Interaction between tetanus long-term potentiation and hypoxia-induced potentiation in the rat hippocampus

Occlusion of activity dependent synaptic plasticity by late hypoxic long term potentiation after neonatal intermittent hypoxia

To elucidate the mechanisms of memory impairment after chronic neonatal intermittent hypoxia (IH), we employed a mice model of severe IH administered at postnatal days 3 to 7. Since prior studies in this model did not demonstrate increased cell death, our primary hypothesis was that IH causes a functional disruption of synaptic plasticity in hippocampal neurons. In vivo recordings of Schaffer collateral stimulation-induced synaptic responses during and after IH in the CA1 region of the hippocampus revealed pathological late phase hypoxic long term potentiation (hLTP) (154%) that lasted more than four hours and could be reversed by depotentiation with low frequency stimulation (LFS), or abolished by NMDA and PKA inhibitors (MK-801 and CMIQ). Furthermore, late phase hLTP partially occluded normal physiological LTP (pLTP) four hours after IH. Early and late hLTP phases were induced by neuronal depolarization and Ca²⁺ influx, determined with manganese enhanced fMRI, and had increased both AMPA and NMDA - mediated currents. This was consistent with mechanisms of pLTP in neonates and also consistent with mechanisms of ischemic LTP described in vitro with OGD in adults. A decrease of pLTP was also recorded on hippocampal slices obtained 2 days after IH. This decrease was ameliorated by MK-801 injections prior to each IH session and restored by LFS depotentiation. Occlusion of pLTP and the observed decreased proportion of NMDA-only silent synapses after neonatal hLTP may explain long term memory, behavioral deficits and abnormal synaptogenesis and pruning following neonatal IH.

Post Stroke Seizures and Epilepsy: From Proteases to Maladaptive Plasticity

Post stroke epilepsy (PSE) is the most common cause of seizures in the elderly, yet its underlying mechanism is poorly understood. The classification of PSE is confusing, and there is neither a clear agreement on its incidence and prognosis nor a consensus about specific treatments. The diagnosis of PSE requires the occurrence of late seizures: epileptic events occurring 1 week or more after an ischemic stroke. Late seizures differ from early seizures by the presence of permanent structural changes in the brain. Those structural changes cause a shift in the regulation of neuronal firing and lead to circuit dysfunctions, and thus to a long-term epileptic condition. The coagulation cascade and some of its major components, serine proteases such as thrombin, are known to participate in the acute phase of a stroke. Recent discoveries found that thrombin and its protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1), are involved in the development of maladaptive plasticity. Therefore, we suggest that thrombin and PAR1 may have a role in the development of PSE by inducing permanent structural changes after the ischemic events toward the development of epileptic focuses. We are confident that future studies will lead to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of PSE, as well as development of more directed therapies for its treatment.

Transient Hypoxemia Disrupts Anatomical and Functional Maturation of Preterm Fetal Ovine CA1 Pyramidal Neurons

