scholarly journals Flexible resonance in prefrontal networks with strong feedback inhibition

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason S. Sherfey ◽  
Salva Ardid ◽  
Joachim Hass ◽  
Michael E. Hasselmo ◽  
Nancy J. Kopell

AbstractOscillations are ubiquitous features of brain dynamics that undergo task-related changes in synchrony, power, and frequency. The impact of those changes on target networks is poorly understood. In this work, we used a biophysically detailed model of prefrontal cortex (PFC) to explore the effects of varying the spike rate, synchrony, and waveform of strong oscillatory inputs on the behavior of cortical networks driven by them. Interacting populations of excitatory and inhibitory neurons with strong feedback inhibition are inhibition-based network oscillators that exhibit resonance (i.e., larger responses to preferred input frequencies). We quantified network responses in terms of mean firing rates and the population frequency of network oscillation; and characterized their behavior in terms of the natural response to asynchronous input and the resonant response to oscillatory inputs. We show that strong feedback inhibition causes the PFC to generate internal (natural) oscillations in the beta/gamma frequency range (>15 Hz) and to maximize principal cell spiking in response to external oscillations at slightly higher frequencies. Importantly, we found that the fastest oscillation frequency that can be relayed by the network maximizes local inhibition and is equal to a frequency even higher than that which maximizes the firing rate of excitatory cells; we call this phenomenon population frequency resonance. This form of resonance is shown to determine the optimal driving frequency for suppressing responses to asynchronous activity. Lastly, we demonstrate that the natural and resonant frequencies can be tuned by changes in neuronal excitability, the duration of feedback inhibition, and dynamic properties of the input. Our results predict that PFC networks are tuned for generating and selectively responding to beta- and gamma-rhythmic signals due to the natural and resonant properties of inhibition-based oscillators. They also suggest strategies for optimizing transcranial stimulation and using oscillatory networks in neuromorphic engineering.Author SummaryThe prefrontal cortex (PFC) flexibly encodes task-relevant representations and outputs biases to mediate higher cognitive functions. The relevant neural ensembles undergo task-related changes in oscillatory dynamics at beta- and gamma frequencies. Using a computational model of the PFC network, we show that strong feedback inhibition causes the PFC to generate internal oscillations and to prefer external oscillations at similar frequencies. The precise frequencies that are generated and preferred can be flexibly tuned by varying the synchrony and strength of input network activity, the level of background excitation, and neuromodulation of intrinsic ion currents. We also show that the peak output frequency in response to external oscillations, which depends on the synchrony and strength of the input as well as the strong inhibitory feedback, is faster than the internally generated frequency, and that this difference enables exclusive response to oscillatory inputs. These properties enable changes in oscillatory dynamics to govern the selective processing and gating of task-relevant signals in service of cognitive control.

2013 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 106-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dariusz Man ◽  
Izabella Pisarek ◽  
Michał Braczkowski ◽  
Barbara Pytel ◽  
Ryszard Olchawa

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 466
Author(s):  
Włodzimierz Kęska ◽  
Jacek Marcinkiewicz ◽  
Łukasz Gierz ◽  
Żaneta Staszak ◽  
Jarosław Selech ◽  
...  

The continuous development of computer technology has made it applicable in many scientific fields, including research into a wide range of processes in agricultural machines. It allows the simulation of very complex physical phenomena, including grain motion. A recently discovered discrete element method (DEM) is used for this purpose. It involves direct integration of equations of grain system motion under the action of various forces, the most important of which are contact forces. The method’s accuracy depends mainly on precisely developed mathematical models of contacts. The creation of such models requires empirical validation, an experiment that investigates the course of contact forces at the moment of the impact of the grains. To achieve this, specialised test stations equipped with force and speed sensors were developed. The correct selection of testing equipment and interpretation of results play a decisive role in this type of research. This paper focuses on the evaluation of the force sensor dynamic properties’ influence on the measurement accuracy of the course of the plant grain impact forces against a stiff surface. The issue was examined using the computer simulation method. A proprietary computer software with the main calculation module and data input procedures, which presents results in a graphic form, was used for calculations. From the simulation, graphs of the contact force and force signal from the sensor were obtained. This helped to clearly indicate the essence of the correct selection of parameters used in the tests of sensors, which should be characterised by high resonance frequency.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 2533
Author(s):  
Zeyu Zhou ◽  
Jocelyn Vidales ◽  
José A González-Reyes ◽  
Bradley Shibata ◽  
Keith Baar ◽  
...  

