1
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Chavlis S, Poirazi P. Dendrites endow artificial neural networks with accurate, robust and parameter-efficient learning. ARXIV 2024:arXiv:2404.03708v2. [PMID: 39314509 PMCID: PMC11419189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are at the core of most Deep learning (DL) algorithms that successfully tackle complex problems like image recognition, autonomous driving, and natural language processing. However, unlike biological brains who tackle similar problems in a very efficient manner, DL algorithms require a large number of trainable parameters, making them energy-intensive and prone to overfitting. Here, we show that a new ANN architecture that incorporates the structured connectivity and restricted sampling properties of biological dendrites counteracts these limitations. We find that dendritic ANNs are more robust to overfitting and outperform traditional ANNs on several image classification tasks while using significantly fewer trainable parameters. These advantages are likely the result of a different learning strategy, whereby most of the nodes in dendritic ANNs respond to multiple classes, unlike classical ANNs that strive for class-specificity. Our findings suggest that the incorporation of dendritic properties can make learning in ANNs more precise, resilient, and parameter-efficient and shed new light on how biological features can impact the learning strategies of ANNs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spyridon Chavlis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete 70013, Greece
| | - Panayiota Poirazi
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete 70013, Greece
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2
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Yaeger CE, Vardalaki D, Zhang Q, Pham TLD, Brown NJ, Ji N, Harnett MT. A dendritic mechanism for balancing synaptic flexibility and stability. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114638. [PMID: 39167486 PMCID: PMC11403626 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Biological and artificial neural networks learn by modifying synaptic weights, but it is unclear how these systems retain previous knowledge and also acquire new information. Here, we show that cortical pyramidal neurons can solve this plasticity-versus-stability dilemma by differentially regulating synaptic plasticity at distinct dendritic compartments. Oblique dendrites of adult mouse layer 5 cortical pyramidal neurons selectively receive monosynaptic thalamic input, integrate linearly, and lack burst-timing synaptic potentiation. In contrast, basal dendrites, which do not receive thalamic input, exhibit conventional NMDA receptor (NMDAR)-mediated supralinear integration and synaptic potentiation. Congruently, spiny synapses on oblique branches show decreased structural plasticity in vivo. The selective decline in NMDAR activity and expression at synapses on oblique dendrites is controlled by a critical period of visual experience. Our results demonstrate a biological mechanism for how single neurons can safeguard a set of inputs from ongoing plasticity by altering synaptic properties at distinct dendritic domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney E Yaeger
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Dimitra Vardalaki
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Qinrong Zhang
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Trang L D Pham
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Norma J Brown
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Na Ji
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Mark T Harnett
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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3
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Regele-Blasco E, Palmer LM. The plasticity of pyramidal neurons in the behaving brain. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230231. [PMID: 38853566 PMCID: PMC11407500 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurons are plastic. That is, they change their activity according to different behavioural conditions. This endows pyramidal neurons with an incredible computational power for the integration and processing of synaptic inputs. Plasticity can be investigated at different levels of investigation within a single neuron, from spines to dendrites, to synaptic input. Although most of our knowledge stems from the in vitro brain slice preparation, plasticity plays a vital role during behaviour by providing a flexible substrate for the execution of appropriate actions in our ever-changing environment. Owing to advances in recording techniques, the plasticity of neurons and the neural networks in which they are embedded is now beginning to be realized in the in vivo intact brain. This review focuses on the structural and functional synaptic plasticity of pyramidal neurons, with a specific focus on the latest developments from in vivo studies. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Long-term potentiation: 50 years on'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Regele-Blasco
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne , Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Lucy M Palmer
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne , Victoria 3052, Australia
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4
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Xiao S, Yadav S, Jayant K. Probing multiplexed basal dendritic computations using two-photon 3D holographic uncaging. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114413. [PMID: 38943640 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Basal dendrites of layer 5 cortical pyramidal neurons exhibit Na+ and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) regenerative spikes and are uniquely poised to influence somatic output. Nevertheless, due to technical limitations, how multibranch basal dendritic integration shapes and enables multiplexed barcoding of synaptic streams remains poorly mapped. Here, we combine 3D two-photon holographic transmitter uncaging, whole-cell dynamic clamp, and biophysical modeling to reveal how synchronously activated synapses (distributed and clustered) across multiple basal dendritic branches are multiplexed under quiescent and in vivo-like conditions. While dendritic regenerative Na+ spikes promote millisecond somatic spike precision, distributed synaptic inputs and NMDAR spikes regulate gain. These concomitantly occurring dendritic nonlinearities enable multiplexed information transfer amid an ongoing noisy background, including under back-propagating voltage resets, by barcoding the axo-somatic spike structure. Our results unveil a multibranch dendritic integration framework in which dendritic nonlinearities are critical for multiplexing different spatial-temporal synaptic input patterns, enabling optimal feature binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shulan Xiao
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Saumitra Yadav
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Krishna Jayant
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA; Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
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5
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Bartol TM, Ordyan M, Sejnowski TJ, Rangamani P, Kennedy MB. A spatial model of autophosphorylation of Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II in a glutamatergic spine reveals dynamics of kinase activation in the first several seconds after a complex synaptic stimulus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.02.578696. [PMID: 38352446 PMCID: PMC10862815 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.02.578696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a biochemical process in excitatory glutamatergic synapses in the Central Nervous System (CNS). It is initiated by a bout of synaptic activation that is strong enough to contribute to production of an action potential in the axon of the postsynaptic neuron, and it results in an increase in the size of postsynaptic depolarization during subsequent activity. The first step leading to LTP is activation and autophosphorylation of an abundant postsynaptic enzyme, Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). We use simulation of activation of CaMKII holoenzymes in a realistic spatial model of a spine synapse, created in MCell4, to test three hypotheses about how the autophosphorylation response of CaMKII is shaped during a repeated high-frequency stimulus. First, the simulation results indicate that autophosphorylation of CaMKII does not constitute a bistable switch under biologically realistic conditions. Instead, prolonged autophosphorylation of CaMKII may contribute to a biochemical "kinetic proof-reading" mechanism that controls induction of synaptic plasticity. Second, concentration of CaMKII near the postsynaptic membrane increases the local concentration of kinase activity. However, neither localization nor "Ca 2+ -calmodulin-trapping (CaM-trapping)" increase the proportion of autophosphorylated subunits in holoenzymes after a complex stimulus, as previously hypothesized. Finally, we show that, as hypothesized, the amplitude of autophosphorylation in the first 30 seconds after a stimulus is extremely sensitive to the level and location of PP1 activity when PP1 is present in biologically accurate amounts. We further show that prolonged steric hindrance of dephosphorylation of CaMKII, caused by CaM-trapping, can increase the amplitude of autophosphorylation after a complex stimulus. These simulation results sharpen our quantitative understanding of the early events leading to LTP at excitatory synapses. Author Summary Neurons in the brain are interconnected in an organized fashion by synapses that transmit neuronal activity from one neuron to another. Most of the billions of neurons in the brain have about 10,000 synapses spread over the neuronal membrane. Information is stored in the brain when the ability of specific synapses to pass along neuronal activity is strengthened resulting in formation of new networks. The increase in strength of a synapse is tightly controlled by the frequency and amplitude of its activity, and by neurohormonal signals, which, in combination, can cause long-lasting biochemical changes at the synapse that underlie learning and memory. Defects in these biochemical pathways cause mental and neurological diseases. To develop treatments, we need to understand the precise choreography of these critical biochemical changes. However, the tiny size of the synaptic compartment makes precise measurements of the biochemical reactions impossible. We have used computer simulation techniques and information gathered from experiments on purified synaptic proteins to simulate, within a single synapse, the choreography of the first biochemical step in synaptic strengthening: activation of the enzyme Ca 2+ / calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. Our results provide insights that can be used in future studies to develop treatments for neuronal diseases.
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6
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Leighton AH, Cheyne JE, Lohmann C. Clustered synapses develop in distinct dendritic domains in visual cortex before eye opening. eLife 2024; 12:RP93498. [PMID: 38990761 PMCID: PMC11239177 DOI: 10.7554/elife.93498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Synaptic inputs to cortical neurons are highly structured in adult sensory systems, such that neighboring synapses along dendrites are activated by similar stimuli. This organization of synaptic inputs, called synaptic clustering, is required for high-fidelity signal processing, and clustered synapses can already be observed before eye opening. However, how clustered inputs emerge during development is unknown. Here, we employed concurrent in vivo whole-cell patch-clamp and dendritic calcium imaging to map spontaneous synaptic inputs to dendrites of layer 2/3 neurons in the mouse primary visual cortex during the second postnatal week until eye opening. We found that the number of functional synapses and the frequency of transmission events increase several fold during this developmental period. At the beginning of the second postnatal week, synapses assemble specifically in confined dendritic segments, whereas other segments are devoid of synapses. By the end of the second postnatal week, just before eye opening, dendrites are almost entirely covered by domains of co-active synapses. Finally, co-activity with their neighbor synapses correlates with synaptic stabilization and potentiation. Thus, clustered synapses form in distinct functional domains presumably to equip dendrites with computational modules for high-capacity sensory processing when the eyes open.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra H Leighton
- Department of Synapse and Network Development, Netherlands Institute for NeuroscienceAmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Juliette E Cheyne
- Department of Synapse and Network Development, Netherlands Institute for NeuroscienceAmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Christian Lohmann
- Department of Synapse and Network Development, Netherlands Institute for NeuroscienceAmsterdamNetherlands
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University AmsterdamAmsterdamNetherlands
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7
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Tomko M, Benuskova L, Jedlicka P. A voltage-based Event-Timing-Dependent Plasticity rule accounts for LTP subthreshold and suprathreshold for dendritic spikes in CA1 pyramidal neurons. J Comput Neurosci 2024; 52:125-131. [PMID: 38470534 PMCID: PMC11035391 DOI: 10.1007/s10827-024-00868-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a synaptic mechanism involved in learning and memory. Experiments have shown that dendritic sodium spikes (Na-dSpikes) are required for LTP in the distal apical dendrites of CA1 pyramidal cells. On the other hand, LTP in perisomatic dendrites can be induced by synaptic input patterns that can be both subthreshold and suprathreshold for Na-dSpikes. It is unclear whether these results can be explained by one unifying plasticity mechanism. Here, we show in biophysically and morphologically realistic compartmental models of the CA1 pyramidal cell that these forms of LTP can be fully accounted for by a simple plasticity rule. We call it the voltage-based Event-Timing-Dependent Plasticity (ETDP) rule. The presynaptic event is the presynaptic spike or release of glutamate. The postsynaptic event is the local depolarization that exceeds a certain plasticity threshold. Our model reproduced the experimentally observed LTP in a variety of protocols, including local pharmacological inhibition of dendritic spikes by tetrodotoxin (TTX). In summary, we have provided a validation of the voltage-based ETDP, suggesting that this simple plasticity rule can be used to model even complex spatiotemporal patterns of long-term synaptic plasticity in neuronal dendrites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matus Tomko
- Centre of Biosciences, Institute of Molecular Physiology and Genetics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, Bratislava, 840 05, Slovakia.
