Cortical layer 1 (L1) interneurons have been proposed as a hub for attentional modulation of underlying cortex, but the transformations that this circuit implements are not known. We combined genetically targeted voltage imaging with optogenetic activation and silencing to study the mechanisms underlying sensory processing in mouse barrel cortex L1. Whisker stimuli evoked precisely timed single spikes in L1 interneurons, followed by strong lateral inhibition. A mild aversive stimulus activated cholinergic inputs and evoked a bimodal distribution of spiking responses in L1. A simple conductance-based model that only contained lateral inhibition within L1 recapitulated the sensory responses and the winner-takes-all cholinergic responses, and the model correctly predicted that the network would function as a spatial and temporal high-pass filter for excitatory inputs. Our results demonstrate that all-optical electrophysiology can reveal basic principles of neural circuit function in vivo and suggest an intuitive picture for how L1 transforms sensory and modulatory inputs. VIDEO ABSTRACT.

中文翻译：

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全光电生理学揭示了侧向抑制在皮层 1 感觉处理中的作用。

皮层第 1 层 (L1) 中间神经元已被提议作为底层皮层注意力调节的枢纽，但该电路实现的转换尚不清楚。我们将基因靶向电压成像与光遗传学激活和沉默相结​​合，研究小鼠桶状皮质 L1 感觉处理的机制。晶须刺激在 L1 中间神经元中引起精确定时的单个尖峰，然后是强侧抑制。温和的厌恶刺激激活胆碱能输入并引起 L1 中尖峰反应的双峰分布。一个简单的基于电导的模型，只包含 L1 内的侧向抑制，概括了感觉反应和赢家通吃的胆碱能反应，并且该模型正确预测该网络将用作兴奋性输入的空间和时间高通滤波器。我们的研究结果表明，全光电生理学可以揭示体内神经回路功能的基本原理，并为 L1 如何转换感觉和调节输入提供直观的画面。视频摘要。