Alterations in markers of mitochondrial content with ketogenic diets (KD) have been reported in tissues of rodents, but morphological quantification of mitochondrial mass using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the gold standard for mitochondrial quantification, is needed to further validate these findings and look at specific regions of interest within a tissue. In this study, red gastrocnemius muscle, the prefrontal cortex, the hippocampus, and the liver left lobe were used to investigate the impact of a 1-month KD on mitochondrial content in healthy middle-aged mice. The results showed that in red gastrocnemius muscle, the fractional area of both subsarcolemmal (SSM) and intermyofibrillar (IMM) mitochondria was increased, and this was driven by an increase in the number of mitochondria. Mitochondrial fractional area or number was not altered in the liver, prefrontal cortex, or hippocampus following 1 month of a KD. These results demonstrate tissue-specific changes in mitochondrial mass with a short-term KD and highlight the need to study different muscle groups or tissue regions with TEM to thoroughly determine the effects of a KD on mitochondrial mass.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiziana Imbriglio ◽  
Remy Verhaeghe ◽  
Nico Antenucci ◽  
Stefania Maccari ◽  
Giuseppe Battaglia ◽  
...  

AbstractmGlu5 metabotropic glutamate receptors are highly expressed and functional in the early postnatal life, and are known to positively modulate NMDA receptor function. Here, we examined the expression of NMDA receptor subunits and interneuron-related genes in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of mGlu5−/− mice and wild-type littermates at three developmental time points (PND9, − 21, and − 75). We were surprised to find that expression of all NMDA receptor subunits was greatly enhanced in mGlu5−/− mice at PND21. In contrast, at PND9, expression of the GluN2B subunit was enhanced, whereas expression of GluN2A and GluN2D subunits was reduced in both regions. These modifications were transient and disappeared in the adult life (PND75). Changes in the transcripts of interneuron-related genes (encoding parvalbumin, somatostatin, vasoactive intestinal peptide, reelin, and the two isoforms of glutamate decarboxylase) were also observed in mGlu5−/− mice across postnatal development. For example, the transcript encoding parvalbumin was up-regulated in the prefrontal cortex of mGlu5−/− mice at PND9 and PND21, whereas it was significantly reduced at PND75. These findings suggest that in mGlu5−/− mice a transient overexpression of NMDA receptor subunits may compensate for the lack of the NMDA receptor partner, mGlu5. Interestingly, in mGlu5−/− mice the behavioral response to the NMDA channel blocker, MK-801, was significantly increased at PND21, and largely reduced at PND75. The impact of adaptive changes in the expression of NMDA receptor subunits should be taken into account when mGlu5−/− mice are used for developmental studies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 2520
Author(s):  
Alba Bellot-Saez ◽  
Rebecca Stevenson ◽  
Orsolya Kékesi ◽  
Evgeniia Samokhina ◽  
Yuval Ben-Abu ◽  
...  

Potassium homeostasis is fundamental for brain function. Therefore, effective removal of excessive K+ from the synaptic cleft during neuronal activity is paramount. Astrocytes play a key role in K+ clearance from the extracellular milieu using various mechanisms, including uptake via Kir channels and the Na+-K+ ATPase, and spatial buffering through the astrocytic gap-junction coupled network. Recently we showed that alterations in the concentrations of extracellular potassium ([K+]o) or impairments of the astrocytic clearance mechanism affect the resonance and oscillatory behavior of both the individual and networks of neurons. These results indicate that astrocytes have the potential to modulate neuronal network activity, however, the cellular effectors that may affect the astrocytic K+ clearance process are still unknown. In this study, we have investigated the impact of neuromodulators, which are known to mediate changes in network oscillatory behavior, on the astrocytic clearance process. Our results suggest that while some neuromodulators (5-HT; NA) might affect astrocytic spatial buffering via gap-junctions, others (DA; Histamine) primarily affect the uptake mechanism via Kir channels. These results suggest that neuromodulators can affect network oscillatory activity through parallel activation of both neurons and astrocytes, establishing a synergistic mechanism to maximize the synchronous network activity.


2008 ◽  
Vol 99 (3) ◽  
pp. 1394-1407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Potez ◽  
Matthew E. Larkum

Understanding the impact of active dendritic properties on network activity in vivo has so far been restricted to studies in anesthetized animals. However, to date no study has been made to determine the direct effect of the anesthetics themselves on dendritic properties. Here, we investigated the effects of three types of anesthetics commonly used for animal experiments (urethane, pentobarbital and ketamine/xylazine). We investigated the generation of calcium spikes, the propagation of action potentials (APs) along the apical dendrite and the somatic firing properties in the presence of anesthetics in vitro using dual somatodendritic whole cell recordings. Calcium spikes were evoked with dendritic current injection and high-frequency trains of APs at the soma. Surprisingly, we found that the direct actions of anesthetics on calcium spikes were very different. Two anesthetics (urethane and pentobarbital) suppressed dendritic calcium spikes in vitro, whereas a mixture of ketamine and xylazine enhanced them. Propagation of spikes along the dendrite was not significantly affected by any of the anesthetics but there were various changes in somatic firing properties that were highly dependent on the anesthetic. Last, we examined the effects of anesthetics on calcium spike initiation and duration in vivo using high-frequency trains of APs generated at the cell body. We found the same anesthetic-dependent direct effects in addition to an overall reduction in dendritic excitability in anesthetized rats with all three anesthetics compared with the slice preparation.