Children who survive premature birth often exhibit reductions in hippocampal volumes and deficits in working memory. However, it is unclear whether synaptic plasticity and cellular mechanisms of learning and memory can be elicited or disrupted in the preterm fetal hippocampus. CA1 hippocampal neurons were exposed to two common insults to preterm brain: transient hypoxia-ischemia (HI) and hypoxia (Hx). We used a preterm fetal sheep model using both sexes in twin 0.65 gestation fetuses that reproduces the spectrum of injury and abnormal growth in preterm infants. Using Cavalieri measurements, hippocampal volumes were reduced in both Hx and HI fetuses compared with controls. This volume loss was not the result of neuronal cell death. Instead, morphometrics revealed alterations in both basal and apical dendritic arborization that were significantly associated with the level of systemic hypoxemia and metabolic stress regardless of etiology. Anatomical alterations of CA1 neurons were accompanied by reductions in probability of presynaptic glutamate release, long-term synaptic plasticity and intrinsic excitability. The reduction in intrinsic excitability was in part due to increased activity of the channels underlying the fast and slow component of the afterhyperpolarization in Hx and HI. Our studies suggest that even a single brief episode of hypoxemia can markedly disrupt hippocampal maturation. Hypoxemia may contribute to long-term working memory disturbances in preterm survivors by disrupting neuronal maturation with resultant functional disturbances in hippocampal action potential throughput. Strategies directed at limiting the duration or severity of hypoxemia during brain development may mitigate disturbances in hippocampal maturation.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Premature infants commonly sustain hypoxia-ischemia, which results in reduced hippocampal growth and life-long disturbances in learning and memory. We demonstrate that the circuitry related to synaptic plasticity and cellular mechanisms of learning and memory (LTP) are already functional in the fetal hippocampus. Unlike adults, the fetal hippocampus is surprisingly resistant to cell death from hypoxia-ischemia. However, the hippocampus sustains robust structural and functional disturbances in the dendritic maturation of CA1 neurons that are significantly associated with the magnitude of a brief hypoxic stress. Since transient hypoxic episodes occur commonly in preterm survivors, our findings suggest that the learning problems that ensue may be related to the unique susceptibility of the hippocampus to brief episodes of hypoxemia.

Advances in cellular and integrative control of oxygen homeostasis within the central nervous system

Mammals must continuously regulate the levels of O2 and CO2 , which is particularly important for the brain. Failure to maintain adequate O2 /CO2 homeostasis has been associated with numerous disorders including sleep apnoea, Rett syndrome and sudden infant death syndrome. But, O2 /CO2 homeostasis poses major regulatory challenges, even in the healthy brain. Neuronal activities change in a differentiated, spatially and temporally complex manner, which is reflected in equally complex changes in O2 demand. This raises important questions: is oxygen sensing an emergent property, locally generated within all active neuronal networks, and/or the property of specialized O2 -sensitive CNS regions? Increasing evidence suggests that the regulation of the brain's redox state involves properties that are intrinsic to many networks, but that specialized regions in the brainstem orchestrate the integrated control of respiratory and cardiovascular functions. Although the levels of O2 in arterial blood and the CNS are very different, neuro-glial interactions and purinergic signalling are critical for both peripheral and CNS chemosensation. Indeed, the specificity of neuroglial interactions seems to determine the differential responses to O2 , CO2 and the changes in pH.

Cardiac Arrest Induces Ischemic Long-Term Potentiation of Hippocampal CA1 Neurons That Occludes Physiological Long-Term Potentiation

Ischemic long-term potentiation (iLTP) is a form of synaptic plasticity that occurs in acute brain slices following oxygen-glucose deprivation. In vitro, iLTP can occlude physiological LTP (pLTP) through saturation of plasticity mechanisms. We used our murine cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CA/CPR) model to produce global brain ischemia and assess whether iLTP is induced in vivo, contributing to the functionally relevant impairment of pLTP. Adult male mice were subjected to CA/CPR, and slice electrophysiology was performed in the hippocampal CA1 region 7 or 30 days later. We observed increased miniature excitatory postsynaptic current amplitudes, suggesting a potentiation of postsynaptic AMPA receptor function after CA/CPR. We also observed increased phosphorylated GluR1 in the postsynaptic density of hippocampi after CA/CPR. These data support the in vivo induction of ischemia-induced plasticity. Application of a low-frequency stimulus (LFS) to CA1 inputs reduced excitatory postsynaptic potentials in slices from mice subjected to CA/CPR, while having no effects in sham controls. These results are consistent with a reversal, or depotentiation, of iLTP. Further, depotentiation with LFS partially restored induction of pLTP with theta burst stimulation. These data provide evidence for iLTP following in vivo ischemia, which occludes pLTP and likely contributes to network disruptions that underlie memory impairments.

