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Stimulus Dependence of Barrel Cortex Directional Selectivity

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  • Gabriel D Puccini
  • Albert Compte
  • Miguel Maravall

Abstract

Neurons throughout the rat vibrissa somatosensory pathway are sensitive to the angular direction of whisker movement. Could this sensitivity help rats discriminate stimuli? Here we use a simple computational model of cortical neurons to analyze the robustness of directional selectivity. In the model, directional preference emerges from tuning of synaptic conductance amplitude and latency, as in recent experimental findings. We find that directional selectivity during stimulation with random deflection sequences is strongly dependent on the mean deflection frequency: Selectivity is weakened at high frequencies even when each individual deflection evokes strong directional tuning. This variability of directional selectivity is due to generic properties of synaptic integration by the neuronal membrane, and is therefore likely to hold under very general physiological conditions. Our results suggest that directional selectivity depends on stimulus context. It may participate in tasks involving brief whisker contact, such as detection of object position, but is likely to be weakened in tasks involving sustained whisker exploration (e.g., texture discrimination).

Suggested Citation

  • Gabriel D Puccini & Albert Compte & Miguel Maravall, 2006. "Stimulus Dependence of Barrel Cortex Directional Selectivity," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 1(1), pages 1-6, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0000137
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0000137
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. József Fiser & Chiayu Chiu & Michael Weliky, 2004. "Small modulation of ongoing cortical dynamics by sensory input during natural vision," Nature, Nature, vol. 431(7008), pages 573-578, September.
    2. Miguel Maravall & Rasmus S Petersen & Adrienne L Fairhall & Ehsan Arabzadeh & Mathew E Diamond, 2007. "Shifts in Coding Properties and Maintenance of Information Transmission during Adaptation in Barrel Cortex," PLOS Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 5(2), pages 1-12, January.
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