Topic: neuronal interactions

Precise synaptic connectivity is a prerequisite for the function of neural circuits, yet individual neurons, taken out of their developmental context, readily form unspecific synapses. How does genetically encoded brain wiring deal with this apparent contradiction? Brain wiring is a developmental growth process that is not only characterized by precision, but also flexibility and robustness. As in any other growth process, cellular interactions are restricted in space and time. Correspondingly, molecular and cellular interactions are restricted to those that 'get to see' each other during deve

Attention selectively prioritizes goal-related information to facilitate visual perception. Various studies have demonstrated that visual attention enhanced the efficacy of neuronal pairs’ interactions between the hierarchically structured visual cortex. The primary visual cortex (V1) also exhibits a hierarchical connection between simple (S) and complex (C) cells. We wonder about the impact of visual attention on neuronal interactions within V1, encompassing both the extent and manner in which it occurs. When monkeys engaged in an attention-involved task, we simultaneously recorded neuronal p