Why context matters? Divisive normalization and canonical microcircuits in psychiatric disorders. (July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Northoff, Georg; Mushiake, Hajime
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience research. Volume 156(2020)
• Page Start: 130
• Page End: 140
• Publication Date: 2020-07
• Subjects: Neurosciences -- Research -- Periodicals; Neurosciences -- Research -- Japan -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Neurosciences -- Periodicals; Neurosciences -- Recherche -- Périodiques; Neurosciences -- Recherche -- Japon -- Périodiques; Neurosciences -- Research; Japan; Periodicals; 612.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2019.10.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0168-0102

Abstract

Highlights: Context-dependence of neuronal activity. Divisive normalization can account for context-dependence. Context-dependence is mediated by canonical microcircuits. Canonical microcircuits include inhibition and excitation. Inhibition and excitation are abnormal in psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and depression. Abstract: Neural activity on cellular, regional, and behavioral levels shows context-dependence. Here we suggest the processing of input-output relationships in terms divisive normalization (DN), including (i) summing/averaging inputs and (ii) normalizing output against input stages, as a computational mechanism to underlie context-dependence. Input summation and output normalization are mediated by input-output relationships in canonical microcircuits (CM). DN/CM are altered in psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia or depression whose various symptoms can be characterized by abnormal context-dependence.