Multiple single-unit recordings in the striatum of freely moving animals: effects of apomorphine and D-amphetamine in normal and unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats

Responses in the left and right entopallium are differently affected by light stimulation in embryo

Sensory stimulation during the prenatal period has been argued to be a main factor in establishing asymmetry in the vertebrate brain. However, though largely studied in behavior and neuroanatomy, nothing is known on the effects of light stimulation in embryo on the activities of single neurons. We performed single-unit recordings from the left and right entopallium of dark- and light-incubated chicks, following ipsi-, contra-, and bilateral visual stimulation. Light incubation increased the general responsiveness of visual neurons in both the left and the right entopallium. Entopallial responses were clearly lateralized in dark-incubated chicks, which showed a general right-hemispheric dominance. This could be suppressed or inverted after light incubation, revealing the presence of both spontaneous and light-dependent asymmetries. These results suggest that asymmetry in single-neuron activity is present at the onset and can be modulated by environmental stimuli such as light exposure in embryos.

Striatal mechanisms of turning behaviour following unilateral dopamine depletion in mice

Unilateral dopamine (DA) depletion produces ipsiversive turning behaviour, and the injection of DA receptor agonists can produce contraversive turning, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We conducted in vivo recording and pharmacological and optogenetic manipulations to study the role of DA and striatal output in turning behaviour. We used a video-based tracking programme while recording single unit activity in both putative medium spiny projection neurons (MSNs) and fast-spiking interneurons (FSIs) in the dorsal striatum bilaterally. Our results suggest that unilateral DA depletion reduced striatal output from the depleted side, resulting in asymmetric striatal output. Depletion systematically altered activity in both MSNs and FSIs, especially in neurons that increased firing during turning movements. Like D1 agonist SKF 38393, optogenetic stimulation in the depleted striatum increased striatal output and reversed biassed turning. These results suggest that relative striatal outputs from the two cerebral hemispheres determine the direction of turning: Mice turn away from the side of higher striatal output and towards the side of the lower striatal output.

Striatal Direct Pathway Targets Npas1+ Pallidal Neurons

The classic basal ganglia circuit model asserts a complete segregation of the two striatal output pathways. Empirical data argue that, in addition to indirect-pathway striatal projection neurons (iSPNs), direct-pathway striatal projection neurons (dSPNs) innervate the external globus pallidus (GPe). However, the functions of the latter were not known. In this study, we interrogated the organization principles of striatopallidal projections and their roles in full-body movement in mice (both males and females). In contrast to the canonical motor-promoting response of dSPNs in the dorsomedial striatum (DMSdSPNs), optogenetic stimulation of dSPNs in the dorsolateral striatum (DLSdSPNs) suppressed locomotion. Circuit analyses revealed that dSPNs selectively target Npas1+ neurons in the GPe. In a chronic 6-hydroxydopamine lesion model of Parkinson's disease, the dSPN-Npas1+ projection was dramatically strengthened. As DLSdSPN-Npas1+ projection suppresses movement, the enhancement of this projection represents a circuit mechanism for the hypokinetic symptoms of Parkinson's disease that has not been previously considered. In sum, our results suggest that dSPN input to the GPe is a critical circuit component that is involved in the regulation of movement in both healthy and parkinsonian states.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In the classic basal ganglia model, the striatum is described as a divergent structure: it controls motor and adaptive functions through two segregated, opposing output streams. However, the experimental results that show the projection from direct-pathway neurons to the external pallidum have been largely ignored. Here, we showed that this striatopallidal subpathway targets a select subset of neurons in the external pallidum and is motor-suppressing. We found that this subpathway undergoes changes in a Parkinson's disease model. In particular, our results suggest that the increase in strength of this subpathway contributes to the slowness or reduced movements observed in Parkinson's disease.

Simulation of Large Scale Neural Models With Event-Driven Connectivity Generation

Accurate simulations of brain structures is a major problem in neuroscience. Many works are dedicated to design better models or to develop more efficient simulation schemes. In this paper, we propose a hybrid simulation scheme that combines time-stepping second-order integration of Hodgkin-Huxley (HH) type neurons with event-driven updating of the synaptic currents. As the HH model is a continuous model, there is no explicit spike events. Thus, in order to preserve the accuracy of the integration method, a spike detection algorithm is developed that accurately determines spike times. This approach allows us to regenerate the outgoing connections at each event, thereby avoiding the storage of the connectivity. Consequently, memory consumption is significantly reduced while preserving execution time and accuracy of the simulations, especially the spike times of detailed point neuron models. The efficiency of the method, implemented in the SiReNe software, is demonstrated by the simulation of a striatum model which consists of more than 106 neurons and 108 synapses (each neuron has a fan-out of 504 post-synaptic neurons), under normal and Parkinson's conditions.

What is the true discharge rate and pattern of the striatal projection neurons in Parkinson's disease and Dystonia?

Dopamine and striatal dysfunctions play a key role in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD) and Dystonia, but our understanding of the changes in the discharge rate and pattern of striatal projection neurons (SPNs) remains limited. Here, we recorded and examined multi-unit signals from the striatum of PD and dystonic patients undergoing deep brain stimulation surgeries. Contrary to earlier human findings, we found no drastic changes in the spontaneous discharge of the well-isolated and stationary SPNs of the PD patients compared to the dystonic patients or to the normal levels of striatal activity reported in healthy animals. Moreover, cluster analysis using SPN discharge properties did not characterize two well-separated SPN subpopulations, indicating no SPN subpopulation-specific (D1 or D2 SPNs) discharge alterations in the pathological state. Our results imply that small to moderate changes in spontaneous SPN discharge related to PD and Dystonia are likely amplified by basal ganglia downstream structures.

Aberrant Striatal Activity in Parkinsonism and Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesia

Action selection relies on the coordinated activity of striatal direct and indirect pathway medium spiny neurons (dMSNs and iMSNs, respectively). Loss of dopamine in Parkinson's disease is thought to disrupt this balance. While dopamine replacement with levodopa may restore normal function, the development of involuntary movements (levodopa-induced dyskinesia [LID]) limits therapy. How chronic dopamine loss and replacement with levodopa modulate the firing of identified MSNs in behaving animals is unknown. Using optogenetically labeled striatal single-unit recordings, we assess circuit dysfunction in parkinsonism and LID. Counter to current models, we found that following dopamine depletion, iMSN firing was elevated only during periods of immobility, while dMSN firing was dramatically and persistently reduced. Most notably, we identified a subpopulation of dMSNs with abnormally high levodopa-evoked firing rates, which correlated specifically with dyskinesia. These findings provide key insights into the circuit mechanisms underlying parkinsonism and LID, with implications for developing targeted therapies.

Synchronized activation of striatal direct and indirect pathways underlies the behavior in unilateral dopamine-depleted mice

For more than three decades it has been known, that striatal neurons become hyperactive after the loss of dopamine input, but the involvement of dopamine (DA) D1‐ or D2‐receptor‐expressing neurons has only been demonstrated indirectly. By recording neuronal activity using fluorescent calcium indicators in D1 or D2 eGFP‐expressing mice, we showed that following dopamine depletion, both types of striatal output neurons are involved in the large increase in neuronal activity generating a characteristic cell assembly of particular neurons that dominate the pattern. When we expressed channelrhodopsin in all the output neurons, light activation in freely moving animals, caused turning like that following dopamine loss. However, if the light stimulation was patterned in pulses the animals circled in the other direction. To explore the neuronal participation during this stimulation we infected normal mice with channelrhodopsin and calcium indicator in striatal output neurons. In slices made from these animals, continuous light stimulation for 15 s induced many cells to be active together and a particular dominant group of neurons, whereas light in patterned pulses activated fewer cells in more variable groups. These results suggest that the simultaneous activity of a large dominant group of striatal output neurons is intimately associated with parkinsonian symptoms.

Eltoprazine prevents levodopa-induced dyskinesias by reducing causal interactions for theta oscillations in the dorsolateral striatum and substantia nigra pars reticulate

Oscillatory activities within basal ganglia (BG) circuitry in L-DOPA induced dyskinesia (LID), a condition that occurs in patients with Parkinson disease (PD), are not well understood. The aims of this study were firstly to investigate oscillations in main BG input and output structures-the dorsolateral striatum (dStr) and substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr), respectively- including the direction of oscillation information flow, and secondly to investigate the effects of 5-HT1A/B receptor agonism with eltoprazine on oscillatory activities and abnormal involuntary movements (AIMs) characteristic. To this end, we conducted local field potential (LFP) electrophysiology in the dStr and SNr of LID rats simultaneous with AIM scoring. The LFP data were submitted to power spectral density, coherence, and partial Granger causality analyses. AIM data were analyzed relative to simultaneous oscillatory activities, with and without eltoprazine. We obtained four major findings. 1) Theta band (5-8 Hz) oscillations were enhanced in the dStr and SNr of LID rats. 2) Theta power correlated with AIM scores in the 180-min period after the last LID-inducing L-DOPA injection, but not with daily summed AIM scores during LID development. 3) Oscillatory information flowed from the dStr to the SNr. 4) Chronic eltoprazine reduced BG theta activity in LID rats and normalized information flow directionality, relative to that in LID rats not given eltoprazine. These results indicate that dStr activity plays a determinative role in the causal interactions of theta oscillations and that serotonergic inhibition may suppress dyskinesia by reducing dStr-SNr theta activity and restoring theta network information flow.

Admixing MPTP-resistant and MPTP-vulnerable mice enhances striatal field potentials and calbindin-D28K expression to avert motor behaviour deficits

Asian-Indians are less vulnerable to Parkinson's disease (PD) than the Caucasians. Their admixed populace has even lesser risk. Studying this phenomenon using 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-susceptible C57BL/6J, MPTP-resistant CD-1 and their resistant crossbred mice revealed differences in the nigrostriatal cyto-molecular features. Here, we investigated the electrophysiological and behavioural correlates for differential MPTP-susceptibility and their outcome upon admixing. We recorded local field potentials (LFPs) from dorsal striatum and assessed motor co-ordination using rotarod and grip strength measures. Nigral calbindin-D28K expression, a regulator of striatal activity through nigrostriatal projections was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. The crossbreds had significantly higher baseline striatal LFPs. MPTP significantly increased the neuronal activity in delta (0.5-4 Hz) and low beta (12-16 Hz) ranges in C57BL/6J; significant increase across frequency bands till high beta (0.5-30 Hz) in CD-1, and caused no alterations in crossbreds. MPTP further depleted the already low nigral calbindin-D28K expression in C57BL/6J. While in crossbreds, it was further up-regulated. MPTP affected the rotarod and grip strength performance of the C57BL/6J, while the injected CD-1 and crossbreds performed well. The increased striatal β-oscillations are comparable to that in PD patients. Higher power in CD-1 may be compensatory in nature, which were also reported in pre-symptomatic monkeys. Concurrent up-regulation of nigral calbindin-D28K may assist maintenance of striatal activity by buffering calcium overload in nigra. Thus, preserved motor behaviour in PD reminiscent conditions in CD-1 and crossbreds complement compensated/unaffected striatal LFPs. Similar electrophysiological correlates and cytomorphological features are envisaged in human phenomenon of differential PD prevalence, which are modulated upon admixing.

Hyperactive Response of Direct Pathway Striatal Projection Neurons to L-dopa and D1 Agonism in Freely Moving Parkinsonian Mice

Dopamine (DA) profoundly stimulates motor function as demonstrated by the hypokinetic motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) and by the hyperkinetic motor side effects during dopaminergic treatment of PD. Dopamine (DA) receptor-bypassing, optogenetics- and chemogenetics-induced spike firing of striatal DA D1 receptor (D1R)-expressing, direct pathway medium spiny neurons (dSPNs or dMSNs) promotes movements. However, the endogenous D1R-mediated effects, let alone those of DA replacement, on dSPN spike activity in freely-moving animals is not established. Here we show that using transcription factor Pitx3 null mutant (Pitx3Null) mice as a model for severe and consistent DA denervation in the dorsal striatum in Parkinson's disease, antidromically identified striatonigral neurons (D1R-expressing dSPNs) had a lower baseline spike firing rate than that in DA-intact normal mice, and these neurons increased their spike firing more strongly in Pitx3Null mice than in WT mice in response to injection of L-dopa or the D1R agonist, SKF81297; the increase in spike firing temporally coincided with the motor-stimulating effects of L-dopa and SKF81297. Taken together, these results provide the first evidence from freely moving animals that in parkinsonian striatum, identified behavior-promoting dSPNs become hyperactive upon the administration of L-dopa or a D1 agonist, likely contributing to the profound dopaminergic motor stimulation in parkinsonian animals and PD patients.

A new outlook on cholinergic interneurons in Parkinson's disease and L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia

Traditionally, dopamine (DA) and acetylcholine (ACh) striatal systems were considered antagonistic and imbalances or aberrant signaling between these neurotransmitter systems could be detrimental to basal ganglia activity and pursuant motor function, such as in Parkinson's disease (PD) and L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia (LID). Herein, we discuss the involvement of cholinergic interneurons (ChIs) in striatally-mediated movement in a healthy, parkinsonian, and dyskinetic state. ChIs integrate numerous neurotransmitter signals using intrinsic glutamate, serotonin, and DA receptors and convey the appropriate transmission onto nearby muscarinic and nicotinic ACh receptors to produce movement. In PD, severe DA depletion causes abnormal rises in ChI activity which promote striatal signaling to attenuate normal movement. When treating PD with L-DOPA, hyperkinetic side effects, or LID, develop due to increased striatal DA; however, the role of ChIs and ACh transmission, until recently has been unclear. Fortunately, new technology and pharmacological agents have facilitated understanding of ChI function and ACh signaling in the context of LID, thus offering new opportunities to modify existing and discover future therapeutic strategies in movement disorders.

Cyclic AMP-producing chemogenetic activation of indirect pathway striatal projection neurons and the downstream effects on the globus pallidus and subthalamic nucleus in freely moving mice

The indirect pathway striatal medium spiny projection neurons (iMSNs) are critical to motor and cognitive brain functions. These neurons express a high level of cAMP-increasing adenosine A2a receptors. However, the potential effects of cAMP production on iMSN spiking activity have not been established, and recording identified iMSNs in freely moving animals is challenging. Here, we show that in the transgenic mice expressing cAMP-producing G protein G_s -coupled designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drug (Gs-DREADD) in iMSNs, the baseline spike firing in MSNs is normal, indicating DREADD expression does not affect the normal physiology of these neurons. Intraperitoneal injection of the DREADD agonist clozapine-N-oxide (CNO; 2.5 mg/kg) increased the spike firing in 50% of the recorded MSNs. However, CNO did not affect MSN firing in Gs-DREADD-negative mice. We also found that CNO injection inhibited the spike firing of globus pallidus external segment (GPe) neurons in Gs-DREADD-positive mice, further indicating CNO excitation of iMSNs. Temporally coincident with these effects on spiking firing in the indirect pathway, CNO injection selectively inhibited locomotion in D2 Gs-DREADD mice. Taken together, our results strongly suggest that cAMP production in iMSNs can increase iMSN spiking activity and cause motor inhibition, thus addressing a long-standing question about the cellular functions of the cAMP-producing adenosine A2a receptors in iMSNs. Cover Image for this issue: doi: 10.1111/jnc.14181.

Exercise-Induced Neuroprotection of the Nigrostriatal Dopamine System in Parkinson's Disease

Epidemiological studies indicate that physical activity and exercise may reduce the risk of developing Parkinson's disease (PD), and clinical observations suggest that physical exercise can reduce the motor symptoms in PD patients. In experimental animals, a profound observation is that exercise of appropriate timing, duration, and intensity can reduce toxin-induced lesion of the nigrostriatal dopamine (DA) system in animal PD models, although negative results have also been reported, potentially due to inappropriate timing and intensity of the exercise regimen. Exercise may also minimize DA denervation-induced medium spiny neuron (MSN) dendritic atrophy and other abnormalities such as enlarged corticostriatal synapse and abnormal MSN excitability and spiking activity. Taken together, epidemiological studies, clinical observations, and animal research indicate that appropriately dosed physical activity and exercise may not only reduce the risk of developing PD in vulnerable populations but also benefit PD patients by potentially protecting the residual DA neurons or directly restoring the dysfunctional cortico-basal ganglia motor control circuit, and these benefits may be mediated by exercise-triggered production of endogenous neuroprotective molecules such as neurotrophic factors. Thus, exercise is a universally available, side effect-free medicine that should be prescribed to vulnerable populations as a preventive measure and to PD patients as a component of treatment. Future research needs to establish standardized exercise protocols that can reliably induce DA neuron protection, enabling the delineation of the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms that in turn can maximize exercise-induced neuroprotection and neurorestoration in animal PD models and eventually in PD patients.

A Population of Indirect Pathway Striatal Projection Neurons Is Selectively Entrained to Parkinsonian Beta Oscillations

Classical schemes of basal ganglia organization posit that parkinsonian movement difficulties presenting after striatal dopamine depletion stem from the disproportionate firing rates of spiny projection neurons (SPNs) therein. There remains, however, a pressing need to elucidate striatal SPN firing in the context of the synchronized network oscillations that are abnormally exaggerated in cortical-basal ganglia circuits in parkinsonism. To address this, we recorded unit activities in the dorsal striatum of dopamine-intact and dopamine-depleted rats during two brain states, respectively defined by cortical slow-wave activity (SWA) and activation. Dopamine depletion escalated striatal net output but had contrasting effects on "direct pathway" SPNs (dSPNs) and "indirect pathway" SPNs (iSPNs); their firing rates became imbalanced, and they disparately engaged in network oscillations. Disturbed striatal activity dynamics relating to the slow (∼1 Hz) oscillations prevalent during SWA partly generalized to the exaggerated beta-frequency (15-30 Hz) oscillations arising during cortical activation. In both cases, SPNs exhibited higher incidences of phase-locked firing to ongoing cortical oscillations, and SPN ensembles showed higher levels of rhythmic correlated firing, after dopamine depletion. Importantly, in dopamine-depleted striatum, a widespread population of iSPNs, which often displayed excessive firing rates and aberrant phase-locked firing to cortical beta oscillations, preferentially and excessively synchronized their firing at beta frequencies. Conversely, dSPNs were neither hyperactive nor synchronized to a large extent during cortical activation. These data collectively demonstrate a cell type-selective entrainment of SPN firing to parkinsonian beta oscillations. We conclude that a population of overactive, excessively synchronized iSPNs could orchestrate these pathological rhythms in basal ganglia circuits.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Chronic depletion of dopamine from the striatum, a part of the basal ganglia, causes some symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Here, we elucidate how dopamine depletion alters striatal neuron firing in vivo, with an emphasis on defining whether and how spiny projection neurons (SPNs) engage in the synchronized beta-frequency (15-30 Hz) oscillations that become pathologically exaggerated throughout basal ganglia circuits in parkinsonism. We discovered that a select population of so-called "indirect pathway" SPNs not only fire at abnormally high rates, but are also particularly prone to being recruited to exaggerated beta oscillations. Our results provide an important link between two complementary theories that explain the presentation of disease symptoms on the basis of changes in firing rate or firing synchronization/rhythmicity.

Generation of low-gamma oscillations in a GABAergic network model of the striatum

Striatal oscillations in the low-gamma frequency range have been consistently recorded in a number of experimental studies. However, whether these rhythms are locally generated in the striatum circuit, which is mainly composed of GABAergic neurons, remains an open question. GABAergic medium spiny projection neurons represent the great majority of striatal neurons, but they fire at very low rates. GABAergic fast-spiking interneurons typically show firing rates that are approximately 10 times higher than those of principal neurons, but they are a very small minority of the total neuronal population. In this study, based on physiological constraints we developed a computational network model of these neurons and dissected the oscillations. Simulations showed that the population of medium spiny projection neurons, and not the GABAergic fast-spiking interneurons, determines the frequency range of the oscillations. D2-type dopamine receptor-expressing neurons dominate the generation of low-gamma rhythms. Feedforward inputs from GABAergic fast-spiking interneurons promote the oscillations by strengthening the inhibitory interactions between medium spiny projection neurons. The promotion effect is independent of the degree of synchronization in the fast-spiking interneuron population but affected by the strength of their feedforward inputs to medium spiny projection neurons. Our results provide a theoretical explanation for how firing properties and connections of the three types of GABAergic neurons, which are susceptible to on-going behaviors, experience, and dopamine disruptions, sculpt striatal oscillations.

Enhanced GABA Transmission Drives Bradykinesia Following Loss of Dopamine D2 Receptor Signaling

Bradykinesia is a prominent phenotype of Parkinson's disease, depression, and other neurological conditions. Disruption of dopamine (DA) transmission plays an important role, but progress in understanding the exact mechanisms driving slowness of movement has been impeded due to the heterogeneity of DA receptor distribution on multiple cell types within the striatum. Here we show that selective deletion of DA D2 receptors (D2Rs) from indirect-pathway medium spiny neurons (iMSNs) is sufficient to impair locomotor activity, phenocopying DA depletion models of Parkinson's disease, despite this mouse model having intact DA transmission. There was a robust enhancement of GABAergic transmission and a reduction of in vivo firing in striatal and pallidal neurons. Mimicking D2R signaling in iMSNs with Gi-DREADDs restored the level of tonic GABAergic transmission and rescued the motor deficit. These findings indicate that DA, through D2R activation in iMSNs, regulates motor output by constraining the strength of GABAergic transmission.

Systems-level neurophysiological state characteristics for drug evaluation in an animal model of levodopa-induced dyskinesia

Disorders affecting the central nervous system have proven particularly hard to treat, and disappointingly few novel therapies have reached the clinics in recent decades. A better understanding of the physiological processes in the brain underlying various symptoms could therefore greatly improve the rate of progress in this field. We here show how systems-level descriptions of different brain states reliably can be obtained through a newly developed method based on large-scale recordings in distributed neural networks encompassing several different brain structures. Using this technology, we characterize the neurophysiological states associated with parkinsonism and levodopa-induced dyskinesia in a rodent model of Parkinson's disease together with pharmacological interventions aimed at reducing dyskinetic symptoms. Our results show that the obtained electrophysiological data add significant information to conventional behavioral evaluations and hereby elucidate the underlying effects of treatments in greater detail. Taken together, these results potentially open up for studies of neurophysiological mechanisms underlying symptoms in a wide range of neurological and psychiatric conditions that until now have been very hard to investigate in animal models of disease.

Role of the indirect pathway of the basal ganglia in perceptual decision making

The basal ganglia (BG) play an important role in motor control, reinforcement learning, and perceptual decision making. Modeling and experimental evidence suggest that, in a speed-accuracy tradeoff, the corticostriatal pathway can adaptively adjust a decision threshold (the amount of information needed to make a choice). In this study, we go beyond the focus of previous works on the direct and hyperdirect pathways to examine the contribution of the indirect pathway of the BG system to decision making in a biophysically based spiking network model. We find that the mechanism of adjusting the decision threshold by plasticity of the corticostriatal connections is effective, provided that the indirect pathway counterbalances the direct pathway in their projections to the output nucleus. Furthermore, in our model, changes within basal ganglia connections similar to those that arise in parkinsonism give rise to strong beta oscillations. Specifically, beta oscillations are produced by an abnormal enhancement of the interactions between the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and the external segment of globus pallidus (GPe) in the indirect pathway, with an oscillation frequency that depends on the excitatory cortical input to the STN and the inhibitory input to the GPe from the striatum. In a parkinsonian state characterized by pronounced beta oscillations, the mean reaction time and range of threshold variation (a measure of behavioral flexibility) are significantly reduced compared with the normal state. Our work thus reveals a specific circuit mechanism for impairments of perceptual decision making associated with Parkinson's disease.

Desynchronization of fast-spiking interneurons reduces β-band oscillations and imbalance in firing in the dopamine-depleted striatum

Oscillations in the β-band (8-30 Hz) that emerge in the output nuclei of the basal ganglia during Parkinson's disease, along with an imbalanced activation of the direct and indirect pathways, have been linked to the hypokinetic motor output associated with the disease. Although dopamine depletion causes a change in cellular and network properties in the striatum, it is unclear whether abnormal activity measured in the globus pallidus and substantia nigra pars reticulata is caused by abnormal striatal activity. Here we use a computational network model of medium spiny neurons (MSNs)-fast-spiking interneurons (FSIs), based on data from several mammalian species, and find that robust β-band oscillations and imbalanced firing emerge from implementation of changes to cellular and circuit properties caused by dopamine depletion. These changes include a reduction in connections between MSNs, a doubling of FSI inhibition to D2 MSNs, an increase in D2 MSN dendritic excitability, and a reduction in D2 MSN somatic excitability. The model reveals that the reduced decorrelation between MSNs attributable to weakened lateral inhibition enables the strong influence of synchronous FSIs on MSN firing and oscillations. Weakened lateral inhibition also produces an increased sensitivity of MSN output to cortical correlation, a condition relevant to the parkinsonian striatum. The oscillations of FSIs, in turn, are strongly modulated by fast electrical transmission between FSIs through gap junctions. These results suggest that pharmaceuticals that desynchronize FSI activity may provide a novel treatment for the enhanced β-band oscillations, imbalanced firing, and motor dysfunction in Parkinson's disease.

Dopamine D1 receptor blockade impairs alcohol seeking without reducing dorsal striatal activation to cues of alcohol availability

INTRODUCTION

Alcohol-associated cues activate both ventral and dorsal striatum in functional brain imaging studies of heavy drinkers. In rodents, alcohol-associated cues induce changes in neuronal firing frequencies and increase dopamine release in ventral striatum, but the impact of alcohol-associated cues on neuronal activity in dorsal striatum is unclear. We previously reported phasic changes in action potential frequency in the dorsomedial and dorsolateral striatum after cues that signaled alcohol availability, prompting approach behavior.

METHODS

We investigated the hypothesis that dopamine transmission modulates these phasic firing changes. Rats were trained to self-administer alcohol, and neuronal activity was monitored with extracellular electrophysiology during "anticipatory" cues that signaled the start of the operant session. Sessions were preceded by systemic administration of the D1-type dopamine receptor antagonist SCH23390 (0, 10, and 20 μg/kg).

RESULTS

SCH23390 significantly decreased firing rates during the 60 s prior to cue onset without reducing phasic excitations immediately following the cues. While neuronal activation to cues might be expected to initiate behavioral responses, in this study alcohol seeking was reduced despite the presence of dorsal striatal excitations to alcohol cues.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that D1 receptor antagonism reduces basal firing rates in the dorsal striatum and modulates the ability of neuronal activation to "anticipatory" cues to initiate alcohol seeking in rats with an extensive history of alcohol self-administration.

Therapeutic mechanisms of high-frequency stimulation in Parkinson's disease and neural restoration via loop-based reinforcement

High-frequency deep brain stimulation (HFS) is clinically recognized to treat parkinsonian movement disorders, but its mechanisms remain elusive. Current hypotheses suggest that the therapeutic merit of HFS stems from increasing the regularity of the firing patterns in the basal ganglia (BG). Although this is consistent with experiments in humans and animal models of Parkinsonism, it is unclear how the pattern regularization would originate from HFS. To address this question, we built a computational model of the cortico-BG-thalamo-cortical loop in normal and parkinsonian conditions. We simulated the effects of subthalamic deep brain stimulation both proximally to the stimulation site and distally through orthodromic and antidromic mechanisms for several stimulation frequencies (20-180 Hz) and, correspondingly, we studied the evolution of the firing patterns in the loop. The model closely reproduced experimental evidence for each structure in the loop and showed that neither the proximal effects nor the distal effects individually account for the observed pattern changes, whereas the combined impact of these effects increases with the stimulation frequency and becomes significant for HFS. Perturbations evoked proximally and distally propagate along the loop, rendezvous in the striatum, and, for HFS, positively overlap (reinforcement), thus causing larger poststimulus activation and more regular patterns in striatum. Reinforcement is maximal for the clinically relevant 130-Hz stimulation and restores a more normal activity in the nuclei downstream. These results suggest that reinforcement may be pivotal to achieve pattern regularization and restore the neural activity in the nuclei downstream and may stem from frequency-selective resonant properties of the loop.

Optogenetics enables functional analysis of human embryonic stem cell-derived grafts in a Parkinson's disease model

Recent studies have shown evidence of behavioral recovery after transplantation of human pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived neural cells in animal models of neurological disease. However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying graft function. Here we use optogenetics to modulate in real time electrophysiological and neurochemical properties of mesencephalic dopaminergic (mesDA) neurons derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). In mice that had recovered from lesion-induced Parkinsonian motor deficits, light-induced selective silencing of graft activity rapidly and reversibly re-introduced the motor deficits. The re-introduction of motor deficits was prevented by the dopamine agonist apomorphine. These results suggest that functionality depends on graft neuronal activity and dopamine release. Combining optogenetics, slice electrophysiology and pharmacological approaches, we further show that mesDA-rich grafts modulate host glutamatergic synaptic transmission onto striatal medium spiny neurons in a manner reminiscent of endogenous mesDA neurons. Thus, application of optogenetics in cell therapy can link transplantation, animal behavior and postmortem analysis to enable the identification of mechanisms that drive recovery.

Effects of SKF83959 on the excitability of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons: a modeling study

AIM

3-Methyl-6-chloro-7,8-hydroxy-1-(3-methylphenyl)-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine (SKF83959) have been shown to affect several types of voltage-dependent channels in hippocampal pyramidal neurons. The aim of this study was to determine how modulation of a individual type of the channels by SKF83959 contributes to the overall excitability of CA1 pyramidal neurons during either direct current injections or synaptic activation.

METHODS

Rat hippocampal slices were prepared. The kinetics of voltage-dependent Na(+) channels and neuronal excitability and depolarization block in CA1 pyramidal neurons were examined using whole-cell recording. A realistic mathematical model of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neuron was used to simulate the effects of SKF83959 on neuronal excitability.

RESULTS

SKF83959 (50 μmol/L) shifted the inactivation curve of Na(+) current by 10.3 mV but had no effect on the activation curve in CA1 pyramidal neurons. The effects of SKF83959 on passive membrane properties, including a decreased input resistance and depolarized resting potential, predicted by our simulations were in agreement with the experimental data. The simulations showed that decreased excitability of the soma by SKF83959 (examined with current injection at the soma) was only observed when the membrane potential was compensated to the control levels, whereas the decreased dendritic excitability (examined with current injection at the dendrite) was found even without membrane potential compensation, which led to a decreased number of action potentials initiated at the soma. Moreover, SKF83959 significantly facilitated depolarization block in CA1 pyramidal neurons. SKF83959 decreased EPSP temporal summation and, of physiologically greater relevance, the synaptic-driven firing frequency.

CONCLUSION

SKF83959 decreased the excitability of CA1 pyramidal neurons even though the drug caused the membrane potential depolarization. The results may reveal a partial mechanism for the drug's anti-Parkinsonian effects and may also suggest that SKF83959 has a potential antiepileptic effect.

Glucocorticoid receptor gene inactivation in dopamine-innervated areas selectively decreases behavioral responses to amphetamine

The meso-cortico-limbic system, via dopamine release, encodes the rewarding and reinforcing properties of natural rewards. It is also activated in response to abused substances and is believed to support drug-related behaviors. Dysfunctions of this system lead to several psychiatric conditions including feeding disorders and drug addiction. These disorders are also largely influenced by environmental factors and in particular stress exposure. Stressors activate the corticotrope axis ultimately leading to glucocorticoid hormone (GCs) release. GCs bind the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) a transcription factor ubiquitously expressed including within the meso-cortico-limbic tract. While GR within dopamine-innervated areas drives cocaine's behavioral responses, its implication in responses to other psychostimulants such as amphetamine has never been clearly established. Moreover, while extensive work has been made to uncover the role of this receptor in addicted behaviors, its contribution to the rewarding and reinforcing properties of food has yet to be investigated. Using mouse models carrying GR gene inactivation in either dopamine neurons or in dopamine-innervated areas, we found that GR in dopamine responsive neurons is essential to properly build amphetamine-induced conditioned place preference and locomotor sensitization. c-Fos quantification in the nucleus accumbens further confirmed defective neuronal activation following amphetamine injection. These diminished neuronal and behavioral responses to amphetamine may involve alterations in glutamate transmission as suggested by the decreased MK801-elicited hyperlocomotion and by the hyporeactivity to glutamate of a subpopulation of medium spiny neurons. In contrast, GR inactivation did not affect rewarding and reinforcing properties of food suggesting that responding for natural reward under basal conditions is preserved in these mice.

Haloperidol-induced changes in neuronal activity in the striatum of the freely moving rat

The striatum is the main input structure of the basal ganglia, integrating input from the cerebral cortex and the thalamus, which is modulated by midbrain dopaminergic input. Dopamine modulators, including agonists and antagonists, are widely used to relieve motor and psychiatric symptoms in a variety of pathological conditions. Haloperidol, a dopamine D2 antagonist, is commonly used in multiple psychiatric conditions and motor abnormalities. This article reports the effects of haloperidol on the activity of three major striatal subpopulations: medium spiny neurons (MSNs), fast spiking interneurons (FSIs), and tonically active neurons (TANs). We implanted multi-wire electrode arrays in the rat dorsal striatum and recorded the activity of multiple single units in freely moving animals before and after systemic haloperidol injection. Haloperidol decreased the firing rate of FSIs and MSNs while increasing their tendency to fire in an oscillatory manner in the high voltage spindle (HVS) frequency range of 7-9 Hz. Haloperidol led to an increased firing rate of TANs but did not affect their non-oscillatory firing pattern and their typical correlated firing activity. Our results suggest that dopamine plays a key role in tuning both single unit activity and the interactions within and between different subpopulations in the striatum in a differential manner. These findings highlight the heterogeneous striatal effects of tonic dopamine regulation via D2 receptors which potentially enable the treatment of diverse pathological states associated with basal ganglia dysfunction.

Dorsomedial and dorsolateral striatum exhibit distinct phasic neuronal activity during alcohol self-administration in rats

The development of alcoholism may involve a shift from goal-directed to habitual drinking. These action control systems are distinct in the dorsal striatum, with the dorsomedial striatum (DMS) important for goal-directed behavior and the dorsolateral striatum (DLS) required for habit formation. Goal-directed behavior can be modeled in rats with a fixed ratio (FR) reinforcement schedule, while a variable interval (VI) schedule promotes habitual behavior (e.g. insensitivity to contingency degradation). Using extracellular recordings from chronically implanted electrodes, we investigated how DMS and DLS neurons encoded lever-press responses and conditioned cues during operant alcohol self-administration in these two models. In rats self-administering 10% alcohol on an FR schedule, the DMS neuronal population showed increased firing at the onset of start-of-session stimuli. During self-administration, the most prominent phasic firing patterns in the DMS occurred at the time of reinforcement and reinforcement-associated cues, while the most prominent phasic activity in the DLS surrounded the lever response. Neural recordings from an additional cohort of rats trained on a VI schedule revealed a similar pattern of results; however, phasic changes in firing were smaller and differences between the medial and lateral dorsal striatum were less marked. In summary, the DMS and DLS exhibited overlapping but specialized phasic firing patterns: DMS excitations were typically time-locked to reinforcement, while DLS excitations were generally associated with lever responses. Furthermore, the regional specificities and magnitudes of phasic firing differed between reinforcement schedules, which may reflect differences in behavioral flexibility, reward expectancy and the action sequences required to procure reinforcement.

Controlled iontophoresis coupled with fast-scan cyclic voltammetry/electrophysiology in awake, freely moving animals

Simultaneous electrochemical and electrophysiological data were recorded to evaluate the effects of controlled local application of dopaminergic agonists and antagonists in awake rats. Measurements were made with a probe consisting of a carbon-fiber microelectrode fused to three iontophoretic barrels used to introduce the drugs of interest. The probe and the manipulator used to position it in the brain of behaving animals were optimized to improve their performance. The effect of the dopamine autoreceptor on electrically stimulated release was demonstrated. Dopamine inhibited the release of endogenous dopamine whereas raclopride, a D2 antagonist, enhanced it, with similar responses in anesthetized and awake animals. We also examined changes in the firing rate of nucleus accumbens (NAc) neurons in awake animals during and after brief (15 s) iontophoretic ejections of SCH 23390 (D1 receptor antagonist) or raclopride. Changes in response to these antagonists were seen both immediately and on a prolonged time scale. Application of raclopride increased the firing rate in 40% of medium spiny neurons (MSNs), of which half responded immediately. Decreases in firing rate were observed in 46% of MSNs after SCH 23390 application. Only 11% of MSNs responded to both antagonists and one MSN (3%) showed no response to either drug. The same prolonged response in firing rate was seen for electrically stimulated and locally applied dopamine in 75% of MSNs. These results are in agreement with previously reported distributions for dopamine receptor subtypes on MSNs and probe the effects of dopamine on these cell populations.

Amphetamine's dose-dependent effects on dorsolateral striatum sensorimotor neuron firing

Amphetamine elicits motoric changes by increasing the activity of central neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, but how these neurochemical signals are transduced into motor commands is unclear. The dorsolateral striatum (DLS), a component of the cortico-subcortical reentrant motor loop, contains abundant neurotransmitter transporters that amphetamine could affect. It has been hypothesized that DLS medium spiny neurons contribute to amphetamine's motor effects. To study striatal activity contributing to amphetamine-induced movements, activity of DLS neurons related to vertical head movement was recorded while tracking head movements before and after acute amphetamine injection. Relative to saline, all amphetamine doses induced head movements above pre-injection levels, revealing an inverted U-shaped dose-response function. Lower doses (1 mg/kg and 2 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) induced a greater number of long (distance and duration) movements than the high dose (4 mg/kg), which induced stereotypy. Firing rates (FR) of individual head movement neurons were compared before and after injection during similar head movements, defined by direction, distance, duration, and apex. Changes in FR induced by amphetamine were co-determined by dose and pre-injection FR of the neuron. Specifically, all doses increased the FRs of slower firing neurons but decreased the FRs of faster firing neurons. The magnitudes of elevation or reduction were greater at lower doses, but less pronounced at the high dose, forming an inverted U function. Modulation of DLS firing may interfere with sensorimotor processing. Furthermore, pervasive elevation of slow firing neurons' FRs may feed-forward and increase excitability in thalamocortical premotor areas, contributing to the increased movement initiation rate.

Evolution of the dynamic properties of the cortex-basal ganglia network after dopaminergic depletion in rats

It is well established that parkinsonian syndrome is associated with alterations of neuronal activity temporal pattern basal ganglia (BG). An increase in synchronized oscillations has been observed in different BG nuclei in Parkinson's disease patients as well as animal models such as 6-hydroxydopamine treated rats. We recently demonstrated that this increase in oscillatory synchronization is present during high-voltage spindles (HVS) probably underpinned by the disorganization of cortex-BG interactions. Here we investigated the time course of both oscillatory and motor alterations. For that purpose we performed daily simultaneous recordings of neuronal activity in motor cortex, striatum and substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr), before and after 6-hydroxydopamine lesion in awake rats. After a brief non-dopamine-specific desynchronization, oscillatory activity first increased during HVS followed by progressive motor impairment and the shortening of SNr activation delay. While the oscillatory firing increase reflects dopaminergic depletion, response alteration in SNr neurons is closely related to motor symptom.

Differential effects of activating D1 and D2 receptors on electrophysiology of neostriatal neurons in a rat model of Parkinson's disease induced by paraquat and maneb

Neostriatum plays an important role in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the changes of sensitivity of dopamine receptors of neostriatal neurons in PD have been less addressed in vivo. In the present study, systemic exposure to paraquat and maneb induced Parkinsonian symptoms and neuronal loss of substantia nigra pars compacta. Using single-unit recording methods, three types of neostriatal neurons were recorded including medium spiny-like neurons, large aspiny-like neurons and fast-spiking interneurons. In the exposed rats, increased firing activity of neostriatal neurons was revealed when compared to control rats. Following D1 receptor agonist, SKF38393 and D2 receptor agonist, LY171555 iontophoretically administrated respectively, effects of increase and decrease in firing activity were both observed in neostriatal neurons. However, stronger inhibitory effects of activating D1 receptors and weaker excitatory effects of activating D2 receptors were found in the exposed rats as compared to controls. It indicated that differential changes of sensitivity of D1 and D2 receptors in Parkinson's disease were related to the modulation of the imbalance between D1-receptor-dependent striatonigral direct pathway and D2-receptor-dependent striatopallidal indirect pathway. Our results illustrate the electrophysiological changes of in vivo neostriatal neurons in Parkinson's disease, thereby providing insight into the regulatory mechanisms of dopamine-mediated physiology.

Striatal origin of the pathologic beta oscillations in Parkinson's disease

Enhanced oscillations at beta frequencies (8-30 Hz) are a signature neural dynamic pathology in the basal ganglia and cortex of Parkinson's disease patients. The mechanisms underlying these pathological beta oscillations remain elusive. Here, using mathematical models, we find that robust beta oscillations can emerge from inhibitory interactions between striatal medium spiny neurons. The interaction of the synaptic GABAa currents and the intrinsic membrane M-current promotes population oscillations in the beta frequency range. Increased levels of cholinergic drive, a condition relevant to the parkinsonian striatum, lead to enhanced beta oscillations in the striatal model. We show experimentally that direct infusion of the cholinergic agonist carbachol into the striatum, but not into the neighboring cortex, of the awake, normal rodent induces prominent beta frequency oscillations in the local field potential. These results provide evidence for amplification of normal striatal network dynamics as a mechanism responsible for the enhanced beta frequency oscillations in Parkinson's disease.

Mechanisms of action of antipsychotic drugs of different classes, refractoriness to therapeutic effects of classical neuroleptics, and individual variation in sensitivity to their actions: Part I

Many issues remain unresolved about antipsychotic drugs. Their therapeutic potency scales with affinity for dopamine D2 receptors, but there are indications that they act indirectly, with dopamine D1 receptors (and others) as possible ultimate targets. Classical neuroleptic drugs disinhibit striatal cholinergic interneurones and increase acetyl choline release. Their effects may then depend on stimulation of muscarinic receptors on principle striatal neurones (M4 receptors, with reduction of cAMP formation, for therapeutic effects; M1 receptors for motor side effects). Many psychotic patients do not benefit from neuroleptic drugs, or develop resistance to them during prolonged treatment, but respond well to clozapine. For patients who do respond, there is a wide (>ten-fold) range in optimal doses. Refractoriness or low sensitivity to antipsychotic effects (and other pathologies) could then arise from low density of cholinergic interneurones. Clozapine probably owes its special actions to direct stimulation of M4 receptors, a mechanism available when indirect action is lost.

Repeated whisker stimulation evokes invariant neuronal responses in the dorsolateral striatum of anesthetized rats: a potential correlate of sensorimotor habits

The dorsolateral striatum (DLS) receives extensive projections from primary somatosensory cortex (SI), but very few studies have used somesthetic stimulation to characterize the sensory coding properties of DLS neurons. In this study, we used computer-controlled whisker deflections to characterize the extracellular responses of DLS neurons in rats lightly anesthetized with isoflurane. When multiple whiskers were synchronously deflected by rapid back-and-forth movements, whisker-sensitive neurons in the DLS responded to both directions of movement. The latency and magnitude of these neuronal responses displayed very little variation with changes in the rate (2, 5, or 8 Hz) of whisker stimulation. Simultaneous recordings in SI barrel cortex and the DLS revealed important distinctions in the neuronal responses of these serially connected brain regions. In contrast to DLS neurons, SI neurons were activated by the initial deflection of the whiskers but did not respond when the whiskers moved back to their original position. As the rate of whisker stimulation increased, SI responsiveness declined, and the latencies of the responses increased. In fact, when whiskers were deflected at 5 or 8 Hz, many neurons in the DLS responded before the SI neurons. These results and earlier anatomic findings suggest that a component of the sensory-induced response in the DLS is mediated by inputs from the thalamus. Furthermore, the lack of sensory adaptation in the DLS may represent a critical part of the neural mechanism by which the DLS encodes stimulus-response associations that trigger motor habits and other stimulus-evoked behaviors that are not contingent on rewarded outcomes.

Conditions for the generation of beta oscillations in the subthalamic nucleus-globus pallidus network

The advance of Parkinson's disease is associated with the existence of abnormal oscillations within the basal ganglia with frequencies in the beta band (13-30 Hz). While the origin of these oscillations remains unknown, there is some evidence suggesting that oscillations observed in the basal ganglia arise due to interactions of two nuclei: the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and the globus pallidus pars externa (GPe). To investigate this hypothesis, we develop a computational model of the STN-GPe network based upon anatomical and electrophysiological studies. Significantly, our study shows that for certain parameter regimes, the model intrinsically oscillates in the beta range. Through an analytical study of the model, we identify a simple set of necessary conditions on model parameters that guarantees the existence of beta oscillations. These conditions for generation of oscillations are described by a set of simple inequalities and can be summarized as follows: (1) The excitatory connections from STN to GPe and the inhibitory connections from GPe to STN need to be sufficiently strong. (2) The time required by neurons to react to their inputs needs to be short relative to synaptic transmission delays. (3) The excitatory input from the cortex to STN needs to be high relative to the inhibition from striatum to GPe. We confirmed the validity of these conditions via numerical simulation. These conditions describe changes in parameters that are consistent with those expected as a result of the development of Parkinson's disease, and predict manipulations that could inhibit the pathological oscillations.

Electrophysiological effects of SKF83959 on hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons: potential mechanisms for the drug's neuroprotective effects

Although the potent anti-parkinsonian action of the atypical D₁-like receptor agonist SKF83959 has been attributed to the selective activation of phosphoinositol(PI)-linked D₁ receptor, whereas the mechanism underlying its potent neuroprotective effect is not fully understood. In the present study, the actions of SKF83959 on neuronal membrane potential and neuronal excitability were investigated in CA1 pyramidal neurons of rat hippocampal slices. SKF83959 (10–100 µM) caused a concentration-dependent depolarization, associated with a reduction of input resistance in CA1 pyramidal neurons. The depolarization was blocked neither by antagonists for D₁, D₂, 5-HT_2A/2C receptors and α₁-adrenoceptor, nor by intracellular dialysis of GDP-β-S. However, the specific HCN channel blocker ZD7288 (10 µM) antagonized both the depolarization and reduction of input resistance caused by SKF83959. In voltage-clamp experiments, SKF83959 (10–100 µM) caused a concentration-dependent increase of Ih current in CA1 pyramidal neurons, which was independent of D₁ receptor activation. Moreover, SKF83959 (50 µM) caused a 6 mV positive shift in the activation curve of Ih and significantly accelerated the activation of Ih current. In addition, SKF83959 also reduced the neuronal excitability of CA1 pyramidal neurons, which was manifested by the decrease in the number and amplitude of action potentials evoked by depolarizing currents, and by the increase of firing threshold and rhoebase current. The above results suggest that SKF83959 increased Ih current through a D₁ receptor-independent mechanism, which led to the depolarization of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. These findings provide a novel mechanism for the drug's neuroprotective effects, which may contributes to its therapeutic benefits in Parkinson's disease.

Distinct subsets of nucleus accumbens neurons encode operant responding for ethanol versus water

Subsets of nucleus accumbens (NAc) neurons process information about operant responses for drugs as well as natural rewards (food and water) by excitations and inhibitions in firing rate time-locked to the operant response. The degree to which ensembles of neurons exhibit similar firing patterns when encoding cues and operant responses across different reinforcer conditions will provide critical information regarding the functional organization of this nucleus. The present experiment evaluated the relative contribution of subsets of accumbens neurons that encode distinct features of lever press responding for ethanol vs. water. Electrophysiological recordings (n = 153 neurons) were made in the accumbens of rats trained on concurrent reinforcement schedules for ethanol and water throughout a self-administration session. During operant responding, 52% of neurons exhibited patterned discharges characterized by significant increases or decreases in firing rate of +/- 1 s relative to lever presses for ethanol and/or water. Of these phasic cells, 85% discriminated between presses for ethanol and water (i.e. exhibited firing patterns unique to one reinforcer type), while 15% exhibited identical firing patterns relative to lever presses for both reinforcers. Notably, the data revealed that both high ethanol preference and spatially distinct lever positions contributed to the reinforcer specificity. Together, these data demonstrate that subsets of NAc neurons encode conditioned and instrumental aspects of ethanol vs. water reinforcement in well-trained rats, and that reinforcer preference and spatial cues are important components of this differential information processing.

Mean-field modeling of the basal ganglia-thalamocortical system. I Firing rates in healthy and parkinsonian states

Parkinsonism leads to various electrophysiological changes in the basal ganglia-thalamocortical system (BGTCS), often including elevated discharge rates of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and the output nuclei, and reduced activity of the globus pallidus external (GPe) segment. These rate changes have been explained qualitatively in terms of the direct/indirect pathway model, involving projections of distinct striatal populations to the output nuclei and GPe. Although these populations partly overlap, evidence suggests dopamine depletion differentially affects cortico-striato-pallidal connection strengths to the two pallidal segments. Dopamine loss may also decrease the striatal signal-to-noise ratio, reducing both corticostriatal coupling and striatal firing thresholds. Additionally, nigrostriatal degeneration may cause secondary changes including weakened lateral inhibition in the GPe, and mesocortical dopamine loss may decrease intracortical excitation and especially inhibition. Here a mean-field model of the BGTCS is presented with structure and parameter estimates closely based on physiology and anatomy. Changes in model rates due to the possible effects of dopamine loss listed above are compared with experiment. Our results suggest that a stronger indirect pathway, possibly combined with a weakened direct pathway, is compatible with empirical evidence. However, altered corticostriatal connection strengths are probably not solely responsible for substantially increased STN activity often found. A lower STN firing threshold, weaker intracortical inhibition, and stronger striato-GPe inhibition help explain the relatively large increase in STN rate. Reduced GPe-GPe inhibition and a lower GPe firing threshold can account for the comparatively small decrease in GPe rate frequently observed. Changes in cortex, GPe, and STN help normalize the cortical rate, also in accord with experiments. The model integrates the basal ganglia into a unified framework along with an existing thalamocortical model that already accounts for a wide range of electrophysiological phenomena. A companion paper discusses the dynamics and oscillations of this combined system.

Mean-field modeling of the basal ganglia-thalamocortical system. II Dynamics of parkinsonian oscillations

Neuronal correlates of Parkinson's disease (PD) include a shift to lower frequencies in the electroencephalogram (EEG) and enhanced synchronized oscillations at 3-7 and 7-30 Hz in the basal ganglia, thalamus, and cortex. This study describes the dynamics of a recent physiologically based mean-field model of the basal ganglia-thalamocortical system, and shows how it accounts for many key electrophysiological correlates of PD. Its detailed functional connectivity comprises partially segregated direct and indirect pathways through two populations of striatal neurons, a hyperdirect pathway involving a corticosubthalamic projection, thalamostriatal feedback, and local inhibition in striatum and external pallidum (GPe). In a companion paper, realistic steady-state firing rates were obtained for the healthy state, and after dopamine loss modeled by weaker direct and stronger indirect pathways, reduced intrapallidal inhibition, lower firing thresholds of the GPe and subthalamic nucleus (STN), a stronger projection from striatum to GPe, and weaker cortical interactions. Here it is shown that oscillations around 5 and 20 Hz can arise with a strong indirect pathway, which also causes increased synchronization throughout the basal ganglia. Furthermore, increased theta power with progressive nigrostriatal degeneration is correlated with reduced alpha power and peak frequency, in agreement with empirical results. Unlike the hyperdirect pathway, the indirect pathway sustains oscillations with phase relationships that coincide with those found experimentally. Alterations in the responses of basal ganglia to transient stimuli accord with experimental observations. Reduced cortical gains due to both nigrostriatal and mesocortical dopamine loss lead to slower changes in cortical activity and may be related to bradykinesia. Finally, increased EEG power found in some studies may be partly explained by a lower effective GPe firing threshold, reduced GPe-GPe inhibition, and/or weaker intracortical connections in parkinsonian patients. Strict separation of the direct and indirect pathways is not necessary to obtain these results.

Effects of development and dopamine depletion on striatal NMDA receptor-mediated calcium uptake

Calcium (Ca(2+)) is the currency of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor mediated signal transduction pathways involved in the modification of synaptic efficacy during regulation of excitatory inputs into the striatum. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of development and dopamine depletion on NMDA receptor function. NMDA receptors were stimulated by incubation of striatal sections (350 microm) in buffer containing NMDA (100 microm) for 2 min, the slices were washed and uptake of radioactively labelled calcium ((45)Ca(2+)) was measured. Dopamine depletion has been reported to result in alterations of glutamate receptor expression and upregulation of NMDA receptor activity. However, the results of the present study show that dopamine depletion does not alter NMDA-stimulated Ca(2+) uptake into rat striatal slices in vitro. Unilateral striatal dopamine depletion was achieved by infusion of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA, 13.5 microg/4.5 microl) into the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) of the left hemisphere of ten rats. NMDA-stimulated (45)Ca(2+) uptake into striata following dopamine depletion was not significantly different from NMDA-stimulated (45)Ca(2+) uptake into striata obtained from sham-operated rats. Other factors that induce changes in NMDA receptor function include development and aging. In young rats aged 7 weeks old (n = 7) and 16 weeks old (n = 6) a significant 2-3 fold decrease in striatal NMDA receptor function was observed with increasing age over the 9 week period of development. To our knowledge these are the first results to show developmental decreases of NMDA receptor function in the striatum of juvenile rats.

Measuring forelimb force control and movement in Fischer 344/Brown Norway rats: effects of age and lorazepam

The purpose of this study was to measure forelimb force control and movement kinetics in rats, as they are affected by normal aging and the benzodiazepine lorazepam. Young (6 months), middle-aged (18 months), and aged (24 months) rats were trained to emit discrete forelimb responses on an isometric force disk within a 20-25 g force band for water reinforcement. Dependent variables included number of responses, percentage of reinforced responses, peak response forces, and inter-response times. Inter-response times were divided into two categories: inter-response times <0.5 s (reflecting rapid, discrete forelimb responses) and inter-response times 4-8 s (reflecting movement sequences). Aged rats exhibited no apparent deficits in forelimb force control. Although older rats emitted fewer responses than younger rats, their response accuracy was greater. Peak forces did not differ among the groups. Both categories of inter-response times were slower in the aged group, reflecting slowed discrete movements and movement sequencing. Lorazepam increased the number of responses and peak forces, decreased response accuracy, and lengthened inter-response times within the 4-8 s range (but not the <0.5 s range) in all age groups. The results suggest that movement sequences may be more sensitive to the effects of acute benzodiazepines than rapid discrete movements.

Bilateral effects of unilateral intrastriatal GDNF on locomotor-excited and nonlocomotor-related striatal neurons in aged F344 rats

In order to determine its effects on locomotor-related striatal electrophysiology in aged rats, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) was infused (vehicle or 30mug) into the right striatum of 24-25-month-old Fischer 344 (F344) rats. Multi-wire electrode arrays were then chronically implanted in striatum bilaterally. Thirty days later, striatal electrophysiological activity was recorded during freely moving conditions. Individual neurons were classified as locomotor-excited if they exhibited significant increases in firing rates during locomotor bouts versus periods of nonmovement. GDNF produced a significant increase in overall firing rates in locomotor-excited striatal neurons. This effect was observed in both the infused and the contralateral striatum. GDNF also attenuated the bursting activity of nonlocomotor-related striatal neurons, an effect that was also present bilaterally. These results suggest that GDNF's antiparkinsonism effects are associated with increased excitability of motor-related striatal neurons and diminished activity of neurons that do not exhibit explicit motor-related changes in activity. Such studies may aid in understanding the mechanism of potential therapies for movement disorders seen in aging and Parkinson's disease.

Cortical inputs and GABA interneurons imbalance projection neurons in the striatum of parkinsonian rats

The striatum receives massive cortical excitatory inputs and is densely innervated by dopamine. Striatal projection neurons form either the direct or indirect pathways. Models of Parkinson's disease propose that dopaminergic degeneration imbalances both pathways, although direct electrophysiological evidence is lacking. Here, striatal neurons were identified by electrophysiological criteria and Neurobiotin labeling combined with either immunohistochemistry or in situ hybridization. Their spontaneous discharge activity and spike response to cortical stimulation were recorded in vivo in anesthetized rats rendered hemi-parkinsonian by 6-hydroxydopamine. We showed that striatonigral neurons (direct pathway) were inhibited whereas striatopallidal neurons (indirect pathway) were activated by dopaminergic lesion. We also identified, with antidromic stimulations, corticostriatal neurons that preferentially innervate striatonigral or striatopallidal neurons and showed that dopaminergic depletion selectively decreased the spontaneous activity of the former. Therefore, dopamine degeneration induces a cascade of imbalances that spread out of the basal ganglia and affect the whole basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical circuits. Fast-spiking GABA interneurons provide potent feedforward inhibition of striatal projection neurons. We showed here that these interneurons narrowed the time window of the responses of projection neurons to cortical stimulation. In the dopamine-depleted striatum, because the intrinsic activity of these interneurons was not altered, their feedforward inhibition worsened the striatal imbalance. Indeed, the time window of the evoked responses was narrower for striatonigral neurons and wider for striatopallidal neurons. Therefore, after dopaminergic depletion, cortical inputs and GABA interneurons might imbalance striatal projection neurons and represent two novel nondopaminergic mechanisms that might secondarily contribute to the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease.

Competition between feedback loops underlies normal and pathological dynamics in the basal ganglia

Experiments performed in normal animals suggest that the basal ganglia (BG) are crucial in motor program selection. BG are also involved in movement disorders. In particular, BG neuronal activity in parkinsonian animals and patients is more oscillatory and more synchronous than in normal individuals. We propose a new model for the function and dysfunction of the motor part of BG. We hypothesize that the striatum, the subthalamic nucleus, the internal pallidum (GPi), the thalamus, and the cortex are involved in closed feedback loops. The direct (cortex-striatum-GPi-thalamus-cortex) and the hyperdirect loops (cortex-subthalamic nucleus-GPi-thalamus-cortex), which have different polarities, play a key role in the model. We show that the competition between these two loops provides the BG-cortex system with the ability to perform motor program selection. Under the assumption that dopamine potentiates corticostriatal synaptic transmission, we demonstrate that, in our model, moderate dopamine depletion leads to a complete loss of action selection ability. High depletion can lead to synchronous oscillations. These modifications of the network dynamical state stem from an imbalance between the feedback in the direct and hyperdirect loops when dopamine is depleted. Our model predicts that the loss of selection ability occurs before the appearance of oscillations, suggesting that Parkinson's disease motor impairments are not directly related to abnormal oscillatory activity. Another major prediction of our model is that synchronous oscillations driven by the hyperdirect loop appear in BG after inactivation of the striatum.

Neural responses in multiple basal ganglia regions following unilateral dopamine depletion in behaving rats performing a treadmill locomotion task

To investigate basal ganglia (BG) neural responses to dopamine (DA) depletion, multiple channel, single unit recording was carried out in freely moving rats performing a treadmill locomotion task. Single unit activity from 64 microelectrodes in the striatum (STR), globus pallidus (GP), subthalamic nucleus (STN) and substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) was recorded simultaneously before and after a unilateral DA lesion induced by microinjection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the medial forebrain bundle. The DA lesion resulted in an impairment of treadmill walking manifested by a significant decrease in swing time of both forelimbs. The stance time, however, increased significantly only in ipsilateral (good) forelimbs, reflecting compensatory changes in the good limb for motor deficits. Neural activity in the STR and GP ipsilateral to the lesion decreased during the 7-day period following the DA lesion. Conversely, an increase in spike discharges appeared in the ipsilateral SNr and STN several days after the DA lesion. Changes in the type of neural response associated with treadmill locomotion were also found in some neurons after DA depletion. Such changes were most prominent in the STR. Limb movement-related neural activity increased significantly mainly in the SNr. Additionally, neural responses to the tone cue associated with the onset of the treadmill diminished greatly in the lesioned side of the BG. Increased activity in SNr neurons is consistent with the concept that inhibition of thalamus contributes to hypokinesis in the absence of DA. Substantial decrease in striatal activity supports a concept that DA loss leads to a global suppression of recurrent cortical striatal thalamic activity that degrades normal information flow in Parkinson's diseases.

Thalamic regulation of striatal acetylcholine efflux is both direct and indirect and qualitatively altered in the dopamine-depleted striatum

Striatal cholinergic interneurons play a pivotal role in the integrative sensorimotor functions of the basal ganglia. The major excitatory input to these interneurons arises from glutamatergic neurons of the parafascicular nucleus of the thalamus (Pf). Thalamic regulation of cholinergic interneurons, however, may also include an indirect inhibitory component mediated by the axon collaterals of GABAergic medium spiny neurons that are also innervated by Pf. The present study examined thalamic regulation of striatal cholinergic interneurons by employing dual probe in vivo microdialysis in freely moving animals to determine the effect of pharmacological manipulation of Pf on acetylcholine (ACh) efflux in intact and dopamine-lesioned striata. In intact animals, reverse dialysis application of the GABA(A) antagonist bicuculline (50 microM) into Pf, likely disinhibiting Pf neurons, significantly decreased striatal ACh efflux. When striatal GABA(A) receptors were blocked by simultaneous reverse dialysis application of bicuculline (10 microM), however, the same manipulation significantly increased ACh efflux. Qualitatively similar results were obtained in experiments employing a higher concentration of bicuculline (200 microM). Application of the GABA agonist muscimol (500 microM) into Pf, likely inhibiting Pf neurons, decreased ACh efflux only when the experiment was conducted under blockade of striatal GABA(A) receptors. These data are consistent with the existence of an indirect, inhibitory, GABA(A) receptor-mediated component of ACh regulation that is most clearly manifested when Pf is disinhibited and with the existence of a direct excitatory component of ACh regulation, evident when Pf is inhibited. Manipulation of Pf using very high concentrations of drug (500 microM bicuculline, 2 mM muscimol), however, yielded data consistent only with direct excitatory thalamic regulation. In contrast to results obtained in intact animals, in animals with prior (3 weeks) unilateral lesion of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway, bicuculline application (50 muM) in Pf significantly increased striatal ACh efflux, irrespective of simultaneous blockade of striatal GABA(A) receptors. The results of experiments in which muscimol (500 microM) was applied in Pf were similar to those obtained in intact animals, however. Baseline ACh efflux was not significantly elevated in dopamine-lesioned animals. These results indicate a qualitative alteration in the effectiveness of an inhibitory component of the thalamic regulation of ACh efflux in the dopamine depleted striatum, evident during increased thalamostriatal input. Such altered regulation of striatal ACh output is likely to have profound consequences for integrative function in the parkinsonian basal ganglia.

Cocaine-induced Fos expression in rat striatum is blocked by chloral hydrate or urethane

Anesthetics used in electrophysiological studies alter the effects of cocaine and amphetamine on neural activity in the striatum. However, the mechanism underlying this alteration has not been established. In the present study, we examined the effects of anesthetics on cocaine-induced neural activity in the striatum. We first assayed the ability of 20 mg/kg cocaine to induce Fos expression in the striatum following pretreatment with 400 mg/kg chloral hydrate or 1.3 g/kg urethane, two of the most commonly used anesthetics for in vivo electrophysiology. Chloral hydrate blocked, while urethane strongly attenuated cocaine-induced Fos expression without affecting basal levels of expression. We then examined dopaminergic and glutamatergic mechanisms for anesthetic effects on cocaine-induced Fos expression. Chloral hydrate and urethane did not attenuate basal or cocaine-induced increases of dopamine levels as assessed by microdialysis in dorsal striatum. In contrast, chloral hydrate attenuated glutamatergic neurotransmission as assessed by microdialysis in the presence of the glutamate transport blocker L-trans-pyrrolidone-2,4-dicarboxylic acid. Chloral hydrate attenuated basal levels of glutamate by 70%, while cocaine had no effect on glutamate levels. Since glutamate levels were tetrodotoxin-sensitive, the majority of glutamate measured in our assay was by synaptic release. To assess a causal role for a reduction of glutamatergic neurotransmission in anesthetic effects on cocaine-induced Fos expression, we injected the glutamate receptor agonists AMPA and NMDA into the dorsal striatum of chloral hydrate-anesthetized rats. The glutamate receptor agonists partially reinstated cocaine-induced Fos expression in anesthetized rats. We conclude anesthetics attenuate cocaine-induced neuronal activity by reducing glutamatergic neurotransmission.

Firing properties of dopamine neurons in freely moving dopamine-deficient mice: effects of dopamine receptor activation and anesthesia

To examine the regulation of midbrain dopamine neurons, recordings were obtained from single neurons of freely moving, genetically engineered dopamine-deficient (DD) mice. DD mice were tested without dopamine signaling (basal state) and with endogenous dopamine signaling (after L-dopa administration). In the basal state, when dopamine concentration in DD mice is <1% of that in control animals, the firing properties of midbrain dopamine neurons were remarkably similar among genotypes. However, L-dopa treatment, which restores dopamine and feeding and locomotor behavior in DD mice, profoundly inhibited the firing rate and bursting of dopamine neurons in DD mice. In addition, dopamine neurons in DD mice were hypersensitive to the dopamine receptor agonists quinpirole and SKF 81297. Anesthesia markedly reduced the firing rate of dopamine neurons in DD mice but did not significantly decrease the firing rate in control dopamine neurons. These data suggest that restoration of endogenous dopamine signaling activates hypersensitive long-loop feedback pathways that serve to limit dopamine release and underscore the importance of recording from awake animals.

Amphetamine-induced behavioral activation is associated with variable changes in basal ganglia output neurons recorded from awake, behaving rats

Systemic or intra-striatal administration of d-amphetamine (AMPH) elicits a dose-dependent pattern of behavioral activation and neuronal firing in the striatum. To determine if the AMPH-induced striatal firing pattern is expressed in the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr), a main target of striatal efferents and the primary output nucleus of the basal ganglia, we recorded the activity of 214 SNr units in alert, behaving rats responding to either systemic (1.0 or 5.0 mg/kg, sc) or intra-striatal (20 microg/microl/min) AMPH. Both routes of administration increased behavior but the strongest effects occurred after systemic injection. A dose of 1.0 mg/kg progressively increased locomotion, head movements, and sniffing, whereas after 5.0 mg/kg behavioral responding became progressively more focused and stereotyped. The collective response of SNr neurons was a net increase in firing rate that was most apparent after the low systemic dose and intra-striatal infusion. Further analysis revealed significant unit populations that were either excited, inhibited or showed no change. Although excitations predominated over inhibitions in all cases, a sizable population of units was unresponsive: approximately 25% to systemic AMPH and almost half to intra-striatal infusion. Subsequent injection of haloperidol (0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg, sc), a dopamine receptor antagonist, reversed both the behavioral and electrophysiological effects of AMPH. Thus, as in striatum, dopamine appears to play a critical role in AMPH-induced changes in SNr activity. Interestingly, however, SNr activity did not closely parallel the striatal response, suggesting that patterns of neuronal responding to AMPH in striatum are not reliably relayed to SNr.

Fluctuations in somatosensory responsiveness and baseline firing rates of neurons in the lateral striatum of freely moving rats: effects of intranigral apomorphine

Somatosensory responsiveness and baseline firing rates of 102 striatal neurons were studied in freely moving rats. For individual neurons, mean levels of responsiveness and baseline firing fluctuated unpredictably in direction and magnitude and independently of each other throughout an experiment. Following microinjections of apomorphine into the substantia nigra, which were used as a means of reducing nigral output activity, the magnitude of fluctuations in striatal somatosensory responsiveness significantly increased, while the magnitude of fluctuations in baseline firing was unaltered. The receptive zones of 54 neurons studied in control experiments remained stable, whereas receptive zones changed in 12 of 25 neurons studied after apomorphine microinjection. Normal nigrostriatal dopamine transmission appears to selectively restrict the magnitude of fluctuations in responsiveness of striatal neurons to corticostriatal synaptic input and may exert additional control over afferent projections from cutaneous receptive zones to these neurons.