Chemical modulation of ephaptic activation of CA3 hippocampal pyramids

Initial results from a model of ephaptic excitation in the electrically excited peripheral auditory nervous system

This article reports on a study performed to investigate the occurrence and effect of ephaptic excitation in electrical stimulation of the auditory system. The objective of the study was to quantify the influence of ephaptic excitation on nerve stimulation and determine whether it is a necessary factor in neuromodeling. It was shown with a simple model that ephaptic excitation could be important at stimulus intensities close to threshold. The results show that the contribution of ephaptic excitation is significant up to at least 6-7dB above threshold. Cochlear implant patients normally have a small dynamic range (average of 7dB), indicating that the ephaptic effect might be important in models of the implanted cochlea.

Electrical interactions via the extracellular potential near cell bodies

Ephaptic interactions between a neuron and axons or dendrites passing by its cell body can be, in principle, more significant than ephaptic interactions among axons in a fiber tract. Extracellular action potentials outside axons are small in amplitude and spatially spread out, while they are larger in amplitude and much more spatially confined near cell bodies. We estimated the extracellular potentials associated with an action potential in a cortical pyramidal cell using standard one-dimensional cable theory and volume conductor theory. Their spatial and temporal pattern reveal much about the location and timing of currents in the cell, especially in combination with a known morphology, and simple experiments could resolve questions about spike initiation. From the extracellular potential we compute the ephaptically induced polarization in a nearby passive cable. The magnitude of this induced voltage can be several mV, does not spread electrotonically, and depends only weakly on the passive properties of the cable. We discuss their possible functional relevance.

Exposure to a conditioned aversive environment interferes with long-term potentiation induction in the fimbria-CA3 pathway

The effect of re-exposure of rats to an aversive environment on the induction of long-term potentiation was investigated in the CA3 region 3 and 12 h after contextual conditioning. Electro-physiological recordings showed that re-exposure of rats to the conditioning chamber produced a significant and long-lasting decrease in population spike amplitude at both post-conditioning delays. High-frequency stimulation of the fimbria induced a large and persistent increase in CA3 population spike amplitude (about 400% of baseline) in animals of control groups and shocked animals that were not re-exposed to the conditioning environment. However, high-frequency stimulation applied during re-exposure of shocked subjects 3 h after the initial exposure resulted in a small and transient increase in population spike amplitude (about 140% of baseline); when applied 12 h after the initial exposure, it produced a persistent depression of the response (-30% of baseline). Behavioural testing indicated that re-exposure of shocked animals to the conditioning environment elicited a qualitatively and quantitatively similar freezing behaviour at both post-conditioning delays (3 or 12 h). In contrast to the long-lasting decrease in CA3 population spike amplitude produced by re-exposure to the aversive environment, the level of freezing behaviour diminished rapidly within 10 min of exposure. These results suggest that, during exposure to a conditioned aversive environment, alterations in fimbria-CA3 neural processing may be dissociated from contextual fear-induced freezing behaviour. In addition, processes underlying long-term potentiation induction in fimbria-CA3 pathway may be opposite to those taking place during hippocampal processing of conditioned aversive contexts.

Influence of osmolality on seizure amplitude and propagation in the rat dentate gyrus

We tested the role of changes in extracellular space on synchronization and propagation of epileptiform activity in the dentate gyrus in vitro by manipulating the osmolality of the perfusing solution. Increasing the osmolality reduced the amplitude of the population spikes and slowed the propagation of the epileptiform activity. Decreasing the osmolality had the opposite effect. Assuming there were significant changes in the size of the extracellular space, and therefore the ease with which ephaptic interactions can occur, these results support the hypothesis that ephaptic interactions play a role in the synchronization and propagation of epileptic activity in the dentate gyrus.

