Synaptic Plasticity Controls Sensory Responses through Frequency-Dependent Gamma Oscillation Resonance

Se-Bum Paik, Donald A. Glaser

Abstract: Author Summary In the nervous system, a network of neurons shows interesting population activities. One example is a various frequency of synchronized oscillations which are thought to be important to sensory functions. In particular, it has been reported that gamma frequency rhythms (30∼70Hz) in the cortex can significantly regulate the responses to visual stimuli. In this study, we further investigate the mechanism by which the nervous system can control the effect of gamma oscillation on the modulation of neural responses. We found that the sensory response of the visual cortex strongly depends on the extent of synchronization between external stimulus rhythms and spontaneous gamma oscillations in the cortical network. Furthermore, the simulation results show that the plasticity of the neural circuit can modulate the frequency of spontaneous gamma oscillations, thus readily controlling neural population responsiveness. This finding is related to the question of how the brain efficiently interprets external input signals under various conditions, using its internal neural connectivity. Our study provides insight into this question.