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Mukherjee D, Xue B, Chen CT, Chang M, Kao JPY, Kanold PO. Early retinal deprivation crossmodally alters nascent subplate circuits and activity in the auditory cortex during the precritical period. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:9038-9053. [PMID: 37259176 PMCID: PMC10350824 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad180] [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: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensory perturbation in one modality results in the adaptive reorganization of neural pathways within the spared modalities, a phenomenon known as "crossmodal plasticity," which has been examined during or after the classic "critical period." Because peripheral perturbations can alter the auditory cortex (ACX) activity and functional connectivity of the ACX subplate neurons (SPNs) even before the critical period, called the precritical period, we investigated if retinal deprivation at birth crossmodally alters the ACX activity and SPN circuits during the precritical period. We deprived newborn mice of visual inputs after birth by performing bilateral enucleation. We performed in vivo widefield imaging in the ACX of awake pups during the first two postnatal weeks to investigate cortical activity. We found that enucleation alters spontaneous and sound-evoked activities in the ACX in an age-dependent manner. Next, we performed whole-cell patch clamp recording combined with laser scanning photostimulation in ACX slices to investigate circuit changes in SPNs. We found that enucleation alters the intracortical inhibitory circuits impinging on SPNs, shifting the excitation-inhibition balance toward excitation and this shift persists after ear opening. Together, our results indicate that crossmodal functional changes exist in the developing sensory cortices at early ages before the onset of the classic critical period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didhiti Mukherjee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Binghan Xue
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| | - Chih-Ting Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Minzi Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Joseph P Y Kao
- Department of Physiology, Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
| | - Patrick O Kanold
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
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2
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Mukherjee D, Xue B, Chen CT, Chang M, Kao JPY, Kanold PO. Early retinal deprivation crossmodally alters nascent subplate circuits and activity in the auditory cortex during the precritical period. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.21.529453. [PMID: 36865142 PMCID: PMC9980129 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.21.529453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Sensory perturbation in one modality results in adaptive reorganization of neural pathways within the spared modalities, a phenomenon known as "crossmodal plasticity", which has been examined during or after the classic 'critical period'. Because peripheral perturbations can alter auditory cortex (ACX) activity and functional connectivity of the ACX subplate neurons (SPNs) even before the classic critical period, called the precritical period, we investigated if retinal deprivation at birth crossmodally alters ACX activity and SPN circuits during the precritical period. We deprived newborn mice of visual inputs after birth by performing bilateral enucleation. We performed in vivo imaging in the ACX of awake pups during the first two postnatal weeks to investigate cortical activity. We found that enucleation alters spontaneous and sound-evoked activity in the ACX in an age-dependent manner. Next, we performed whole-cell patch clamp recording combined with laser scanning photostimulation in ACX slices to investigate circuit changes in SPNs. We found that enucleation alters the intracortical inhibitory circuits impinging on SPNs shifting the excitation-inhibition balance towards excitation and this shift persists after ear opening. Together, our results indicate that crossmodal functional changes exist in the developing sensory cortices at early ages before the onset of the classic critical period.
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3
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Gellért L, Luhmann HJ, Kilb W. Axonal connections between S1 barrel, M1, and S2 cortex in the newborn mouse. Front Neuroanat 2023; 17:1105998. [PMID: 36760662 PMCID: PMC9905141 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2023.1105998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of functionally interconnected networks between primary (S1), secondary somatosensory (S2), and motor (M1) cortical areas requires coherent neuronal activity via corticocortical projections. However, the anatomical substrate of functional connections between S1 and M1 or S2 during early development remains elusive. In the present study, we used ex vivo carbocyanine dye (DiI) tracing in paraformaldehyde-fixed newborn mouse brain to investigate axonal projections of neurons in different layers of S1 barrel field (S1Bf), M1, and S2 toward the subplate (SP), a hub layer for sensory information transfer in the immature cortex. In addition, we performed extracellular recordings in neocortical slices to unravel the functional connectivity between these areas. Our experiments demonstrate that already at P0 neurons from the cortical plate (CP), layer 5/6 (L5/6), and the SP of both M1 and S2 send projections through the SP of S1Bf. Reciprocally, neurons from CP to SP of S1Bf send projections through the SP of M1 and S2. Electrophysiological recordings with multi-electrode arrays in cortical slices revealed weak, but functional synaptic connections between SP and L5/6 within and between S1 and M1. An even lower functional connectivity was observed between S1 and S2. In summary, our findings demonstrate that functional connections between SP and upper cortical layers are not confined to the same cortical area, but corticocortical connection between adjacent cortical areas exist already at the day of birth. Hereby, SP can integrate early cortical activity of M1, S1, and S2 and shape the development of sensorimotor integration at an early stage.