Responses in the CA1 region of the rat hippocampus to a noxious stimulus

We report here some physiological and pharmacological characteristics of noxious stimuli-induced changes in the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cell synaptic excitability to field CA3 stimulation. A noxious heat stimulus applied to the left hind paw (LHP) produced a persistent depression of the CA1 population spike (PS) which habituated to a repetition of the stimulus. Interestingly, exposure of the tail to a noxious stimulus following habituation of the LHP produced a depression of the CA1 PS. This finding suggested that persistent depression and habituation are topographically represented. In separate experiments we determined that while the persistent depression of the CA1 population spike was accompanied by, in most cases, a prolonged increase in the amplitude of the CA1 antidromic field potential, there was a concurrent persistent depression and habituation of the CA1 PS and the corresponding apical dendritic field excitatory postsynaptic potential (dfEPSP). This suggested that noxious stimulus-induced CA1 synaptic depression is mediated at the apical dendritic region, perhaps postsynaptically at the dendrites and/or presynaptically on CA3 afferent terminals. Furthermore, atropine sulfate (40 mg/kg ip), which prevented the depression of the CA1 PS, also blocked the depression of dfEPSP when iontophoresed at the apical dendritic recording site. In addition atropine antagonized the depression of the dfEPSP produced by iontophoretic acetylcholine (Ach) but not gamma-aminobutyric acid. However, iontophoretic atropine at the cell body recording site did not prevent the depression of the CA1 PS. These results are consistent with the notion that Ach release in the apical dendrites of CA1 pyramidal cells following a noxious stimulus depresses CA1 synaptic excitability.

Role of activity in the selection of new electrical synapses between adult Helisoma neurons

Our aim was to determine whether neural activity in the form of sodium-dependent action potentials play a role in the formation, maintenance and specificity of electrical synapses between regenerating neurons. We axotomized buccal neurons of the mollusc, Helisoma trivolvis, and placed ganglia into organ culture in the absence or presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX), a specific sodium channel blocker. Electrical coupling was measured using intracellular microelectrodes positioned within the soma of identified neurons. Neurite outgrowth was assessed by epifluorescence microscopy after filling neurons by iontophoresis with Lucifer yellow. Previous studies found that two days after axotomy transient electrical synapses form between heterologous neurons (e.g. buccal neurons 4 and 5). Five days after axotomy these transient connections disappeared and a new electrical synapse was stabilized between the paired buccal neurons 5. To determine whether blocking neural activity with TTX affected the specificity and formation of new electrical synapses, we examined electrical coupling between the heterologous neurons 4 and 5 two days after axotomy, and the paired buccal neurons 5 five days after axotomy. Our electrophysiological recordings indicated that different neurons in the buccal ganglion varied in their sensitivity to TTX (i.e. sensitivity of buccal neurons 19 greater than 5 greater than 4), but spontaneous activity was abolished in all 3 neurons by 2 x 10(-5) M TTX. Furthermore, the inhibitory effects of TTX occurred within seconds of superfusion and persisted for at least 6 days. Inhibition of activity by TTX could be reversed after superfusion with normal saline. Neurite outgrowth from axotomized neurons was not appreciably altered in the presence of TTX. Furthermore, no differences in the incidence of electrical coupling or the coupling resistance were detected between neurons 4 and 5 two days after axotomy and organ culture in the presence of TTX. However, electrical coupling between the symmetrically paired neurons 5 was elevated in the presence of TTX after 5 days. We conclude from these results that neural activity in the form of sodium-dependent action potentials does not play an important role in the formation or breaking of transient electrical synapses during neuronal regeneration in the mollusc Helisoma trivolvis.

Seizure susceptibility and the osmotic state

In some unknown manner, water uptake by brain cells (hyposmolality) promotes generalized seizure in humans and experimental animals, whereas cell dehydration (hyperosmolality) protects against it. We have replicated both scenarios in slices of hippocampus undergoing electrographic seizures. Surprisingly, a shift in osmolality does not change the excitability of individual neurons but rather, it alters the degree to which neurons interact. Hyposmolality enhances both excitatory synaptic transmission in neocortex and field (ephaptic) effects, the latter arising when cortical cells fire as a population. We propose that these increased excitatory interactions promote the synchrony that characterizes epileptiform activity.

