Spatiotemporal patterns of current source density in the prefrontal cortex of a behaving monkey

Abstract

One of the fundamental missions of neuroscience is to explore the input and output properties of neuronal networks to reveal their functional significance. However, it is technically difficult to examine synaptic inputs into neuronal circuits in behaving animals. Here, we conducted current source density (CSD) analysis on local field potentials (LFPs) recorded simultaneously using a multi-contact electrode in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of a behaving monkey. We observed current sink task-dependent spatiotemporal patterns considered to reflect the synaptic input to neurons adjacent to the recording site. Specifically, the inferior convex current sink in the PFC was dominant during the delay period, whereas the current sink was prominent in the principal sulcus during the sample cue and test cue periods. Surprisingly, sulcus current sink patterns were spatially periodic, which corresponds to the columnar structure suggested by previous anatomical studies. The approaches used in the current study will help to elucidate how the PFC network performs executive functions according to its synaptic input.

Individual mediodorsal thalamic neurons project to multiple areas of the rat prefrontal cortex: A single neuron‐tracing study using virus vectors

“…In an in vivo study using 96‐channel multielectrode arrays to record simultaneously from multiple single‐ and multineuron units in the prefrontal cortex of monkeys performing a direction discrimination task, it has been suggested that the prefrontal cortex is not functionally homogeneous and is segregated into “physiologically distinct clusters” (Kiani et al, ). Moreover, current source density analysis on local field potentials recorded through a multicontact electrode in the prefrontal cortex of a behaving monkey revealed that the current sink positions reflecting synaptic inputs showed periodical distribution, with 800‐μm intervals in the tangential direction to the cortical surface (Sakamoto et al, ). Although the precise relationship between the anatomical “axonal clusters” and “physiologically distinct clusters” of the prefrontal cortex awaits further studies, afferents to the prefrontal cortex may selectively activate cortical neuron groups within the physiologically distinct clusters of the prefrontal cortex.…”

Quantification of mid and late evoked sinks in laminar current source density profiles of columns in the primary auditory cortex

“…Similar to the EC, the FC also targets layers II, III, and V (Mitchell and Macklis, 2005 ). It has long been suspected to play an important role in cognitive control, in the ability to determine actions in accordance with internal goals (Fuster, 2000 ; Kanwal et al, 2000 ; Sakamoto et al, 2015 ). Research based on surface recordings indicated that long-latency auditory evoked potentials probably arise from frontal associative areas (Picton et al, 1974 ; Iwasa and Potsic, 1982 ).…”

Linking canonical microcircuits and neuronal activity: Dynamic causal modelling of laminar recordings

“…This reconstruction entails an (ill posed) inverse problem of mapping responses to laminar-specific neuronal sources. This mapping has been addressed using methods like Current Source Density ( Freeman and Nicholson, 1975 , Koo et al, 2015 , Mitzdorf and Singer, 1977 , Sakamoto et al, 2015 ) and more recently Laminar Population Analysis ( Einevoll et al, 2007 , Ness et al, 2015 ).…”