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Sitzia G, Bariselli S, Gracias A, Lovinger DM. Chronic alcohol induces subcircuit-specific striatonigral plasticity enhancing the sensorimotor basal ganglia role in action execution. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadm6951. [PMID: 38941461 PMCID: PMC11212723 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adm6951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
Functional deficits in basal ganglia (BG) circuits contribute to cognitive and motor dysfunctions in alcohol use disorder. Chronic alcohol exposure alters synaptic function and neuronal excitability in the dorsal striatum, but it remains unclear how it affects BG output that is mediated by the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr). Here, we describe a neuronal subpopulation-specific synaptic organization of striatal and subthalamic (STN) inputs to the medial and lateral SNr. Chronic alcohol exposure (CIE) potentiated dorsolateral striatum (DLS) inputs but did not change dorsomedial striatum and STN inputs to the SNr. Chemogenetic inhibition of DLS direct pathway neurons revealed an enhanced role for DLS direct pathway neurons in execution of an instrumental lever-pressing task. Overall, we reveal a subregion-specific organization of striatal and subthalamic inputs onto the medial and lateral SNr and find that potentiated DLS-SNr inputs are accompanied by altered BG control of action execution following CIE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Sitzia
- Laboratory for Integrative Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sebastiano Bariselli
- Laboratory for Integrative Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Alexa Gracias
- Laboratory for Integrative Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - David M. Lovinger
- Laboratory for Integrative Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
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Fujiyama F, Karube F, Hirai Y. Globus pallidus is not independent from striatal direct pathway neurons: an up-to-date review. Mol Brain 2024; 17:34. [PMID: 38849935 PMCID: PMC11157709 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-024-01107-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Striatal projection neurons, which are classified into two groups-direct and indirect pathway neurons, play a pivotal role in our understanding of the brain's functionality. Conventional models propose that these two pathways operate independently and have contrasting functions, akin to an "accelerator" and "brake" in a vehicle. This analogy further elucidates how the depletion of dopamine neurons in Parkinson's disease can result in bradykinesia. However, the question arises: are these direct and indirect pathways truly autonomous? Despite being distinct types of neurons, their interdependence cannot be overlooked. Single-neuron tracing studies employing membrane-targeting signals have shown that the majority of direct pathway neurons terminate not only in the output nuclei, but also in the external segment of the globus pallidus (GP in rodents), a relay nucleus of the indirect pathway. Recent studies have unveiled the existence of arkypallidal neurons, which project solely to the striatum, in addition to prototypic neurons. This raises the question of which type of GP neurons receive these striatal axon collaterals. Our morphological and electrophysiological experiments showed that the striatal direct pathway neurons may affect prototypic neurons via the action of substance P on neurokinin-1 receptors. Conversely, another research group has reported that direct pathway neurons inhibit arkypallidal neurons via GABA. Regardless of the neurotransmitter involved, it can be concluded that the GP is not entirely independent of direct pathway neurons. This review article underscores the intricate interplay between different neuronal pathways and challenges the traditional understanding of their independence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumino Fujiyama
- Laboratory of Cytology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
| | - Fuyuki Karube
- Laboratory of Cytology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
| | - Yasuharu Hirai
- Laboratory of Cytology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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Lazaridis I, Crittenden JR, Ahn G, Hirokane K, Yoshida T, Mahar A, Skara V, Meletis K, Parvataneni K, Ting JT, Hueske E, Matsushima A, Graybiel AM. Striosomes Target Nigral Dopamine-Containing Neurons via Direct-D1 and Indirect-D2 Pathways Paralleling Classic Direct-Indirect Basal Ganglia Systems. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.01.596922. [PMID: 38915684 PMCID: PMC11195572 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.01.596922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
The classic output pathways of the basal ganglia are known as the direct-D1 and indirect-D2, or "Go/No-Go", pathways. Balance of the activity in these canonical direct-indirect pathways is considered a core requirement for normal movement control, and their imbalance is a major etiologic factor in movement disorders including Parkinson's disease. We present evidence for a conceptually equivalent parallel system of direct-D1 and indirect-D2 pathways that arise from striatal projection neurons (SPNs) of the striosome compartment rather than from the matrix. These striosomal direct (S-D1) and indirect (S-D2) pathways, as a pair, target dopamine-containing neurons of the substantia nigra (SNpc) instead of the motor output nuclei of the basal ganglia. The novel anatomically and functionally distinct indirect-D2 striosomal pathway targets dopaminergic SNpc cells indirectly via a core region of the external pallidum (GPe). We demonstrate that these S-D1 and S-D2 pathways oppositely modulate striatal dopamine release in freely behaving mice under open-field conditions and oppositely modulate locomotor and other movements. These S-D1 and S-D2 pathways further exhibit different, time-dependent responses during performance of a probabilistic decision-making maze task and respond differently to rewarding and aversive stimuli. These contrasts depend on mediolateral and anteroposterior striatal locations of the SPNs as are the classic direct and indirect pathways. The effects of S-D1 and S-D2 stimulation on striatal dopamine release and voluntary locomotion are nearly opposite. The parallelism of the direct-indirect circuit design motifs of the striosomal S-D and S-D2 circuits and canonical matrix M-D1 and M-D2, and their contrasting behavioral effects, call for a major reformulation of the classic direct-indirect pathway model of basal ganglia function. Given that some striosomes receive limbic and association cortical inputs, the S-D1 and S-D2 circuits likely influence motivation for action and behavioral learning, complementing and possibly reorienting the motoric activities of the canonical matrix pathways. At a fundamental level, these findings suggest a unifying framework for aligning two sets of circuits that share the organizational motif of opponent D1 and D2 regulation, but that have different outputs and can even have opposite polarities in their targets and effects, albeit conditioned by striatal topography. Our findings further delineate a potentially therapeutically important set of pathways influencing dopamine, including a D2 receptor-linked S-D2 pathway likely unknowingly targeted by administration of many therapeutic drugs including those for Parkinson's disease. The novel parallel pathway model that we propose here could help to account for the normally integrated modulatory influence of the basal ganglia on motivation for actions as well as the actions themselves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iakovos Lazaridis
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jill R. Crittenden
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Gun Ahn
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Kojiro Hirokane
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Tomoko Yoshida
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ara Mahar
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | | | | | - Krishna Parvataneni
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jonathan T. Ting
- Human Cell Types Dept, Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle WA 98109, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle WA 98195, USA
| | - Emily Hueske
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ayano Matsushima
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ann M. Graybiel
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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Jones JA, Peña J, Likhotvorik RI, Garcia-Castañeda BI, Wilson CJ. Comparison of unitary synaptic currents generated by indirect and direct pathway neurons of the mouse striatum. J Neurophysiol 2024; 131:914-936. [PMID: 38596834 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00066.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Two subtypes of striatal spiny projection neurons, iSPNs and dSPNs, whose axons form the "indirect" and "direct" pathways of the basal ganglia, respectively, both make synaptic connections in the external globus pallidus (GPe) but are usually found to have different effects on behavior. Activation of the terminal fields of iSPNs or dSPNs generated compound currents in almost all GPe neurons. To determine whether iSPNs and dSPNs have the same or different effects on pallidal neurons, we studied the unitary synaptic currents generated in GPe neurons by action potentials in single striatal neurons. We used optogenetic excitation to elicit repetitive firing in a small number of nearby SPNs, producing sparse barrages of inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in GPe neurons. From these barrages, we isolated sequences of IPSCs with similar time courses and amplitudes, which presumably arose from the same SPN. There was no difference between the amplitudes of unitary IPSCs generated by the indirect and direct pathways. Most unitary IPSCs were small, but a subset from each pathway were much larger. To determine the effects of these unitary synaptic currents on the action potential firing of GPe neurons, we drove SPNs to fire as before and recorded the membrane potential of GPe neurons. Large unitary potentials from iSPNs and dSPNs perturbed the spike timing of GPe neurons in a similar way. Most SPN-GPe neuron pairs are weakly connected, but a subset of pairs in both pathways are strongly connected.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first study to record the synaptic currents generated by single identified direct or indirect pathway striatal neurons on single pallidal neurons. Each GPe neuron receives synaptic inputs from both pathways. Most striatal neurons generate small synaptic currents that become influential when occurring together, but a few are powerful enough to be individually influential.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A Jones
- Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States
| | - Jacob Peña
- Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States
| | - Rostislav I Likhotvorik
- Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States
| | - Brandon I Garcia-Castañeda
- Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States
| | - Charles J Wilson
- Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States
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Giossi C, Rubin JE, Gittis A, Verstynen T, Vich C. Rethinking the external globus pallidus and information flow in cortico-basal ganglia-thalamic circuits. Eur J Neurosci 2024. [PMID: 38659055 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
For decades, the external globus pallidus (GPe) has been viewed as a passive way-station in the indirect pathway of the cortico-basal ganglia-thalamic (CBGT) circuit, sandwiched between striatal inputs and basal ganglia outputs. According to this model, one-way descending striatal signals in the indirect pathway amplify the suppression of downstream thalamic nuclei by inhibiting GPe activity. Here, we revisit this assumption, in light of new and emerging work on the cellular complexity, connectivity and functional role of the GPe in behaviour. We show how, according to this new circuit-level logic, the GPe is ideally positioned for relaying ascending and descending control signals within the basal ganglia. Focusing on the problem of inhibitory control, we illustrate how this bidirectional flow of information allows for the integration of reactive and proactive control mechanisms during action selection. Taken together, this new evidence points to the GPe as being a central hub in the CBGT circuit, participating in bidirectional information flow and linking multifaceted control signals to regulate behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Giossi
- Departament de Ciències Matemàtiques i Informàtica, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
- Institute of Applied Computing and Community Code, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
| | - Jonathan E Rubin
- Department of Mathematics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Aryn Gittis
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Timothy Verstynen
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Catalina Vich
- Departament de Ciències Matemàtiques i Informàtica, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
- Institute of Applied Computing and Community Code, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
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Giossi C, Rubin JE, Gittis A, Verstynen T, Vich C. Rethinking the external globus pallidus and information flow in cortico-basal ganglia-thalamic circuits. ARXIV 2023:arXiv:2312.14267v2. [PMID: 38196745 PMCID: PMC10775352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
For decades the external globus pallidus (GPe) has been viewed as a passive way-station in the indirect pathway of the cortico-basal ganglia-thalamic (CBGT) circuit, sandwiched between striatal inputs and basal ganglia outputs. According to this model, one-way descending striatal signals in the indirect pathway amplify the suppression of downstream thalamic nuclei by inhibiting GPe activity. Here we revisit this assumption, in light of new and emerging work on the cellular complexity, connectivity, and functional role of the GPe in behavior. We show how, according to this new circuit-level logic, the GPe is ideally positioned for relaying ascending and descending control signals within the basal ganglia. Focusing on the problem of inhibitory control, we illustrate how this bidirectional flow of information allows for the integration of reactive and proactive control mechanisms during action selection. Taken together, this new evidence points to the GPe as being a central hub in the CBGT circuit, participating in bidirectional information flow and linking multifaceted control signals to regulate behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Giossi
- Departament de Matemàtiques i Informàtica, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Palma, Spain
- Institute of Applied Computing and Community Code, Palma, Spain
| | - Jonathan E Rubin
- Department of Mathematics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Aryn Gittis
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Timothy Verstynen
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Catalina Vich
- Departament de Matemàtiques i Informàtica, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Palma, Spain
- Institute of Applied Computing and Community Code, Palma, Spain
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