Retinal oscillations carry visual information to cortex

65Citations
Citations of this article
197Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

Abstract

Thalamic relay cells fire action potentials that transmit information from retina to cortex. The amount of information that spike trains encode is usually estimated from the precision of spike timing with respect to the stimulus. Sensory input, however, is only one factor that influences neural activity. For example, intrinsic dynamics, such as oscillations of networks of neurons, also modulate firing pattern. Here, we asked if retinal oscillations might help to convey information to neurons downstream. Specifically, we made whole-cell recordings from relay cells to reveal retinal inputs (EPSPs) and thalamic outputs (spikes) and then analyzed these events with information theory. Our results show that thalamic spike trains operate as two multiplexed channels. One channel, which occupies a low frequency band (<30 Hz), is encoded by average firing rate with respect to the stimulus and carries information about local changes in the visual field over time. The other operates in the gamma frequency band (40-80 Hz) and is encoded by spike timing relative to retinal oscillations. At times, the second channel conveyed even more information than the first. Because retinal oscillations involve extensive networks of ganglion cells, it is likely that the second channel transmits information about global features of the visual scene. © 2009 Koepsell, Wang, Vaingankar, Wei, Wang, Rathbun, Usrey, Hirsch and Sommer.

References Powered by Scopus

Spectrum Estimation and Harmonic Analysis

3400Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Forest before trees: The precedence of global features in visual perception

3142Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

IPython: A system for interactive scientific computing

3127Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Cited by Powered by Scopus

Cortical gamma band synchronization through somatostatin interneurons

227Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Precise-Spike-Driven synaptic plasticity: Learning hetero-association of spatiotemporal spike patterns

154Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

The thalamic dynamic core theory of conscious experience

126Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Koepsell, K., Wang, X., Vaingankar, V., Wei, Y., Wang, Q., Rathbun, D. L., … Sommer, F. T. (2009). Retinal oscillations carry visual information to cortex. Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, 3(APR). https://doi.org/10.3389/neuro.06.004.2009

Readers over time

‘09‘10‘11‘12‘13‘14‘15‘16‘17‘18‘19‘20‘21‘23‘2408162432

Readers' Seniority

Tooltip

PhD / Post grad / Masters / Doc 82

48%

Researcher 56

33%

Professor / Associate Prof. 28

16%

Lecturer / Post doc 5

3%

Readers' Discipline

Tooltip

Agricultural and Biological Sciences 72

50%

Neuroscience 44

31%

Computer Science 15

10%

Engineering 13

9%

Article Metrics

Tooltip
Social Media
Shares, Likes & Comments: 1

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free
0