Acupuncture Attenuated Vascular Dementia–Induced Hippocampal Long-Term Potentiation Impairments via Activation of D1/D5 Receptors

Background and Purpose—

Emerging evidence suggests that acupuncture could improve cognitive impairment in vascular dementia by enhancing synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether dopamine, a key mediator of synaptic plasticity, is involved in this cognitive improvement.

Methods—

Vascular dementia model was established by bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion in male Wistar rats. Three days after the operation, animals received acupuncture treatment for 2 weeks, once daily. The D1/D5 receptors antagonist SCH23390 was administered intraperitoneally 15 minutes before each acupuncture treatment. Morris water maze was examined after acupuncture. Long-term potentiation was studied by an electrophysiological technique. Dopamine and metabolites levels were detected by microdialysis and high-performance liquid chromatography from brain tissue. The expression of D1R and D5R was analyzed by immunofluorescence.

Results—

Acupuncture remarkably reversed cognitive deficits in 2-vessel occlusion model (2VO) rats, and the acupuncture points Zusanli (ST36) and Baihui (GV20) were confirmed to be the most effective combination. Electrophysiological recording data showed that 2VO-induced impairments of long-term potentiation were prevented by acupuncture. In addition, acupuncture promoted the release of dopamine and its major metabolites in the hippocampus of 2VO rats. The immunofluorescence experiment showed that the decrease of D1R and D5R in hippocampal dentate gyrus region of 2VO rats was reversed by acupuncture. Furthermore, we found that the effects of acupuncture against 2VO-induced impairments in cognition and synaptic plasticity were abolished by SCH23390.

Conclusions—

Improvement in cognition and hippocampal synaptic plasticity induced by acupuncture was achieved via activation of D1/D5 receptors in 2VO rats.

The Effects of Hypoxia and Inflammation on Synaptic Signaling in the CNS

Normal brain function is highly dependent on oxygen and nutrient supply and when the demand for oxygen exceeds its supply, hypoxia is induced. Acute episodes of hypoxia may cause a depression in synaptic activity in many brain regions, whilst prolonged exposure to hypoxia leads to neuronal cell loss and death. Acute inadequate oxygen supply may cause anaerobic metabolism and increased respiration in an attempt to increase oxygen intake whilst chronic hypoxia may give rise to angiogenesis and erythropoiesis in order to promote oxygen delivery to peripheral tissues. The effects of hypoxia on neuronal tissue are exacerbated by the release of many inflammatory agents from glia and neuronal cells. Cytokines, such as TNF-α, and IL-1β are known to be released during the early stages of hypoxia, causing either local or systemic inflammation, which can result in cell death. Another growing body of evidence suggests that inflammation can result in neuroprotection, such as preconditioning to cerebral ischemia, causing ischemic tolerance. In the following review we discuss the effects of acute and chronic hypoxia and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines on synaptic transmission and plasticity in the central nervous system. Specifically we discuss the effects of the pro-inflammatory agent TNF-α during a hypoxic event.

Chronic oleoylethanolamide treatment improves spatial cognitive deficits through enhancing hippocampal neurogenesis after transient focal cerebral ischemia

Oleoylethanolamide (OEA) has been shown to have neuroprotective effects after acute cerebral ischemic injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of chronic OEA treatment on ischemia-induced spatial cognitive impairments, electrophysiology behavior and hippocampal neurogenesis. Daily treatments of 30 mg/kg OEA significantly ameliorated spatial cognitive deficits and attenuated the inhibition of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rat model. Moreover, OEA administration improved cognitive function in a manner associated with enhanced neurogenesis in the hippocampus. Further study demonstrated that treatment with OEA markedly increased the expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors α (PPARα). Our data suggest that chronic OEA treatment can exert functional recovery of cognitive impairments and neuroprotective effects against cerebral ischemic insult in rats via triggering of neurogenesis in the hippocampus, which supports the therapeutic use of OEA for cerebral ischemia.