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4
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Deng R, Chang M, Kao JPY, Kanold PO. Cortical inhibitory but not excitatory synaptic transmission and circuit refinement are altered after the deletion of NMDA receptors during early development. Sci Rep 2023; 13:656. [PMID: 36635357 PMCID: PMC9837136 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-27536-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurons in the cerebral cortex form excitatory and inhibitory circuits with specific laminar locations. The mechanisms underlying the development of these spatially specific circuits is not fully understood. To test if postsynaptic N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors on excitatory neurons are required for the development of specific circuits to these neurons, we genetically ablated NMDA receptors from a subset of excitatory neurons in the temporal association cortex (TeA) through in utero electroporation and assessed the intracortical circuits connecting to L5 neurons through in vitro whole-cell patch clamp recordings coupled with laser-scanning photostimulation (LSPS). In NMDAR knockout neurons, α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor-mediated connections were largely intact. In contrast both LSPS and mini-IPSC recordings revealed that γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor-mediated connections were impaired in NMDAR knockout neurons. These results suggest that postsynaptic NMDA receptors are important for the development of GABAergic circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongkang Deng
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
- Biological Sciences Graduate Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Minzi Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, 733 N. Broadway Avenue / Miller 379, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Joseph P Y Kao
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Patrick O Kanold
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, 733 N. Broadway Avenue / Miller 379, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
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5
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Mukherjee D, Kanold PO. Changing subplate circuits: Early activity dependent circuit plasticity. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 16:1067365. [PMID: 36713777 PMCID: PMC9874351 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.1067365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Early neural activity in the developing sensory system comprises spontaneous bursts of patterned activity, which is fundamental for sculpting and refinement of immature cortical connections. The crude early connections that are initially refined by spontaneous activity, are further elaborated by sensory-driven activity from the periphery such that orderly and mature connections are established for the proper functioning of the cortices. Subplate neurons (SPNs) are one of the first-born mature neurons that are transiently present during early development, the period of heightened activity-dependent plasticity. SPNs are well integrated within the developing sensory cortices. Their structural and functional properties such as relative mature intrinsic membrane properties, heightened connectivity via chemical and electrical synapses, robust activation by neuromodulatory inputs-place them in an ideal position to serve as crucial elements in monitoring and regulating spontaneous endogenous network activity. Moreover, SPNs are the earliest substrates to receive early sensory-driven activity from the periphery and are involved in its modulation, amplification, and transmission before the maturation of the direct adult-like thalamocortical connectivity. Consequently, SPNs are vulnerable to sensory manipulations in the periphery. A broad range of early sensory deprivations alters SPN circuit organization and functions that might be associated with long term neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Here we provide a comprehensive overview of SPN function in activity-dependent development during early life and integrate recent findings on the impact of early sensory deprivation on SPNs that could eventually lead to neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didhiti Mukherjee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Patrick O. Kanold
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States,Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States,*Correspondence: Patrick O. Kanold ✉
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6
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Luhmann HJ, Kanold PO, Molnár Z, Vanhatalo S. Early brain activity: Translations between bedside and laboratory. Prog Neurobiol 2022; 213:102268. [PMID: 35364141 PMCID: PMC9923767 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2022.102268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Neural activity is both a driver of brain development and a readout of developmental processes. Changes in neuronal activity are therefore both the cause and consequence of neurodevelopmental compromises. Here, we review the assessment of neuronal activities in both preclinical models and clinical situations. We focus on issues that require urgent translational research, the challenges and bottlenecks preventing translation of biomedical research into new clinical diagnostics or treatments, and possibilities to overcome these barriers. The key questions are (i) what can be measured in clinical settings versus animal experiments, (ii) how do measurements relate to particular stages of development, and (iii) how can we balance practical and ethical realities with methodological compromises in measurements and treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiko J. Luhmann
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Duesbergweg 6, Mainz, Germany.,Correspondence:, , ,
| | - Patrick O. Kanold
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue / Miller 379, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.,Correspondence:, , ,
| | - Zoltán Molnár
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Sherrington Building, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK.