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, Comenius University Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia.
| | - Lubica Benuskova
- Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Centre for Cognitive Science, Department of Applied Informatics, Comenius University Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Peter Jedlicka
- Faculty of Medicine, ICAR3R-Interdisciplinary Centre for 3Rs in Animal Research, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Neuroanatomy, Neuroscience Center, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
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8
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Li G, McLaughlin DW, Peskin CS. A biochemical description of postsynaptic plasticity-with timescales ranging from milliseconds to seconds. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2311709121. [PMID: 38324573 PMCID: PMC10873618 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311709121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Synaptic plasticity [long-term potentiation/depression (LTP/D)], is a cellular mechanism underlying learning. Two distinct types of early LTP/D (E-LTP/D), acting on very different time scales, have been observed experimentally-spike timing dependent plasticity (STDP), on time scales of tens of ms; and behavioral time scale synaptic plasticity (BTSP), on time scales of seconds. BTSP is a candidate for a mechanism underlying rapid learning of spatial location by place cells. Here, a computational model of the induction of E-LTP/D at a spine head of a synapse of a hippocampal pyramidal neuron is developed. The single-compartment model represents two interacting biochemical pathways for the activation (phosphorylation) of the kinase (CaMKII) with a phosphatase, with ion inflow through channels (NMDAR, CaV1,Na). The biochemical reactions are represented by a deterministic system of differential equations, with a detailed description of the activation of CaMKII that includes the opening of the compact state of CaMKII. This single model captures realistic responses (temporal profiles with the differing timescales) of STDP and BTSP and their asymmetries. The simulations distinguish several mechanisms underlying STDP vs. BTSP, including i) the flow of [Formula: see text] through NMDAR vs. CaV1 channels, and ii) the origin of several time scales in the activation of CaMKII. The model also realizes a priming mechanism for E-LTP that is induced by [Formula: see text] flow through CaV1.3 channels. Once in the spine head, this small additional [Formula: see text] opens the compact state of CaMKII, placing CaMKII ready for subsequent induction of LTP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanchun Li
- Courant Institute and Center for Neural Science, Department of Mathematics, New York University, New York, NY10012
| | - David W. McLaughlin
- Courant Institute and Center for Neural Science, Department of Mathematics, New York University, New York, NY10012
- Center for Neural Science, Department of Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY10012
- Institute of Mathematical Science, Mathematics Department, New York University-Shanghai, Shanghai200122, China
- Neuroscience Institute of New York University Langone Health, New York University, New York, NY10016
| | - Charles S. Peskin
- Courant Institute and Center for Neural Science, Department of Mathematics, New York University, New York, NY10012
- Center for Neural Science, Department of Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY10012
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9
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Bartsch CJ, Jacobs JT, Mojahed N, Qasem E, Smith M, Caldwell O, Aaflaq S, Nordman JC. Visualizing traumatic stress-induced structural plasticity in a medial amygdala pathway using mGRASP. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1313635. [PMID: 38098941 PMCID: PMC10720331 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1313635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic stress has been shown to contribute to persistent behavioral changes, yet the underlying neural pathways are not fully explored. Structural plasticity, a form of long-lasting neural adaptability, offers a plausible mechanism. To scrutinize this, we used the mGRASP imaging technique to visualize synaptic modifications in a pathway formed between neurons of the posterior ventral segment of the medial amygdala and ventrolateral segment of the ventromedial hypothalamus (MeApv-VmHvl), areas we previously showed to be involved in stress-induced excessive aggression. We subjected mice (7-8 weeks of age) to acute stress through foot shocks, a reliable and reproducible form of traumatic stress, and compared synaptic changes to control animals. Our data revealed an increase in synapse formation within the MeApv-VmHvl pathway post-stress as evidenced by an increase in mGRASP puncta and area. Chemogenetic inhibition of CaMKIIα-expressing neurons in the MeApv during the stressor led to reduced synapse formation, suggesting that the structural changes were driven by excitatory activity. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms, we administered the NMDAR antagonist MK-801, which effectively blocked the stress-induced synaptic changes. These findings suggest a strong link between traumatic stress and enduring structural changes in an MeApv-VmHvl neural pathway. Furthermore, our data point to NMDAR-dependent mechanisms as key contributors to these synaptic changes. This structural plasticity could offer insights into persistent behavioral consequences of traumatic stress, such as symptoms of PTSD and social deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jacob C. Nordman
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Carbondale, IL, United States
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10
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Zecevic D. Electrical properties of dendritic spines. Biophys J 2023; 122:4303-4315. [PMID: 37837192 PMCID: PMC10698282 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Dendritic spines are small protrusions that mediate most of the excitatory synaptic transmission in the brain. Initially, the anatomical structure of spines has suggested that they serve as isolated biochemical and electrical compartments. Indeed, following ample experimental evidence, it is now widely accepted that a significant physiological role of spines is to provide biochemical compartmentalization in signal integration and plasticity in the nervous system. In contrast to the clear biochemical role of spines, their electrical role is uncertain and is currently being debated. This is mainly because spines are small and not accessible to conventional experimental methods of electrophysiology. Here, I focus on reviewing the literature on the electrical properties of spines, including the initial morphological and theoretical modeling studies, indirect experimental approaches based on measurements of diffusional resistance of the spine neck, indirect experimental methods using two-photon uncaging of glutamate on spine synapses, optical imaging of intracellular calcium concentration changes, and voltage imaging with organic and genetically encoded voltage-sensitive probes. The interpretation of evidence from different preparations obtained with different methods has yet to reach a consensus, with some analyses rejecting and others supporting an electrical role of spines in regulating synaptic signaling. Thus, there is a need for a critical comparison of the advantages and limitations of different methodological approaches. The only experimental study on electrical signaling monitored optically with adequate sensitivity and spatiotemporal resolution using voltage-sensitive dyes concluded that mushroom spines on basal dendrites of cortical pyramidal neurons in brain slices have no electrical role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dejan Zecevic
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
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11
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Ma H, Khaled HG, Wang X, Mandelberg NJ, Cohen SM, He X, Tsien RW. Excitation-transcription coupling, neuronal gene expression and synaptic plasticity. Nat Rev Neurosci 2023; 24:672-692. [PMID: 37773070 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-023-00742-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Excitation-transcription coupling (E-TC) links synaptic and cellular activity to nuclear gene transcription. It is generally accepted that E-TC makes a crucial contribution to learning and memory through its role in underpinning long-lasting synaptic enhancement in late-phase long-term potentiation and has more recently been linked to late-phase long-term depression: both processes require de novo gene transcription, mRNA translation and protein synthesis. E-TC begins with the activation of glutamate-gated N-methyl-D-aspartate-type receptors and voltage-gated L-type Ca2+ channels at the membrane and culminates in the activation of transcription factors in the nucleus. These receptors and ion channels mediate E-TC through mechanisms that include long-range signalling from the synapse to the nucleus and local interactions within dendritic spines, among other possibilities. Growing experimental evidence links these E-TC mechanisms to late-phase long-term potentiation and learning and memory. These advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of E-TC mean that future efforts can focus on understanding its mesoscale functions and how it regulates neuronal network activity and behaviour in physiological and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Ma
- Department of Neurobiology, Affiliated Mental Health Center and Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
- Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
- Research Units for Emotion and Emotional Disorders, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Houda G Khaled
- NYU Neuroscience Institute and Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xiaohan Wang
- NYU Neuroscience Institute and Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nataniel J Mandelberg
- NYU Neuroscience Institute and Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Samuel M Cohen
- NYU Neuroscience Institute and Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xingzhi He
- Department of Neurobiology, Affiliated Mental Health Center and Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Research Units for Emotion and Emotional Disorders, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Richard W Tsien
- NYU Neuroscience Institute and Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
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12
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Caya-Bissonnette L, Béïque JC. Low throughput screening in neuroscience: using light to study central synapses one at a time. NEUROPHOTONICS 2023; 10:044407. [PMID: 37881180 PMCID: PMC10594030 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.10.4.044407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Neurophotonic approaches have fostered substantial progress in our understanding of the brain by providing an assortment of means to either monitor or manipulate neural processes. Among these approaches, the development of two-photon uncaging provides a useful and flexible approach to manipulate the activity of individual synapses. In this short piece, we explore how this technique has emerged at the intersection of chemistry, optics, and electrophysiology to enable spatially and temporally precise photoactivation for studying functional aspects of synaptic transmission and dendritic integration. We discuss advantages and limitations of this approach, focusing on our efforts to study several functional aspects of glutamate receptors using uncaging of glutamate. Among other advancements, this approach has contributed to further our understanding of the subcellular regulation, trafficking, and biophysical features of glutamate receptors (e.g., desensitization and silent synapse regulation), the dynamics of spine calcium, and the integrative features of dendrites, and how these functions are altered by several forms of plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Caya-Bissonnette
- University of Ottawa’s Brain and Mind Research Institute and Centre of Neural Dynamics, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jean-Claude Béïque
- University of Ottawa’s Brain and Mind Research Institute and Centre of Neural Dynamics, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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13
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Nicoll RA, Schulman H. Synaptic memory and CaMKII. Physiol Rev 2023; 103:2877-2925. [PMID: 37290118 PMCID: PMC10642921 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00034.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and long-term potentiation (LTP) were discovered within a decade of each other and have been inextricably intertwined ever since. However, like many marriages, it has had its up and downs. Based on the unique biochemical properties of CaMKII, it was proposed as a memory molecule before any physiological linkage was made to LTP. However, as reviewed here, the convincing linkage of CaMKII to synaptic physiology and behavior took many decades. New technologies were critical in this journey, including in vitro brain slices, mouse genetics, single-cell molecular genetics, pharmacological reagents, protein structure, and two-photon microscopy, as were new investigators attracted by the exciting challenge. This review tracks this journey and assesses the state of this marriage 40 years on. The collective literature impels us to propose a relatively simple model for synaptic memory involving the following steps that drive the process: 1) Ca2+ entry through N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors activates CaMKII. 2) CaMKII undergoes autophosphorylation resulting in constitutive, Ca2+-independent activity and exposure of a binding site for the NMDA receptor subunit GluN2B. 3) Active CaMKII translocates to the postsynaptic density (PSD) and binds to the cytoplasmic C-tail of GluN2B. 4) The CaMKII-GluN2B complex initiates a structural rearrangement of the PSD that may involve liquid-liquid phase separation. 5) This rearrangement involves the PSD-95 scaffolding protein, α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors (AMPARs), and their transmembrane AMPAR-regulatory protein (TARP) auxiliary subunits, resulting in an accumulation of AMPARs in the PSD that underlies synaptic potentiation. 6) The stability of the modified PSD is maintained by the stability of the CaMKII-GluN2B complex. 7) By a process of subunit exchange or interholoenzyme phosphorylation CaMKII maintains synaptic potentiation in the face of CaMKII protein turnover. There are many other important proteins that participate in enlargement of the synaptic spine or modulation of the steps that drive and maintain the potentiation. In this review we critically discuss the data underlying each of the steps. As will become clear, some of these steps are more firmly grounded than others, and we provide suggestions as to how the evidence supporting these steps can be strengthened or, based on the new data, be replaced. Although the journey has been a long one, the prospect of having a detailed cellular and molecular understanding of learning and memory is at hand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger A Nicoll
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States
| | - Howard Schulman
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States
- Panorama Research Institute, Sunnyvale, California, United States
