Link to Google Meet: meet.google.com/atu-udho-ugx
Eloise V Giraud,
Jean-Philippe Thivierge,
Michael Lynn,
Jean-Claude BeiqueThe prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays an important role in executive functions that guide reward-seeking, goal-directed and memory-guided behaviours. However, the contribution of specific cell types to the activity of broader cortical circuits remains largely unknown. This is important to inform accurate computational models of prefrontal cortex function. Here, we used high-density multielectrode arrays containing 4,096 closely spaced electrodes to monitor the spiking activity of PFC neurons in acute slice preparations. We developed spike sorting techniques that combined spline interpolation and principal component analysis to distinguish regular-spiking excitatory neurons from fast-spiking inhibitory interneurons. Our sorting algorithm was validated using a targeted combination of viral and optogenetic strategies. By cell- type-specific optogenetic stimulation, we described how parvalbumin interneurons regulate the interplay between excitation and inhibition. Specifically, we characterized the influence of parvalbumin interneurons on network-wide firing rates and distance-dependent pairwise correlations within the PFC. These results form a key target for computational models that aim to capture the interactions between excitation and inhibition in cortical areas.
