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Activity-dependent modification of inhibitory synapses in models of rhythmic neural networks

Nature Neuroscience volume 4, pages 297–303 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

The faithful production of rhythms by many neural circuits depends critically on the strengths of inhibitory synaptic connections. We propose a model in which the strengths of inhibitory synapses in a central pattern-generating circuit are subject to activity-dependent plasticity. The strength of each synapse is modified as a function of the global activity of the postsynaptic neuron and by correlated activity of the pre- and postsynaptic neurons. This allows the self-assembly, from random initial synaptic strengths, of two cells into reciprocal oscillation and three cells into a rhythmic triphasic motor pattern. This self-assembly illustrates that complex oscillatory circuits that depend on multiple inhibitory synaptic connections can be tuned via simple activity-dependent rules.

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Figure 3: Biological and model STG neurons.
Figure 1: Behavior at fixed coupling and activity-dependent modification of LP-LP two-cell circuit.
Figure 2: Behavior at fixed coupling and activity-dependent modification of AB/PD-AB/PD and AB/PD-LP two-cell circuits.
Figure 4: Synapse-specific term; development of triphasic rhythm in model three-cell network.
Figure 5: Convergence of synaptic strengths in the three-cell circuit from many initial values to a unique set of strengths via activity-dependent tuning (Equation 4).

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by MH 46742, NS 07292 and the Sloan and Keck Foundations.

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Author notes

  1. Cristina Soto-Treviño and Kurt A. Thoroughman: The first two authors contributed equally to this work

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Volen Center and Biology Department, Brandeis University, Mail Stop 013, 415 South Street, Waltham, 02454-9110, Massachusetts, USA

    Cristina Soto-Treviño, Kurt A. Thoroughman, Eve Marder & L. F. Abbott

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  1. Cristina Soto-Treviño
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  2. Kurt A. Thoroughman
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  3. Eve Marder
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  4. L. F. Abbott
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Correspondence to Kurt A. Thoroughman.

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Soto-Treviño, C., Thoroughman, K., Marder, E. et al. Activity-dependent modification of inhibitory synapses in models of rhythmic neural networks. Nat Neurosci 4, 297–303 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/85147

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