Dendritic Mechanisms forIn VivoNeural Computations and Behavior

Abstract

Dendrites receive the vast majority of a single neuron's inputs, and coordinate the transformation of these signals into neuronal output.Ex vivoand theoretical evidence has shown that dendrites possess powerful processing capabilities, yet little is known about how these mechanisms are engaged in the intact brain or how they influence circuit dynamics. New experimental and computational technologies have led to a surge in interest to unravel and harness their computational potential. This review highlights recent and emerging work that combines established and cutting-edge technologies to identify the role of dendrites in brain function. We discuss active dendritic mediation of sensory perception and learning in neocortical and hippocampal pyramidal neurons. Complementing these physiological findings, we present theoretical work that provides new insights into the underlying computations of single neurons and networks by using biologically plausible implementations of dendritic processes. Finally, we present a novel brain–computer interface task, which assays somatodendritic coupling to study the mechanisms of biological credit assignment. Together, these findings present exciting progress in understanding how dendrites are critical forin vivolearning and behavior, and highlight how subcellular processes can contribute to our understanding of both biological and artificial neural computation.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Nov 09, 2022
Source ID
10.1523/jneurosci.1132-22.2022

Entities

People

  • Brendan A Bicknell
  • Christine Grienberger
  • Lucy M Palmer
  • Lukas F Fischer
  • Naoya Takahashi
  • Raul Mojica Soto-Albors
  • Richard Naud
  • Valerio Francioni
  • Vincent D. Tang

Organizations

  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research
  • Australian Research Council
  • European Commission
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • National Health and Medical Research Council
  • National Institutes of Health
  • Sylvia and Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation
  • University of Bordeaux

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Neuroscience
  • Organizational Psychology.
  • Systems Analysis and Design