Spike-frequency adaptation separates transient communication signals from background oscillations
Spike-frequency adaptation separates transient communication signals from background oscillations
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DOI:
10.1523/jneurosci.4795-04.2005
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发表时间:
2005-03-02
影响因子:
5.3
通讯作者:
Maler, L
中科院分区:
文献类型:
--
作者:
Benda, J;Longtin, A;Maler, L
Spike- frequency adaptation is a prominent feature of many neurons. However, little is known about its computational role in processing behaviorally relevant natural stimuli beyond filtering out slow changes in stimulus intensity. Here, we present a more complex example in which we demonstrate how spike- frequency adaptation plays a key role in separating transient signals from slower oscillatory signals. We recorded in vivo from very rapidly adapting electroreceptor afferents of the weakly electric fish Apteronotus leptorhynchus. The firing- frequency response of electroreceptors to fast communication stimuli (" small chirps") is strongly enhanced compared with the response to slower oscillations (" beats") arising from interactions of same- sex conspecifics. We are able to accurately predict the electroreceptor afferent response to chirps and beats, using a recently proposed general model for spike- frequency adaptation. The parameters of the model are determined for each neuron individually from the responses to step stimuli. We conclude that the dynamics of the rapid spike- frequency adaptation is sufficient to explain the data. Analysis of additional data from step responses demonstrates that spike- frequency adaptation acts subtractively rather than divisively as expected from depressing synapses. Therefore, the adaptation dynamics is linear and creates a high- pass filter with a cutoff frequency of 23 Hz that separates fast signals from slower changes in input. A similar critical frequency is seen in behavioral data on the probability of a fish emitting chirps as a function of beat frequency. These results demonstrate how spike- frequency adaptation in general can facilitate extraction of signals of different time scales, specifically high- frequency signals embedded in slower oscillations.