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14
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Zhang Y, He G, Ma L, Liu X, Hjorth JJJ, Kozlov A, He Y, Zhang S, Kotaleski JH, Tian Y, Grillner S, Du K, Huang T. A GPU-based computational framework that bridges neuron simulation and artificial intelligence. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5798. [PMID: 37723170 PMCID: PMC10507119 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41553-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Biophysically detailed multi-compartment models are powerful tools to explore computational principles of the brain and also serve as a theoretical framework to generate algorithms for artificial intelligence (AI) systems. However, the expensive computational cost severely limits the applications in both the neuroscience and AI fields. The major bottleneck during simulating detailed compartment models is the ability of a simulator to solve large systems of linear equations. Here, we present a novel Dendritic Hierarchical Scheduling (DHS) method to markedly accelerate such a process. We theoretically prove that the DHS implementation is computationally optimal and accurate. This GPU-based method performs with 2-3 orders of magnitude higher speed than that of the classic serial Hines method in the conventional CPU platform. We build a DeepDendrite framework, which integrates the DHS method and the GPU computing engine of the NEURON simulator and demonstrate applications of DeepDendrite in neuroscience tasks. We investigate how spatial patterns of spine inputs affect neuronal excitability in a detailed human pyramidal neuron model with 25,000 spines. Furthermore, we provide a brief discussion on the potential of DeepDendrite for AI, specifically highlighting its ability to enable the efficient training of biophysically detailed models in typical image classification tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Zhang
- National Key Laboratory for Multimedia Information Processing, School of Computer Science, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Gan He
- National Key Laboratory for Multimedia Information Processing, School of Computer Science, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Lei Ma
- National Key Laboratory for Multimedia Information Processing, School of Computer Science, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence (BAAI), Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Xiaofei Liu
- National Key Laboratory for Multimedia Information Processing, School of Computer Science, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - J J Johannes Hjorth
- Science for Life Laboratory, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Royal Institute of Technology KTH, Stockholm, SE-10044, Sweden
| | - Alexander Kozlov
- Science for Life Laboratory, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Royal Institute of Technology KTH, Stockholm, SE-10044, Sweden
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, SE-17165, Sweden
| | - Yutao He
- National Key Laboratory for Multimedia Information Processing, School of Computer Science, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Shenjian Zhang
- National Key Laboratory for Multimedia Information Processing, School of Computer Science, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Jeanette Hellgren Kotaleski
- Science for Life Laboratory, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Royal Institute of Technology KTH, Stockholm, SE-10044, Sweden
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, SE-17165, Sweden
| | - Yonghong Tian
- National Key Laboratory for Multimedia Information Processing, School of Computer Science, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Sten Grillner
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, SE-17165, Sweden
| | - Kai Du
- Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Tiejun Huang
- National Key Laboratory for Multimedia Information Processing, School of Computer Science, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence (BAAI), Beijing, 100084, China
- Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
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15
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Ireton KE, Xing X, Kim K, Weiner JC, Jacobi AA, Grover A, Foote M, Ota Y, Berman R, Hanks T, Hell JW. Regulation of the Ca 2+ Channel Ca V1.2 Supports Spatial Memory and Its Flexibility and LTD. J Neurosci 2023; 43:5559-5573. [PMID: 37419689 PMCID: PMC10376936 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1521-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Widespread release of norepinephrine (NE) throughout the forebrain fosters learning and memory via adrenergic receptor (AR) signaling, but the molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. The β2 AR and its downstream effectors, the trimeric stimulatory Gs-protein, adenylyl cyclase (AC), and the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA), form a unique signaling complex with the L-type Ca2+ channel (LTCC) CaV1.2. Phosphorylation of CaV1.2 by PKA on Ser1928 is required for the upregulation of Ca2+ influx on β2 AR stimulation and long-term potentiation induced by prolonged theta-tetanus (PTT-LTP) but not LTP induced by two 1-s-long 100-Hz tetani. However, the function of Ser1928 phosphorylation in vivo is unknown. Here, we show that S1928A knock-in (KI) mice of both sexes, which lack PTT-LTP, express deficiencies during initial consolidation of spatial memory. Especially striking is the effect of this mutation on cognitive flexibility as tested by reversal learning. Mechanistically, long-term depression (LTD) has been implicated in reversal learning. It is abrogated in male and female S1928A knock-in mice and by β2 AR antagonists and peptides that displace β2 AR from CaV1.2. This work identifies CaV1.2 as a critical molecular locus that regulates synaptic plasticity, spatial memory and its reversal, and LTD.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We show that phosphorylation of the Ca2+ channel CaV1.2 on Ser1928 is important for consolidation of spatial memory and especially its reversal, and long-term depression (LTD). Identification of Ser1928 as critical for LTD and reversal learning supports the model that LTD underlies flexibility of reference memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle E Ireton
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, California 95616-8636
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, California 95616-8636
| | - Xiaoming Xing
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, California 95616-8636
| | - Karam Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, California 95616-8636
| | - Justin C Weiner
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, California 95616-8636
| | - Ariel A Jacobi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, California 95616-8636
| | - Aarushi Grover
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, California 95616-8636
| | - Molly Foote
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, California 95616-8636
| | - Yusuke Ota
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, California 95616-8636
| | - Robert Berman
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, California 95616-8636
| | - Timothy Hanks
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, California 95616-8636
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Davis, California 95616-8636
| | - Johannes W Hell
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, California 95616-8636
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, California 95616-8636
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16
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Kim YJ, Ujfalussy BB, Lengyel M. Parallel functional architectures within a single dendritic tree. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112386. [PMID: 37060564 PMCID: PMC7614531 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The input-output transformation of individual neurons is a key building block of neural circuit dynamics. While previous models of this transformation vary widely in their complexity, they all describe the underlying functional architecture as unitary, such that each synaptic input makes a single contribution to the neuronal response. Here, we show that the input-output transformation of CA1 pyramidal cells is instead best captured by two distinct functional architectures operating in parallel. We used statistically principled methods to fit flexible, yet interpretable, models of the transformation of input spikes into the somatic "output" voltage and to automatically select among alternative functional architectures. With dendritic Na+ channels blocked, responses are accurately captured by a single static and global nonlinearity. In contrast, dendritic Na+-dependent integration requires a functional architecture with multiple dynamic nonlinearities and clustered connectivity. These two architectures incorporate distinct morphological and biophysical properties of the neuron and its synaptic organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Joon Kim
- Computational and Biological Learning Lab, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Balázs B Ujfalussy
- Laboratory of Biological Computation, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Máté Lengyel
- Computational and Biological Learning Lab, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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17
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Hunt S, Leibner Y, Mertens EJ, Barros-Zulaica N, Kanari L, Heistek TS, Karnani MM, Aardse R, Wilbers R, Heyer DB, Goriounova NA, Verhoog MB, Testa-Silva G, Obermayer J, Versluis T, Benavides-Piccione R, de Witt-Hamer P, Idema S, Noske DP, Baayen JC, Lein ES, DeFelipe J, Markram H, Mansvelder HD, Schürmann F, Segev I, de Kock CPJ. Strong and reliable synaptic communication between pyramidal neurons in adult human cerebral cortex. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:2857-2878. [PMID: 35802476 PMCID: PMC10016070 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptic transmission constitutes the primary mode of communication between neurons. It is extensively studied in rodent but not human neocortex. We characterized synaptic transmission between pyramidal neurons in layers 2 and 3 using neurosurgically resected human middle temporal gyrus (MTG, Brodmann area 21), which is part of the distributed language circuitry. We find that local connectivity is comparable with mouse layer 2/3 connections in the anatomical homologue (temporal association area), but synaptic connections in human are 3-fold stronger and more reliable (0% vs 25% failure rates, respectively). We developed a theoretical approach to quantify properties of spinous synapses showing that synaptic conductance and voltage change in human dendritic spines are 3-4-folds larger compared with mouse, leading to significant NMDA receptor activation in human unitary connections. This model prediction was validated experimentally by showing that NMDA receptor activation increases the amplitude and prolongs decay of unitary excitatory postsynaptic potentials in human but not in mouse connections. Since NMDA-dependent recurrent excitation facilitates persistent activity (supporting working memory), our data uncovers cortical microcircuit properties in human that may contribute to language processing in MTG.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Eline J Mertens
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Natalí Barros-Zulaica
- Blue Brain Project, Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, Campus Biotech, Geneva 1202, Switzerland
| | - Lida Kanari
- Blue Brain Project, Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, Campus Biotech, Geneva 1202, Switzerland
| | - Tim S Heistek
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Mahesh M Karnani
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Romy Aardse
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - René Wilbers
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Djai B Heyer
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Natalia A Goriounova
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Joshua Obermayer
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Tamara Versluis
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ruth Benavides-Piccione
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and Instituto Cajal (CSIC), Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid 28223, Spain
| | - Philip de Witt-Hamer
- Neurosurgery Department, Amsterdam Universitair Medische Centra, location VUmc, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Sander Idema
- Neurosurgery Department, Amsterdam Universitair Medische Centra, location VUmc, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - David P Noske
- Neurosurgery Department, Amsterdam Universitair Medische Centra, location VUmc, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Johannes C Baayen
- Neurosurgery Department, Amsterdam Universitair Medische Centra, location VUmc, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ed S Lein
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Javier DeFelipe
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and Instituto Cajal (CSIC), Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid 28223, Spain
| | - Henry Markram
- Blue Brain Project, Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, Campus Biotech, Geneva 1202, Switzerland
| | - Huibert D Mansvelder
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Felix Schürmann
- Blue Brain Project, Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, Campus Biotech, Geneva 1202, Switzerland
| | - Idan Segev
- Department of Neurobiology and Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190501 Jerusalem, Israel
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18
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Altered integration of excitatory inputs onto the basal dendrites of layer 5 pyramidal neurons in a mouse model of Fragile X syndrome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2208963120. [PMID: 36595706 PMCID: PMC9926222 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2208963120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Layer 5 (L5) pyramidal neurons receive predictive and sensory inputs in a compartmentalized manner at their apical and basal dendrites, respectively. To uncover how integration of sensory inputs is affected in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), we used two-photon glutamate uncaging to activate spines in the basal dendrites of L5 pyramidal neurons from a mouse model of Fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common genetic cause of ASD. While subthreshold excitatory inputs integrate linearly in wild-type animals, surprisingly those with FXS summate sublinearly, contradicting what would be expected of sensory hypersensitivity classically associated with ASD. We next investigated the mechanism underlying this sublinearity by performing knockdown of the regulatory β4 subunit of BK channels, which rescued the synaptic integration, a result that was corroborated with numerical simulations. Taken together, these findings suggest that there is a differential impairment in the integration of feedforward sensory and feedback predictive inputs in L5 pyramidal neurons in FXS and potentially other forms of ASD, as a result of specifically localized subcellular channelopathies. These results challenge the traditional view that FXS and other ASD are characterized by sensory hypersensitivity, proposing instead a hyposensitivity of sensory inputs and hypersensitivity of predictive inputs onto cortical neurons.
