A vast temporal continuum for sensory processing arises from a nontopographic cellular multilevel gradient

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Wicke, Kathrin D.; Kladisios, Nikolaos; Kattler-Lackes, Kathrin; Felmy, Felix
• 署名单位: University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover; Saarland University
• 刊物名称: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2524478123
• 发表日期: 2026-06-23
• 页码: e2524478123
• 关键词: genetic gradient forms a cellular continuum; early processing of auditory scenes; gradient of temporal integration; matched tuning of pre- and postsynaptic properties; patch-seq; AUDITORY BRAIN-STEM; LATERAL LEMNISCUS; GLYCINERGIC INHIBITION; VENTRAL NUCLEUS; SUPERIOR OLIVE; HORSESHOE BAT; neurons; channels; GERBIL; ORGANIZATION

摘要

Classification of neurons into discrete populations aids the comprehension of neuronal function. However, such simplifications do not fully reflect the complexity and gradual nature of sensory stimuli and internal representations. Therefore, heterogeneous neuronal populations might be more adequate to process and represent neuronal function compared to discrete populations. Using patch-seq recordings, we identify a heterogeneous cell population in the auditory brainstem that forms an extensive functional continuum through molecular, biophysical, and synaptic gradients. Through the interaction of this multilevel gradient, this population spans nearly the full range of known membrane time constants forming a temporal filter bank. This temporal filter bank matches the range of relevant frequencies of environmental sound transients. This arrangement processes early cross-frequency integration producing a holistic information of environmental sound transients known to be relevant during speech and pitch detection. Thus, the presence of a functionally continuous neuronal population relates to the complexity of stimulus information.