of independent adhesion pathways controlled by Neuropilin-1 (Nrp1) and Cadherin-6 (Cdh6). We reveal that to initiate radial migration, neurons must first suppress adhesion to the extracellular matrix. Zeb2 regulates the multi

…give rise to the different subtypes of excitatory neurons and macroglia cells that form the mature neocortex. Precisely regulated mechanisms are crucial for the proper development of this structure, from the generation of neural cells to their correct migration and establishment of specific connections. Among the many genes described to regulate its proper development, cell-cell adhesion molecules such as Cdh2 or its associated protein Afadin play important roles. Inactivation of these genes in the dorsal tele

Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder that affects 1% of the global population and significantly burdens patients and society. Many epilepsies are acquired following brain injury and no effective prophylaxis or cure exists. Accumulating evidence suggests that oxidative stress plays a critical role in the development of epilepsy, and that pharmacological targeting of oxidative stress can prevent spontaneous seizures. However, non-specific antioxidant therapies may disrupt the physiological balance of oxidants/antioxidants, highlighting the need for targeted intervention. Here, we used AAV

…connections between activated excitatory neurons in the cortex, with mirroring inhibitory activity ensuring stable storage. Particularly, synaptic plasticity occurs as memory reactivation takes place during sleep, contributing to increased memory stability. However, the mechanism by which reactivation mediates plasticity to balance network currents for stable memory storage remains unclear. Here, we investigated whether a newly proposed form of codependent plasticity coul

…a postsynaptic scaffolding protein of excitatory synapses. Its deletion or mutation is

…Engram neurons relate to social memory formation with unclear mechanisms. G protein-coupled receptor 50 (GPR50) is an X chromosome-associated orphan receptor and is highly expressed in neurons. In this study, using social disorders mouse model establishing, chemical modulation, electrophysiology, and RNAseq, we herein report a novel role of GPR50 in social memory formation via activating engram neurons. Our results demonstrate that GPR50 upr

…hNGN2 and hDLX2-hASCL1 to generate excitatory neurons and GABAergic neurons. We show that hiP

Network models of cortex typically focus on excitatory population dynamics, relegating inhibition to a support role. However, recent studies have shown that memories can be encoded by both excitatory and inhibitory neurons (EI engrams), adding to the evidence of the functional importance of inhibitory neurons beyond mere stabilization. The functional consequence of such EI engrams is unclear, and the synaptic plasticity rules that could sustain them are unknown. Here, we explore in silico a mechanism for EI engrams storage and recall to glean possible computational benefits of such engrams ove

…span several millimeters and connect neurons that encode different portions of the visual space [1], while connections in the granular layers remain local.We presented disks of varying radii and annuli of varying inner radii to anesthetized cats to investigate laminar differences in spatial integration of the stimuli i

…the ability of inhibitory interneurons to regulate network activity, leading to seizure events. However, standard treatments aimed at restoring inhibition have very limited efficacy, suggesting a potential role for excitatory neurons in DS pathogenesis. To explore this, we generated excitatory and inhibitory neurons from control and Dravet hiPSCs and combined them at physiological ratios into i

…analysis revealed that inhibitory neurons and inhibitory neuron-enriched subnuclei of the amygdala were well-conserved i

Inhibitory neurons are pivotal in shaping neural dynamics, acting as a regulatory mechanism to maintain network stability and enhance sensory processing. Their interplay within neural circuits affects stimulus selectivity, temporal precision, and memory functions. On the other hand, mounting evidence suggests that neural responses to sensory stimuli change over time – a phenomenon termed representational drift. Yet, how inhibitory neurons contribute to representational drift remains largely unknown.Here, we examined the collective statistics of inhibitory and excitatory neurons in layers 2/3 o

Selective visual attention is a key feature of adaptive behavior, improving stimulus detection and response speed. Although it is well established that several measures of neural activity are modulated by attention in many brain areas, it is unclear whether and how these changes in activity correlate with behavior and how different cell types contribute to these mechanisms. To unravel the link between the behavioral benefits induced by spatial attention and its neuronal mechanisms, we analyzed neuronal responses obtained from simultaneous extracellular recordings in PFC and visual area V4 of t

Neurons are highly plastic cells, altering the proteome to adapt to environmental cues. These changes are governed by fluctuations in protein synthesis pace and the nature of the mRNAs that are being translated. Although it is well established that de novo protein synthesis is fundamental to consolidate long-term memory, many details remain unknown, including the molecular mechanisms that trigger protein synthesis pace elevation that drive consolidation. Mounting evidence suggests that triggering long-term memory consolidation requires the release of the translation initiation brake, particula

Recent studies showed that flexible, ultra-thin, polyimide electrodes implanted in mouse V1 elicit chronically stable intracortical microstimulation (ICM) with low activation threshold and high biocompatibility, demonstrating their promising use as prosthetics for visual restoration. However, these works did not explore the full repertoire of parameters that can shape the ICM. Besides, to achieve precise spatial encoding of the visual field, it is necessary to identify the stimulation conditions that lead to localized neuronal activation around the stimulation site(s). We have developed a pipe

In the developing cerebral cortex, radial glial progenitors (RGPs) produce all excitatory neurons and glia. Using Mosaic Analysis with Double Markers (MADM), we established a quantitative framework of cortical RGP lineage progression at single-cell resolution in vivo. The extent to which these quantitative aspects of RGP lineage progression are conserved in vitro is unclear. Here we established MADM in embryonic stem cells in order to contrast RGP lineage progression in vivo and in cortical organoids. We found that organoid RGP division behavior was less temporally stereotyped, with both persi

…of in vitro systems composed by excitatory (E) and inhibitory (I) neurons derived from hiPSCs. Our experimental

…BEAGIN-expressing neurons have not yet been identified because BEGAIN protein is detected in highly localized dendritic regions, not in the cell body. To identify BEGAIN-expressing neurons, double in situ hybridization with RN