Gap junction protein in rat hippocampus: correlative light and electron microscope immunohistochemical localization

Immunohistochemical techniques and an affinity-purified antibody directed against the 27-kD gap-junctional protein (GJP) from rat liver were used to determine the ultrastructural localization of GJP in the rat hippocampus. At the light microscope level, dense GJP immunoreactivity having a stringlike appearance was seen in a very small percentage of medium-sized neuronal somata located in the stratum pyramidale, and diffuse immunostaining was seen in many small cell bodies in the stratum pyramidale, stratum oriens, and the alveus. Abundant GJP-immunoreactive (GJP-IR) varicose fibers were observed in the strata pyramidale, radiatum, and oriens but were less concentrated in the alveus. Numerous punctate GJP-IR elements were observed in all hippocampal layers. Upon EM analysis, GJP-IR neuronal somata in the stratum pyramidale were found to be, without exception, nonpyramidal neurons as judged by such distinguishing features as their fusiform perikarya, indented nucleus, and well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER). Immunostaining within these cells was largely localized to the Golgi apparatus and associated vesicular components. Small, diffusely GJP-IR cells were identified ultrastructurally as protoplasmic and fibrous astrocytes. Immunostaining within these cells was localized to the Golgi apparatus, RER, and small, ribosomelike bodies 15-25 nm in diameter. Among neuronal processes GJP immunoreactivity was found within dendrites, axons, and axonal terminals. The latter structures contained numerous GJP-IR vesicles having an average diameter of about 40 nm. A frequent observation indicating some degree of specificity of the anti-GJP antibody employed here was immunostaining of typical gap junctions between dendrites and, more commonly, between processes of glial cells. Occasionally, however, GJP-IR dendrodendritic, axodendritic, and axoaxonic contacts were found that could be considered, at best, as being gap-junction-like (gj-L). In these cases, asymmetric immunostaining of adjacent plasma membranes forming gj-L structures was not uncommon. These results confirm the existence of gap junctions between dendrites in the rat hippocampus and demonstrate that GJP immunoreactivity on cytoplasmic membranes is restricted either to typical neuronal and glial gap junctions or to gj-L structures at circumscribed sites of contact between various types of neuronal elements where GJP may contribute to a novel mechanism of neural communication.

Gap junction protein in rat hippocampus: light microscope immunohistochemical localization

An affinity-purified antibody against a 27-kD rat liver gap-junctional protein (GJP) was used to determine the distribution of GJP immunoreactivity in sections of rat hippocampus. Four heterogeneously distributed GJP-immunostaining patterns were observed. The two most common were punctate immunoreactive elements ranging in size from 0.3 to 0.7 microns and networks of immunoreactive varicose fibers coursing in a variety of directions within the various hippocampal layers and ranging in length from a few microns up to 200 microns. The density of punctate immunostaining was highest within a portion of the stratum pyramidale, at the border between the stratum pyramidale and stratum oriens, and at the border between the molecular and granule cell layers of the dentate gyrus. Moderate to low densities were observed in other hippocampal areas. Immunoreactive fibers were most concentrated within the border portions of the stratum pyramidale and oriens, moderately distributed in the stratum radiatum and the remaining part of the stratum oriens, and sparse in the alveus. In the dentate gyrus, fiber networks were most evident at the border between the granule cell and molecular layers and very unevenly distributed in the molecular layer. The two other patterns observed included intense filamentous immunostaining within a small number of neuronal perikarya located mainly in the stratum pyramidale of areas CA2 and CA3, but rarely in area CA1 or the dentate gyrus, and diffuse immunostaining of small cell bodies dispersed throughout the hippocampus but most numerous in the vicinity of the stratum pyramidale and in the alveus. All of these immunostaining patterns were seen at all rostrocaudal hippocampal levels. These results suggest that if GJP-immunoreactive fibers and neurons observed in the hippocampus have the capacity to form gap junctions, then electrotonic transmission may constitute an important means of information processing within this structure.

Septohippocampal disinhibition

Intracellular recordings from CA1 and CA2/3 neurons in rats under urethane anesthesia revealed the following effects of medial septal stimulation (10 pulse trains at approximately 100 Hz): (1) in most cases only minimal signs of any synaptic potential; (2) a marked and prolonged (200-500 ms) depression of on-going inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs), particularly evident when IPSPs were reversed by Cl- injection; (3) a corresponding increase in input resistance: (4) depolarization when recording with non-Cl(-)-containing electrodes; (5) a predominant hyperpolarization when recording with Cl(-)-containing electrodes; and (6) a marked reduction of the variability of resistance and voltage data. These observations indicate that septal stimulation can strongly depress tonic inhibition in the hippocampus. Septal trains also tended to weaken IPSPs evoked in pyramidal cells by fimbrial stimulation, reducing conductance increase during IPSPs by an average of 42% (S.D. +/- 24.3). Septal inputs to the hippocampal CA1 and CA2/3 regions appear to have a major disinhibitory function.