Muscarinic activation of a voltage-dependent cation nonselective current in rat association cortex

Signaling mechanisms mediating muscarinic enhancement of GABAergic synaptic transmission in the spinal cord

Activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) inhibits spinal nociceptive transmission by potentiation of GABAergic tone through M(2), M(3), and M(4) subtypes. To study the signaling mechanisms involved in this unique mAChR action, GABAergic spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) of lamina II neurons were recorded using whole-cell patch clamp techniques in rat spinal cord slices. The mAChR agonist oxotremorine-M caused a profound increase in the frequency of GABAergic sIPSCs, which was abolished in the Ca(2+)-free solution. Inhibition of voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels with Cd(2+) and Ni(2+) largely reduced the effect of oxotremorine-M on sIPSCs. Blocking nonselective cation channels (NSCCs) with SKF96365 or 2-APB also largely attenuated the effect of oxotremorine-M. However, the KCNQ channel blocker XE991 and the adenylyl cyclase inhibitor MDL12330A had no significant effect on oxotremorine-M-induced increases in sIPSCs. Furthermore, the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor wortmannin or LY294002 significantly reduced the potentiating effect of oxotremorine-M on sIPSCs. In the spinal cord in which the M(3) subtype was specifically knocked down by intrathecal small interfering RNA (siRNA) treatment, SKF96365 and wortmannin still significantly attenuated the effect of oxotremorine-M. In contrast, SKF96365 and wortmannin both failed to alter the effect of oxotremorine-M on sIPSCs when the M(2)/M(4) mAChRs were blocked. Therefore, our study provides new evidence that activation of mAChRs increases synaptic GABA release through Ca(2+) influx and voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels. The PI3K-NSCC signaling cascade is primarily involved in the excitation of GABAergic interneurons by the M(2)/M(4) mAChRs in the spinal dorsal horn.

Noradrenergic excitation of a subpopulation of GABAergic cells in the basolateral amygdala via both activation of nonselective cationic conductance and suppression of resting K+ conductance: a study using glutamate decarboxylase 67-green fluorescent protein knock-in mice

GABAergic interneurons play central roles in the regulation of neuronal activity in the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala (BLA). They are also suggested to be the principal targets of the brainstem noradrenergic afferents which are involved in the enhancement of the BLA-related memory. In addition, behavioral stress has been shown to impair noradrenergic facilitation of GABAergic transmission. However, the noradrenaline (NA) effects in the BLA have not been differentiated among medium- to large-sized GABAergic neurons and principal cells, and remain to be elucidated in terms of their underlying mechanisms. Glutamate decarboxylase 67 (GAD67) is a biosynthetic enzyme of GABA and is specifically expressed in GABAergic neurons. To facilitate the study of the NA effects on GABAergic neurons in live preparations, we generated GAD67-green fluorescent protein (GFP) knock-in mice, in which GFP was expressed under the control of an endogenous GAD67 gene promoter. Here, we show that GFP was specifically expressed in GABAergic neurons in the BLA of this GAD67-GFP knock-in mouse. Under whole-cell patch-clamp recordings in vitro, we identified a certain subpopulation of GABAergic neurons in the BLA chiefly on the basis of the electrophysiological properties. When depolarized by a current injection, these neurons, which are referred to as type A, generated action potentials at relatively low frequency. We found that NA directly excited type-A cells via alpha1-adrenoceptors, whereas its effects on the other types of neurons were negligible. Two ionic mechanisms were involved in this excitability: the activation of nonselective cationic conductance and the suppression of the resting K+ conductance. NA also increased the frequency of spontaneous IPSCs in the principal cells of the BLA. It is suggested that the NA-dependent excitation of type-A cells attenuates the BLA output for a certain period.

Self-organization and neuronal avalanches in networks of dissociated cortical neurons

Dissociated cortical neurons from rat embryos cultured onto micro-electrode arrays exhibit characteristic patterns of electrophysiological activity, ranging from isolated spikes in the first days of development to highly synchronized bursts after 3-4 weeks in vitro. In this work we analyzed these features by considering the approach proposed by the self-organized criticality theory: we found that networks of dissociated cortical neurons also generate spontaneous events of spreading activity, previously observed in cortical slices, in the form of neuronal avalanches. Choosing an appropriate time scale of observation to detect such neuronal avalanches, we studied the dynamics by considering the spontaneous activity during acute recordings in mature cultures and following the development of the network. We observed different behaviors, i.e. sub-critical, critical or super-critical distributions of avalanche sizes and durations, depending on both the age and the development of cultures. In order to clarify this variability, neuronal avalanches were correlated with other statistical parameters describing the global activity of the network. Criticality was found in correspondence to medium synchronization among bursts and high ratio between bursting and spiking activity. Then, the action of specific drugs affecting global bursting dynamics (i.e. acetylcholine and bicuculline) was investigated to confirm the correlation between criticality and regulated balance between synchronization and variability in the bursting activity. Finally, a computational model of neuronal network was developed in order to interpret the experimental results and understand which parameters (e.g. connectivity, excitability) influence the distribution of avalanches. In summary, cortical neurons preserve their capability to self-organize in an effective network even when dissociated and cultured in vitro. The distribution of avalanche features seems to be critical in those cultures displaying medium synchronization among bursts and poor random spiking activity, as confirmed by chemical manipulation experiments and modeling studies.

Currents contributing to decision making in neurons B31/B32 of Aplysia

Biophysical properties of neurons contributing to the ability of an animal to decide whether or not to respond were examined. B31/B32, two pairs of bilaterally symmetrical Aplysia neurons, are major participants in deciding to initiate a buccal motor program, the neural correlate of a consummatory feeding response. B31/B32 respond to an adequate stimulus after a delay, during which time additional stimuli influence the decision to respond. B31/B32 then respond with a ramp depolarization followed by a sustained soma depolarization and axon spiking that is the expression of a commitment to respond to food. Four currents contributing to decision making in B31/B32 were characterized, and their functional effects were determined, in current- and voltage-clamp experiments and with simulations. Inward currents arising from slow muscarinic transmission were characterized. These currents contribute to the B31/B32 depolarization. Their slow activation kinetics contribute to the delay preceding B31/B32 activity. After the delay, inward currents affect B31/B32 in the context of two endogenous inactivating outward currents: a delayed rectifier K+ current (I(K-V)) and an A-type K+ current (I(K-A)), as well as a high-threshold noninactivating outward current (I(maintained)). Hodgkin-Huxley kinetic analyses were performed on the outward currents. Simulations using equations from these analyses showed that I(K-V) and I(K-A) slow the ramp depolarization preceding the sustained depolarization. The three outward currents contribute to braking the B31/B32 depolarization and keeping the sustained depolarization at a constant voltage. The currents identified are sufficient to explain the properties of B31/B32 that play a role in generating the decision to feed.

Phasic cholinergic signaling in the hippocampus: functional homology with the neocortex?

Acetylcholine (ACh) acts as a neurotransmitter in both the hippocampus and neocortex to facilitate learning, memory, and cognitive function. Here we show that transient muscarinic ACh receptor (mAChR) activation inhibits action potential generation in CA1, but not in CA3, pyramidal neurons via activation of an SK-type calcium-activated potassium conductance. Hyperpolarizing responses generated by focal ACh application near the somata of CA1 pyramidal neurons were blocked by atropine or the M1-like mAChR antagonist pirenzepine, but not by the M2-like mAChR antagonist methoctramine. Inhibitory cholinergic responses required intracellular calcium signaling, as evidenced by their sensitivity to depletion of internal calcium stores or internal calcium chelation. Cholinergic inhibition did not require GABAergic synaptic transmission, but was blocked by apamin, an SK channel antagonist. In contrast to inhibitory effects in CA1 neurons, ACh was primarily depolarizing, and enhanced action potential firing in CA3 pyramidal neurons. These results, when combined with recent data in neocortical neurons, suggest a functional homology in phasic cholinergic signaling in the hippocampus and neocortex whereby ACh preferentially inhibits those neurons in the lower cortical layers (CA1 and layer 5 neurons) that provide the majority of extracortical efferent projections.

