Fig. 5: Training-dependent emergence of distinct neuronal ensembles as indicated by the decorrelation and temporal lag between Chrim⁺ and ChR2⁺ neurons.

A Sample 60 s trace of spontaneous network activity from simultaneously recorded ChR2⁺ (blue) and Chrim⁺ (red) neurons (top). The dashed box is magnified in the traces below (2.5 s window, bottom). B Significant decrease in the average ± SEM pairwise voltage correlation of spontaneous events in simultaneously recorded ChR2⁺ and Chrim⁺ neurons in Late-trained compared to Untrained slices. Mean r² = Untrained: 0.71, Late: 0.55; U = 13, n_Untrained = 13, n_Late = 22, p = 0.007, two-sided Mann–Whitney test. C Average ± SEM cross-correlation of spontaneous events in simultaneously recorded ChR2⁺ and Chrim⁺ neurons revealed a consistent temporal lag in ChR2⁺ compared to Chrim⁺ neurons. U = 65, n_Untrained = 13, n_Late = 22, p = 0.007, two-sided Mann–Whitney test. Sample spontaneous event with temporal lag in simultaneously recorded ChR2⁺ and Chrim⁺ neurons from a Late-trained slice (Panel A, bottom right). D Average ± SEM peak pairwise cross-correlation of spontaneous events is less significantly different than the average pairwise correlation of spontaneous events in simultaneously recorded ChR2⁺ and Chrim⁺ neurons. Mean r² = Untrained: 0.90, Late: 0.84; U = 74, n_Untrained = 13, n_Late = 22, p = 0.018, two-sided Mann–Whitney test.