Development of visual response selectivity in cortical GABAergic interneurons

Abstract

The visual cortex of carnivores and primates displays a high degree of modular network organization characterized by local clustering and structured long-range correlations of activity and functional properties. Excitatory networks display modular organization before the onset of sensory experience, but the developmental timeline for modular networks of GABAergic interneurons, remains under-explored. Using in vivo calcium imaging of the ferret visual cortex, we find evidence that before visual experience, interneurons display weak orientation tuning and widespread non-specific activation in response to visual stimuli. Modular organization and orientation tuning are evident with as little as one week of visual experience. Furthermore, we find that the development of orientation tuning requires visual experience, while the reduction in widespread network activity does not. Thus, the maturation of inhibitory cortical networks occurs in a delayed, parallel process relative to excitatory neurons.