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KASAI H. Unraveling the mysteries of dendritic spine dynamics: Five key principles shaping memory and cognition. PROCEEDINGS OF THE JAPAN ACADEMY. SERIES B, PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2023; 99:254-305. [PMID: 37821392 PMCID: PMC10749395 DOI: 10.2183/pjab.99.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Recent research extends our understanding of brain processes beyond just action potentials and chemical transmissions within neural circuits, emphasizing the mechanical forces generated by excitatory synapses on dendritic spines to modulate presynaptic function. From in vivo and in vitro studies, we outline five central principles of synaptic mechanics in brain function: P1: Stability - Underpinning the integral relationship between the structure and function of the spine synapses. P2: Extrinsic dynamics - Highlighting synapse-selective structural plasticity which plays a crucial role in Hebbian associative learning, distinct from pathway-selective long-term potentiation (LTP) and depression (LTD). P3: Neuromodulation - Analyzing the role of G-protein-coupled receptors, particularly dopamine receptors, in time-sensitive modulation of associative learning frameworks such as Pavlovian classical conditioning and Thorndike's reinforcement learning (RL). P4: Instability - Addressing the intrinsic dynamics crucial to memory management during continual learning, spotlighting their role in "spine dysgenesis" associated with mental disorders. P5: Mechanics - Exploring how synaptic mechanics influence both sides of synapses to establish structural traces of short- and long-term memory, thereby aiding the integration of mental functions. We also delve into the historical background and foresee impending challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruo KASAI
- International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), UTIAS, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Laboratory of Structural Physiology, Center for Disease Biology and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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20
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Righes Marafiga J, Calcagnotto ME. Electrophysiology of Dendritic Spines: Information Processing, Dynamic Compartmentalization, and Synaptic Plasticity. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 34:103-141. [PMID: 37962795 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-36159-3_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
For many years, synaptic transmission was considered as information transfer between presynaptic neuron and postsynaptic cell. At the synaptic level, it was thought that dendritic arbors were only receiving and integrating all information flow sent along to the soma, while axons were primarily responsible for point-to-point information transfer. However, it is important to highlight that dendritic spines play a crucial role as postsynaptic components in central nervous system (CNS) synapses, not only integrating and filtering signals to the soma but also facilitating diverse connections with axons from many different sources. The majority of excitatory connections from presynaptic axonal terminals occurs on postsynaptic spines, although a subset of GABAergic synapses also targets spine heads. Several studies have shown the vast heterogeneous morphological, biochemical, and functional features of dendritic spines related to synaptic processing. In this chapter (adding to the relevant data on the biophysics of spines described in Chap. 1 of this book), we address the up-to-date functional dendritic characteristics assessed through electrophysiological approaches, including backpropagating action potentials (bAPs) and synaptic potentials mediated in dendritic and spine compartmentalization, as well as describing the temporal and spatial dynamics of glutamate receptors in the spines related to synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseane Righes Marafiga
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Maria Elisa Calcagnotto
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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21
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Rasia-Filho AA, Calcagnotto ME, von Bohlen Und Halbach O. Introduction: What Are Dendritic Spines? ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 34:1-68. [PMID: 37962793 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-36159-3_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Dendritic spines are cellular specializations that greatly increase the connectivity of neurons and modulate the "weight" of most postsynaptic excitatory potentials. Spines are found in very diverse animal species providing neural networks with a high integrative and computational possibility and plasticity, enabling the perception of sensorial stimuli and the elaboration of a myriad of behavioral displays, including emotional processing, memory, and learning. Humans have trillions of spines in the cerebral cortex, and these spines in a continuum of shapes and sizes can integrate the features that differ our brain from other species. In this chapter, we describe (1) the discovery of these small neuronal protrusions and the search for the biological meaning of dendritic spines; (2) the heterogeneity of shapes and sizes of spines, whose structure and composition are associated with the fine-tuning of synaptic processing in each nervous area, as well as the findings that support the role of dendritic spines in increasing the wiring of neural circuits and their functions; and (3) within the intraspine microenvironment, the integration and activation of signaling biochemical pathways, the compartmentalization of molecules or their spreading outside the spine, and the biophysical properties that can affect parent dendrites. We also provide (4) examples of plasticity involving dendritic spines and neural circuits relevant to species survival and comment on (5) current research advancements and challenges in this exciting research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto A Rasia-Filho
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology and Graduate Program in Biosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Maria Elisa Calcagnotto
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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An astrocytic signaling loop for frequency-dependent control of dendritic integration and spatial learning. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7932. [PMID: 36566254 PMCID: PMC9789958 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35620-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendrites of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells amplify clustered glutamatergic input by activation of voltage-gated sodium channels and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). NMDAR activity depends on the presence of NMDAR co-agonists such as D-serine, but how co-agonists influence dendritic integration is not well understood. Using combinations of whole-cell patch clamp, iontophoretic glutamate application, two-photon excitation fluorescence microscopy and glutamate uncaging in acute rat and mouse brain slices we found that exogenous D-serine reduced the threshold of dendritic spikes and increased their amplitude. Triggering an astrocytic mechanism controlling endogenous D-serine supply via endocannabinoid receptors (CBRs) also increased dendritic spiking. Unexpectedly, this pathway was activated by pyramidal cell activity primarily in the theta range, which required HCN channels and astrocytic CB1Rs. Therefore, astrocytes close a positive and frequency-dependent feedback loop between pyramidal cell activity and their integration of dendritic input. Its disruption in mice led to an impairment of spatial memory, which demonstrated its behavioral relevance.
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23
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Fast Synaptically Activated Calcium and Sodium Kinetics in Hippocampal Pyramidal Neuron Dendritic Spines. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0396-22.2022. [PMID: 36379712 PMCID: PMC9718353 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0396-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
An accurate assessment of the time course, components, and magnitude of postsynaptic currents is important for a quantitative understanding of synaptic integration and signaling in dendritic spines. These parameters have been studied in some detail in previous experiments, primarily using two-photon imaging of [Ca2+]i changes and two-photon uncaging of glutamate. However, even with these revolutionary techniques, there are some missing pieces in our current understanding, particularly related to the time courses of synaptically evoked [Ca2+]i and [Na+]i changes. In new experiments, we used low-affinity, linear Na+ and Ca2+ indicators, laser fluorescence stimulation, and a sensitive camera-based detection system, combined with electrical stimulation and two-photon glutamate uncaging, to extend measurements of these spine parameters. We found that (1) almost all synaptically activated Na+ currents in CA1 hippocampal pyramidal neuron spines in slices from mice of either sex are through AMPA receptors with little Na+ entry through voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) or NMDA receptor channels; (2) a spectrum of sodium transient decay times was observed, suggesting a spectrum of spine neck resistances, even on the same dendrite; (3) synaptically activated [Ca2+]i changes are very fast and are almost entirely because of Ca2+ entry through NMDA receptors at the time when the Mg2+ block is relieved by the fast AMPA-mediated EPSP; (4) the [Ca2+]i changes evoked by uncaging glutamate are slower than the changes evoked by synaptic release, suggesting that the relative contribution of Ca2+ entering through NMDA receptors at rest following uncaging is higher than following electrical stimulation.
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24
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Gansel KS. Neural synchrony in cortical networks: mechanisms and implications for neural information processing and coding. Front Integr Neurosci 2022; 16:900715. [PMID: 36262373 PMCID: PMC9574343 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2022.900715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Synchronization of neuronal discharges on the millisecond scale has long been recognized as a prevalent and functionally important attribute of neural activity. In this article, I review classical concepts and corresponding evidence of the mechanisms that govern the synchronization of distributed discharges in cortical networks and relate those mechanisms to their possible roles in coding and cognitive functions. To accommodate the need for a selective, directed synchronization of cells, I propose that synchronous firing of distributed neurons is a natural consequence of spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) that associates cells repetitively receiving temporally coherent input: the “synchrony through synaptic plasticity” hypothesis. Neurons that are excited by a repeated sequence of synaptic inputs may learn to selectively respond to the onset of this sequence through synaptic plasticity. Multiple neurons receiving coherent input could thus actively synchronize their firing by learning to selectively respond at corresponding temporal positions. The hypothesis makes several predictions: first, the position of the cells in the network, as well as the source of their input signals, would be irrelevant as long as their input signals arrive simultaneously; second, repeating discharge patterns should get compressed until all or some part of the signals are synchronized; and third, this compression should be accompanied by a sparsening of signals. In this way, selective groups of cells could emerge that would respond to some recurring event with synchronous firing. Such a learned response pattern could further be modulated by synchronous network oscillations that provide a dynamic, flexible context for the synaptic integration of distributed signals. I conclude by suggesting experimental approaches to further test this new hypothesis.
