Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Duesbergweg 6, D-55128, Mainz, Germany.
Pflugers Arch. 2023 Sep;475(9):1027-1033. doi: 10.1007/s00424-023-02830-y. Epub 2023 Jun 20.
The neocortical network consists of two types of excitatory neurons and a variety of GABAergic inhibitory interneurons, which are organized in distinct microcircuits providing feedforward, feedback, lateral inhibition, and disinhibition. This network is activated by layer- and cell-type specific inputs from first and higher order thalamic nuclei, other subcortical regions, and by cortico-cortical projections. Parallel and serial information processing occurs simultaneously in different intracortical subnetworks and is influenced by neuromodulatory inputs arising from the basal forebrain (cholinergic), raphe nuclei (serotonergic), locus coeruleus (noradrenergic), and ventral tegmentum (dopaminergic). Neocortical neurons differ in their intrinsic firing pattern, in their local and global synaptic connectivity, and in the dynamics of their synaptic interactions. During repetitive stimulation, synaptic connections between distinct neuronal cell types show short-term facilitation or depression, thereby activating or inactivating intracortical microcircuits. Specific networks are capable to generate local and global activity patterns (e.g., synchronized oscillations), which contribute to higher cognitive function and behavior. This review article aims to give a brief overview on our current understanding of the structure and function of the neocortical network.
新皮层网络由两种类型的兴奋性神经元和多种 GABA 能抑制性中间神经元组成，它们组织在不同的微电路中，提供前馈、反馈、侧向抑制和去抑制。这个网络由来自第一和更高阶丘脑核、其他皮质下区域的层和细胞类型特异性输入以及皮质-皮质投射激活。平行和串行信息处理同时发生在不同的皮质内子网中，并受到来自基底前脑（胆碱能）、中缝核（血清素能）、蓝斑核（去甲肾上腺素能）和腹侧被盖区（多巴胺能）的神经调质输入的影响。新皮层神经元在其内在放电模式、局部和全局突触连接以及突触相互作用的动力学方面存在差异。在重复刺激期间，不同神经元细胞类型之间的突触连接表现出短期易化或抑制，从而激活或失活皮质内微电路。特定的网络能够产生局部和全局活动模式（例如，同步振荡），这有助于更高的认知功能和行为。本文旨在简要概述我们对新皮层网络的结构和功能的当前理解。
