Untangling stability and gain modulation in cortical circuits with multiple interneuron classes

Synaptic inhibition is the mechanistic backbone of a suite of cortical functions, not the least of which are maintaining network stability and modulating neuronal gain. In cortical models with a single inhibitory neuron class, network stabilization and gain control work in opposition to one another – meaning high gain coincides with low stability and vice versa. It is now clear that cortical inhibition is diverse, with molecularly distinguished cell classes having distinct positions within the cortical circuit. We analyze circuit models with pyramidal neurons (E) as well as parvalbumin (PV) and somatostatin (SOM) expressing interneurons. We show how, in E – PV – SOM recurrently connected networks, SOM-mediated modulation can lead to simultaneous increases in neuronal gain and network stability. Our work exposes how the impact of a modulation mediated by SOM neurons depends critically on circuit connectivity and the network state.