| First Author | Kim H | Year | 2016 |
| Journal | Cell | Volume | 164 |
| Issue | 1-2 | Pages | 208-218 |
| PubMed ID | 26771492 | Mgi Jnum | J:230664 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5763517 | Doi | 10.1016/j.cell.2015.11.038 |
| Citation | Kim H, et al. (2016) Prefrontal Parvalbumin Neurons in Control of Attention. Cell 164(1-2):208-18 |
| abstractText | While signatures of attention have been extensively studied in sensory systems, the neural sources and computations responsible for top-down control of attention are largely unknown. Using chronic recordings in mice, we found that fast-spiking parvalbumin (FS-PV) interneurons in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) uniformly show increased and sustained firing during goal-driven attentional processing, correlating to the level of attention. Elevated activity of FS-PV neurons on the timescale of seconds predicted successful execution of behavior. Successful allocation of attention was characterized by strong synchronization of FS-PV neurons, increased gamma oscillations, and phase locking of pyramidal firing. Phase-locked pyramidal neurons showed gamma-phase-dependent rate modulation during successful attentional processing. Optogenetic silencing of FS-PV neurons deteriorated attentional processing, while optogenetic synchronization of FS-PV neurons at gamma frequencies had pro-cognitive effects and improved goal-directed behavior. FS-PV neurons thus act as a functional unit coordinating the activity in the local mPFC circuit during goal-driven attentional processing. |
