Computational model of the jamming avoidance response in the electric fish Gymnotus carapo

Capurro, Alberto; Macadar, O.; Perrone, Rossana; Pakdaman, Khashayar

doi:10.1016/s0303-2647(98)00046-x

Cited by 17 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…It is known that progressive incremental delays between selfgenerated EODs and conspecific-generated EODs cause transient increases in self-generated EOD rate (Bullock, 1969;Westby, 1975;Capurro et al, 1998). In fact, G. carapo discharges very regularly with a coefficient of variation of the inter-EOD interval less than 2%.…”

Section: In Contrast To Other Types Of Onset Cells Spherical Cells Ementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The lowresponsiveness window prevents the subsequent activation of the path by externally generated, potentially interfering signals (Schlegel, 1973;Castelló et al, 1998). This phenomenon appears to reflect a trade-off between electrolocation, in which responses to the EODs of other fish are a form of interference, and electro-communication, in which such EODs are the signals of interest (Westby, 1975;Capurro et al, 1998;Westby, 1979;Black Cleworth, 1969).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The role of single spiking spherical neurons in a fast sensory pathway

Nogueira

Castelló

Caputi

2006

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARY One difficulty in understanding the brain is that of linking the structure of the neurons with their computational roles in neural circuits. In this paper we address this subject in a relative simple system, the fast electrosensory pathway of an electric fish, where sensory images are coded by the relative latency of a volley of single spikes. The main input to this path is a stream of discrete electric images resulting from the modulation of a self-generated carrier by the environment. At the second order cell level, a window of low responsiveness, reducing potential interference from other stimuli, follows activation of the path. In the present study, we further characterize the input–output relationship at the second order neurons by recording field potentials, and ascertain its cellular basis using in vitro whole cell patch recordings. The field potentials from freely behaving, socially interacting fish were obtained from chronically implanted fish restrained in a mesh pen. In addition, at the end of some experiments the fish was curarized and the fast electrosensory path responses to artificial stimuli were further explored. These in vivo approaches showed that larger stimuli cause larger and longer windows of low responsiveness. The simple spherical geometry of the second order cells allowed us to unveil the membrane mechanisms underlying this phenomenon in vitro. These spherical cells respond with a single spike at the onset of current steps of any amplitude and duration, showing inward and outward rectification, and a long refractory period. We postulate that a low-threshold K+ conductance generates the outward rectification. The most parsimonious interpretation of our data indicates that slow deactivation of this conductance causes the long refractory period. These non-linear properties of the membrane explain the single spiking profile of spherical cells and the low-responsiveness window observed in vivo. Since the electric organ discharges are emitted at intervals slightly longer than the duration of the low-responsiveness window,we propose that the described cellular mechanisms allow fish streaming self-generated images.

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Section: In Contrast To Other Types Of Onset Cells Spherical Cells Ementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of single spiking spherical neurons in a fast sensory pathway

Nogueira

Castelló

Caputi

2006

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…Instead of the tonic shift in pacemaker activity frequency characteristic of the jamming avoidance of wave fish, pulse gymnotiforms, apparently lacking corollary discharges, respond to the interference with two main behaviors characterized by transient accelerations of the pacemaker activity (Bullock, 1969;Westby, 1974;Westby, 1979;Westby, 1981;Capurro et al, 1998;Capurro et al, 1999) (Fig.6A). These transient shortenings of approximately 2-10% of the inter-EOD interval occur during active exploration (Jun et al, 2012), immediately after detecting a novel stimulus (Caputi et al, 2003), in the presence of other fish (Bullock, 1969;Westby, 1974;Westby, 1979;Westby, 1981;Capurro et al, 1998;Capurro et al, 1999) and during escape responses (Curti et al, 1999;Curti et al, 2006).…”

Section: The Computational Task: the Tradeoff Between Self-and Allo-gmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These transient shortenings of approximately 2-10% of the inter-EOD interval occur during active exploration (Jun et al, 2012), immediately after detecting a novel stimulus (Caputi et al, 2003), in the presence of other fish (Bullock, 1969;Westby, 1974;Westby, 1979;Westby, 1981;Capurro et al, 1998;Capurro et al, 1999) and during escape responses (Curti et al, 1999;Curti et al, 2006).…”

Section: The Computational Task: the Tradeoff Between Self-and Allo-gmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Here we deal with this problem in the specific case of spherical neurons of the electrosensory lobe of the electric fish Gymnotus omarorum (Richer-de-Forges et al, 2009). These are second-order neurons (Réthelyi and Szabo, 1973;Maler, 1979;Berman and Maler, 1999) inserted in a well-defined and simple circuit [the fast electrosensory pathway ], whose activity can be experimentally studied in naturalistic conditions (Castelló et al, 1998) during welldefined behavioral patterns such as 'jamming avoidance' (Westby, 1974;Westby, 1979;Westby, 1981;Baker, 1980;Capurro et al, 1998;Capurro et al, 1999;Lorenzo and Macadar, 2005) and 'synchronization bouts' (Westby, 1974).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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From the intrinsic properties to the functional role of a neuron phenotype: an example from electric fish during signal trade-off

Nogueira

Caputi

2013

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SummaryThis review deals with the question: what is the relationship between the properties of a neuron and the role that the neuron plays within a given neural circuit? Answering this kind of question requires collecting evidence from multiple neuron phenotypes and comparing the role of each type in circuits that perform well-defined computational tasks. The focus here is on the spherical neurons in the electrosensory lobe of the electric fish Gymnotus omarorum. They belong to the one-spike-onset phenotype expressed at the early stages of signal processing in various sensory modalities and diverse taxa. First, we refer to the one-spike neuron intrinsic properties, their foundation on a low-threshold K + conductance, and the potential roles of this phenotype in different circuits within a comparative framework. Second, we present a brief description of the active electric sense of weakly electric fish and the particularities of spherical one-spike-onset neurons in the electrosensory lobe of G. omarorum. Third, we introduce one of the specific tasks in which these neurons are involved: the trade-off between self-and allo-generated signals. Fourth, we discuss recent evidence indicating a still-undescribed role for the one-spike phenotype. This role deals with the blockage of the pathway after being activated by the self-generated electric organ discharge and how this blockage favors selfgenerated electrosensory information in the context of allo-generated interference. Based on comparative analysis we conclude that one-spike-onset neurons may play several functional roles in animal sensory behavior. There are specific adaptations of the neuronʼs ʻresponse functionʼ to the circuit and task. Conversely, the way in which a task is accomplished depends on the intrinsic properties of the neurons involved. In short, the role of a neuron within a circuit depends on the neuron and its functional context.

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Electric Organs and Their Control

Caputi

Carlson

Macadar

Springer Handbook of Auditory Research

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Computational model of the jamming avoidance response in the electric fish Gymnotus carapo

Cited by 17 publications

References 7 publications

The role of single spiking spherical neurons in a fast sensory pathway

The role of single spiking spherical neurons in a fast sensory pathway

From the intrinsic properties to the functional role of a neuron phenotype: an example from electric fish during signal trade-off

Electric Organs and Their Control

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