Precise burst synchrony in the superior colliculus of the awake cat during moving stimulus presentation.

This study aimed to characterize the synchrony that occurs between cell discharges in the superior colliculus of the awake cat. We trained cats to perform a visual fixation in the presence of a visual moving stimulus and then recorded 686 pairs of neighboring cells in the superior colliculus during task performance. A new method to assess the significance of precise discharge synchronization is described, which permits analysis of nonstationary data.

Statistical signs of common inhibitory feedback with delay.

Cross-correlation histograms (CCHs) sometimes exhibit an isolated central peak flanked by two troughs. What can cause this pattern? The absence of CCH satellite peak makes an oscillatory common input doubtful. It is here shown using a simple counting model that a common inhibitory feedback with delay can account for this pattern.

Evidence for glutamatergic tectotectal neurons in the cat superior colliculus: a comparison with GABAergic tectotectal neurons.

The tectotectal commissural pathway is commonly regarded as responsible for the reciprocal inhibition that takes place between the two superior colliculi (SC). Although this hypothesis has received strong support from electrophysiological studies, more recent investigations have suggested that some collicular cells, e.g.

An accurate measure of the instantaneous discharge probability, with application to unitary joint-even analysis.

We present an estimate for the instantaneous discharge probability of a neurone, based on single-trial spike-train analysis. By detecting points where the neurone abruptly changes its firing rate and treating them specially, the method is able to achieve smooth estimates yet avoid the blurring of significant changes. This estimate of instantaneous discharge probability is then applied to the method of unitary event analysis.

Multiple single unit recording in the cortex of monkeys using independently moveable microelectrodes.

Simultaneous recording from multiple single neurones presents many technical difficulties. However, obtaining such data has many advantages, which make it highly worthwhile to overcome the technical problems. This report describes methods which we have developed to permit recordings in awake behaving monkeys using the 'Eckhorn' 16 electrode microdrive.