Plasticity of recurring spatiotemporal activity patterns in cortical networks.

ABSTRACT: How do neurons encode and store information for long periods of time? Recurring patterns of activity have been reported in various cortical structures and were suggested to play a role in information processing and memory. To study the potential role of bursts of action potentials in memory mechanisms, we investigated patterns of spontaneous multi-single-unit activity in dissociated rat cortical cultures in vitro. Spontaneous spikes were recorded from networks of approximately 50 000 neurons and glia cultured on a grid of 60 extracellular substrate- embedded electrodes (multi-electrode arrays). These networks expressed spontaneous culture- wide bursting from approximately one week in vitro. During bursts, a large portion of the active electrodes showed elevated levels of firing. Spatiotemp

SUBMITTER: Madhavan R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2577584 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature