Cholinergic modulation of sensory interference in rat primary somatosensory cortical neurons

Cognitive Deficits in Aging Related to Changes in Basal Forebrain Neuronal Activity

Aging is a physiological process accompanied by a decline in cognitive performance. The cholinergic neurons of the basal forebrain provide projections to the cortex that are directly engaged in many cognitive processes in mammals. In addition, basal forebrain neurons contribute to the generation of different rhythms in the EEG along the sleep/wakefulness cycle. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of recent advances grouped around the changes in basal forebrain activity during healthy aging. Elucidating the underlying mechanisms of brain function and their decline is especially relevant in today's society as an increasingly aged population faces higher risks of developing neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. The profound age-related cognitive deficits and neurodegenerative diseases associated with basal forebrain dysfunction highlight the importance of investigating the aging of this brain region.

Reduced Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I Effects in the Basal Forebrain of Aging Mouse

It is known that aging is frequently accompanied by a decline in cognition. Furthermore, aging is associated with lower serum IGF-I levels that may contribute to this deterioration. We studied the effect of IGF-I in neurons of the horizontal diagonal band of Broca (HDB) of young (≤6 months old) and old (≥20-month-old) mice to determine if changes in the response of these neurons to IGF-I occur along with aging. Local injection of IGF-I in the HDB nucleus increased their neuronal activity and induced fast oscillatory activity in the electrocorticogram (ECoG). Furthermore, IGF-I facilitated tactile responses in the primary somatosensory cortex elicited by air-puffs delivered in the whiskers. These excitatory effects decreased in old mice. Immunohistochemistry showed that cholinergic HDB neurons express IGF-I receptors and that IGF-I injection increased the expression of c-fos in young, but not in old animals. IGF-I increased the activity of optogenetically-identified cholinergic neurons in young animals, suggesting that most of the IGF-I-induced excitatory effects were mediated by activation of these neurons. Effects of aging were partially ameliorated by chronic IGF-I treatment in old mice. The present findings suggest that reduced IGF-I activity in old animals participates in age-associated changes in cortical activity.

Cholinergic modulation of sensory processing in awake mouse cortex

Cholinergic modulation of brain activity is fundamental for awareness and conscious sensorimotor behaviours, but deciphering the timing and significance of acetylcholine actions for these behaviours is challenging. The widespread nature of cholinergic projections to the cortex means that new insights require access to specific neuronal populations, and on a time-scale that matches behaviourally relevant cholinergic actions. Here, we use fast, voltage imaging of L2/3 cortical pyramidal neurons exclusively expressing the genetically-encoded voltage indicator Butterfly 1.2, in awake, head-fixed mice, receiving sensory stimulation, whilst manipulating the cholinergic system. Altering muscarinic acetylcholine function re-shaped sensory-evoked fast depolarisation and subsequent slow hyperpolarisation of L2/3 pyramidal neurons. A consequence of this re-shaping was disrupted adaptation of the sensory-evoked responses, suggesting a critical role for acetylcholine during sensory discrimination behaviour. Our findings provide new insights into how the cortex processes sensory information and how loss of acetylcholine, for example in Alzheimer's Disease, disrupts sensory behaviours.

Lesions of the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (Meynert) induce enhanced somatosensory responses and tactile hypersensitivity in rats

We used the immunotoxin 192 immunoglobulin G-saporin to produce a selective cholinergic lesion in the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) of rats and investigated whether the NBM lesion led to tactile hypersensitivity in the forepaw. The paw mechanical threshold test showed that the lesioned rats had a decreased threshold compared to the control. Surprisingly, there was a significant positive correlation between mechanical threshold and survival rate of NBM cholinergic neurons. Furthermore, using local field potential (LFP) recordings and voltage-sensitive dye (VSD) imaging, we found that the forepaw-evoked response in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) was significantly enhanced in both amplitude and spatial extent in the NBM-lesioned rats. The neurophysiological measures of S1 response, such as LFP amplitude and maximal activated cortical area depicted by VSD, were also correlated with withdrawal behavior. Additional pharmacological experiments demonstrated that forepaw-evoked responses were increased in naive rats by blocking S1 cholinergic receptors with mecamylamine and scopolamine, while the response decreased in NBM-lesioned rats with the cholinergic agonist carbachol. In addition, NBM burst stimulation, which facilitates acetylcholine release in the S1, suppressed subsequent sensory responses to forepaw stimulation. Taken together, these results suggest that neuronal loss in the NBM diminishes acetylcholine actions in the S1, thereby enhancing the cortical representation of sensory stimuli, which may in turn lead to behavioral hypersensitivity.

Muscarinic Receptors, from Synaptic Plasticity to its Role in Network Activity

Acetylcholine acting via metabotropic receptors plays a key role in learning and memory by regulating synaptic plasticity and circuit activity. However, a recent overall view of the effects of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) on excitatory and inhibitory long-term synaptic plasticity and on circuit activity is lacking. This review focusses on specific aspects of the regulation of synaptic plasticity and circuit activity by mAChRs in the hippocampus and cortex. Acetylcholine increases the excitability of pyramidal neurons, facilitating the generation of dendritic Ca²⁺-spikes, NMDA-spikes and action potential bursts which provide the main source of Ca²⁺ influx necessary to induce synaptic plasticity. The activation of mAChRs induced Ca²⁺ release from intracellular IP₃-sensitive stores is a major player in the induction of a NMDA independent long-term potentiation (LTP) caused by an increased expression of AMPA receptors in hippocampal pyramidal neuron dendritic spines. In the neocortex, activation of mAChRs also induces a long-term enhancement of excitatory postsynaptic currents. In addition to effects on excitatory synapses, a single brief activation of mAChRs together with short repeated membrane depolarization can induce a long-term enhancement of GABA A type (GABA_A) inhibition through an increased expression of GABA_A receptors in hippocampal pyramidal neurons. By contrast, a long term depression of GABA_A inhibition (iLTD) is induced by muscarinic receptor activation in the absence of postsynaptic depolarizations. This iLTD is caused by an endocannabinoid-mediated presynaptic inhibition that reduces the GABA release probability at the terminals of inhibitory interneurons. This bidirectional long-term plasticity of inhibition may dynamically regulate the excitatory/inhibitory balance depending on the quiescent or active state of the postsynaptic pyramidal neurons. Therefore, acetylcholine can induce varied effects on neuronal activity and circuit behavior that can enhance sensory detection and processing through the modification of circuit activity leading to learning, memory and behavior.

Bilateral Pathways from the Basal Forebrain to Sensory Cortices May Contribute to Synchronous Sensory Processing

Sensory processing in the cortex should integrate inputs arriving from receptive fields located on both sides of the body. This role could be played by the corpus callosum through precise projections between both hemispheres. However, different studies suggest that cholinergic projections from the basal forebrain (BF) could also contribute to the synchronization and integration of cortical activities. Using tracer injections and optogenetic techniques in transgenic mice, we investigated whether the BF cells project bilaterally to sensory cortical areas, and have provided anatomical evidence to support a modulatory role for the cholinergic projections in sensory integration. Application of the retrograde tracer Fluor-Gold or Fast Blue in both hemispheres of the primary somatosensory (S1), auditory or visual cortical areas showed labeled neurons in the ipsi- and contralateral areas of the diagonal band of Broca and substantia innominata. The nucleus basalis magnocellularis only showed ipsilateral projections to the cortex. Optogenetic stimulation of the horizontal limb of the diagonal band of Broca facilitated whisker responses in the S1 cortex of both hemispheres through activation of muscarinic cholinergic receptors and this effect was diminished by atropine injection. In conclusion, our findings have revealed that specific areas of the BF project bilaterally to sensory cortices and may contribute to the coordination of neuronal activity on both hemispheres.

Molecular, Cellular and Circuit Basis of Cholinergic Modulation of Pain

In addition to being a key component of the autonomic nervous system, acetylcholine acts as a prominent neurotransmitter and neuromodulator upon release from key groups of cholinergic projection neurons and interneurons distributed across the central nervous system. It has been more than forty years since it was discovered that cholinergic transmission profoundly modifies the perception of pain. Directly activating cholinergic receptors or extending the action of endogenous acetylcholine via pharmacological blockade of acetylcholine esterase reduces pain in rodents as well as humans; conversely, inhibition of muscarinic cholinergic receptors induces nociceptive hypersensitivity. Here, we aim to review the considerable progress in our understanding of peripheral, spinal and brain contributions to cholinergic modulation of pain. We discuss the distribution of cholinergic neurons, muscarinic and nicotinic receptors over the central nervous system and the synaptic and circuit-level modulation by cholinergic signaling. AchRs profoundly regulate nociceptive transmission at the level of the spinal cord via pre- as well as postsynaptic mechanisms. Moreover, we attempt to provide an overview of how some of the salient regions in the pain network spanning the brain, such as the primary somatosensory cortex, insular cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, the medial prefrontal cortex and descending modulatory systems are influenced by cholinergic modulation. Finally, we critically discuss the clinical relevance of cholinergic signaling to pain therapy. Cholinergic mechanisms contribute to several both conventional as well as unorthodox forms of pain treatments, and reciprocal interactions between cholinergic and opioidergic modulation impact on the function and efficacy of both opioids and cholinomimetic drugs.

Neurologic dysfunction and genotoxicity induced by low levels of chlorpyrifos

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is an organophosphorus cholinesterase inhibitor widely used as an insecticide. Neuro and genotoxicity of this agent were evaluated following daily subcutaneous injections at 0.1, 1 and 10mg/kg or its vehicle to laboratory rats during one week, at the end of which somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) and power spectrum of the electroencephalogram (EEGp) were recorded under urethane anesthesia. In another group of conscious animals, auditory startle reflex (ASR) was evaluated followed, after euthanasia, with measurements of plasma B-esterases, and genotoxicity with the alkaline comet assay (ACA) at the same CPF doses. The results indicated a CPF dose related inhibition of B-esterases. Enhanced inhibition of the ASR by a subthreshold pre-pulse was observed at all doses and ACA showed a significant higher DNA damage than vehicle controls in animals exposed to 10mg/kg CPF. A trend to higher frequencies of EEGp and an increase in amplitude of the first negative wave of the SEP were found at all doses. The first positive wave of the SEP decreased at the CPF dose of 10mg/kg. In summary, a shift to higher EEG frequencies and alterations of somatosensory and auditory input to the central nervous system were sensitive manifestations of CPF toxicity, associated with depression of B-esterases. The changes in electrical activity of the cerebral cortex and DNA damage observed at doses that do not elicit overt toxicity may be useful in the detection of CPF exposure before clinical signs appear.

Basal forebrain dynamics during a tactile discrimination task

The nucleus basalis (NB) is a cholinergic neuromodulatory structure that projects liberally to the entire cortical mantle and regulates information processing in all cortical layers. Here, we recorded activity from populations of single units in the NB as rats performed a whisker-dependent tactile discrimination task. Over 80% of neurons responded with significant modulation in at least one phase of the task. Such activity started before stimulus onset and continued for seconds after reward delivery. Firing rates monotonically increased with reward magnitude during the task, suggesting that NB neurons are not indicating the absolute deviation from expected reward amounts. Individual neurons also encoded significant amounts of information about stimulus identity. Such robust coding was not present when the same stimuli were delivered to lightly anesthetized animals, suggesting that the NB neurons contain a sensorimotor, rather than purely sensory or motor, representation of the environment. Overall, these results support the hypothesis that neurons in the NB provide a value-laden representation of the sensorimotor state of the animal as it engages in significant behavioral tasks.

Set and setting: how behavioral state regulates sensory function and plasticity

Recently developed neuroimaging and electrophysiological techniques are allowing us to answer fundamental questions about how behavioral states regulate our perception of the external environment. Studies using these techniques have yielded surprising insights into how sensory processing is affected at the earliest stages by attention and motivation, and how new sensory information received during wakefulness (e.g., during learning) continues to affect sensory brain circuits (leading to plastic changes) during subsequent sleep. This review aims to describe how brain states affect sensory response properties among neurons in primary and secondary sensory cortices, and how this relates to psychophysical detection thresholds and performance on sensory discrimination tasks. This is not intended to serve as a comprehensive overview of all brain states, or all sensory systems, but instead as an illustrative description of how three specific state variables (attention, motivation, and vigilance [i.e., sleep vs. wakefulness]) affect sensory systems in which they have been best studied.

Cholinergic-mediated response enhancement in barrel cortex layer V pyramidal neurons

Neocortical cholinergic activity plays a fundamental role in sensory processing and cognitive functions, but the underlying cellular mechanisms are largely unknown. We analyzed the effects of acetylcholine (ACh) on synaptic transmission and cell excitability in rat "barrel cortex" layer V (L5) pyramidal neurons in vitro. ACh through nicotinic and M1 muscarinic receptors enhanced excitatory postsynaptic currents and through nicotinic and M2 muscarinic receptors reduced inhibitory postsynaptic currents. These effects increased excitability and contributed to the generation of Ca(2+) spikes and bursts of action potentials (APs) when inputs in basal dendrites were stimulated. Ca(2+) spikes were mediated by activation of NMDA receptors (NMDARs) and L-type voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels. Additionally, we demonstrate in vivo that basal forebrain stimulation induced an atropine-sensitive increase of L5 AP responses evoked by vibrissa deflection, an effect mainly due to the enhancement of an NMDAR component. Therefore, ACh modified the excitatory/inhibitory balance and switched L5 pyramidal neurons to a bursting mode that caused a potent and sustained response enhancement with possible fundamental consequences for the function of the barrel cortex.

Posterior parietal cortex dynamically ranks topographic signals via cholinergic influence

The hypothesis to be discussed in this review is that posterior parietal cortex (PPC) is directly involved in selecting relevant stimuli and filtering irrelevant distractors. The PPC receives input from several sensory modalities and integrates them in part to direct the allocation of resources to optimize gains. In conjunction with prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and basal forebrain cholinergic nuclei, it comprises a network mediating sustained attentional performance. Numerous anatomical, neurophysiological, and lesion studies have substantiated the notion that the basic functions of the PPC are conserved from rodents to humans. One such function is the detection and selection of relevant stimuli necessary for making optimal choices or responses. The issues to be addressed here are how behaviorally relevant targets recruit oscillatory potentials and spiking activity of posterior parietal neurons compared to similar yet irrelevant stimuli. Further, the influence of cortical cholinergic input to PPC in learning and decision-making is also discussed. I propose that these neurophysiological correlates of attention are transmitted to frontal cortical areas contributing to the top-down selection of stimuli in a timely manner.

Localization of pre- and postsynaptic cholinergic markers in rodent forebrain: a brief history and comparison of rat and mouse

Rat and mouse models are widely used for studies in cognition and pathophysiology, among others. Here, we sought to determine to what extent these two model species differ for cholinergic and cholinoceptive features. For this purpose, we focused on cholinergic innervation patterns based on choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunostaining, and the expression of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) detected immunocytochemically. In this brief review we first place cholinergic and cholinoceptive markers in a historic perspective, and then provide an overview of recent publications on cholinergic studies and techniques to provide a literature survey of current research. Next, we compare mouse (C57Bl/J6) and rat (Wistar) cholinergic and cholinoceptive systems simultaneously stained, respectively, for ChAT (analyzed qualitatively) and mAChRs (analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively). In general, the topographic cholinergic innervation patterns of both rodent species are highly comparable, with only considerable (but region specific) differences in number of detectable cholinergic interneurons, which are more numerous in rat. In contrast, immunolabeling for mAChRs, detected by the monoclonal antibody M35, differs markedly in the forebrain between the two species. In mouse brain, basal levels of activated and/or internalized mAChRs (as a consequence of cholinergic neurotransmission) are significantly higher. This suggests a higher cholinergic tone in mouse than rat, and hence the animal model of choice may have consequences for cholinergic drug testing experiments.

Collateral projection from the forebrain and mesopontine cholinergic neurons to whisker-related, sensory and motor regions of the rat

The primary goal of this anatomical study was to examine in the rat whether cholinergic neurons provide axon collaterals to whisker-related, sensorimotor regions at cortical, thalamic, and brainstem levels, using a combined method of retrograde tracing and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunostaining. First, when injections were made at primary sensory (S1) barrel field/primary whisker motor (M1) cortices, cholinergic neurons with dual projections were observed in the basal nucleus of Meynert (BM), mainly at middle level; the projection was almost exclusively ipsilateral (99%+/-0.7%, n=6). Second, following unilateral injections of tracers into ventroposteromedial (VPM) barreloids/ventrolateral (VL) thalamic nucleus, dual-projecting cells were observed in the mesopontine tegmental complex including the pedunculopontine tegmental (PTg) and laterodorsal tegmental (LDTg) nuclei, mainly at rostral to middle levels; the projection exhibited ipsilateral dominance, i.e., 67%+/-1.3% (n=6) for the PTg and 64%+/-1.2% (n=6) for the LDTg. Finally, when injections were made at whisker-related, principal sensory trigeminal (Pr5)/facial motor (Mo7) nuclei, a relatively small number of labeled neurons were observed in the PTg and the LDTg at middle to caudal levels; within LDTg, labeled cells occupied the ventral portion of the dorsal LDTg as well as the ventral LDTg (LDTgV). This projection exhibited contralateral preponderance, i.e., 67%+/-2.0% (n=6) for the PTg and 69%+/-3.2% (n=6) for the LDTg. Taken together, the present observations demonstrated that each division of the BM, PTg, and LDTg possessed a differential functional organization with respect to its collateral projection to whisker-related sensorimotor targets, suggesting that the cholinergic projection might play a modulatory role in vibrissal sensorimotor integration, which allows the guidance of behavioral action essential for the survival of the animal.

