An oligarchy of NO-producing interneurons controls basal and evoked blood flow in the cortex

摘要: Abstract Changes in cortical neural activity are coupled to changes local arterial diameter and blood flow. However, the neuronal types signaling mechanisms that control basal of cerebral arteries or their evoked dilations not well understood. Using chronic two-photon microscopy, electrophysiology, chemogenetics, pharmacology awake, head-fixed mice, we dissected cellular controlling dilation arteries. We found modulation overall up down caused corresponding increases decreases diameter. Surprisingly, pyramidal neuron had minimal effects on dilation. Instead, neurally-mediated component was largely regulated through nitric oxide released by synthase (nNOS)-expressing neurons, whose reflected electrophysiological measures population activity. Our results show hemodynamic signals controlled average population, but rather a small ‘oligarchy’ neurons.