Excitatory-inhibitory windows shape coherent neuronal dynamics driven by optogenetic stimulation in the primate brain

Coherent neuronal dynamics play an important role in complex cognitive functions. Optogenetic stimulation promises to provide new ways to test the functional significance of coherent neural activity. However, the mechanisms by which optogenetic stimulation drives coherent dynamics remain unclear, especially in the non-human primate brain. Here, we perform computational modeling and experiments to study the mechanisms of optogenetic-stimulation-driven coherent neuronal dynamics in non-human primates. Neural responses arise from stimulation-evoked temporal windows of excitatory and inhibitory activity. The temporal properties of the E-I windows generate coherent neuronal dynamics at varied frequencies and depend on optogenetic stimulation parameters. Experimental results agree with parameter dependent predictions from the computational models. These results demonstrate that responses to optogenetic stimulation are governed by local circuit properties that alter the timing of E-I activity. Transient imbalances in excitatory and inhibitory activity may provide a general mechanism for generating coherent neuronal dynamics.