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25
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Grienberger C, Giovannucci A, Zeiger W, Portera-Cailliau C. Two-photon calcium imaging of neuronal activity. NATURE REVIEWS. METHODS PRIMERS 2022; 2:67. [PMID: 38124998 PMCID: PMC10732251 DOI: 10.1038/s43586-022-00147-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
In vivo two-photon calcium imaging (2PCI) is a technique used for recording neuronal activity in the intact brain. It is based on the principle that, when neurons fire action potentials, intracellular calcium levels rise, which can be detected using fluorescent molecules that bind to calcium. This Primer is designed for scientists who are considering embarking on experiments with 2PCI. We provide the reader with a background on the basic concepts behind calcium imaging and on the reasons why 2PCI is an increasingly powerful and versatile technique in neuroscience. The Primer explains the different steps involved in experiments with 2PCI, provides examples of what ideal preparations should look like and explains how data are analysed. We also discuss some of the current limitations of the technique, and the types of solutions to circumvent them. Finally, we conclude by anticipating what the future of 2PCI might look like, emphasizing some of the analysis pipelines that are being developed and international efforts for data sharing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Grienberger
- Department of Biology and Volen National Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA
| | - Andrea Giovannucci
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - William Zeiger
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carlos Portera-Cailliau
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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26
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Xue X, Buccino AP, Kumar SS, Hierlemann A, Bartram J. Inferring monosynaptic connections from paired dendritic spine Ca 2+imaging and large-scale recording of extracellular spiking. J Neural Eng 2022; 19:046044. [PMID: 35931040 PMCID: PMC7613561 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ac8765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Objective: Techniques to identify monosynaptic connections between neurons have been vital for neuroscience research, facilitating important advancements concerning network topology, synaptic plasticity, and synaptic integration, among others.Approach: Here, we introduce a novel approach to identify and monitor monosynaptic connections using high-resolution dendritic spine Ca2+imaging combined with simultaneous large-scale recording of extracellular electrical activity by means of high-density microelectrode arrays.Main results: We introduce an easily adoptable analysis pipeline that associates the imaged spine with its presynaptic unit and test it onin vitrorecordings. The method is further validated and optimized by simulating synaptically-evoked spine Ca2+transients based on measured spike trains in order to obtain simulated ground-truth connections.Significance: The proposed approach offers unique advantages as (a) it can be used to identify monosynaptic connections with an accurate localization of the synapse within the dendritic tree, (b) it provides precise information of presynaptic spiking, and (c) postsynaptic spine Ca2+signals and, finally, (d) the non-invasive nature of the proposed method allows for long-term measurements. The analysis toolkit together with the rich data sets that were acquired are made publicly available for further exploration by the research community.
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27
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Lee A, Kondapalli C, Virga DM, Lewis TL, Koo SY, Ashok A, Mairet-Coello G, Herzig S, Foretz M, Viollet B, Shaw R, Sproul A, Polleux F. Aβ42 oligomers trigger synaptic loss through CAMKK2-AMPK-dependent effectors coordinating mitochondrial fission and mitophagy. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4444. [PMID: 35915085 PMCID: PMC9343354 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32130-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
During the early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in both mouse models and human patients, soluble forms of Amyloid-β 1-42 oligomers (Aβ42o) trigger loss of excitatory synapses (synaptotoxicity) in cortical and hippocampal pyramidal neurons (PNs) prior to the formation of insoluble amyloid plaques. In a transgenic AD mouse model, we observed a spatially restricted structural remodeling of mitochondria in the apical tufts of CA1 PNs dendrites corresponding to the dendritic domain where the earliest synaptic loss is detected in vivo. We also observed AMPK over-activation as well as increased fragmentation and loss of mitochondrial biomass in Ngn2-induced neurons derived from a new APPSwe/Swe knockin human ES cell line. We demonstrate that Aβ42o-dependent over-activation of the CAMKK2-AMPK kinase dyad mediates synaptic loss through coordinated phosphorylation of MFF-dependent mitochondrial fission and ULK2-dependent mitophagy. Our results uncover a unifying stress-response pathway causally linking Aβ42o-dependent structural remodeling of dendritic mitochondria to synaptic loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Lee
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University Medical Center New York, New York, NY, USA
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, New York, NY, USA
- The Integrated Graduate Program in Cellular, Molecular, and Biomedical Studies, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chandana Kondapalli
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University Medical Center New York, New York, NY, USA
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniel M Virga
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University Medical Center New York, New York, NY, USA
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tommy L Lewis
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University Medical Center New York, New York, NY, USA
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, New York, NY, USA
- Aging & Metabolism Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - So Yeon Koo
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Archana Ashok
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Sebastien Herzig
- Molecular & Cell Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Marc Foretz
- Institut Cochin, Université de Paris, CNRS, INSERM, Paris, France
| | - Benoit Viollet
- Institut Cochin, Université de Paris, CNRS, INSERM, Paris, France
| | - Reuben Shaw
- Molecular & Cell Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Andrew Sproul
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Franck Polleux
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University Medical Center New York, New York, NY, USA.
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, New York, NY, USA.
- Kavli Institute for Brain Sciences, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
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28
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Moore JJ, Robert V, Rashid SK, Basu J. Assessing Local and Branch-specific Activity in Dendrites. Neuroscience 2022; 489:143-164. [PMID: 34756987 PMCID: PMC9125998 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.10.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Dendrites are elaborate neural processes which integrate inputs from various sources in space and time. While decades of work have suggested an independent role for dendrites in driving nonlinear computations for the cell, only recently have technological advances enabled us to capture the variety of activity in dendrites and their coupling dynamics with the soma. Under certain circumstances, activity generated in a given dendritic branch remains isolated, such that the soma or even sister dendrites are not privy to these localized signals. Such branch-specific activity could radically increase the capacity and flexibility of coding for the cell as a whole. Here, we discuss these forms of localized and branch-specific activity, their functional relevance in plasticity and behavior, and their supporting biophysical and circuit-level mechanisms. We conclude by showcasing electrical and optical approaches in hippocampal area CA3, using original experimental data to discuss experimental and analytical methodology and key considerations to take when investigating the functional relevance of independent dendritic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason J Moore
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Vincent Robert
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Shannon K Rashid
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jayeeta Basu
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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29
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Jin L, Behabadi BF, Jadi MP, Ramachandra CA, Mel BW. Classical-Contextual Interactions in V1 May Rely on Dendritic Computations. Neuroscience 2022; 489:234-250. [PMID: 35272004 PMCID: PMC9049952 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.02.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
A signature feature of the neocortex is the dense network of horizontal connections (HCs) through which pyramidal neurons (PNs) exchange "contextual" information. In primary visual cortex (V1), HCs are thought to facilitate boundary detection, a crucial operation for object recognition, but how HCs modulate PN responses to boundary cues within their classical receptive fields (CRF) remains unknown. We began by "asking" natural images, through a structured data collection and ground truth labeling process, what function a V1 cell should use to compute boundary probability from aligned edge cues within and outside its CRF. The "answer" was an asymmetric 2-D sigmoidal function, whose nonlinear form provides the first normative account for the "multiplicative" center-flanker interactions previously reported in V1 neurons (Kapadia et al., 1995, 2000; Polat et al., 1998). Using a detailed compartmental model, we then show that this boundary-detecting classical-contextual interaction function can be computed by NMDAR-dependent spatial synaptic interactions within PN dendrites - the site where classical and contextual inputs first converge in the cortex. In additional simulations, we show that local interneuron circuitry activated by HCs can powerfully leverage the nonlinear spatial computing capabilities of PN dendrites, providing the cortex with a highly flexible substrate for integration of classical and contextual information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Jin
- USC Neuroscience Graduate Program, United States
| | | | | | | | - Bartlett W Mel
- USC Neuroscience Graduate Program, United States; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, United States.
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30
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Linaro D, Levy MJ, Hunt DL. Cell type-specific mechanisms of information transfer in data-driven biophysical models of hippocampal CA3 principal neurons. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1010071. [PMID: 35452457 PMCID: PMC9089861 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The transformation of synaptic input into action potential output is a fundamental single-cell computation resulting from the complex interaction of distinct cellular morphology and the unique expression profile of ion channels that define the cellular phenotype. Experimental studies aimed at uncovering the mechanisms of the transfer function have led to important insights, yet are limited in scope by technical feasibility, making biophysical simulations an attractive complementary approach to push the boundaries in our understanding of cellular computation. Here we take a data-driven approach by utilizing high-resolution morphological reconstructions and patch-clamp electrophysiology data together with a multi-objective optimization algorithm to build two populations of biophysically detailed models of murine hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons based on the two principal cell types that comprise this region. We evaluated the performance of these models and find that our approach quantitatively matches the cell type-specific firing phenotypes and recapitulate the intrinsic population-level variability in the data. Moreover, we confirm that the conductance values found by the optimization algorithm are consistent with differentially expressed ion channel genes in single-cell transcriptomic data for the two cell types. We then use these models to investigate the cell type-specific biophysical properties involved in the generation of complex-spiking output driven by synaptic input through an information-theoretic treatment of their respective transfer functions. Our simulations identify a host of cell type-specific biophysical mechanisms that define the morpho-functional phenotype to shape the cellular transfer function and place these findings in the context of a role for bursting in CA3 recurrent network synchronization dynamics. The hippocampus is comprised of numerous types of neurons, which constitute the cellular substrate for its rich repertoire of network dynamics. Among these are sharp waves, sequential activations of ensembles of neurons that have been shown to be crucially involved in learning and memory. In the CA3 area of the hippocampus, two types of excitatory cells, thorny and a-thorny neurons, are preferentially active during distinct phases of a sharp wave, suggesting a differential role for these cell types in phenomena such as memory consolidation. Using a strictly data-driven approach, we built biophysically realistic models of both thorny and a-thorny cells and used them to investigate the integrative differences between these two cell types. We found that both neuron classes have the capability of integrating incoming synaptic inputs in a supralinear fashion, although only a-thorny cells respond with bursts of action potentials to spatially and temporally clustered synaptic inputs. Additionally, by using a computational approach based on information theory, we show that, owing to this propensity for bursting, a-thorny cells can encode more information in their spiking output than their thorny counterpart. These results shed new light on the computational capabilities of two types of excitatory neurons and suggest that thorny and a-thorny cells may play distinct roles in the generation of hippocampal network synchronization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Linaro
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria (DEIB), Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
- * E-mail: (DL); (DLH)
| | - Matthew J. Levy
- Center for Neural Science and Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United State of America
| | - David L. Hunt
- Center for Neural Science and Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United State of America
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United State of America
- Department of Neurology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United State of America
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United State of America
- * E-mail: (DL); (DLH)
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31
