Theoretical and experimental studies have predicted and confirmed, respectfully, the presence of inhibitory processes in the visual cortex. To date, however, the precise role of inhibition in shaping these processes remains unclear. Numerous studies provide evidence that inhibition acts at the single-neuron level, endowing selectivity in these neurons for various stimulus characteristics. Similarly, other studies seem to suggest that inhibition is employed by larger ensembles of neurons, endowing individual neuronal characteristics only through the behavior of the entire network. This article addresses previous views of inhibitory processes and the ways they may be used in developing characteristic properties of neurons in the visual cortex. NEUROSCIENTIST 4:45-52, 1998
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