| | - Sampsa Vanhatalo
- BABA Center, Departments of Physiology and Clinical Neurophysiology, Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
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7
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Mukherjee D, Meng X, Kao JPY, Kanold PO. Impaired Hearing and Altered Subplate Circuits During the First and Second Postnatal Weeks of Otoferlin-Deficient Mice. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:2816-2830. [PMID: 34849612 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensory deprivation from the periphery impacts cortical development. Otoferlin deficiency leads to impaired cochlear synaptic transmission and is associated with progressive hearing loss in adults. However, it remains elusive how sensory deprivation due to otoferlin deficiency impacts the early development of the auditory cortex (ACX) especially before the onset of low threshold hearing. To test that, we performed in vivo imaging of the ACX in awake mice lacking otoferlin (Otof-/-) during the first and second postnatal weeks and found that spontaneous and sound-driven cortical activity were progressively impaired. We then characterized the effects on developing auditory cortical circuits by performing in vitro recordings from subplate neurons (SPN), the first primary targets of thalamocortical inputs. We found that in Otof-/- pups, SPNs received exuberant connections from excitatory and inhibitory neurons. Moreover, as a population, SPNs showed higher similarity with respect to their circuit topology in the absence of otoferlin. Together, our results show that otoferlin deficiency results in impaired hearing and has a powerful influence on cortical connections and spontaneous activity in early development even before complete deafness. Therefore, peripheral activity has the potential to sculpt cortical structures from the earliest ages, even before hearing impairment is diagnosed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didhiti Mukherjee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.,Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Xiangying Meng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.,Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Joseph P Y Kao
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, and Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Patrick O Kanold
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.,Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.,Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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8
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Sheikh A, Meng X, Kao JPY, Kanold PO. Neonatal Hypoxia-Ischemia Causes Persistent Intracortical Circuit Changes in Layer 4 of Rat Auditory Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:2575-2589. [PMID: 34729599 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The connection between early brain injury and subsequent development of disorders is unknown. Neonatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI) alters circuits associated with subplate neurons (SPNs). SPNs are among the first maturing cortical neurons, project to thalamorecipient layer 4 (L4), and are required for the development of thalamocortical connections. Thus, early HI might influence L4 and such influence might persist. We investigated functional circuits to L4 neurons in neonatal rat HI models of different severities (mild and moderate) shortly after injury and at adolescence. We used laser-scanning photostimulation in slices of auditory cortex during P5-10 and P18-23. Mild injuries did not initially (P6/P7) alter the convergence of excitatory inputs from L2/3, but hyperconnectivity emerged by P8-10. Inputs from L4 showed initial hypoconnectivity which resolved by P8-10. Moderate injuries resulted in initial hypoconnectivity from both layers which resolved by P8-10 and led to persistent strengthening of connections. Inhibitory inputs to L4 cells showed similar changes. Functional changes were mirrored by reduced dendritic complexity. We also observed a persistent increase in similarity of L4 circuits, suggesting that HI interferes with developmental circuit refinement and diversification. Altogether, our results show that neonatal HI injuries lead to persistent changes in intracortical connections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aminah Sheikh
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.,Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Xiangying Meng
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Joseph P Y Kao
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, and Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Patrick O Kanold
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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9