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O’Hare JK, Gonzalez KC, Herrlinger SA, Hirabayashi Y, Hewitt VL, Blockus H, Szoboszlay M, Rolotti SV, Geiller TC, Negrean A, Chelur V, Polleux F, Losonczy A. Compartment-specific tuning of dendritic feature selectivity by intracellular Ca 2+ release. Science 2022; 375:eabm1670. [PMID: 35298275 PMCID: PMC9667905 DOI: 10.1126/science.abm1670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Dendritic calcium signaling is central to neural plasticity mechanisms that allow animals to adapt to the environment. Intracellular calcium release (ICR) from the endoplasmic reticulum has long been thought to shape these mechanisms. However, ICR has not been investigated in mammalian neurons in vivo. We combined electroporation of single CA1 pyramidal neurons, simultaneous imaging of dendritic and somatic activity during spatial navigation, optogenetic place field induction, and acute genetic augmentation of ICR cytosolic impact to reveal that ICR supports the establishment of dendritic feature selectivity and shapes integrative properties determining output-level receptive fields. This role for ICR was more prominent in apical than in basal dendrites. Thus, ICR cooperates with circuit-level architecture in vivo to promote the emergence of behaviorally relevant plasticity in a compartment-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin K. O’Hare
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
| | - Kevin C. Gonzalez
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
| | - Stephanie A. Herrlinger
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
| | - Yusuke Hirabayashi
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo; Tokyo, Japan
| | - Victoria L. Hewitt
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
| | - Heike Blockus
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
| | - Miklos Szoboszlay
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
| | - Sebi V. Rolotti
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
| | - Tristan C. Geiller
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
| | - Adrian Negrean
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
| | - Vikas Chelur
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
| | - Franck Polleux
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
- Kavli Institute for Brain Science, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
| | - Attila Losonczy
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
- Kavli Institute for Brain Science, Columbia University; New York, NY, 10027, United States
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32
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Rolotti SV, Blockus H, Sparks FT, Priestley JB, Losonczy A. Reorganization of CA1 dendritic dynamics by hippocampal sharp-wave ripples during learning. Neuron 2022; 110:977-991.e4. [PMID: 35041805 PMCID: PMC8930454 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The hippocampus plays a critical role in memory consolidation, mediated by coordinated network activity during sharp-wave ripple (SWR) events. Despite the link between SWRs and hippocampal plasticity, little is known about how network state affects information processing in dendrites, the primary sites of synaptic input integration and plasticity. Here, we monitored somatic and basal dendritic activity in CA1 pyramidal cells in behaving mice using longitudinal two-photon calcium imaging integrated with simultaneous local field potential recordings. We found immobility was associated with an increase in dendritic activity concentrated during SWRs. Coincident dendritic and somatic activity during SWRs predicted increased coupling during subsequent exploration of a novel environment. In contrast, somatic-dendritic coupling and SWR recruitment varied with cells' tuning distance to reward location during a goal-learning task. Our results connect SWRs with the stabilization of information processing within CA1 neurons and suggest that these mechanisms may be dynamically biased by behavioral demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebi V Rolotti
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Doctoral Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
| | - Heike Blockus
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Fraser T Sparks
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - James B Priestley
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Doctoral Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Attila Losonczy
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Kavli Institute for Brain Science, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
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33
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Tazerart S, Blanchard MG, Miranda-Rottmann S, Mitchell DE, Navea Pina B, Thomas CI, Kamasawa N, Araya R. Selective activation of BK channels in small-headed dendritic spines suppresses excitatory postsynaptic potentials. J Physiol 2022; 600:2165-2187. [PMID: 35194785 DOI: 10.1113/jp282303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendritic spines are the main receptacles of excitatory information in the brain. Their particular morphology, with a small head connected to the dendrite by a slender neck, has inspired theoretical and experimental work to understand how these structural features affect the processing, storage and integration of synaptic inputs in pyramidal neurons (PNs). The activation of glutamate receptors in spines triggers a large voltage change as well as calcium signals at the spine head. Thus, voltage-gated and calcium-activated potassium channels located in the spine head likely play a key role in synaptic transmission. Here we study the presence and function of large conductance calcium-activated potassium (BK) channels in spines from layer 5 PNs. We found that BK channels are localized to dendrites and spines regardless of their size, but their activity can only be detected in spines with small head volumes (≤0.09 μm3 ), which reduces the amplitude of two-photon uncaging excitatory postsynaptic potentials recorded at the soma. In addition, we found that calcium signals in spines with small head volumes are significantly larger than those observed in spines with larger head volumes. In accordance with our experimental data, numerical simulations predict that synaptic inputs impinging onto spines with small head volumes generate voltage responses and calcium signals within the spine head itself that are significantly larger than those observed in spines with larger head volumes, which are sufficient to activate spine BK channels. These results show that BK channels are selectively activated in small-headed spines, suggesting a new level of dendritic spine-mediated regulation of synaptic processing, integration and plasticity in cortical PNs. KEY POINTS: BK channels are expressed in the visual cortex and layer 5 pyramidal neuron somata, dendrites and spines regardless of their size. BK channels are selectively activated in small-headed spines (≤0.09 μm3 ), which reduces the amplitude of two-photon (2P) uncaging excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) recorded at the soma. Two-photon imaging revealed that intracellular calcium responses in the head of 2P-activated spines are significantly larger in small-headed spines (≤0.09 μm3 ) than in spines with larger head volumes. In accordance with our experimental data, numerical simulations showed that synaptic inputs impinging onto spines with small head volumes (≤0.09 μm3 ) generate voltage responses and calcium signals within the spine head itself that are significantly larger than those observed in spines with larger head volumes, sufficient to activate spine BK channels and suppress EPSPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Tazerart
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.,The CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, Canada
| | - Maxime G Blanchard
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.,The CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, Canada
| | - Soledad Miranda-Rottmann
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.,The CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, Canada
| | - Diana E Mitchell
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.,The CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, Canada
| | - Bruno Navea Pina
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.,The CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, Canada
| | - Connon I Thomas
- The Imaging Center and Electron Microscopy Core Facility, Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Naomi Kamasawa
- The Imaging Center and Electron Microscopy Core Facility, Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Roberto Araya
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.,The CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, Canada
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Larkum ME, Wu J, Duverdin SA, Gidon A. The guide to dendritic spikes of the mammalian cortex in vitro and in vivo. Neuroscience 2022; 489:15-33. [PMID: 35182699 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Half a century since their discovery by Llinás and colleagues, dendritic spikes have been observed in various neurons in different brain regions, from the neocortex and cerebellum to the basal ganglia. Dendrites exhibit a terrifically diverse but stereotypical repertoire of spikes, sometimes specific to subregions of the dendrite. Despite their prevalence, we only have a glimpse into their role in the behaving animal. This article aims to survey the full range of dendritic spikes found in excitatory and inhibitory neurons, compare them in vivo versus in vitro, and discuss new studies describing dendritic spikes in the human cortex. We focus on dendritic spikes in neocortical and hippocampal neurons and present a roadmap to identify and understand the broader role of dendritic spikes in single-cell computation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew E Larkum
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; NeuroCure Cluster, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
| | - Jiameng Wu
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sarah A Duverdin
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Albert Gidon
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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35
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Input rate encoding and gain control in dendrites of neocortical pyramidal neurons. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110382. [PMID: 35172157 PMCID: PMC8967317 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Elucidating how neurons encode network activity is essential to understanding how the brain processes information. Neocortical pyramidal cells receive excitatory input onto spines distributed along dendritic branches. Local dendritic branch nonlinearities can boost the response to spatially clustered and synchronous input, but how this translates into the integration of patterns of ongoing activity remains unclear. To examine dendritic integration under naturalistic stimulus regimes, we use two-photon glutamate uncaging to repeatedly activate multiple dendritic spines at random intervals. In the proximal dendrites of two populations of layer 5 pyramidal neurons in the mouse motor cortex, spatially restricted synchrony is not a prerequisite for dendritic boosting. Branches encode afferent inputs with distinct rate sensitivities depending upon cell and branch type. Thus, inputs distributed along a dendritic branch can recruit supralinear boosting and the window of this nonlinearity may provide a mechanism by which dendrites can preferentially amplify slow-frequency network oscillations.
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36
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Lafourcade M, van der Goes MSH, Vardalaki D, Brown NJ, Voigts J, Yun DH, Kim ME, Ku T, Harnett MT. Differential dendritic integration of long-range inputs in association cortex via subcellular changes in synaptic AMPA-to-NMDA receptor ratio. Neuron 2022; 110:1532-1546.e4. [PMID: 35180389 PMCID: PMC9081173 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Synaptic NMDA receptors can produce powerful dendritic supralinearities that expand the computational repertoire of single neurons and their respective circuits. This form of supralinearity may represent a general principle for synaptic integration in thin dendrites. However, individual cortical neurons receive many diverse classes of input that may require distinct postsynaptic decoding schemes. Here, we show that sensory, motor, and thalamic inputs preferentially target basal, apical oblique, and distal tuft dendrites, respectively, in layer 5b pyramidal neurons of the mouse retrosplenial cortex, a visuospatial association area. These dendritic compartments exhibited differential expression of NMDA receptor-mediated supralinearity due to systematic changes in the AMPA-to-NMDA receptor ratio. Our results reveal a new schema for integration in cortical pyramidal neurons, in which dendrite-specific changes in synaptic receptors support input-localized decoding. This coexistence of multiple modes of dendritic integration in single neurons has important implications for synaptic plasticity and cortical computation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Lafourcade
- Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Marie-Sophie H van der Goes
- Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Dimitra Vardalaki
- Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Norma J Brown
- Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jakob Voigts
- Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Dae Hee Yun
- Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, Picower Institute for Learning & Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Minyoung E Kim
- Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, Picower Institute for Learning & Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Taeyun Ku
- Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, Picower Institute for Learning & Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Mark T Harnett
- Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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37
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Properties and computational consequences of fast dendritic spikes during natural behavior. Neuroscience 2022; 489:251-261. [PMID: 35121078 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Dendritic membrane potential was recently measured for the first time in drug-free, naturally behaving rats over several days. These showed that neuronal dendrites generate a lot of sodium spikes, up to ten times as many as the somatic spikes. These key experimental findings are reviewed here, along with a discussion of computational models, and computational consequences of such intense spike traffic in dendrites. We overview the experimental techniques that enabled these measurements as well as a variety of models, ranging from conceptual models to detailed biophysical models. The biophysical models suggest that the intense dendritic spiking activity can arise from the biophysical properties of the dendritic voltage-dependent and synaptic ion channels, and delineate some computational consequences of fast dendritic spike activity. One remarkable aspect is that in the model, with fast dendritic spikes, the efficacy of synaptic strength in terms of driving the somatic activity is much less dependent on the position of the synapse in dendrites. This property suggests that fast dendritic spikes is a way to confer to neurons the possibility to grow complex dendritic trees with little computational loss for the distal most synapses, and thus form very complex networks with high density of connections, such as typically in the human brain. Another important consequence is that dendritically localized spikes can allow simultaneous but different computations on different dendritic branches, thereby greatly increasing the computational capacity and complexity of neuronal networks.