Author(s):  
Ryan L. Harne ◽  
Zhangxian Deng ◽  
Marcelo J. Dapino

Whether serving as mounts, isolators, or dampers, elastomer-based supports are common solutions to inhibit the transmission of waves and vibrations through engineered systems and therefore help to alleviate concerns of radiated noise from structural surfaces. The static and dynamic properties of elastomers govern the operational conditions over which the elastomers and host structures provide effective performance. Passive-adaptive tuning of properties can therefore broaden the useful working range of the material, making the system more robust to varying excitations and loads. While elastomer-based metamaterials are shown to adapt properties by many orders of magnitude according to the collapse of internal void architectures, researchers have not elucidated means to control these instability mechanisms such that they may be leveraged for on-demand tuning of static and dynamic properties. In addition, while magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) exhibit valuable performance-tuning control due to their intrinsic magnetic-elastic coupling, particularly with anisotropic magnetic particle alignment, the extent of their properties adaptation is not substantial when compared to metamaterials. Past studies have not identified means to apply anisotropic MREs in engineered metamaterials to activate the collapse mechanisms for tuning purposes. To address this limited understanding and effect significant performance adaptation in elastomer supports for structural vibration and noise control applications, this research explores a new concept for magnetoelastic metamaterials (MM) that leverage strategic magnetic particle alignment for unprecedented tunability of performance and functionality using non-contact actuation. MM specimens are fabricated using interrelated internal void topologies, with and without anisotropic MRE materials. Experimental characterization of stiffness, hysteretic loss, and dynamic force transmissibility assess the impact of the design variables upon performance metrics. For example, it is discovered that the mechanical properties may undergo significant adaptation, including two orders of magnitude change in mechanical power transmitted through an MM, according to the introduction of a 3 T free space external magnetic field. In addition, the variable collapse of the internal architectures is seen to tune static stiffness from finite to nearly vanishing values, while the dynamic stiffness shows as much as 50% change due to the collapsing architecture topology. Thus, strategically harnessing the internal architecture alongside magnetoelastic coupling is found to introduce a versatile means to tune the properties of the MM to achieve desired system performance across a broad range of working conditions. These results verify the research hypothesis and indicate that, when effectively leveraged, magnetoelastic metamaterials introduce remarkably versatile performance for engineering applications of vibration and noise control.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (6) ◽  
pp. 23-29
Author(s):  
Erik Gasparov ◽  
Lana Gasparova ◽  
Gevorg Markosyan

The purpose of this work is to support dynamic properties of spindle units in grinding machines. For this there are problems under solution for the definition of the origin of the constituents in the spindle unit vibratory activity by means of the linear increase of electric spindle rotation frequency, obtaining and analyzing a vibratory acceleration signal for the possibility to determine a preload. The vibratory acceleration signal was investigated through a spectrum analysis method. A scientific novelty of investigation consists in the substantiation of possibility to determine a preload by means of the spectrum analysis of a vibration acceleration signal at the linear increase of spindle rotation frequency that is at starting. It gives, in its turn, a possibility for the automated estimate of the spindle unit state before cutting beginning. In the experimental way there are obtained temporal realizations of the vibratory acceleration signal at different efforts of the preload. A high-speed grinding motor-spindle is as a basic element of the bench, which was investigated through the methods of testing diagnostics in the operation. In the bench design there were made some alterations. The bench was supplemented with the systems essential to support motor-spindle full operation, in particular: with systems of lubrication, cooling and drive control. There was revealed a large number of harmonics multiple to 50 Hz, which tells of the connection with the frequency of power supply circuit. Their coincidence with the own frequencies of the spindle unit results in the considerable increase of their amplitudes. To increase dynamic quality one should avoid the cases of the coincidence of switching frequencies and circuit harmonics with own frequencies of the electric spindle. It is also necessary to bring a form of power voltage to a pure harmonic oscillation to decrease the impact of a drive electromagnetic field upon dynamic characteristics of the spindle unit.


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