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Meng X, Solarana K, Bowen Z, Liu J, Nagode DA, Sheikh A, Winkowski DE, Kao JPY, Kanold PO. Transient Subgranular Hyperconnectivity to L2/3 and Enhanced Pairwise Correlations During the Critical Period in the Mouse Auditory Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2021; 30:1914-1930. [PMID: 31667495 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During the critical period, neuronal connections are shaped by sensory experience. While the basis for this temporarily heightened plasticity remains unclear, shared connections introducing activity correlations likely play a key role. Thus, we investigated the changing intracortical connectivity in primary auditory cortex (A1) over development. In adult, layer 2/3 (L2/3) neurons receive ascending inputs from layer 4 (L4) and also receive few inputs from subgranular layer 5/6 (L5/6). We measured the spatial pattern of intracortical excitatory and inhibitory connections to L2/3 neurons in slices of mouse A1 across development using laser-scanning photostimulation. Before P11, L2/3 cells receive most excitatory input from within L2/3. Excitatory inputs from L2/3 and L4 increase after P5 and peak during P9-16. L5/6 inputs increase after P5 and provide most input during P12-16, the peak of the critical period. Inhibitory inputs followed a similar pattern. Functional circuit diversity in L2/3 emerges after P16. In vivo two-photon imaging shows low pairwise signal correlations in neighboring neurons before P11, which peak at P15-16 and decline after. Our results suggest that the critical period is characterized by high pairwise activity correlations and that transient hyperconnectivity of specific circuits, in particular those originating in L5/6, might play a key role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangying Meng
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Krystyna Solarana
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Zac Bowen
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Ji Liu
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Daniel A Nagode
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Aminah Sheikh
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Daniel E Winkowski
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Joseph P Y Kao
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, and Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Patrick O Kanold
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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10
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Development of Auditory Cortex Circuits. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2021; 22:237-259. [PMID: 33909161 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-021-00794-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to process and perceive sensory stimuli is an essential function for animals. Among the sensory modalities, audition is crucial for communication, pleasure, care for the young, and perceiving threats. The auditory cortex (ACtx) is a key sound processing region that combines ascending signals from the auditory periphery and inputs from other sensory and non-sensory regions. The development of ACtx is a protracted process starting prenatally and requires the complex interplay of molecular programs, spontaneous activity, and sensory experience. Here, we review the development of thalamic and cortical auditory circuits during pre- and early post-natal periods.
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11
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Deng R, Kao JPY, Kanold PO. Aberrant development of excitatory circuits to inhibitory neurons in the primary visual cortex after neonatal binocular enucleation. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3163. [PMID: 33542365 PMCID: PMC7862622 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82679-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of GABAergic interneurons is important for the functional maturation of cortical circuits. After migrating into the cortex, GABAergic interneurons start to receive glutamatergic connections from cortical excitatory neurons and thus gradually become integrated into cortical circuits. These glutamatergic connections are mediated by glutamate receptors including AMPA and NMDA receptors and the ratio of AMPA to NMDA receptors decreases during development. Since previous studies have shown that retinal input can regulate the early development of connections along the visual pathway, we investigated if the maturation of glutamatergic inputs to GABAergic interneurons in the visual cortex requires retinal input. We mapped the spatial pattern of glutamatergic connections to layer 4 (L4) GABAergic interneurons in mouse visual cortex at around postnatal day (P) 16 by laser-scanning photostimulation and investigated the effect of binocular enucleations at P1/P2 on these patterns. Gad2-positive interneurons in enucleated animals showed an increased fraction of AMPAR-mediated input from L2/3 and a decreased fraction of input from L5/6. Parvalbumin-expressing (PV) interneurons showed similar changes in relative connectivity. NMDAR-only input was largely unchanged by enucleation. Our results show that retinal input sculpts the integration of interneurons into V1 circuits and suggest that the development of AMPAR- and NMDAR-only connections might be regulated differently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongkang Deng
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.,Biological Sciences Graduate Program, University of Maryland, College Park, 20742, MD, USA
| | - Joseph P Y Kao
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, and Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Patrick O Kanold
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 379 Miller Res. Bldg, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA. .,Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
