Active dendritic integration as a mechanism for robust and precise grid cell firing

SCHMIDT-HIEBER, Christoph, TOLEIKYTE, Gabija, AITCHISON, Laurence, ROTH, Arnd, CLARK, Beverley A, BRANCO, Tiago and HÄUSSER, Michael (2017). Active dendritic integration as a mechanism for robust and precise grid cell firing. Nature Neuroscience, 20 (8), 1114-1121.

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Official URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/nn.4582
Link to published version:: https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.4582

Abstract

Understanding how active dendrites are exploited for behaviorally relevant computations is a fundamental challenge in neuroscience. Grid cells in medial entorhinal cortex are an attractive model system for addressing this question, as the computation they perform is clear: they convert synaptic inputs into spatially modulated, periodic firing. Whether active dendrites contribute to the generation of the dual temporal and rate codes characteristic of grid cell output is unknown. We show that dendrites of medial entorhinal cortex neurons are highly excitable and exhibit a supralinear input–output function in vitro, while in vivo recordings reveal membrane potential signatures consistent with recruitment of active dendritic conductances. By incorporating these nonlinear dynamics into grid cell models, we show that they can sharpen the precision of the temporal code and enhance the robustness of the rate code, thereby supporting a stable, accurate representation of space under varying environmental conditions. Our results suggest that active dendrites may therefore constitute a key cellular mechanism for ensuring reliable spatial navigation.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: 1109 Neurosciences; 1701 Psychology; 1702 Cognitive Sciences; Neurology & Neurosurgery
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.4582
Page Range: 1114-1121
SWORD Depositor: Symplectic Elements
Depositing User: Symplectic Elements
Date Deposited: 14 Apr 2023 16:24
Last Modified: 11 Oct 2023 16:00
URI: https://shura.shu.ac.uk/id/eprint/30867

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