MGluR-mediated calcium waves that invade the soma regulate firing in layer V medial prefrontal cortical pyramidal neurons

Factors that influence the activity of prefrontal cortex (PFC) pyramidal neurons are likely to play an important role in working memory function. One such factor may be the release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores. Here we investigate the hypothesis that metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs)-mediated waves of internally released Ca2+ can regulate the intrinsic excitability and firing patterns of PFC pyramidal neurons. Synaptic or focal pharmacological activation of mGluRs triggered Ca2+ waves in the dendrites and somata of layer V medial PFC pyramidal neurons. These Ca2+ waves often evoked a transient SK-mediated hyperpolarization followed by a prolonged depolarization that respectively decreased and increased neuronal excitability. Generation of the hyperpolarization depended on whether the Ca2+ wave invaded or came near to the soma. The depolarization also depended on the extent of Ca2+ wave propagation. We tested factors that influence the propagation of Ca2+ waves into the soma. Stimulating more synapses, increasing inositol trisphosphate concentration near the soma, and priming with physiological trains of action potentials all enhanced the amplitude and likelihood of evoking somatic Ca2+ waves. These results suggest that mGluR-mediated Ca2+ waves may regulate firing patterns of PFC pyramidal neurons engaged by working memory, particularly under conditions that favor the propagation of Ca2+ waves into the soma.

Mechanism of the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A receptor-mediated facilitation of synaptic activity in prefrontal cortex

Classic hallucinogens such as lysergic acid diethylamide are thought to elicit their psychotropic actions via serotonin receptors of the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A subtype (5-HT(2A)R). One likely site for these effects is the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Previous studies have shown that activation of 5-HT(2A)Rs in this region results in a robust increase in spontaneous glutamatergic synaptic activity, and these results have led to the widely held idea that hallucinogens elicit their effect by modulating synaptic transmission within the PFC. Here, we combine cellular and molecular biological approaches, including single-cell 5-HT(2A)Rs inactivation and 5-HT(2A)R rescue over a 5-HT(2A)R knockout genetic background, to distinguish between competing hypotheses accounting for these effects. The results from these experiments do not support the idea that 5-HT(2A)Rs elicit the release of an excitatory retrograde messenger nor that they activate thalamocortical afferents, the two dominant hypotheses. Rather, they suggest that 5-HT(2A)Rs facilitate intrinsic networks within the PFC. Consistent with this idea, we locate a discrete subpopulation of pyramidal cells that is strongly excited by 5-HT(2A)R activation.

M1 Muscarinic Receptor Modulation of Kir2 Channels Enhances Temporal Summation of Excitatory Synaptic Potentials in Prefrontal Cortex Pyramidal Neurons

The cholinergic innervation of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a pivotal role in regulating executive functions. Muscarinic receptors activated by acetylcholine depolarize pyramidal neurons in the rodent PFC homologue, but the mechanisms mediating this modulation are controversial. To address this question, we studied the responses of layer V rat pre- and infralimbic cortex pyramidal neurons to muscarinic receptor stimulation. Consistent with previous findings, M1 receptor stimulation produced a strong depolarization, leading to tonic firing. Voltage-clamp analysis revealed that M1 activation reduced constitutively active inwardly rectifying (Kir2) K+ channel currents. Blocking protein kinase C activation or depleting intracellular Ca2+ stores did not affect the modulation. However, reversal of the modulation was prevented by the phosphoinositide kinase inhibitor, wortmanin, suggesting the modulation was mediated by depletions of membrane phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2). Reduction of Kir2 channel currents by M1 receptor stimulation significantly increased the temporal summation of excitatory synaptic potentials (EPSPs) evoked by repetitive stimulation of layer I. This action was complimented by M2/4 receptor mediated presynaptic inhibition of the same terminals. As a consequence of this dual modulation, the responses to a single, isolated afferent volley was reduced, but the response to a high-frequency afferent burst was potentiated.

Context-dependent retrieval of information by neural-network dynamics with continuous attractors

Memory retrieval in neural networks has traditionally been described by dynamic systems with discrete attractors. However, recent neurophysiological findings of graded persistent activity suggest that memory retrieval in the brain is more likely to be described by dynamic systems with continuous attractors. To explore what sort of information processing is achieved by continuous-attractor dynamics, keyword extraction from documents by a network of bistable neurons, which gives robust continuous attractors, is examined. Given an associative network of terms, a continuous attractor led by propagation of neuronal activation in this network appears to represent keywords that express underlying meaning of a document encoded in the initial state of the network-activation pattern. A dominant hypothesis in cognitive psychology is that long-term memory is archived in the network structure, which resembles associative networks of terms. Our results suggest that keyword extraction by the neural-network dynamics with continuous attractors might symbolically represent context-dependent retrieval of short-term memory from long-term memory in the brain.

Postsynaptic mechanisms underlying responsiveness of amygdaloid neurons to cholecystokinin are mediated by a transient receptor potential-like current

Projection neurons of mouse basolateral amygdala responded to CCK with an inward current at a holding potential of -70 mV. This response was mediated by CCK2 receptors as indicated by agonist and antagonist effectiveness, and conveyed via G-proteins of the G(q/11) family as it was abolished in gene knockout mice. Maximal current amplitude was insensitive to extracellular potassium, cesium, and calcium ions, respectively, whereas amplitude and reversal potential critically depended upon extracellular sodium concentration. The current reversed near -20 mV consistent with activation of a mixed cationic channel reminiscent of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels. Extracellular application of the non-selective TRP channel blockers 2-APB, flufenamic acid, Gd3+, and ruthenium red, respectively, inhibited CCK induced inward currents. Single cell PCR confirmed the expression of TRPC1,4,5 and coexpression of TRPC1 with TRPC4 or TRPC5 in some cells. CCK responses were associated with depolarization leading to an increase in cell excitability.

Distribution of TRPC4 in developing and adult murine brain

The transient receptor potential (TRP) superfamily comprises of a group of non-selective cation channels that have been implicated in both receptor and store-operated channel functions. The family of classical TRPs (TRPCs) consists of seven members (TRPC1-7), with TRPC4 possibly playing a role in neuronal signaling. We have examined the distribution pattern of TRPC4 mRNA and protein in the developing and postnatal murine brain by using in situ hybridization, Western blotting, and immunocytochemistry. Expression of TRPC4 mRNA starts at embryonic day 14.5 (E14.5) in the developing septal area and cerebellar anlagen. At E16.5, prominent expression is additionally seen in the hippocampal formation and cortical plate. High densities of cells expressing TRPC4 mRNA occur in the adult olfactory bulb and hippocampus, whereas the cortex and septum display lower densities of cells positive for TRPC4 mRNA. Analysis of the adult hippocampal formation has revealed TRPC4 immunoreactivity in hippocampal areas CA1 to CA3 and in the dentate gyrus. Functions consistent with this spatially restricted pattern of expression remain to be revealed.

Autocorrelogram sorting: a novel method for evaluating negative-feedback regulation of spike firing

Spontaneously firing units were recorded extracellularly from the hippocampus of anesthetized rats, and autocorrelograms were conventionally constructed. These conventional autocorrelograms were sorted into frequency-specific autocorrelograms according to the instantaneous firing frequency of the spike at Deltat=0, which was calculated based on the interval between the spike at Deltat=0 and the preceding spike. In this fashion, we found that autocorrelogram values were negatively correlated with instantaneous firing frequency during the 4-12 ms post-spike time period. The negative correlation during the 4-6 ms post-spike period could not have been due to the refractory period or GABAergic inhibition, and thus represented a third type of feedback regulation of spike firing completed within single neurons. Application of acetylcholine significantly enhanced this feedback regulation. Our 'autocorrelogram sorting' method thus proved to be successful in detecting cholinergically enhanced feedback regulation of spike firing intrinsic to single neurons.