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38
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Reimann MW, Riihimäki H, Smith JP, Lazovskis J, Pokorny C, Levi R. Topology of synaptic connectivity constrains neuronal stimulus representation, predicting two complementary coding strategies. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0261702. [PMID: 35020728 PMCID: PMC8754339 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In motor-related brain regions, movement intention has been successfully decoded from in-vivo spike train by isolating a lower-dimension manifold that the high-dimensional spiking activity is constrained to. The mechanism enforcing this constraint remains unclear, although it has been hypothesized to be implemented by the connectivity of the sampled neurons. We test this idea and explore the interactions between local synaptic connectivity and its ability to encode information in a lower dimensional manifold through simulations of a detailed microcircuit model with realistic sources of noise. We confirm that even in isolation such a model can encode the identity of different stimuli in a lower-dimensional space. We then demonstrate that the reliability of the encoding depends on the connectivity between the sampled neurons by specifically sampling populations whose connectivity maximizes certain topological metrics. Finally, we developed an alternative method for determining stimulus identity from the activity of neurons by combining their spike trains with their recurrent connectivity. We found that this method performs better for sampled groups of neurons that perform worse under the classical approach, predicting the possibility of two separate encoding strategies in a single microcircuit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W. Reimann
- Blue Brain Project, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Jason P. Smith
- University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Jānis Lazovskis
- University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- University of Latvia, Rīga, Latvia
| | - Christoph Pokorny
- Blue Brain Project, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ran Levi
- University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
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39
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Tsubo T. Analysis of the mechanism of synaptic integration focusing on the charge held in the spine. Biophys Physicobiol 2022; 18:290-304. [PMID: 35004103 PMCID: PMC8685514 DOI: 10.2142/biophysico.bppb-v18.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Successful synaptic integration is said to require that multiple excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) occur almost simultaneously over a short period of time, so that they overlap and increase. However, if brain function is based on a chain of successful synaptic integrations, then constraints on the spacing of multiple EPSP generation must be released to allow for a higher probability of successful synaptic integration. This paper demonstrates that Ca2+ ions retained in spines after EPSP generation polarize spine neck fluid and dendritic fluid as a dielectric medium, that polarization is transmitted through dendrites to the cell body (soma), that polarization is enhanced by the addition of polarization from each spine, and that I propose that synaptic integration is successful when the membrane potential, as determined by the enhanced polarization and membrane capacitance, reaches the threshold of voltage-gated Na+ channels. Furthermore, the approach taken in this study suggests that a single neuron can integrate synapses for many combinations of synaptic inputs, that successful synaptic integration depends on spine neck capacitance and spine head size, and that spines farther from the soma are able to contribute to successful synaptic integration, and led to the elucidation of a number of important issues, including the fact that inhibitory post-synapses on dendrites suppress s effectively synaptic integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takayoshi Tsubo
- Brain Basic Function Laboratory, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0914, Japan
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40
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Renna P, Ripoli C, Dagliyan O, Pastore F, Rinaudo M, Re A, Paciello F, Grassi C. Engineering a switchable single‐chain
TEV
protease to control protein maturation in living neurons. Bioeng Transl Med 2022; 7:e10292. [PMID: 35600650 PMCID: PMC9115699 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Engineered proteases are promising tools to address physiological and pathophysiological questions as well as to develop new therapeutic approaches. Here we introduce a new genetically encoded engineered single‐chain tobacco etch virus protease, allowing to control proprotein cleavage in different compartments of living mammalian cells. We demonstrated a set of controllable proteolytic effects, including cytosolic protein cleavage, inducible gene expression, and maturation of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the secretory pathway thus showing the versatility of this technique. Of note, the secretory pathway exhibits different characteristics from the cytosol and it is difficult to target because inaccessible to some small molecules. We were able to induce ligand‐mediated BDNF maturation and monitor its effects on dendritic spines in hippocampal pyramidal cells and in the mouse brain. This strategy paves the way to dissect proteolytic cleavage product signaling in various processes as well as for future therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Renna
- Department of Neuroscience Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome Italy
| | - Cristian Ripoli
- Department of Neuroscience Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome Italy
| | - Onur Dagliyan
- Department of Neurobiology Harvard Medical School Boston MA USA
| | - Francesco Pastore
- Department of Neuroscience Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome Italy
| | - Marco Rinaudo
- Department of Neuroscience Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome Italy
| | - Agnese Re
- Department of Neuroscience Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome Italy
| | - Fabiola Paciello
- Department of Neuroscience Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome Italy
| | - Claudio Grassi
- Department of Neuroscience Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome Italy
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41
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Oberle HM, Ford AN, Dileepkumar D, Czarny J, Apostolides PF. Synaptic mechanisms of top-down control in the non-lemniscal inferior colliculus. eLife 2022; 10:e72730. [PMID: 34989674 PMCID: PMC8735864 DOI: 10.7554/elife.72730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Corticofugal projections to evolutionarily ancient, subcortical structures are ubiquitous across mammalian sensory systems. These 'descending' pathways enable the neocortex to control ascending sensory representations in a predictive or feedback manner, but the underlying cellular mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we combine optogenetic approaches with in vivo and in vitro patch-clamp electrophysiology to study the projection from mouse auditory cortex to the inferior colliculus (IC), a major descending auditory pathway that controls IC neuron feature selectivity, plasticity, and auditory perceptual learning. Although individual auditory cortico-collicular synapses were generally weak, IC neurons often integrated inputs from multiple corticofugal axons that generated reliable, tonic depolarizations even during prolonged presynaptic activity. Latency measurements in vivo showed that descending signals reach the IC within 30 ms of sound onset, which in IC neurons corresponded to the peak of synaptic depolarizations evoked by short sounds. Activating ascending and descending pathways at latencies expected in vivo caused a NMDA receptor-dependent, supralinear excitatory postsynaptic potential summation, indicating that descending signals can nonlinearly amplify IC neurons' moment-to-moment acoustic responses. Our results shed light upon the synaptic bases of descending sensory control and imply that heterosynaptic cooperativity contributes to the auditory cortico-collicular pathway's role in plasticity and perceptual learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M Oberle
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute & Department of Otolaryngology, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Alexander N Ford
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute & Department of Otolaryngology, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Deepak Dileepkumar
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute & Department of Otolaryngology, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Jordyn Czarny
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute & Department of Otolaryngology, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Pierre F Apostolides
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute & Department of Otolaryngology, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
- Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborUnited States
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42
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Jenks KR, Tsimring K, Ip JPK, Zepeda JC, Sur M. Heterosynaptic Plasticity and the Experience-Dependent Refinement of Developing Neuronal Circuits. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:803401. [PMID: 34949992 PMCID: PMC8689143 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.803401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurons remodel the structure and strength of their synapses during critical periods of development in order to optimize both perception and cognition. Many of these developmental synaptic changes are thought to occur through synapse-specific homosynaptic forms of experience-dependent plasticity. However, homosynaptic plasticity can also induce or contribute to the plasticity of neighboring synapses through heterosynaptic interactions. Decades of research in vitro have uncovered many of the molecular mechanisms of heterosynaptic plasticity that mediate local compensation for homosynaptic plasticity, facilitation of further bouts of plasticity in nearby synapses, and cooperative induction of plasticity by neighboring synapses acting in concert. These discoveries greatly benefited from new tools and technologies that permitted single synapse imaging and manipulation of structure, function, and protein dynamics in living neurons. With the recent advent and application of similar tools for in vivo research, it is now feasible to explore how heterosynaptic plasticity contribute to critical periods and the development of neuronal circuits. In this review, we will first define the forms heterosynaptic plasticity can take and describe our current understanding of their molecular mechanisms. Then, we will outline how heterosynaptic plasticity may lead to meaningful refinement of neuronal responses and observations that suggest such mechanisms are indeed at work in vivo. Finally, we will use a well-studied model of cortical plasticity—ocular dominance plasticity during a critical period of visual cortex development—to highlight the molecular overlap between heterosynaptic and developmental forms of plasticity, and suggest potential avenues of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle R Jenks
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Katya Tsimring
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Jacque Pak Kan Ip
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jose C Zepeda
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Mriganka Sur
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
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43
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Halawa I, Reichert K, Aberra AS, Sommer M, Peterchev AV, Paulus W. Effect of Pulse Duration and Direction on Plasticity Induced by 5 Hz Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Correlation With Neuronal Depolarization. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:773792. [PMID: 34899173 PMCID: PMC8661453 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.773792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: High frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation applied to the motor cortex causes an increase in the amplitude of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) that persists after stimulation. Here, we focus on the aftereffects generated by high frequency controllable pulse TMS (cTMS) with different directions, intensities, and pulse durations. Objectives: To investigate the influence of pulse duration, direction, and amplitude in correlation to induced depolarization on the excitatory plastic aftereffects of 5 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) using bidirectional cTMS pulses. Methods: We stimulated the hand motor cortex with 5 Hz rTMS applying 1,200 bidirectional pulses with the main component durations of 80, 100, and 120 μs using a controllable pulse stimulator TMS (cTMS). Fourteen healthy subjects were investigated in nine sessions with 80% resting motor threshold (RMT) for posterior-anterior (PA) and 80 and 90% RMT anterior-posterior (AP) induced current direction. We used a model approximating neuronal membranes as a linear first order low-pass filter to estimate the strength–duration time constant and to simulate the membrane polarization produced by each waveform. Results: PA and AP 5 Hz rTMS at 80% RMT produced no significant excitation. An exploratory analysis indicated that 90% RMT AP stimulation with 100 and 120 μs pulses but not 80 μs pulses led to significant excitation. We found a positive correlation between the plastic outcome of each session and the simulated peak neural membrane depolarization for time constants >100 μs. This correlation was strongest for neural elements that are depolarized by the main phase of the AP pulse, suggesting the effects were dependent on pulse direction. Conclusions: Among the tested conditions, only 5 Hz rTMS with higher intensity and wider pulses appeared to produce excitatory aftereffects. This correlated with the greater depolarization of neural elements with time constants slower than the directly activated neural elements responsible for producing the motor output (e.g., somatic or dendritic membrane). Significance: Higher intensities and wider pulses seem to be more efficient in inducing excitation. If confirmed, this observation could lead to better results in future clinical studies performed with wider pulses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Islam Halawa
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Medical Research Division, National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Katharina Reichert
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Aman S Aberra
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Martin Sommer
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Geriatrics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Angel V Peterchev
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.,Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.,Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Walter Paulus
