Global firing rate contrast enhancement in E/I neuronal networks by recurrent synchronized inhibition.
Journal:
Chaos (Woodbury, N.Y.)
Published Date:
Oct 1, 2018
Abstract
Inhibitory synchronization is commonly observed and may play some important functional roles in excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) neuronal networks. The firing rate contrast enhancement is a general feature of information processing in sensory pathways, and a new mechanism of contrast enhancement by inhibitory synchronization in E/I neuronal networks is investigated in this paper. Inspired by the firing rate contrast enhancement phenomenon by the lateral feed-forward inhibition, we reveal that the firing rate contrast enhancement could also occur by recurrent inhibition in E/I networks. It is further found that the synchronized inhibitory neurons act as a global inhibition which can enhance the firing rate contrast of excitatory neurons globally in synchronized E/I networks, even in partially synchronous states. Therefore, the firing rate contrast enhancement might be an important function of inhibitory synchronization and might facilitate information transmission in neural systems.