Mitochondria: a multimodal hub of hypoxia tolerance

Decreased oxygen availability impairs cellular energy production and, without a coordinated and matched decrease in energy consumption, cellular and whole organism death rapidly ensues. Of particular interest are mechanisms that protect brain from low oxygen injury, as this organ is not only the most sensitive to hypoxia, but must also remain active and functional during low oxygen stress. As a result of natural selective pressures, some species have evolved molecular and physiological mechanisms to tolerate prolonged hypoxia with no apparent detriment. Among these mechanisms are a handful of responses that are essential for hypoxia tolerance, including (i) sensors that detect changes in oxygen availability and initiate protective responses; (ii) mechanisms of energy conservation; (iii) maintenance of basic brain function; and (iv) avoidance of catastrophic cell death cascades. As the study of hypoxia-tolerant brain progresses, it is becoming increasingly apparent that mitochondria play a central role in regulating all of these critical mechanisms. Furthermore, modulation of mitochondrial function to mimic endogenous neuroprotective mechanisms found in hypoxia-tolerant species confers protection against otherwise lethal hypoxic stresses in hypoxia-intolerant organs and organisms. Therefore, lessons gleaned from the investigation of endogenous mechanisms of hypoxia tolerance in hypoxia-tolerant organisms may provide insight into clinical pathologies related to low oxygen stress.

Behavioral alterations associated with a down regulation of HCN1 mRNA in hippocampal cornus ammon 1 region and neocortex after chronic incomplete global cerebral ischemia in rats

It has been suggested that hyperpolarization-activated cyclic-nucleotide-gated cation non-selective channel (HCN) 1 is primarily expressed in the hippocampus and can be regulated in many pathological settings. However, little is known about its change under ischemic conditions. In the present study, we performed neurophysiological recordings of sham-operated and chronic ischemic rats with hypoperfusion during the resolution of the neurological deficits respectively. In situ hybridization methods and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays were used to investigate whether and how HCN1 mRNA may be altered in global incomplete chronic cerebral ischemic rat model. Our results suggested that attenuated spatial learning and memory function of rats shown by longer escape latency, shorter time spent in the target quadrant and impaired long-term potentiation (LTP) after chronic cerebral ischemia. In the in situ hybridization cytochemistry experiment, HCN1 mRNA declined to 52.00% and 46.00% of the control values in the cornus ammon 1 (CA1) regions of hippocampus and neocortex separately after chronic cerebral ischemia. HCN1 mRNA in the hippocampal CA1 region and neocortex was markedly down regulated by ischemia, reaching 48.90% and 45.80% of the control values respectively in the semi-quantitative RT-PCR experiment. The phenomenon opened new insights for further investigation of the physiological and pathological significances of HCN1 in chronic incomplete global cerebral ischemia.

AMPA receptors undergo channel arrest in the anoxic turtle cortex

Without oxygen, all mammals suffer neuronal injury and excitotoxic cell death mediated by overactivation of the glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR). The western painted turtle can survive anoxia for months, and downregulation of NMDAR activity is thought to be neuroprotective during anoxia. NMDAR activity is related to the activity of another glutamate receptor, the alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid receptor (AMPAR). AMPAR blockade is neuroprotective against anoxic insult in mammals, but the role of AMPARs in the turtle's anoxia tolerance has not been investigated. To determine whether AMPAR activity changes during hypoxia or anoxia in the turtle cortex, whole cell AMPAR currents, AMPAR-mediated excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs), and excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) were measured. The effect of AMPAR blockade on normoxic and anoxic NMDAR currents was also examined. During 60 min of normoxia, evoked peak AMPAR currents and the frequencies and amplitudes of EPSPs and EPSCs did not change. During anoxic perfusion, evoked AMPAR peak currents decreased 59.2 +/- 5.5 and 60.2 +/- 3.5% at 20 and 40 min, respectively. EPSP frequency (EPSP(f)) and amplitude decreased 28.7 +/- 6.4% and 13.2 +/- 1.7%, respectively, and EPSC(f) and amplitude decreased 50.7 +/- 5.1% and 51.3 +/- 4.7%, respectively. In contrast, hypoxic (Po(2) = 5%) AMPAR peak currents were potentiated 56.6 +/- 20.5 and 54.6 +/- 15.8% at 20 and 40 min, respectively. All changes were reversed by reoxygenation. AMPAR currents and EPSPs were abolished by 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX). In neurons pretreated with CNQX, anoxic NMDAR currents were reversibly depressed by 49.8 +/- 7.9%. These data suggest that AMPARs may undergo channel arrest in the anoxic turtle cortex.