Transient receptor potential channels as novel effectors of brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling: potential implications for Rett syndrome

In addition to their prominent role as survival signals for neurons in the developing nervous system, neurotrophins have established their significance in the adult brain as well, where their modulation of synaptic transmission and plasticity may participate in associative learning and memory. These crucial activities are primarily the result of neurotrophin regulation of intracellular Ca(2+) homeostasis and, ultimately, changes in gene expression. Outlined in the following review is a synopsis of neurotrophin signaling with a particular focus upon brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its role in hippocampal synaptic plasticity and neuronal Ca(2+) homeostasis. Neurotrophin signaling through tropomyosin-related kinase (Trk) and pan-neurotrophin receptor 75 kD (p75(NTR)) receptors are also discussed, reviewing recent results that indicate signaling through these two receptor modalities leads to opposing cellular outcomes. We also provide an intriguing look into the transient receptor potential channel (TRPC) family of ion channels as distinctive targets of BDNF signaling; these channels are critical for capacitative Ca(2+) entry, which, in due course, mediates changes in neuronal structure including dendritic spine density. Finally, we expand these topics into an exploration of mental retardation (MR), in particular Rett Syndrome (RTT), where dendritic spine abnormalities may underlie cognitive impairments. We propose that understanding the role of neurotrophins in synapse formation, plasticity, and maintenance will make fundamental contributions to the development of therapeutic strategies to improve cognitive function in developmental disorders associated with MR.

Heterogeneity of phasic cholinergic signaling in neocortical neurons

Acetylcholine (ACh) is a neurotransmitter critical for normal cognition. Here we demonstrate heterogeneity of cholinergic signaling in neocortical neurons in the rat prefrontal, somatosensory, and visual cortex. Focal ACh application (100 muM) inhibited layer 5 pyramidal neurons in all cortical areas via activation of an apamin-sensitive SK-type calcium-activated potassium conductance. Cholinergic inhibition was most robust in prefrontal layer 5 neurons, where it relies on the same signal transduction mechanism (M1-like receptors, IP(3)-dependent calcium release, and SK-channels) as exists in somatosensory pyramidal neurons. Pyramidal neurons in layer 2/3 were less responsive to ACh, but substantial apamin-sensitive inhibitory responses occurred in deep layer 3 neurons of the visual cortex. ACh was only inhibitory when presented near the somata of layer 5 pyramidal neurons, where repetitive ACh applications generated discrete inhibitory events at frequencies of up to approximately 0.5 Hz. Fast-spiking (FS) nonpyramidal neurons in all cortical areas were unresponsive to ACh. When applied to non-FS interneurons in layers 2/3 and 5, ACh generated mecamylamine-sensitive nicotinic responses (38% of cells), apamin-insensitive hyperpolarizing responses, with or without initial nicotinic depolarization (7% of neurons), or no response at all (55% of cells). Responses in interneurons were similar across cortical layers and regions but were correlated with cellular physiology and the expression of biochemical markers associated with different classes of nonpyramidal neurons. Finally, ACh generated nicotinic responses in all layer 1 neurons tested. These data demonstrate that phasic cholinergic input can directly inhibit projection neurons throughout the cortex while sculpting intracortical processing, especially in superficial layers.

D2-like dopamine receptors depolarize dorsal raphe serotonin neurons through the activation of nonselective cationic conductance

The dorsal raphe (DR) receives a prominent dopamine (DA) input that has been suggested to play a key role in the regulation of central serotoninergic transmission. DA is known to directly depolarize DR serotonin neurons, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Here, we show that activation of D2-like dopamine receptors on DR 5-HT neurons elicits a membrane depolarization and an inward current associated with an increase in membrane conductance. The DA-induced inward current (I(DA)) exhibits a linear I-V relationship and reverses polarity at around -15 mV, suggesting the involvement of a mixed cationic conductance. Consistent with this notion, lowering the extracellular concentration of sodium reduces the amplitude of I(DA) and induces a negative shift of its reversal potential to approximately -45 mV. This current is abolished by inhibiting G-protein function with GDPbetaS. Examination of the downstream signaling mechanisms reveals that activation of the nonselective cation current requires the stimulation of phospholipase C but not an increase in intracellular calcium. Thus, pharmacological inhibition of phospholipase C reduces the amplitude of I(DA). In contrast, buffering intracellular calcium has no effect on the amplitude of I(DA). Bath application of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels blockers, 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate and SKF96365 [1-(beta-[3-(4-methoxyphenyl)propoxy]-4-methoxyphenethyl)-1H-imidazole], strongly inhibits I(DA) amplitude, suggesting the involvement of TRP-like conductance. These results reveal previously unsuspected mechanism by which D2-like DA receptors induce membrane depolarization and enhance the excitability of DR 5-HT neurons.

Serotonin depletion results in a decrease of the neuronal activation caused by rivastigmine in the rat hippocampus

Interactions between the serotonergic and cholinergic systems are known to occur and are believed to play a role in the mechanism underlying both major depression and Alzheimer's disease. On a molecular level, studies suggest that acetylcholine (ACh) increases serotonin (5-HT) release through nicotinic receptors located at nerve terminals. The aim of the present study was to determine in which areas and to what extent 5-HT mediates the neuronal response to ACh release. For this purpose, neuronal activity was measured in rats with rivastigmine-induced elevated ACh levels after a 95% 5-HT depletion obtained by dosing p-chlorophenylalanine followed by D,L-fenfluramine. Neuronal activation was quantified by stereological measurements of c-Fos immunoreactivity. The brain areas examined were medial prefrontal cortex, septum, dorsal hippocampus, and dorsal raphe nucleus. Rivastigmine significantly increased c-Fos immunoreactivity in medial prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus, but not in the septum and dorsal raphe nucleus. 5-HT depletion decreased ACh-induced c-Fos immunoreactivity in the dentate gyrus. By contrast, 5-HT depletion had no effect on the ACh-induced activity in the other brain areas examined. It is concluded that 5-HT mediates part of the ACh-induced hippocampal neuronal activation, possibly mediated via locally released 5-HT.

Synaptic activation of transient receptor potential channels by metabotropic glutamate receptors in the lateral amygdala

Classical mammalian transient receptor potential channels form non-selective cation channels that open in response to activation of phospholipase C-coupled metabotropic receptors, and are thought to play a key role in calcium homeostasis in non-excitable cells. Within the nervous system transient receptor potential channels are widely distributed but their physiological roles are not well understood. Here we show that in the rat lateral amygdala transient receptor potential channels mediate an excitatory synaptic response to glutamate. Activation of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors on pyramidal neurons in the lateral amygdala with either exogenous or synaptically released glutamate evokes an inward current at negative potentials with a current voltage relationship showing a region of negative slope and steep outward rectification. This current is blocked by inhibiting G protein function with GTP-beta-S, by inhibiting phospholipase C or by infusing transient receptor potential antibodies into lateral amygdala pyramidal neurons. Using RT-PCR and Western blotting we show that transient receptor potential 1, transient receptor potential 4 and transient receptor potential 5 are present in the lateral amygdala. Single cell PCR confirms the presence of transient receptor potential 1 and transient receptor potential 5 in pyramidal neurons and we show by co-immunoprecipitation that transient receptor potential 1 and transient receptor potential 5 co-assemble as a heteromultimers in the amygdala. These results show that in lateral amygdala pyramidal neurons synaptically released glutamate activates transient receptor potential channels, which we propose are likely to be heteromultimeric channels containing transient receptor potential 1 and transient receptor potential 5/transient receptor potential 4.

Adenosine inhibits basal forebrain cholinergic and noncholinergic neurons in vitro

Adenosine has been proposed as a homeostatic "sleep factor" that promotes the transition from waking to sleep by affecting several sleep-wake regulatory systems. In the basal forebrain, adenosine accumulates during wakefulness and, when locally applied, suppresses neuronal activity and promotes sleep. However, the neuronal phenotype mediating these effects is unknown. We used whole-cell patch-clamp recordings in in vitro rat brain slices to investigate the effect of adenosine on identified cholinergic and noncholinergic neurons of the magnocellular preoptic nucleus and substantia innominata. Adenosine (0.5-100 microM) reduced the magnocellular preoptic nucleus and substantia innominata cholinergic neuronal firing rate by activating an inwardly rectifying potassium current that reversed at -82 mV and was blocked by barium (100 microM). Application of the A1 receptor antagonist 8-cyclo-pentyl-theophylline (200 nM) blocked the effects of adenosine. Adenosine was also tested on two groups of electrophysiologically distinct noncholinergic magnocellular preoptic nucleus and substantia innominata neurons. In the first group adenosine, via activation of postsynaptic A1 receptors, reduced spontaneous firing via inhibition of the hyperpolarization-activated cation current. Blocking the H-current with ZD7288 (20 microM) abolished adenosine effects on these neurons. The second group was not affected by adenosine. These results demonstrate that, in the magnocellular preoptic nucleus and substantia innominata region of the basal forebrain, adenosine inhibits both cholinergic neurons and a subset of noncholinergic neurons. Both of these effects occur via postsynaptic A1 receptors, but are mediated downstream by two separate mechanisms.

