Aging affects correlation within the V1 neuronal population in rhesus monkeys

Abstract Visual function declines with age. This deterioration results not only from changes in the optical system but also from the functional degradation of the central visual cortex. Although numerous studies have explored the mechanisms of age-related influences on vision, they have failed to acknowledge the significance of neuronal correlation in dysfunction of the visual cortex. Previous research has focused on the functional degradation of individual neurons, with age-induced changes in correlation between neurons still unknown. In the present study, using electrophysiological techniques, we investigated the age-related changes in neuronal correlation in the macaque V1 area and the underlying mechanisms of those changes. Our results showed that aging led to an increase in the correlation of neurons and changed the noise-signal correlation structure, which may impact population coding efficiency. Furthermore, we found that the age-induced decline in the inhibitory circuitry accounted for the alteration in neuronal correlation.