Alexandra Tzilivaki, George Kastellakis, Dietmar Schmitz, Panayiota Poirazi

GABAergic interneurons (INs) are a highly diverse class of neurons in the mammalian brain with a critical role in orchestrating multiple cognitive functions and maintaining the balance of excitation/inhibition across neuronal circuitries. In this perspective, we discuss recent findings regarding the ability of some IN subtypes to integrate incoming inputs in nonlinear ways within their dendritic branches. These recently discovered features may endow the specific INs with advanced computing capabilities, whose breadth and functional contributions remain an open question. Along these lines, we discuss theoretical and experimental evidence regarding the potential role of nonlinear IN dendrites in advancing single neuron computations and contributing to memory formation.

Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.11.033