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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44
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Milstein AD, Li Y, Bittner KC, Grienberger C, Soltesz I, Magee JC, Romani S. Bidirectional synaptic plasticity rapidly modifies hippocampal representations. eLife 2021; 10:e73046. [PMID: 34882093 PMCID: PMC8776257 DOI: 10.7554/elife.73046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Learning requires neural adaptations thought to be mediated by activity-dependent synaptic plasticity. A relatively non-standard form of synaptic plasticity driven by dendritic calcium spikes, or plateau potentials, has been reported to underlie place field formation in rodent hippocampal CA1 neurons. Here, we found that this behavioral timescale synaptic plasticity (BTSP) can also reshape existing place fields via bidirectional synaptic weight changes that depend on the temporal proximity of plateau potentials to pre-existing place fields. When evoked near an existing place field, plateau potentials induced less synaptic potentiation and more depression, suggesting BTSP might depend inversely on postsynaptic activation. However, manipulations of place cell membrane potential and computational modeling indicated that this anti-correlation actually results from a dependence on current synaptic weight such that weak inputs potentiate and strong inputs depress. A network model implementing this bidirectional synaptic learning rule suggested that BTSP enables population activity, rather than pairwise neuronal correlations, to drive neural adaptations to experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron D Milstein
- Department of Neurosurgery and Stanford Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers UniversityPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Yiding Li
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Katie C Bittner
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research CampusAshburnUnited States
| | | | - Ivan Soltesz
- Department of Neurosurgery and Stanford Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| | - Jeffrey C Magee
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Sandro Romani
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research CampusAshburnUnited States
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45
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Gorman JC, Tufte OL, Miller AVR, DeBello WM, Peña JL, Fischer BJ. Diverse processing underlying frequency integration in midbrain neurons of barn owls. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1009569. [PMID: 34762650 PMCID: PMC8610287 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Emergent response properties of sensory neurons depend on circuit connectivity and somatodendritic processing. Neurons of the barn owl’s external nucleus of the inferior colliculus (ICx) display emergence of spatial selectivity. These neurons use interaural time difference (ITD) as a cue for the horizontal direction of sound sources. ITD is detected by upstream brainstem neurons with narrow frequency tuning, resulting in spatially ambiguous responses. This spatial ambiguity is resolved by ICx neurons integrating inputs over frequency, a relevant processing in sound localization across species. Previous models have predicted that ICx neurons function as point neurons that linearly integrate inputs across frequency. However, the complex dendritic trees and spines of ICx neurons raises the question of whether this prediction is accurate. Data from in vivo intracellular recordings of ICx neurons were used to address this question. Results revealed diverse frequency integration properties, where some ICx neurons showed responses consistent with the point neuron hypothesis and others with nonlinear dendritic integration. Modeling showed that varied connectivity patterns and forms of dendritic processing may underlie observed ICx neurons’ frequency integration processing. These results corroborate the ability of neurons with complex dendritic trees to implement diverse linear and nonlinear integration of synaptic inputs, of relevance for adaptive coding and learning, and supporting a fundamental mechanism in sound localization. Neurons at higher stages of sensory pathways often display selectivity for properties of sensory stimuli that result from computations performed within the nervous system. These emergent response properties can be produced by patterns of neural connectivity and processing that occur within individual cells. Here we investigated whether neural connectivity and single-neuron computation may contribute to the emergence of spatial selectivity in auditory neurons in the barn owl’s midbrain. We used data from in vivo intracellular recordings to test the hypothesis from previous modeling work that these cells function as point neurons that perform a linear sum of their inputs in their subthreshold responses. Results indicate that while some neurons show responses consistent with the point neuron hypothesis, others match predictions of nonlinear integration, indicating a diversity of frequency integration properties across neurons. Modeling further showed that varied connectivity patterns and forms of single-neuron computation may underlie observed responses. These results demonstrate that neurons with complex morphologies may implement diverse integration of synaptic inputs, relevant for adaptive coding and learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia C. Gorman
- Department of Mathematics, Seattle University, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Oliver L. Tufte
- Department of Mathematics, Seattle University, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Anna V. R. Miller
- Department of Mathematics, Seattle University, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - William M. DeBello
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California - Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - José L. Peña
- Dominick P Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Brian J. Fischer
- Department of Mathematics, Seattle University, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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46
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Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Hugo Cornejo
- Neurotechnology Center, Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Netanel Ofer
- Neurotechnology Center, Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Rafael Yuste
- Neurotechnology Center, Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
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47
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Ramdas T, Mel BW. Optimizing a Neuron for Reliable Dendritic Subunit Pooling. Neuroscience 2021; 489:216-233. [PMID: 34715265 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
In certain biologically relevant computing scenarios, a neuron "pools" the outputs of multiple independent functional subunits, firing if any one of them crosses threshold. Recent studies suggest that active dendrites could provide the thresholding mechanism, so that both the thresholding and pooling operations could take place within a single neuron. A pooling neuron faces a difficult task, however. Dendrites can produce highly variable responses depending on the density and spatial patterning of their synaptic inputs, and bona fide dendritic firing may be very rare, making it difficult for a neuron to reliably detect when one of its many dendrites has "gone suprathreshold". Our goal has been to identify biological adaptations that optimize a neuron's performance at the binary subunit pooling (BSP) task. Katz et al. (2009) pointed to the importance of spine density gradients in shaping dendritic responses. In a similar vein, we used a compartmental model to study how a neuron's performance at the BSP task is affected by different spine density layouts and other biological variables. We found BSP performance was optimized when dendrites have (1) a decreasing spine density gradient (true for many types of pyramidal neurons); (2) low-to-medium resistance spine necks; (3) strong NMDA currents; (4) fast spiking Na+ channels; and (5) powerful hyperpolarizing inhibition. Our findings provide a normative account that links several neuronal properties within the context of a behaviorally relevant task, and thus provide new insights into nature's subtle strategies for optimizing the computing capabilities of neural tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tejas Ramdas
- Computational Neuroscience Program, USC, United States.
| | - Bartlett W Mel
- Biomedical Engineering Department and Neuroscience Graduate Program, USC, United States.
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The glutamatergic synapse: a complex machinery for information processing. Cogn Neurodyn 2021; 15:757-781. [PMID: 34603541 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-021-09679-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Being the most abundant synaptic type, the glutamatergic synapse is responsible for the larger part of the brain's information processing. Despite the conceptual simplicity of the basic mechanism of synaptic transmission, the glutamatergic synapse shows a large variation in the response to the presynaptic release of the neurotransmitter. This variability is observed not only among different synapses but also in the same single synapse. The synaptic response variability is due to several mechanisms of control of the information transferred among the neurons and suggests that the glutamatergic synapse is not a simple bridge for the transfer of information but plays an important role in its elaboration and management. The control of the synaptic information is operated at pre, post, and extrasynaptic sites in a sort of cooperation between the pre and postsynaptic neurons which also involves the activity of other neurons. The interaction between the different mechanisms of control is extremely complicated and its complete functionality is far from being fully understood. The present review, although not exhaustively, is intended to outline the most important of these mechanisms and their complexity, the understanding of which will be among the most intriguing challenges of future neuroscience.
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To MS, Honnuraiah S, Stuart GJ. Voltage Clamp Errors During Estimation of Concurrent Excitatory and Inhibitory Synaptic Input to Neurons with Dendrites. Neuroscience 2021; 489:98-110. [PMID: 34480986 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.08.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The whole-cell voltage clamp technique is commonly used to estimate synaptic conductances. While previous work has shown how these estimates are affected by series resistance and space clamp errors during isolated synaptic events, how voltage clamp errors impact on synaptic conductance estimates during concurrent excitation and inhibition is less clear. This issue is particularly relevant given that many studies now use the whole-cell voltage clamp technique to estimate synaptic conductances in vivo, where both excitation and inhibition are intact. Using both simplistic and morphologically realistic models, we investigate how imperfect voltage clamp conditions distort estimates of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic conductance estimated using the Borg-Graham method during concurrent synaptic input onto dendrites. These simulations demonstrate that dendritically located conductances are underestimated even when dynamic clamp reinjection faithfully reproduces the voltage response at the soma to the actual conductances. Inhibitory conductances are underestimated more than excitatory conductances, leading to errors in the excitatory to inhibitory conductance ratio and negative inhibitory conductance estimates during distal inhibition. Interactions between unclamped dendritic excitatory and inhibitory conductances also introduce correlations when the actual conductances are uncorrelated, as well as distortions in the time course of estimated excitatory and inhibitory conductances. Finally, we show that space clamp errors are exacerbated by the inclusion of dendritic voltage-activated conductances. In summary, we highlight issues with the interpretation of synaptic conductance estimates obtained using somatic whole-cell voltage clamp during concurrent excitatory and inhibitory input to neurons with dendrites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minh-Son To
- Eccles Institute of Neuroscience and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia; Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Suraj Honnuraiah
- Eccles Institute of Neuroscience and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Greg J Stuart
- Eccles Institute of Neuroscience and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
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Gemin O, Serna P, Zamith J, Assendorp N, Fossati M, Rostaing P, Triller A, Charrier C. Unique properties of dually innervated dendritic spines in pyramidal neurons of the somatosensory cortex uncovered by 3D correlative light and electron microscopy. PLoS Biol 2021; 19:e3001375. [PMID: 34428203 PMCID: PMC8415616 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Pyramidal neurons (PNs) are covered by thousands of dendritic spines receiving excitatory synaptic inputs. The ultrastructure of dendritic spines shapes signal compartmentalization, but ultrastructural diversity is rarely taken into account in computational models of synaptic integration. Here, we developed a 3D correlative light-electron microscopy (3D-CLEM) approach allowing the analysis of specific populations of synapses in genetically defined neuronal types in intact brain circuits. We used it to reconstruct segments of basal dendrites of layer 2/3 PNs of adult mouse somatosensory cortex and quantify spine ultrastructural diversity. We found that 10% of spines were dually innervated and 38% of inhibitory synapses localized to spines. Using our morphometric data to constrain a model of synaptic signal compartmentalization, we assessed the impact of spinous versus dendritic shaft inhibition. Our results indicate that spinous inhibition is locally more efficient than shaft inhibition and that it can decouple voltage and calcium signaling, potentially impacting synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Gemin
- Institut de Biologie de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Pablo Serna
- Institut de Biologie de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Paris, France
- Laboratoire de Physique de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure, ENS, PSL Research University, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Joseph Zamith
- Institut de Biologie de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Nora Assendorp
- Institut de Biologie de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Matteo Fossati
- Institut de Biologie de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Rostaing
- Institut de Biologie de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Antoine Triller
- Institut de Biologie de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Cécile Charrier
- Institut de Biologie de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Paris, France
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