Neuron
Volume 61, Issue 1, 15 January 2009, Pages 35-41
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Local Origin of Field Potentials in Visual Cortex

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Summary

The local field potential (LFP) is increasingly used to measure the combined activity of neurons within a region of tissue. Yet, available estimates of the size of this region are highly disparate, ranging from several hundred microns to a few millimeters. To measure the size of this region directly, we used a combination of multielectrode recordings and optical imaging. We determined the orientation selectivity of stimulus-evoked LFP signals in primary visual cortex and were able to predict it on the basis of the surrounding map of orientation preference. The results show that >95% of the LFP signal originates within 250 μm of the recording electrode. This quantitative estimate indicates that LFPs are more local than often recognized and provides a guide to the interpretation of the increasing number of studies that rest on LFP recordings.

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