Cerebellar Purkinje cells control eye movements with a rapid rate code that is invariant to spike irregularity

• DOI: 10.7554/elife.37102
• Publication Date: 2019-05-03T09:00:11Z
• Authors: Hannah L Payne; Ranran L French; Christine C Guo; TD Barbara Nguyen-Vu; Tiina Manninen; Jennifer L Raymond
• Keywords: Spike train; Stimulus (psychology)

The rate and temporal pattern of neural spiking each have the potential to influence computation. In cerebellum, it has been hypothesized that irregularity interspike intervals in Purkinje cells affects their ability transmit information downstream neurons. Accordingly, during oculomotor behavior mice rhesus monkeys, mean cell varied with eye velocity. However, moment-to-moment variations revealed a tight correlation between velocity spike rate, no additional conveyed by irregularity. Moreover, when were independently controlled using optogenetic stimulation, movements elicited well-described linear population code 3–5 ms precision. Biophysical random-walk models identified biologically realistic parameter ranges determine whether influences responses downstream. results demonstrate cerebellar control through remarkably rapid code, evidence for an contribution