Synchronous oscillatory activity in sensory systems: new vistas on mechanisms

Abstract The origin and nature, as well as the functional role, of synchronous oscillatory activity in the cortex are among the major unresolved issues in systems neurobiology. Recent advances in understanding the mechanisms underlying oscillations include the description of intrinsically bursting pyramidal cells in striate cortex vivo and the discovery of inhibitory interneurons that fire spike doublets to induce synchrony. The behavioral consequences of coordinated activity in cortical neurons remain poorly understood.