Cortex Is Driven by Weak but Synchronously Active Thalamocortical Synapses. Bruno, R., M. & Sakmann, B. Science, 312(5780):1622-1627, 2006.
Cortex Is Driven by Weak but Synchronously Active Thalamocortical Synapses [link]Website  abstract   bibtex   
Sensory stimuli reach the brain via the thalamocortical projection, a group of axons thought to be among the most powerful in the neocortex. Surprisingly, these axons account for only ∼15% of synapses onto cortical neurons. The thalamocortical pathway might thus achieve its effectiveness via high-efficacy thalamocortical synapses or via amplification within cortical layer 4. In rat somatosensory cortex, we measured in vivo the excitatory postsynaptic potential evoked by a single synaptic connection and found that thalamocortical synapses have low efficacy. Convergent inputs, however, are both numerous and synchronous, and intracortical amplification is not required. Our results suggest a mechanism of cortical activation by which thalamic input alone can drive cortex.
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 year = {2006},
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 pages = {1622-1627},
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 websites = {http://www.sciencemag.org/content/312/5780/1622.abstract},
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 abstract = {Sensory stimuli reach the brain via the thalamocortical projection, a group of axons thought to be among the most powerful in the neocortex. Surprisingly, these axons account for only ∼15% of synapses onto cortical neurons. The thalamocortical pathway might thus achieve its effectiveness via high-efficacy thalamocortical synapses or via amplification within cortical layer 4. In rat somatosensory cortex, we measured in vivo the excitatory postsynaptic potential evoked by a single synaptic connection and found that thalamocortical synapses have low efficacy. Convergent inputs, however, are both numerous and synchronous, and intracortical amplification is not required. Our results suggest a mechanism of cortical activation by which thalamic input alone can drive cortex.},
 bibtype = {article},
 author = {Bruno, Randy M and Sakmann, Bert},
 journal = {Science},
 number = {5780}
}

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