The role of inhibitory processes in the formation of functional properties of neurons of vibrissal projection zone of the cat somatosensory cortex

The role of intracortical inhibitory processes in the formation of neuronal receptive fields in the vibrissal projection zone of the somatosensory cortex was studied. Iontophoretic application of picrotoxin and bicuculline blocks the inhibition and causes the loss of directional sensitivity in neurons. Activation of inhibition by distant glutamate application gives opposite results--neurons become direction sensitive. A dependence was found between spatial location of activated cells and the pattern of changes of their detector properties. Inhibitory processes caused by natural afferent stimulation lead to similar changes in the functional properties of neurons.