Spectral integration in auditory cortex: mechanisms and modulation

Auditory cortex contributes to the processing and perception of spectrotemporally complex stimuli. However, the mechanisms by which this is accomplished are not well understood. In this review, we examine evidence that single cortical neurons receive input covering much of the audible spectrum. We then propose an anatomical framework by which spectral information converges on single neurons in primary auditory cortex, via a combination of thalamocortical and intracortical "horizontal" pathways. By its nature, the framework confers sensitivity to specific, spectrotemporally complex stimuli. Finally, to address how spectral integration can be regulated, we show how one neuromodulator, acetylcholine, could act within the hypothesized framework to alter integration in single neurons. The results of these studies promote a cellular understanding of information processing in auditory cortex.

Receptor-operated cation channels formed by TRPC4 and TRPC5

TRPC4 and TRPC5 form cation channels that contribute to phospholipase C-dependent Ca(2+) entry following stimulation of G-protein-coupled receptors or receptor tyrosine kinases. Surprisingly, in different studies, TRPC4 and TRPC5 have been shown to form either store-operated channels with a relatively high Ca(2+) permeability, or nonselective cation channels activated independently of store depletion. In this review, we summarize and discuss data on the regulation and permeability properties of TRPC4 and TRPC5, and data on native channels that might be composed of these isoforms.

A prospective study of agitation in a medical-surgical ICU: incidence, risk factors, and outcomes

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Although agitation is thought to be common in the ICU, it has been poorly studied. We evaluated the incidence, risks factors, and outcomes of agitation in ICU.

DESIGN

Prospective observational study.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

METHOD

All consecutive ICU admissions over an 8-month period were analyzed.

MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS

Two hundred eleven patients were admitted a total of 216 times during the period of the study. Twenty-nine patients were excluded from the study because their pathology findings did not allow an evaluation of their level of consciousness; 182 patients were actually enrolled. Agitation developed in 95 of 182 patients (52%). Agitation began 4.4 +/- 5.6 days (+/- SD) after admission to the ICU and lasted 3.9 +/- 4.1 days. Patients with agitation had a higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II on ICU admission than those who did not have agitation (40 +/- 16 vs 33 +/- 13, p < 0.01). By stepwise logistic regression, the independent risks factors for development of agitation included psychoactive drug use at the time of ICU admission (odds ratio, 5.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32 to 23.70), history of alcohol abuse (odds ratio, 3.32; 95% CI, 1.12 to 10.00), dysnatremia (odds ratio, 4.95; 95% CI, 1.95 to 12.54), fever (odds ratio, 4.52; 95% CI, 1.80 to 11.49), use of sedatives in the ICU (odds ratio, 4.03; 95% CI, 1.62 to 10.40), and sepsis (odds ratio, 2.61; 95% CI, 1.03 to 6.58). Agitation was associated with a prolonged ICU stay (16 +/- 19 days vs 6 +/- 6 days, p = 0.0001), nosocomial infections (34% vs 7%, p < 0.0001), unplanned extubations (17% vs 2%, p = 0.003), and unplanned central venous catheter removal (16% vs 1%, p = 0.001), but not with mortality (12% in the agitation group vs 8% in patients without agitation).

CONCLUSIONS

Agitation is a common event in a mixed medical-surgical ICU. It is associated with adverse outcomes including prolonged stay, nosocomial infections, and unplanned extubations. A better knowledge of incidence and risk factors should facilitate identification of patients at risk and decrease the incidence of agitation.

Spatio-temporal cholinergic modulation in cultured networks of rat cortical neurons: spontaneous activity

Activation of the cholinergic innervation of the cortex has been implicated in sensory processing, learning, and memory. At the cellular level, acetylcholine both increases excitability and depresses synaptic transmission, and its effects on network firing are hard to predict. We studied the effects of carbachol, a cholinergic agonist, on network firing in cultures of rat cortical neurons, using electrode arrays to monitor the activity of large numbers of neurons simultaneously. These cultures show stable spontaneous synchronized burst firing which propagates through dense synaptic connections. Carbachol (10-50 microM), acting through muscarinic receptors, was found to induce a switch to asynchronous single-spike firing and to result in a loss of regularity and fragmentation of the burst structure. To obtain a quantitative measure of cholinergic actions on cortical networks, we applied a cluster Poisson-process model to sets of paralleled spike-trains in the presence and absence of carbachol. This revealed that the time series can be well-characterized by such a simple model, consistent with the observed 1/f(b)-like spectra (0.04<b<2.08). After applying higher concentrations of carbachol the property of the spectra shifted toward a Poisson-process (white) spectrum. These results indicate that cholinergic neurotransmitters have a strong and reliable desynchronizing action on cortical neural activity.

Distribution of TRPC1 and TRPC5 in medial temporal lobe structures of mice

The transient receptor potential (TRP) superfamily comprises a group of non-selective cation channels that have been implicated in both receptor and store-operated channel functions. The family of the classical TRPs (TRPCs) consists of seven members (TRPC1-7). The presence of TRPC1 and TRPC5 mRNA in the brain has previously been demonstrated by real-time polymerase chain reaction. However, the distribution of these receptors within different brain areas of mice has not been investigated in detail. We have used antibodies directed against TRPC1 and TRPC5 to study the distribution and localization of these channels in murine medial temporal lobe structures. Both TRPC1 and TRPC5 channels are present in the various nuclei of the amygdala, in the hippocampus, and in the subiculum and the entorhinal cortex. We have found that TRPC1 channels are primarily expressed on cell somata and on dendrites, whereas TRPC5 channels are exclusively located on cell bodies. Moreover, TRPC1 channels are selectively expressed by neurons, whereas TRPC5 channels are mainly expressed by neurons, but also by non-neuronal cells. The expression of TRPC1 and TRPC5 channels in mammalian temporal lobe structures suggests their involvement in neuronal plasticity, learning and memory.

Characterization of synaptic conductances and integrative properties during electrically induced EEG-activated states in neocortical neurons in vivo

The activation of the electroencephalogram (EEG) is paralleled with an increase in the firing rate of cortical neurons, but little is known concerning the conductance state of their membrane and its impact on their integrative properties. Here, we combined in vivo intracellular recordings with computational models to investigate EEG-activated states induced by stimulation of the brain stem ascending arousal system. Electrical stimulation of the pedonculopontine tegmental (PPT) nucleus produced long-lasting (approximately 20 s) periods of desynchronized EEG activity similar to the EEG of awake animals. Intracellularly, PPT stimulation locked the membrane into a depolarized state, similar to the up-states seen during deep anesthesia. During these EEG-activated states, however, the input resistance was higher than that during up-states. Conductance measurements were performed using different methods, which all indicate that EEG-activated states were associated with a synaptic activity dominated by inhibitory conductances. These results were confirmed by computational models of reconstructed pyramidal neurons constrained by the corresponding intracellular recordings. These models indicate that, during EEG-activated states, neocortical neurons are in a high-conductance state consistent with a stochastic integrative mode. The amplitude and timing of somatic excitatory postsynaptic potentials were nearly independent of the position of the synapses in dendrites, suggesting that EEG-activated states are compatible with coding paradigms involving the precise timing of synaptic events.

Phase-response curves give the responses of neurons to transient inputs

Neuronal firing is determined largely by incoming barrages of excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs), each of which produce a transient increase in firing probability. To measure the effects of weak transient inputs on firing probability of cortical neurons, we compute phase-response curves (PRCs). PRCs, whose shape can be related to the dynamics of spike generation, document the changes in timing of spikes caused by an EPSP in a repetitively firing neuron as a function of when it arrives in the interspike interval (ISI). The PRC can be exactly related to the poststimulus time histogram (PSTH) so that knowledge of one uniquely determines the other. Typically, PRCs have zero values at the start and end of the ISI, where EPSPs have minimal effects and a peak in the middle. Where the peak occurs depends in part on the firing properties of neurons. The PRC can have regions of positivity and negativity corresponding respectively to speeding up and slowing down the time of the next spike. A simple canonical model for spike generation is introduced that shows how both the background firing rate and the degree of postspike afterhyperpolarization contribute to the shape of the PRC and thus to the PSTH. PRCs in strongly adapting neurons are highly skewed to the right (indicating a higher change in probability when the EPSPs appear late in the ISI) and can have negative regions (indicating a decrease in firing probability) early in the ISI. The PRC becomes more skewed to the right as the firing rate decreases. Thus at low firing rates, the spikes are triggered preferentially by inputs that occur only during a small time interval late in the ISI. This implies that the neuron is more of a coincidence detector at low firing frequencies and more of an integrator at high frequencies. The steady-state theory is shown to also hold for slowly varying inputs.

