A synaptic memory trace for cortical receptive field plasticity
Abstract
Receptive fields of sensory cortical neurons are plastic, changing in response to alterations of neural activity or sensory experience. In this way, cortical representations of the sensory environment can incorporate new information about the world, depending on the relevance or value of particular stimuli. Neuromodulation is required for cortical plasticity, but it is uncertain how subcortical neuromodulatory systems, such as the cholinergic nucleus basalis, interact with and refine cortical circuits. Here we determine the dynamics of synaptic receptive field plasticity in the adult primary auditory cortex (also known as AI) using in vivo whole-cell recording. Pairing sensory stimulation with nucleus basalis activation shifted the preferred stimuli of cortical neurons by inducing a rapid reduction of synaptic inhibition within seconds, which was followed by a large increase in excitation, both specific to the paired stimulus. Although nucleus basalis was stimulated only for a few minutes, reorganization of synaptic tuning curves progressed for hours thereafter: inhibition slowly increased in an activity-dependent manner to rebalance the persistent enhancement of excitation, leading to a retuned receptive field with new preference for the paired stimulus. This restricted period of disinhibition may be a fundamental mechanism for receptive field plasticity, and could serve as a memory trace for stimuli or episodes that have acquired new behavioural significance.
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In the auditory cortex, pairing sensory stimulation with stimulation of the basal forebrain results in a long-term reorganization of cortical receptive field structure, including a persistent shift in the receptive field towards the paired stimulus.
“In the auditory cortex, pairing sensory stimulation with stimulation of the basal forebrain results in a long-term reorganization of cortical receptive field structure, including a persistent shift in the receptive field towards the paired stimulus (Froemke et al., 2007).”
From Acetylcholine as a Neuromodulator: Cholinergic Signaling Shapes Nervous System Function and Behavior (2012) · cites this paper as Froemke et al., 2007
ACh modulates cortical circuits over longer time scales by influencing the plasticity of cortical circuits.
“ACh also modulates cortical circuits over longer time scales by influencing the plasticity of cortical circuits.”
From Acetylcholine as a Neuromodulator: Cholinergic Signaling Shapes Nervous System Function and Behavior (2012) · cites this paper as Froemke et al., 2007
Collectively, these changes could increase inhibition in association cortex and mediate transient enhancement and developmental reduction of plasticity in a manner similar to sensory cortex.
“Collectively, these changes could increase inhibition in association cortex and mediate transient enhancement and developmental reduction of plasticity (Dorrn et al., 2010; Froemke et al., 2007; Gandhi et al., 2008; Hensch, 2005; Southwell et al., 2010) in a manner similar to sensory cortex (Levelt and Hubener, 2012) .”
From Does puberty mark a transition in sensitive periods for plasticity in the associative neocortex? (2017) · cites this paper as Froemke et al., 2007
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- Authors
- Froemke, R. C., Merzenich, M. M., & Schreiner, C. E.
- Affiliations
- University of California, San Francisco (US)
- Corresponding author
- Froemke, Robert C.
- Venue
- Nature
- Published
- 2007-11-15
- Volume
- 450
- Issue
- 7168
- Pages
- 425-429
- ISSN
- 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-4687
- OpenAlex
- W2151934707
- Cited by
- 600
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 38 · 2023: 28 · 2022: 30 · 2021: 34 · 2020: 45 · 2019: 36 · 2018: 32 · 2017: 44 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 47 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 52 · 2012: 22
- FWCI
- 9.16
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Nature (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (R01DC002260)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Keywords
- receptive field plasticity, primary auditory cortex, nucleus basalis of Meynert, cholinergic modulation, synaptic inhibition, disinhibition, synaptic excitation, memory traces, sensory learning, activity-dependent plasticity
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Auditory Cortex, Female, Memory, Neuronal Plasticity, Neurons, Afferent, Synapses, Time Factors, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials, Rats
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