Visual experience drives functional reorganization of cortical GABAergic circuits

Sensory experience shapes the development and function of neocortical circuits. Although repeated exposure to sensory stimuli can alter cortical responses, the precise relationship between sensory experience and circuit interactions remains unclear. Here, we examine how cortical circuits are shaped by repeated exposure to varied visual stimuli. We find that visually evoked beta activity, a prominent pattern of visually evoked activity that relies on somatostatin-expressing (SST) GABAergic interneurons, is robustly potentiated by visual experience. Enhanced visual experience leads to increased responses in SST interneurons and suppressed responses in vasoactive intestinal peptide-expressing (VIP) interneurons. In association with this rebalancing of cortical inhibitory activity, experience increases the recruitment and visual selectivity of excitatory neurons. This enhancement is associated with increased SST-IN influence on nearby pyramidal neurons and requires SST-IN activity during visual experience. Visual experience thus selectively reorganizes adult dendrite-targeting inhibitory circuits, promoting network synchrony and enhancing sensory encoding by excitatory neurons.