Spike Patterning by Ca2+-Dependent Regulation of a Muscarinic Cation Current in Entorhinal Cortex Layer II Neurons

In entorhinal cortex layer II neurons, muscarinic receptor activation promotes depolarization via activation of a nonspecific cation current ( INCM). Under muscarinic influence, these neurons also develop changes in excitability that result in activity-dependent induction of delayed firing and bursting activity. To identify the membrane processes underlying these phenomena, we examined whether INCM may undergo activity-dependent regulation. Our voltage-clamp experiments revealed that appropriate depolarizing protocols increased the basal level of inward current activated during muscarinic stimulation and suggested that this effect was due to INCM upregulation. In the presence of low buffering for intracellular Ca2+, this upregulation was transient, and its decay could be followed by a phase of INCM downregulation. Both up- and downregulation were elicited by depolarizing stimuli able to activate voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (VGCC); both were sensitive to increasing concentrations of intracellular Ca2+-chelating agents with downregulation being abolished at lower Ca2+-buffering capacities; both were reduced or suppressed by VGCC block or in the absence of extracellular Ca2+. These data indicate that relatively small increases in [Ca2+]i driven by firing activity can induce upregulation of a basal muscarinic depolarizing-current level, whereas more pronounced [Ca2+]i elevations can result in INCM downregulation. We propose that the interaction of activity-dependent positive and negative feedback mechanisms on INCM allows entorhinal cortex layer II neurons to exhibit emergent properties, such as delayed firing and enhanced or suppressed responses to repeated stimuli, that may be of importance in the memory functions of the temporal lobe and in the pathophysiology of epilepsy.

Formation of novel TRPC channels by complex subunit interactions in embryonic brain

Mammalian short TRP channels (TRPCs) are putative receptor- and store-operated cation channels that play a fundamental role in the regulation of cellular Ca2+ homeostasis. Assembly of the seven TRPC homologs (TRPC1-7) into homo- and heteromers can create a large variety of different channels. However, the compositions as well as the functional properties of native TRPC complexes are largely undefined. We performed a systematic biochemical study of TRPC interactions in mammalian brain and identified previously unrecognized channel heteromers composed of TRPC1, TRPC4, or TRPC5 and the diacylglycerol-activated TRPC3 or TRPC6 subunits. The novel TRPC heteromers were found exclusively in embryonic brain. In heterologous systems, we demonstrated that assembly of these novel heteromers required the combination of TRPC1 plus TRPC4 or TRPC5 subunits along with diacylglycerol-sensitive subunits in the channel complexes. Functional interaction of the TRPC subunits was verified using a dominant negative TRPC5 mutant (TRPC5DN). Co-expression of TRPC5DN suppressed currents through TRPC5- and TRPC4-containing complexes; TRPC3-associated currents were unaffected by TRPC5DN unless TRPC1 was also co-expressed. This complex assembly mechanism increases the diversity of TRPC channels in mammalian brain and may generate novel heteromers that have specific roles in the developing brain.

Ca2+-dependent inward current induced by nicotinic receptor activation depends on Ca2+/calmodulin–CaMKII pathway in dopamine neurons

It is well known that midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons receive massive projection from cholinergic neurons in the brainstem. In our preceding report, we showed that Ca(2+)-influx through nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptors in the DA neurons subsequently activated an inward current that was sensitive to fulfenamic acid (FFA) and phenytoin, presumably a Ca(2+)-activated non-selective cation current. The FFA-sensitive current exhibited a negative slope conductance and predominantly enhanced the depolarizing responses of DA neurons. In this study, we showed that the inward FFA-sensitive current was eliminated by antagonists of Ca(2+)/calmodulin (Ca(2+)/CaM), N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalene-sulfonamide hydrochloride (W-7; 1 microM), trifluoperazine (TFP; 1.5 microM) and calmidazolium (100 nM). Application of W-7 and TFP reduced the ACh-induced inward current and the current component suppressed by these drugs exhibited negative slope conductance, as well as the FFA-sensitive current. Further, intracellular application of KN-93, an antagonist of Ca(2+)/CaM-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), but not KN-92 eliminated the FFA-sensitive current. All these results suggest that Ca(2+)/CaM-CaMKII pathway is involved in an activation of the FFA-sensitive current.

Fulfenamic acid sensitive, Ca(2+)-dependent inward current induced by nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in dopamine neurons

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) exhibit high Ca(2+) permeabilities and the Ca(2+)-influx through the nAChRs may be involved in regulation of a variety of signal processing in the postsynaptic neurons. The mesencephalic dopamine (DA) neurons receive cholinergic inputs from the brainstem and express abundant nAChRs. Here we report that the Ca(2+)-influx induced by a transient pressure application of ACh activates an inward current mediated by nAChRs and subsequently an inward current component that is sensitive to fulfenamic acid (FFA) and phenytoin, presumably a Ca(2+)-activated nonselective cation current in the DA neurons in the midbrain slices of the rat. The FFA- and phenytoin-sensitive current exhibits a negative slope conductance below -40 mV, suggesting its role in significant enhancement of depolarizing responses. In the current clamp recordings with perforated patch clamp configuration, bath application of carbachol markedly enhanced the glutamate-induced depolarization, which led to a long-lasting depolarizing hump. Activation of nAChRs is involved in this process, in cooperation with muscarinic receptors that suppress afterhyperpolarization caused by Ca(2+)-activated K(+)-channels. The long-lasting depolarizing hump was suppressed by FFA. All these results suggested a potential role of the FFA-sensitive current triggered by nAChR activation in marked enhancement of the excitatory synaptic response in DA neurons.

Impaired modulation of GABAergic transmission by muscarinic receptors in a mouse transgenic model of Alzheimer's disease

It has long been recognized that muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) are crucial for the control of cognitive processes, and drugs that activate mAChRs are helpful in ameliorating cognitive deficits of Alzheimer's disease (AD). On the other hand, GABAergic transmission in prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a key role in "working memory" via controlling the timing of neuronal activity during cognitive operations. To test whether the muscarinic and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system are interconnected in normal cognition and dementia, we examined the muscarinic regulation of GABAergic transmission in PFC of an animal model of AD. Transgenic mice overexpressing a mutant gene for beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP) show behavioral and histopathological abnormalities resembling AD and, therefore, were used as an AD model. Application of the mAChR agonist carbachol significantly increased the spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic current (sIPSC) frequency and amplitude in PFC pyramidal neurons from wild-type animals. In contrast, carbachol failed to increase the sIPSC amplitude in APP transgenic mice, whereas the carbachol-induced increase of the sIPSC frequency was not significantly changed in these mutants. Similar results were obtained in rat PFC slices pretreated with the beta-amyloid peptide (Abeta). Inhibiting protein kinase C (PKC) blocked the carbachol enhancement of sIPSC amplitudes, implicating the PKC dependence of this mAChR effect. In APP transgenic mice, carbachol failed to activate PKC despite the apparently normal expression of mAChRs. These results show that the muscarinic regulation of GABA transmission is impaired in the AD model, probably due to the Abeta-mediated interference of mAChR activation of PKC.