Improvement of Cognitive Deficit and Neuronal Damage in Rats with Chronic Cerebral Ischemia via Relative Long-term Inhibition of Rho-kinase

(1) The role of activation of Rho-kinase in the pathogenesis of cognitive deficit and neuronal damage caused by chronic global ischemia is not clear. In this study, hydroxyfasudil, a Rho-kinase inhibitor, was found to improve the learning and memory performance significantly in rats with ischemia induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion after permanent bilateral carotid artery ligation (BCAL). This was observed by the administration of hydroxyfasudil (1 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg, once per day for 30 days) to ischemic rats and the measurements of escape latency and time spent in the target quadrant among the ischemic, sham, and ischemic plus hydroxyfasudil rats by the method of Morris water maze. (2) In electrophysiological study, hydroxyfasudil abolished the inhibition of long-term potentiation (LTP) in rats with ischemia. Morphologically, it also markedly reduced pathological changes such as neuronal cells loss and nuclei shrinkage in cortex and hippocampus of ischemic rats. Biochemical analysis showed that the inhibition of Rho-kinase by hydroxyfasudil reduced the amount of MDA and increased the activities of SOD and GPx in ischemic rats that had increased MDA and decreased SOD and GPx activities. (3) To explore mechanism (s) of the beneficial effects of hydroxyfasudil in ischemia, we performed immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR analyses of NMDA NR2B subunit and for the first time found that hydroxyfasudil increased the expression of NR2B in cortex and hippocampus at both protein and mRNA levels. (4) Taken together, our data further support the notion that the inhibition of Rho-kinase provides neuroprotective effects in cerebral ischemia.

Glutamate receptor changes associated with transient anoxia/hypoglycaemia in hippocampal slice cultures

Transient anoxia/hypoglycaemia in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures, a model of transient brain ischaemia, ultimately results in delayed cell death. Although the mechanisms underlying this delayed death remain unknown, an increase in excitatory drive has been postulated. We report here that transient anoxia/hypoglycaemia in rat hippocampal slice cultures resulted in a 70-80% enhancement of evoked, alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolpropionic acid (AMPA) receptor-mediated, excitatory responses lasting over 60 min. This effect was prevented by blockade of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, did not involve changes of paired-pulse facilitation ratio, but was associated with a 50% increase in amplitude, but not frequency, of spontaneous miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs). Consistent with this, paired recordings revealed the appearance of AMPA receptor-mediated EPSCs at previously silent synapses and occlusion by prior induction of long-term potentiation (LTP). Transient anoxia/hypoglycaemia further resulted in a 63% potentiation of evoked NMDA receptor-dependent synaptic responses, accounting for the 20% increase in ratio of AMPA to NMDA responses. No change in rectification properties of AMPA receptor-mediated currents could be detected within the first hour following anoxia/hypoglycaemia-induced potentiation. Western blot analyses of slice cultures exposed to either control conditions or a short anoxia/hypoglycaemia revealed a marked, 50-70% increase of GluR1, GluR2/3 and NR1 subunits 1 h, but not 15 min, after the anoxic/hypoglycaemic episode. This increase was blocked by an inhibitor of protein synthesis. Together these results indicate that a transient anoxia/hypoglycaemia is associated with a marked enhancement of excitatory transmission sharing similarities with the mechanisms underlying LTP, and is correlated with an increased synthesis of excitatory receptor subunits.

