Cited by 397Advanced MRI Techniques and ApplicationsOptical Imaging and Spectroscopy TechniquesAdvanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications

Neurometabolic coupling in cerebral cortex reflects synaptic more than spiking activity

Viswanathan, Ahalya, Freeman, Ralph D·2007·Nature Neuroscience

Abstract

In noninvasive neuroimaging, neural activity is inferred from local fluctuations in deoxyhemoglobin. A fundamental question of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is whether the inferred neural activity is driven primarily by synaptic or spiking activity. The answer is critical for the interpretation of the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal in fMRI. Here, we have used well-established visual-system circuitry to create a stimulus that elicits synaptic activity without associated spike discharge. In colocalized recordings of neural and metabolic activity in cat primary visual cortex, we observed strong coupling between local field potentials (LFPs) and changes in tissue oxygen concentration in the absence of spikes. These results imply that the BOLD signal is more closely coupled to synaptic activity.

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Crossref · 10.1038/nn1977

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  • V1 exhibited the same BOLD signal despite known differences in visual processing for PF and UF.

    “Thus, V1 exhibited the same BOLD signal despite known differences in visual processing for PF and UF (Viswanathan and Freeman, 2007).”

    From Perception is associated with the brain’s metabolic response to sensory stimulation (2022) · cites this paper as Viswanathan and Freeman, 2007

  • High (30 Hz) frequency visual stimulation selectively suppresses multiunit activity (MUA) in cat V1 compared to low frequency (4 Hz) visual stimulation.

    “High (30 Hz) frequency visual stimulation has been found to selectively suppress multiunit activity (MUA) in cat V1 as compared to low frequency (4 Hz) visual stimulation (Viswanathan and Freeman, 2007).”

    From Perception is associated with the brain’s metabolic response to sensory stimulation (2022) · cites this paper as Viswanathan and Freeman, 2007

  • Lactate and glutamate may be dissociated from BOLD changes when cortical input and output are differentially modulated by, for example, intracortical or thalamocortical inhibition.

    “Our results suggest that lactate and glutamate may be dissociated from BOLD changes when cortical input and output are differentially modulated by for example, intracortical (Viswanathan and Freeman, 2007) or thalamocortical (Min et al., 2020) inhibition.”

    From Perception is associated with the brain’s metabolic response to sensory stimulation (2022) · cites this paper as Viswanathan and Freeman, 2007

  • High-frequency flickering (30-60 Hz) abolished MUA, a measure of neuronal spiking (putatively from layer II/III), but not single neuron recordings from layer IV.

    “This conclusion is supported by the fact that high-frequency flickering (30–60 Hz) abolished MUA, a measure of neuronal spiking (putatively from layer II/III) (Viswanathan and Freeman, 2007), but not single neuron recordings from layer IV (Gur and Snodderly, 1997).”

    From Perception is associated with the brain’s metabolic response to sensory stimulation (2022) · cites this paper as Viswanathan and Freeman, 2007

  • Oxidative metabolism and CMRO2 are enhanced at both low and high flickering frequencies.

    “oxidative metabolism and CMRO2 are enhanced at both low and high flickering frequencies (Viswanathan and Freeman, 2007)”

    From Perception is associated with the brain’s metabolic response to sensory stimulation (2022) · cites this paper as Viswanathan and Freeman, 2007

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Authors
Viswanathan, A., & Freeman, R. D.
Affiliations
University of California, Berkeley (US)
Corresponding author
Freeman, Ralph D
Venue
Nature Neuroscience
Published
2007-09-09
Volume
10
Issue
10
Pages
1308-1312
ISSN
  • 1097-6256 (ISSN-L)
  • 1546-1726
OpenAlex
W2139354009
Cited by
397
References
32
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 25 · 2014: 22 · 2013: 28 · 2012: 31
FWCI
32.49
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Nature Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (5r01ey003716-05)
  • National Eye Institute (EY 03716, EY 01175, R01EY001175)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Advanced MRI Techniques and Applications
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Optical Imaging and Spectroscopy Techniques
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications
Keywords
neurometabolic coupling, BOLD signal, synaptic activity, spiking activity, local field potentials, cerebral cortex, primary visual cortex, tissue oxygen concentration, deoxyhemoglobin, functional MRI, cats
MeSH terms
Action Potentials, Animals, Cats, Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation, Evoked Potentials, Visual, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Oxygen, Photic Stimulation, Synapses, Visual Cortex, Visual Pathways

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