Estrogen therapy and cognition: a review of the cholinergic hypothesis

The pros and cons of estrogen therapy for use in postmenopausal women continue to be a major topic of debate in women's health. Much of this debate focuses on the potential benefits vs. harm of estrogen therapy on the brain and the risks for cognitive impairment associated with aging and Alzheimer's disease. Many animal and human studies suggest that estrogens can have significant beneficial effects on brain aging and cognition and reduce the risk of Alzheimer's-related dementia; however, others disagree. Important discoveries have been made, and hypotheses have emerged that may explain some of the inconsistencies. This review focuses on the cholinergic hypothesis, specifically on evidence that beneficial effects of estrogens on brain aging and cognition are related to interactions with cholinergic projections emanating from the basal forebrain. These cholinergic projections play an important role in learning and attentional processes, and their function is known to decline with advanced age and in association with Alzheimer's disease. Evidence suggests that many of the effects of estrogens on neuronal plasticity and function and cognitive performance are related to or rely upon interactions with these cholinergic projections; however, studies also suggest that the effectiveness of estrogen therapy decreases with age and time after loss of ovarian function. We propose a model in which deficits in basal forebrain cholinergic function contribute to age-related changes in the response to estrogen therapy. Based on this model, we propose that cholinergic-enhancing drugs, used in combination with an appropriate estrogen-containing drug regimen, may be a viable therapeutic strategy for use in older postmenopausal women with early evidence of mild cognitive decline.

Cholinergic pairing with visual activation results in long-term enhancement of visual evoked potentials

Acetylcholine (ACh) contributes to learning processes by modulating cortical plasticity in terms of intensity of neuronal activity and selectivity properties of cortical neurons. However, it is not known if ACh induces long term effects within the primary visual cortex (V1) that could sustain visual learning mechanisms. In the present study we analyzed visual evoked potentials (VEPs) in V1 of rats during a 4–8 h period after coupling visual stimulation to an intracortical injection of ACh analog carbachol or stimulation of basal forebrain. To clarify the action of ACh on VEP activity in V1, we individually pre-injected muscarinic (scopolamine), nicotinic (mecamylamine), α7 (methyllycaconitine), and NMDA (CPP) receptor antagonists before carbachol infusion. Stimulation of the cholinergic system paired with visual stimulation significantly increased VEP amplitude (56%) during a 6 h period. Pre-treatment with scopolamine, mecamylamine and CPP completely abolished this long-term enhancement, while α7 inhibition induced an instant increase of VEP amplitude. This suggests a role of ACh in facilitating visual stimuli responsiveness through mechanisms comparable to LTP which involve nicotinic and muscarinic receptors with an interaction of NMDA transmission in the visual cortex.

Functional mapping of rat barrel activation following whisker stimulation using activity-induced manganese-dependent contrast

BACKGROUND

Cortical whisker barrels in the primary somatosensory cortex are a well-known example of brain function in rodents. The well-defined relationship between barrels and whiskers makes this system a unique model to study neuronal function and plasticity. In this study, we sought to establish a feasible working protocol of applying manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI) to map the cortical barrels following whisker stimulation.

METHODS

The protocol was based on the principle of activity-induced manganese-dependent (AIM) contrast. Rats were prepared by sodium pentobarbital anesthetization, intraperitoneal manganese-chloride injection, right common carotid mannitol injection and temperature maintenance. Left whiskers were connected to a speaker through a cotton thread and were stimulated by a series of rectangular pulses. MEMRI was acquired with a 3T scanner 3 h after whisker stimulation. Before MR scanning, Wistar rats were euthanized to avoid motion artifacts. To improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and detection sensitivity, image coregistration, pixel intensity normalization, statistical mapping, group averaging and subtraction were performed. The AIM enhancement of the cortical barrels was quantified using volume of interest analysis on the acquired T1WI and R1 mapping.

RESULTS

Both experimental and control groups showed greater enhancement in the right hemisphere, same side as mannitol injection. In the experimental group, however, activity-induced enhancement was more localized in the right barrel fields, whereas in the control group, the enhancement was uniform throughout the right cortex. In the right cortical barrels, the enhancement ratios and R1 values in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group. In the left cortical barrels, there was no significant difference between the two groups. Subtracted images and voxel-based statistical t-value mapping between experimental and control groups showed additional enhancement concentrated in the right cortical barrels.

CONCLUSIONS

We have mapped rat whisker barrels using the AIM method and have shown a clear relationship between manganese-enhanced cortical regions and whisker tactile-sense-evoked activity. It is possible that, with sufficient SNR, the AIM method may reach whisker barrel discrimination, potentially useful to study plasticity in surgically or genetically manipulated rat brains.