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High noise correlation between the functionally connected neurons in emergent V1 microcircuits

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Abstract

Neural correlations (noise correlations and cross-correlograms) are widely studied to infer functional connectivity between neurons. High noise correlations between neurons have been reported to increase the encoding accuracy of a neuronal population; however, low noise correlations have also been documented to play a critical role in cortical microcircuits. Therefore, the role of noise correlations in neural encoding is highly debated. To this aim, through multi-electrodes, we recorded neuronal ensembles in the primary visual cortex of anaesthetized cats. By computing cross-correlograms, we divulged the functional network (microcircuit) between neurons within an ensemble in relation to a specific orientation. We show that functionally connected neurons systematically exhibit higher noise correlations than functionally unconnected neurons in a microcircuit that is activated in response to a particular orientation. Furthermore, the mean strength of noise correlations for the connected neurons increases steeply than the unconnected neurons as a function of the resolution window used to calculate noise correlations. We suggest that neurons that display high noise correlations in emergent microcircuits feature functional connections which are inevitable for information encoding in the primary visual cortex.

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Acknowledgments

S.M and J.R were supported by CRSNG (Conseil de Recherches en Sciences Naturelles et en Génie) FRQ-NT (Fonds de recherche du Québec—Nature et technologies). Grant No. NSERC, Canada 6943-1210.

Author contribution

V.B did the experiments, analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript. L.B, S.C and N.C participated in the experiments and analyses of data. J.R contributed to the analyses of data. V.B and S.M conceived the idea of study. S.M contributed to data analyses and manuscript writing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurophysiology of Visual System, Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, Succ. centre-ville, CP 6128, Montreal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada

    Vishal Bharmauria, Lyes Bachatene, Sarah Cattan, Nayan Chanauria, Jean Rouat & Stéphane Molotchnikoff

  2. Neurosciences Computationnelles et Traitement Intelligent des Signaux (NECOTIS), Sherbrooke, QC, Canada

    Vishal Bharmauria, Lyes Bachatene, Sarah Cattan, Nayan Chanauria, Jean Rouat & Stéphane Molotchnikoff

  3. Département de Génie Électrique et Génie Informatique, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada

    Jean Rouat & Stéphane Molotchnikoff

Authors
  1. Vishal Bharmauria
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  2. Lyes Bachatene
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  3. Sarah Cattan
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  4. Nayan Chanauria
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  5. Jean Rouat
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  6. Stéphane Molotchnikoff
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Correspondence to Stéphane Molotchnikoff.

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Bharmauria, V., Bachatene, L., Cattan, S. et al. High noise correlation between the functionally connected neurons in emergent V1 microcircuits. Exp Brain Res 234, 523–532 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-015-4482-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-015-4482-7

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