Evidence for the involvement of G-proteins in the generation of the slow poststimulus afterdepolarisation (sADP) induced by muscarinic receptor activation in rat olfactory cortical neurones in vitro

The involvement of G-proteins in generating the slow poststimulus afterdepolarising potential (sADP) induced by muscarinic receptor activation in immature (P10-20) rat olfactory cortical brain slice neurones was investigated under whole-cell patch clamp, using GTP-gamma-S (G-protein activator) or GDP-beta-S (G-protein blocker)-filled electrodes. In control experiments using K methylsulphate electrodes, cell resting potential (V(m)) and spike firing properties were unaffected over 10-15 min recording, although input resistance (R(N)) was slightly increased ( approximately 14%). Oxotremorine-M (OXO-M; 10 microM) produced a reversible slow depolarisation, an increase in R(N) ( approximately 90%) and induction of a slow poststimulus inward tail current (I(ADP)) (measured under voltage clamp at -60 mV) that was sustained during drug exposure (up to 15 min); the amplitude of slow inward rectifier (I(h)) currents activated from -50 mV were also apparently increased. By contrast, in GTP-gamma-S-loaded cells, R(N) was consistently decreased ( approximately 22%) and spike firing threshold (V(th)) was raised ( approximately 5 mV) after 10 min recording. In approximately 60% of loaded cells, a persistent muscarinic slow inward current and I(ADP) were induced by OXO-M; I(h) relaxation amplitude was also significantly decreased. The effects of GTP-gamma-S on R(N), V(th) and I(h) were partly counteracted by adding Ba(2+) (100 microM) to the bathing medium or mimicked by adding baclofen (GABA(B) receptor agonist; 100 microM) to normally-recorded cells. Intracellular GDP-beta-S (up to 30 min) had no effect on cell membrane properties or I(h), but irreversibly blocked the muscarinic slow inward current and I(ADP) induced by OXO-M. We conclude that both muscarinic responses require G-protein-linked transduction mechanisms for their generation.

Dendritic glutamate-induced bursting in the prefrontal cortex: further characterization and effects of phencyclidine

To understand the role of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and to investigate how the psychotomimetic drug phencyclidine (PCP) may alter PFC function, we made whole-cell recordings from PFC neurons in rat brain slices. Our result showed that most deep layer pyramidal neurons in the PFC were regular spiking cells. They could fire repetitive bursts, however, when activated by glutamate focally applied to the apical dendrite. Application of NMDA to the same dendritic spot also induced bursting, whereas application of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) evoked single spikes only. Coapplication of AMPA with NMDA evoked more single spikes and decreased NMDA-induced bursting. Experiments with NMDA and AMPA antagonists further showed that dendritic glutamate (dGlu)-induced bursting required NMDA receptor activation and was enhanced when AMPA receptors were blocked. At subanesthetic concentrations, PCP decreased dGlu-induced bursting and altered the temporal characteristics of the bursts by decreasing spikes per burst and increasing interspike intervals within bursts. The latter two changes were not observed when AMPA receptors were blocked, suggesting that they are secondary to the increased AMPA receptor contribution to glutamate responses evoked in the presence of PCP. These results suggest that NMDA receptors are essential for PFC pyramidal cells to fire in bursts in response to dGlu input and that PCP suppresses dGlu-induced bursting. Since bursting is necessary for pyramidal cells to activate GABA interneurons, the suppression effect of PCP may further lead to a weakening of the connections from pyramidal cells and GABA interneurons, thereby contributing to PCP's psychotomimetic effects.

TRPC4 and TRPC5: receptor-operated Ca2+-permeable nonselective cation channels

The seven mammalian channels from the classical (TRPC) subfamily of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are thought to be receptor-operated cation channels activated in a phospholipase C (PLC)-dependent manner. Based on sequence similarity, TRPC channels can be divided into four subgroups. Group 4 comprises TRPC4 and TRPC5, and is most closely related to group 1 (TRPC1). The functional properties observed following heterologous expression of TRPC4 or TRPC5 in mammalian cells are contradictory and, therefore, controversial. In our hands, and in several independent studies, both channels, probably as homotetramers, form receptor-operated, Ca2+-permeable, nonselective cation channels activated independently of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP(3)) receptor activation or Ca2+ store-depletion. As heteromultimers with TRPC1, TRPC4 and TRPC5 form receptor-operated, Ca2+-permeable, nonselective cation channels with biophysical properties distinct from homomeric TRPC4 or TRPC5. In other studies, TRPC4 and TRPC5 have been shown to be store-operated channels, with moderate to high Ca2+ permeabilities. At present there is no clear explanation for these major differences in functional properties. To date, little is known as to which native cation channels are formed by TRPC4 and TRPC5. Endothelial cells from TRPC4(-/-) mice lack a highly Ca2+-permeable, store-dependent current, and data support a role for TRPC4 in endothelium-mediated vasorelaxation. A similar current in adrenal cortical cells is reduced by TRPC4 antisense. From similarities in the properties of the currents and expression of appropriate isoforms in the tissues, it is likely that heteromultimers of TRPC1 and TRPC4 or TRPC5 form receptor-operated nonselective cation channels in central neurones, and that TRPC4 contributes to nonselective cation channels in intestinal smooth muscle.

Ionic channels and long-range electrical signals: a probabilistic interaction

The synchronized activation of ionic channels generates long-range electrical signals that can be detected on the surface using EEG and MEG. We propose that the spatial and temporal properties of these signals during rhythmic activity are associated with the probabilistic attributes of the ionic channels. Specifically: (1) The EEG-signals present a phase relationship with the open probability of the channels that drives the rhythm, (2) The oscillatory preferences of the signals--the 'EEG spectral profile'--are determined by the location probability (concentration) of the channels. In order to test and apply the hypothesis, it is suggested to correlate open and location probabilities with changes in the structure and dynamic of water molecules, water protons and pH using novel MRI-techniques.

Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors activate a calcium-sensitive transient receptor potential-like conductance in rat hippocampus

In CA3 pyramidal neurons from organotypic slice cultures, activation of G(q)-coupled group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) induces a non-selective cationic conductance that enhances excitability. We have found that this response shares several properties with conductances that are mediated by the transient receptor potential (TRP) family of ion channels, including inhibition by La(3+), 2-aminoethoxydiphenylborane (2APB), cis-N-(2-phenylcyclopentyl)azacyclotridec-1-en-2-amine (MDL 12,330A) and a doubly rectifying current-voltage relationship. Stimulation of mGluR1 and mGluR5 converged to activate the TRP-like conductance in a synergistic manner, and activation of either subtype alone produced only a fraction of the normal response. Activation of the cationic current required elevated intracellular Ca(2+). Chelating intracellular Ca(2+) or blocking Ca(2+) entry through voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels attenuated responses to the activation of mGluRs. Conversely, raising intracellular Ca(2+) potentiated mGluR activation of the TRP-like conductance. Under control conditions, blocking G protein activation using intracellular GDPbetaS with or without N-(2, 6-dimethylphenylcarbamoylmethyl) triethylammonium chloride (QX-314) prevented mGluR-mediated activation of the TRP-like conductance. Following G protein blockade, however, the coupling between mGluRs 1 and/or 5 and the TRP-like conductance was rescued by increasing intracellular Ca(2+). This suggests that a G protein-independent signalling pathway is also activated by group I mGluRs. Such a pathway may represent an alternative transduction mechanism to maintain metabotropic responses under conditions where G proteins are functionally uncoupled from their cognate receptors.

PSD-95 regulates synaptic transmission and plasticity in rat cerebral cortex

PSD-95 is one of the most abundant proteins found in the postsynaptic density of excitatory synapses. However, the precise functional role played by PSD-95 in regulating synaptic transmission and plasticity remains undefined. To address this issue, we have overexpressed PSD-95 in cortical pyramidal neurons in organotypic brain slices using particle-mediated gene transfer and assessed the consequences on synaptic transmission and plasticity. The AMPA receptor/NMDA receptor (AMPAR/NMDAR) ratio of evoked EPSCs recorded at +40 mV was greater in PSD-95-transfected pyramidal neurons than in controls. This difference could not be accounted for by a change in rectification of AMPAR-mediated synaptic currents since the current-voltage curves obtained in controls and in PSD-95-transfected neurons were indistinguishable. However, the amplitude of AMPAR-mediated evoked EPSCs was larger in PSD-95-transfected neurons compared to matched controls. Paired-pulse ratio analysis suggested that overexpression of PSD-95 did not alter presynaptic release probability. Transfection of PSD-95 was further accompanied by an increase in the frequency, but not amplitude, of AMPAR-mediated mEPSCs. Together, these results indicate that transfection of PSD-95 increased AMPAR-mediated synaptic transmission. Furthermore, they suggest that this phenomenon reflects an increased number of synapses expressing AMPARs rather than an increased number or function of these receptors at individual synapses. We tested the consequences of these changes on synaptic plasticity and found that PSD-95 transfection greatly enhanced the probability of observing long-term depression. These results thus identify a physiological role for PSD-95 and demonstrate that this protein can play a decisive role in controlling synaptic strength and activity-dependent synaptic plasticity.

