Fifty shades of inhibition

•Inhibitory neurons are nodes of integration for sensory and limbic inputs.•The diversity of inhibitory neuron suggests they do not only act as brakes on activity.•Fine-scale control of local circuit refinement may rely on distinct inhibitory circuits.

Inhibitory circuits are essential for brain function. Our understanding of their synaptic organization has advanced extensively with the identification and classification of an impressive variety of neuron groups, receptor types, and patterns of connectivity. However, the conceptual discussion regarding the role of in neural circuits still revolves around the idea that its primary role is to regulate circuit excitability.Here, I will focus on recent findings from cortical circuits and argue that inhibitory circuits are central to the integration of incoming inputs and can promote sophisticated fine-scale control of local circuits. I propose that inhibitory circuits should not be viewed so much as brakes on principal neurons activity, but as primary contributors to a variety of neural network functions.

Graphical abstractIn this Opinion I discuss how cortical inhibitory neurons are central to the integration of sensory and limbic stimuli. I report recent findings regarding activation of inhibitory neurons by thalamocortical (TC) and amygdalocortical (Am) inputs and discuss the role of inhibition on excitability and plasticity of local circuits. The image shows that in cortex pyramidal neuron (Pyr) and GABAergic neurons (GABA) can be directly activated both by thalamic and amygdalar inputs.