Digital versus analog control over cortical inhibition in the brain
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 - 18:30
in Psychology & Sociology
In the cerebral cortex, the balance between excitation and inhibition is thought to be mediated by the primary mode of neuronal communication: "all-or-none" action potentials, or spikes. However, researchers in China have discovered a new strategy by which the cortex can maintain this balance, by showing that the amount of inhibition depends on the membrane potentials in pyramidal cells, which represents an "analog" strategy.