Llinás Rodolfo R, Steriade Mircea
Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
J Neurophysiol. 2006 Jun;95(6):3297-308. doi: 10.1152/jn.00166.2006. Epub 2006 Mar 22.
This article addresses the functional significance of the electrophysiological properties of thalamic neurons. We propose that thalamocortical activity, is the product of the intrinsic electrical properties of the thalamocortical (TC) neurons and the connectivity their axons weave. We begin with an overview of the electrophysiological properties of single neurons in different functional states, followed by a review of the phylogeny of the electrical properties of thalamic neurons, in several vertebrate species. The similarity in electrophysiological properties unambiguously indicates that the thalamocortical system must be as ancient as the vertebrate branch itself. We address the view that rather than simply relays, thalamic neurons have sui generis intrinsic electrical properties that govern their specific functional dynamics and regulate natural functional states such as sleep and vigilance. In addition, thalamocortical activity has been shown to be involved in the genesis of several neuropsychiatric conditions collectively described as thalamocortical dysrhythmia syndrome.
本文探讨丘脑神经元电生理特性的功能意义。我们提出，丘脑皮质活动是丘脑皮质（TC）神经元的内在电特性及其轴突所形成的连接的产物。我们首先概述不同功能状态下单神经元的电生理特性，接着回顾几种脊椎动物物种中丘脑神经元电特性的系统发生。电生理特性的相似性明确表明，丘脑皮质系统必定与脊椎动物分支本身一样古老。我们论述了这样一种观点，即丘脑神经元并非简单的中继站，而是具有独特的内在电特性，这些特性支配其特定的功能动态，并调节诸如睡眠和警觉等自然功能状态。此外，丘脑皮质活动已被证明与几种统称为丘脑皮质节律失调综合征的神经精神疾病的发生有关。