Temporal aspects of spatial task performance during intermittent hypoxia in the rat: evidence for neurogenesis

Intermittent hypoxia (IH) during sleep, such as occurs in obstructive sleep apnea, leads to degenerative changes in the hippocampus, and is associated with spatial learning deficits in the adult rat. We report that in Sprague-Dawley rats the initial IH-induced impairments in spatial learning are followed by a partial functional recovery over time, despite continuing IH exposure. These functional changes coincide with initial decreases in basal neurogenesis as shown by the number of positively colabelled cells for BrdU and neurofilament in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, and are followed by increased expression of neuronal progenitors and mature neurons (nestin and BrdU-neurofilament positively labelled cells, respectively). In contrast, no changes occurred during the course of IH exposures in the expression of the synaptic proteins synaptophysin, SNAP25, and drebrin. Collectively, these findings indicate that the occurrence of IH during the lights on period results in a biphasic pattern of neurogenesis in the hippocampus of adult rats, and may account for the observed partial recovery of spatial function.

Neuroplasticity in respiratory motor control

Although recent evidence demonstrates considerable neuroplasticity in the respiratory control system, a comprehensive conceptual framework is lacking. Our goals in this review are to define plasticity (and related neural properties) as it pertains to respiratory control and to discuss potential sites, mechanisms, and known categories of respiratory plasticity. Respiratory plasticity is defined as a persistent change in the neural control system based on prior experience. Plasticity may involve structural and/or functional alterations (most commonly both) and can arise from multiple cellular/synaptic mechanisms at different sites in the respiratory control system. Respiratory neuroplasticity is critically dependent on the establishment of necessary preconditions, the stimulus paradigm, the balance between opposing modulatory systems, age, gender, and genetics. Respiratory plasticity can be induced by hypoxia, hypercapnia, exercise, injury, stress, and pharmacological interventions or conditioning and occurs during development as well as in adults. Developmental plasticity is induced by experiences (e.g., altered respiratory gases) during sensitive developmental periods, thereby altering mature respiratory control. The same experience later in life has little or no effect. In adults, neuromodulation plays a prominent role in several forms of respiratory plasticity. For example, serotonergic modulation is thought to initiate and/or maintain respiratory plasticity following intermittent hypoxia, repeated hypercapnic exercise, spinal sensory denervation, spinal cord injury, and at least some conditioned reflexes. Considerable work is necessary before we fully appreciate the biological significance of respiratory plasticity, its underlying cellular/molecular and network mechanisms, and the potential to harness respiratory plasticity as a therapeutic tool.

Effects of oxygen deprivation on parapyramidal neurons of the ventrolateral medulla in the rat

We characterized the electrophysiological properties and responses of neurons located in the parapyramidal region of the ventral aspect of the rat medulla oblongata (parapyramidal neurons, PP neurons) to oxygen deprivation, in order to understand the mechanisms involved in hypoxia induced respiratory depression. The responses of PP neurons to oxygen deprivation were compared to those of the functionally dissimilar neurons of the dentate gyrus (DG). Neurons from the PP region were found to fire spontaneously with a frequency of 3-3.5 spikes/sec in both adults and neonates and responded to an anoxic insult with a complete loss of spontaneous firing. Discrete metabolite analysis showed a small (about 17%) decrease in tissue adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels of the PP neurons during an anoxic insult and the decrease was significantly smaller than in the DG cell region (28%). In contrast to the DG neurons, the PP neurons recovered from an anoxic insult lasting more than 30 min, indicating a greater survival capacity of the PP neurons during oxygen deprivation. The PP neurons were also capable of withstanding successive anoxic insults better than the DG cells as demonstrated by their complete recovery following reoxygenation. It is suggested that the PP neurons may depress their electrical activity as an energy conservation mechanism, and thereby survive anoxic insults longer than the dentate neurons, whereas the loss of cellular activity in the DG neurons may be a result of energy depletion.