Muscarinic activation of a cation current and associated current noise in entorhinal-cortex layer-II neurons

The effects of muscarinic stimulation on the membrane potential and current of in situ rat entorhinal-cortex layer-II principal neurons were analyzed using the whole cell, patch-clamp technique. In current-clamp experiments, application of carbachol (CCh) induced a slowly developing, prolonged depolarization initially accompanied by a slight decrease or no significant change in input resistance. By contrast, in a later phase of the depolarization input resistance appeared consistently increased. To elucidate the ionic bases of these effects, voltage-clamp experiments were then carried out. In recordings performed in nearly physiological ionic conditions at the holding potential of -60 mV, CCh application promoted the slow development of an inward current deflection consistently associated with a prominent increase in current noise. Similarly to voltage responses to CCh, this inward-current induction was abolished by the muscarinic antagonist, atropine. Current-voltage relationships derived by applying ramp voltage protocols during the different phases of the CCh-induced inward-current deflection revealed the early induction of an inward current that manifested a linear current/voltage relationship in the subthreshold range and the longer-lasting block of an outward K(+) current. The latter current could be blocked by 1 mM extracellular Ba(2+), which allowed us to study the CCh-induced inward current (I(CCh)) in isolation. The extrapolated reversal potential of the isolated I(CCh) was approximately 0 mV and was not modified by complete substitution of intrapipette K(+) with Cs(+). Moreover, the extrapolated I(CCh) reversal shifted to approximately -20 mV on removal of 50% extracellular Na(+). These results are consistent with I(CCh) being a nonspecific cation current. Finally, noise analysis of I(CCh) returned an estimated conductance of the underlying channels of approximately 13.5 pS. We conclude that the depolarizing effect of muscarinic stimuli on entorhinal-cortex layer-II principal neurons depends on both the block of a K(+) conductance and the activation of a "noisy" nonspecific cation current. We suggest that the membrane current fluctuations brought about by I(CCh) channel noise may facilitate the "theta" oscillatory dynamics of these neurons and enhance firing reliability and synchronization.

Activation of group I mGluRs elicits different responses in murine CA1 and CA3 pyramidal cells

The group I metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist DHPG has been shown to produce two major effects on CA3 pyramidal cells at rest: a reduction in the background conductance and an activation of a voltage-gated inward current (I(mGluR(V))). Both effects contribute to depolarising CA3 pyramidal cells and the latter has been implicated in eliciting prolonged epileptiform population bursts. We observed that DHPG-induced depolarisation was smaller in CA1 pyramidal cells than in CA3 cells. Voltage clamp studies revealed that while DHPG elicited I(mGluR(V)) in CA3 pyramidal cells, such a response was absent in CA1 pyramidal cells. Both mGluR1 and mGluR5 have been localised in CA3 pyramidal cells, whereas only mGluR5 has been detected in CA1 pyramidal cells. Using mGluR1 knockout mice, we evaluated whether the absence of an I(mGluR(V)) response can be correlated with the absence of mGluR1. In these experiments, DHPG failed to elicit I(mGluR(V)) in CA3 pyramidal cells. This suggests that the smaller depolarising effects of DHPG on wild-type CA1 pyramidal cells is caused, at least in part, by the absence of I(mGluR(V)) in these cells and that the difference in the responses of CA1 and CA3 cells may be attributable to the lack of mGluR1 in CA1 pyramidal cells.

Physiological effects of sustained blockade of excitatory synaptic transmission on spontaneously active developing neuronal networks--an inquiry into the reciprocal linkage between intrinsic biorhythms and neuroplasticity in early ontogeny

Spontaneous bioelectric activity (SBA) taking the form of extracellularly recorded spike trains (SBA) has been quantitatively analyzed in organotypic neonatal rat visual cortex explants at different ages in vitro, and the effects investigated of both short- and long-term pharmacological suppression of glutamatergic synaptic transmission. In the presence of APV, a selective NMDA receptor blocker, 1-2- (but not 3-)week-old cultures recovered their previous SBA levels in a matter of hours, although in imitation of the acute effect of the GABAergic inhibitor picrotoxin (PTX), bursts of action potentials were abnormally short and intense. Cultures treated either overnight or chronically for 1-3 weeks with APV, the AMPA/kainate receptor blocker DNQX, or a combination of the two were found to display very different abnormalities in their firing patterns. NMDA receptor blockade for 3 weeks produced the most severe deviations from control SBA, consisting of greatly prolonged and intensified burst firing with a strong tendency to be broken up into trains of shorter spike clusters. This pattern was most closely approximated by acute GABAergic disinhibition in cultures of the same age, but this latter treatment also differed in several respects from the chronic-APV effect. In 2-week-old explants, in contrast, it was the APV+DNQX treated group which showed the most exaggerated spike bursts. Functional maturation of neocortical networks, therefore, may specifically require NMDA receptor activation (not merely a high level of neuronal firing) which initially is driven by endogenous rather than afferent evoked bioelectric activity. Putative cellular mechanisms are discussed in the context of a thorough review of the extensive but scattered literature relating activity-dependent brain development to spontaneous neuronal firing patterns.

Simulations of the role of the muscarinic-activated calcium-sensitive nonspecific cation current INCM in entorhinal neuronal activity during delayed matching tasks

Entorhinal lesions impair performance in delayed matching tasks, and blockade of muscarinic cholinergic receptors also impairs performance in these tasks. Physiological data demonstrate that muscarinic cholinergic receptor stimulation activates intrinsic cellular currents in entorhinal neurons that could underlie the role of entorhinal cortex in performance of these tasks. Here we use a network biophysical simulation of the entorhinal cortex to demonstrate the potential role of this cellular mechanism in the behavioral tasks. Simulations demonstrate how the muscarinic-activated calcium-sensitive nonspecific cation current I(NCM) could provide a cellular mechanism for features of the neuronal activity observed during performance of delayed matching tasks. In particular, I(NCM) could underlie (1) the maintenance of sustained spiking activity during the delay period, (2) the enhancement of spiking activity during the matching period relative to the sample period, and (3) the resistance of sustained activity to distractors. Simulation of a larger entorhinal network with connectivity chosen randomly within constraints on number, distribution, and weight demonstrates appearance of other phenomena observed in unit recordings from awake animals, including match suppression, non-match enhancement, and non-match suppression.

Network and intrinsic contributions to carbachol-induced oscillations in the rat subiculum

Low-frequency network oscillations occur in several areas of the limbic system where they contribute to synaptic plasticity and mnemonic functions that are in turn modulated by cholinergic mechanisms. Here we used slices of the rat subiculum (a limbic area involved in cognitive functions) to establish how network and single neuron (intrinsic) membrane mechanisms participate to the rhythmic oscillations elicited by the cholinergic agent carbachol (CCh, 50-100 microM). We have found that CCh-induced network oscillations (intraoscillatory frequency = 5-16 Hz) are abolished by an antagonist of non-N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamatergic receptors (n = 6 slices) but persist during blockade of GABA receptors (n = 16). In addition, during application of glutamate and GABA receptor antagonists, single subicular cells generate burst oscillations at 2.1-6.8 Hz when depolarized with steady current injection. These intrinsic burst oscillations disappear during application of a Ca(2+) channel blocker (n = 6 cells), intracellular Ca(2+) chelation (n = 6), or replacement of extracellular Na(+) (n = 4) but persist in recordings made with electrodes containing a blocker of voltage-gated Na(+) channels (n = 7). These procedures cause similar effects on CCh-induced depolarizing plateau potentials that are contributed by a Ca(2+)-activated nonselective cationic conductance (I(CAN)). Network and intrinsic oscillations along with depolarizing plateau potentials were abolished by the muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that low-frequency oscillations in the rat subiculum rely on the muscarinic receptor-dependent activation of an intrinsic oscillatory mechanism that is presumably contributed by I(CAN) and are integrated within the network via non-NMDA receptor-mediated transmission.

