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Shunting Inhibition Controls the Gain Modulation Mediated by Asynchronous Neurotransmitter Release in Early Development
Figure 2
Gain control by short-term presynaptic depression.
A Slower recovery from synaptic depression leads to a reduction and faster saturation of output firing rate: 
(red squares); 
(black triangles); 
(blue circles). B An addition of asynchronous component (
) to synaptic transmission accentuates the depression-induced difference in neuronal gain. Symbols are the same as in A. C Gains (defined as described in Text) plotted vs. the output rate, for the different scenarios shown in A,B. Top panel: model synapses without asynchronous component of release. Bottom panel: model synapses with asynchronous release (
). D Firing rate of a model neuron, plotted vs. the recovery time from synaptic depression, for Poisson input stimulation at 
. Dashed line: results obtained for a neuron driven by model synapses with no asynchronous release. Solid lines: 
. Inset: maximal absolute value of 
slope, plotted vs. the level of asynchronous release at model synapses. E Output firing rate vs. the input rate for different values of phasic coupling strength (as captured by 
): 
(black triangles); 
(blue circles); 
(red squares). F Output firing rate vs. the input rate for different values of phasic coupling strength (symbols are the same as in E), but with the asynchronous release (
) added to model synapses. G Gains plotted vs. the output rate, for the different cases considered in E,F. Top panel: model synapses without asynchronous component of release. Bottom panel: model synapses with asynchronous release (
). H Output firing rate plotted vs. the strength of phasic release, for Poisson input stimulation at 
. Dashed line: results obtained for a neuron driven by model synapses with no asynchronous release. Solid lines: 
. Inset: maximal absolute value of 
slope, plotted vs. the level of asynchronous release at model synapses.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1000973.g002