"Cortical neurons receive balanced excitatory and inhibitory synaptic currents. Such a balance could be established and maintained in an experience-dependent manner by synaptic plasticity at inhibitory synapses. We show that this mechanism provides an explanation for the sparse firing patterns observed in response to natural stimuli and fits well with a recently observed interaction of excitatory and inhibitory receptive field plasticity. ... Our results suggest an essential role of inhibitory plasticity in the formation and maintenance of functional cortical circuitry."
Model Type: Neuron or other electrically excitable cell
Region(s) or Organism(s): Neocortex
Model Concept(s): Synaptic Plasticity; STDP
Simulation Environment: MATLAB; Brian; Python
Implementer(s): Zenke, Friedemann [friedemann.zenke at epfl.ch]; Vogels, Tim [tim.vogels at epfl.ch]
References:
Vogels TP, Sprekeler H, Zenke F, Clopath C, Gerstner W. (2011). Inhibitory plasticity balances excitation and inhibition in sensory pathways and memory networks. Science (New York, N.Y.). 334 [PubMed]