Muscarinic activation of inwardly rectifying K(+) conductance reduces EPSPs in rat hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells

1. To determine how acetylcholine (ACh) modulates the somatodendritic processing of EPSPs, we performed whole-cell recordings from CA1 pyramidal cells of hippocampal slices and examined the effect of the cholinergic agonist, carbachol (CCh), on alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl isoxazole-4-propionate (AMPA) EPSPs, miniature EPSPs, and EPSP-like waveforms evoked by brief dendritic glutamate pulses (glutamate-evoked postsynaptic potentials, GPSPs). 2. Although CCh is known to enhance the intrinsic excitability of the neuron in several ways, activation of atropine-sensitive (muscarinic) receptors on the apical dendrite or the soma of CA1 pyramidal cells consistently reduced the amplitude of EPSPs and GPSPs. 3. Cholinergic inhibition of evoked and simulated EPSP waveforms displayed considerable voltage dependence, with the amplitude of the postsynaptic potentials progressively declining with membrane hyperpolarization indicating the involvement of an inwardly rectifying current. 4. Extracellular Ba(2+) (200 microM) and tertiapin (30 nM), a novel and selective blocker of G protein-activated, inwardly rectifying K(+) (GIRK) channels, completely blocked the effect of CCh on GPSP amplitude. 5. Muscarinic reduction of GPSPs was not sensitive to the M1 receptor-preferring antagonist, pirenzepine, but was suppressed by the M2 receptor-preferring antagonist, methoctramine, and by the allosteric M2 receptor antagonist, gallamine. 6. In voltage-clamp recordings, CCh induced an ion current displaying inward rectification in the hyperpolarizing direction, which was identified as a GIRK current based on its sensitivity to low Ba(2+) and tertiapin. Its pharmacological profile paralleled that of the cholinergic GPSP reduction. 7. We link the observed reduction of postsynaptic potentials to the cholinergic activation of a GIRK conductance, which serves to partially shunt excitatory synaptic input.

Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors elicit epileptiform discharges in the hippocampus through PLCbeta1 signaling

Activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) produces multiple effects in cortical neurons, resulting in the emergence of network activities including epileptiform discharges. The cellular mechanisms underlying such network responses are largely unknown. We examined the properties of group I mGluR-mediated cellular responses in CA3 neurons and attempted to determine their role in the generation of the network activities. Group I mGluR stimulation causes depolarization of hippocampal neurons. This depolarization is primarily mediated by two sets of conductance change: the opening of a voltage-dependent cationic conductance (mediating I(mGluR(V))) and the closing of a voltage-independent (background) K(+) conductance. I(mGluR(V)) was no longer elicited by group I mGluR agonists in the presence of U73122, a phospholipase C (PLC) blocker. Also, the current could not be activated in hippocampal CA3 neurons from PLCbeta1 knock-out mice. In contrast, suppression of PLC signaling did not affect the group I mGluR-mediated suppression of background K(+) conductance. Thus, the suppression of the background K(+) conductance occurred upstream to PLC activation, whereas the generation of I(mGluR(V)) occurred downstream to PLC activation. Group I mGluR agonists normally elicited rhythmic single cell and population burst responses in the CA3 neurons. In the absence of an I(mGluR(V)) response, CA3 neurons in slices prepared from PLCbeta1-/- mutant mice could no longer generate these responses. The results suggest that I(mGluR(V)) expression in CA3 hippocampal neuron is PLCbeta1-dependent and that I(mGluR(V)) plays a necessary role in the generation of rhythmic single cell bursts and synchronized epileptiform discharges in the CA3 region of the hippocampus.

D2-like dopamine receptor activation excites rat dorsal raphe 5-HT neurons in vitro

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of dopamine (DA) on the excitability of dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) neurons using the patch-clamp technique in brain slices. Bath application of DA (1-300 microM) produced a concentration-dependent membrane depolarization in all 5-HT neurons examined. This effect persisted in the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX; 1 microM) and low extracellular calcium. Moreover, blockade of ionotropic glutamate receptors with 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (DNQX) and 2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (AP5) did not prevent DA-induced depolarization, indicating that it was mediated by a direct effect of DA on 5-HT neurons. The DA-induced depolarization was not antagonized by selective alpha1-adrenergic receptor antagonists, prazosin and WB 4101, but by a nonselective DA receptor antagonist, haloperidol. In addition, the selective D2-like receptor agonist quinpirole and antagonist sulpiride mimicked and blocked DA-induced depolarization, respectively. These results indicate that DA-induced membrane depolarization in DRN 5-HT neurons is mediated by the activation of D2-like DA receptors. The DA-induced membrane depolarization and inward current were associated with an increase in membrane conductance. Examination of the current-voltage (I-V) relationship for the DA-induced inward current revealed that the amplitude of the current increased with membrane hyperpolarization and reversed polarity at a potential near -15 mV. These data suggest that DA-induced depolarization in DRN 5-HT neurons is not mediated by a decrease in potassium conductance, but most likely by the activation of a nonselective cation current.

Muscarinic Depression of Synaptic Transmission in the Epileptogenic GABA Withdrawal Syndrome Focus

The GABA withdrawal syndrome (GWS) is a model of local status epilepticus consecutive to the interruption of a prolonged GABA infusion into the rat somatomotor cortex. Bursting patterns in slices from GWS rats include intrinsic bursts of action potentials (APs) induced by intracellular depolarizing current injection and/or paroxysmal depolarization shifts (PDSs) induced by white matter stimulation. Possible changes in the effects of cholinergic drugs after in vivo induction of GWS were investigated on bursting cells ( n = 30) intracellularly recorded in neocortical slices. In GWS slices, acetylcholine (Ach, 200-1000 μM) or carbachol (Cch, 50 μM) applications increased the number of bursts induced by depolarizing current injection while synaptically induced PDSs were significantly diminished (by 50–60%) or even blocked independently of the cholinergic-induced depolarization. The intrinsic burst facilitation and PDS depression provoked by Ach or Cch were mimicked by methyl-acetylcholine (mAch, 100–400 μM, n = 11), were reversed by atropine application (1–50 μM, n = 3), and were not mimicked by nicotine (50–100 μM, n = 4), indicating the involvement of muscarinic receptors. In contrast, in nonbursting cells from the same epileptic area ( n = 42) or from equivalent area in control rats ( n = 24), a nonsignificant muscarinic depression of EPSPs was induced by Cch and Ach. The mAch depression of excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSPs) was significantly lower than that seen for PDSs in GWS rats. None of the cholinergic agonists caused bursting appearance in these cells. Therefore the present study demonstrates a unique implication of muscarinic receptors in exerting opposite effects on intrinsic membrane properties and on synaptic transmission in epileptiform GWS. Muscarinic receptor mechanisms may therefore have a protective role against the development and spread of epileptiform activity from the otherwise-activated epileptic focus.

Effects of spike parameters and neuromodulators on action potential waveform-induced calcium entry into pyramidal neurons

Neocortical pyramidal neurons express several different calcium channel types. Previous studies with square voltage steps have found modest biophysical differences between these calcium channel types as well as differences in their modulation by transmitters. We used acutely dissociated neocortical pyramidal neurons to test whether this diversity extends to different activation by physiological stimuli. We conclude that 1) peak amplitude, latency to peak, and the total charge entry for the Ca(2+) channel current is dependent on the shape of the mock action potential waveforms (APWs). 2) The percent contribution of the five high-voltage-activated currents to the whole cell current was not altered by using an APW as opposed to a voltage step to elicit the current. 3) The identity of the charge carrier affects the amplitude and decay of the whole cell current. With Ca(2+), there was a greater contribution of T-type current to the whole cell current. 4) Total Ba(2+) charge entry is linearly dependent on the number of spikes in the stimulating waveform and relatively insensitive to spike frequency. 5) Current decay was greatest with Ca(2+) as the charge carrier and with minimal internal chelation. 6) Voltage-dependent neurotransmitter-mediated modulations can be reversed by multiple spikes. The extent of the reversal is dependent on the number of spikes in the stimulating waveform. Thus the neuronal activity pattern can determine the effectiveness of voltage-dependent and -independent modulatory pathways in neocortical pyramidal neurons.