01591nas a2200133   4500008004100000245012000041210006900161260001600230490000600246520110100252100002201353700002201375856006001397       2016                        eng d00aDetection of transient synchrony across oscillating receptors by the central electrosensory system of mormyrid fish0 aDetection of transient synchrony across oscillating receptors by  cSep-06-20170 v53 a<p>Recently, we reported evidence for a novel mechanism of peripheral sensory coding based on oscillatory synchrony. Spontaneously oscillating electroreceptors in weakly electric fish (Mormyridae) respond to electrosensory stimuli with a phase reset that results in transient synchrony across the receptor population (Baker et al., 2015). Here, we asked whether the central electrosensory system actually detects the occurrence of synchronous oscillations among receptors. We found that electrosensory stimulation elicited evoked potentials in the midbrain exterolateral nucleus at a short latency following receptor synchronization. Frequency tuning in the midbrain resembled peripheral frequency tuning, which matches the intrinsic oscillation frequencies of the receptors. These frequencies are lower than those in individual conspecific signals, and instead match those found in collective signals produced by groups of conspecifics. Our results provide further support for a novel mechanism for sensory coding based on the detection of oscillatory synchrony among peripheral receptors.</p>
1 aVélez, Alejandro1 aCarlson, Bruce, A  uhttp://elifesciences.org/lookup/doi/10.7554/eLife.16851