Spike coding in pyramidal cells of the piriform cortex of rat

The study of cortical oscillations has undergone a renaissance in recent ye ars because of their presumed role in cognitive function. Of particular int erest are frequencies in the gamma (30-100 Hz) and theta (3-12 Hz) ranges. In this paper, we use spike coding techniques and in vitro whole cell recor ding to assess the ability of individual pyramidal cells of the piriform co rtex to code inputs occurring in these frequencies. The results suggest tha t the spike trains of individual neurons are much better at representing fr equencies in the theta range than those in the gamma range.