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12
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Meng X, Mukherjee D, Kao JPY, Kanold PO. Early peripheral activity alters nascent subplate circuits in the auditory cortex. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabc9155. [PMID: 33579707 PMCID: PMC7880598 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abc9155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Cortical function can be shaped by sensory experience during a critical period. The onset of the critical period is thought to coincide with the onset of thalamocortical transmission to the thalamo-recipient layer 4 (L4). In early development, subplate neurons (SPNs), and not L4 neurons, are the first targets of thalamic afferents. SPNs are transiently involved in early development and are largely eliminated during development. Activation of L4 by thalamic afferents coincides with the opening of ear canal (~P11 in mice) and precedes the later critical period. Here, we show in mice that abolishing peripheral function or presenting sound stimuli even before P11 leads to bidirectionally altered functional connectivity of SPNs in auditory cortex. Thus, early sensory experience can sculpt subplate circuits before thalamocortical circuits to L4 are mature. Our results show that peripheral activity shapes cortical circuits in a sequential manner and from earlier ages than has been appreciated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangying Meng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Didhiti Mukherjee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Joseph P Y Kao
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology and Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Patrick O Kanold
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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13
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Molnár Z, Luhmann HJ, Kanold PO. Transient cortical circuits match spontaneous and sensory-driven activity during development. Science 2020; 370:370/6514/eabb2153. [PMID: 33060328 DOI: 10.1126/science.abb2153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
At the earliest developmental stages, spontaneous activity synchronizes local and large-scale cortical networks. These networks form the functional template for the establishment of global thalamocortical networks and cortical architecture. The earliest connections are established autonomously. However, activity from the sensory periphery reshapes these circuits as soon as afferents reach the cortex. The early-generated, largely transient neurons of the subplate play a key role in integrating spontaneous and sensory-driven activity. Early pathological conditions-such as hypoxia, inflammation, or exposure to pharmacological compounds-alter spontaneous activity patterns, which subsequently induce disturbances in cortical network activity. This cortical dysfunction may lead to local and global miswiring and, at later stages, can be associated with neurological and psychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoltán Molnár
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Sherrington Building, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK.
| | - Heiko J Luhmann
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Duesbergweg 6, Mainz 55128, Germany.
| | - Patrick O Kanold
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, MRB 379, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. .,Johns Hopkins University Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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14
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Carroll L, Braeutigam S, Dawes JM, Krsnik Z, Kostovic I, Coutinho E, Dewing JM, Horton CA, Gomez-Nicola D, Menassa DA. Autism Spectrum Disorders: Multiple Routes to, and Multiple Consequences of, Abnormal Synaptic Function and Connectivity. Neuroscientist 2020; 27:10-29. [PMID: 32441222 PMCID: PMC7804368 DOI: 10.1177/1073858420921378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a heterogeneous group of
neurodevelopmental disorders of genetic and environmental etiologies.
Some ASD cases are syndromic: associated with clinically defined
patterns of somatic abnormalities and a neurobehavioral phenotype
(e.g., Fragile X syndrome). Many cases, however, are idiopathic or
non-syndromic. Such disorders present themselves during the early
postnatal period when language, speech, and personality start to
develop. ASDs manifest by deficits in social communication and
interaction, restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior across
multiple contexts, sensory abnormalities across multiple modalities
and comorbidities, such as epilepsy among many others. ASDs are
disorders of connectivity, as synaptic dysfunction is common to both
syndromic and idiopathic forms. While multiple theories have been
proposed, particularly in idiopathic ASDs, none address why certain
brain areas (e.g., frontotemporal) appear more vulnerable than others
or identify factors that may affect phenotypic specificity. In this
hypothesis article, we identify possible routes leading to, and the
consequences of, altered connectivity and review the evidence of
central and peripheral synaptic dysfunction in ASDs. We postulate that
phenotypic specificity could arise from aberrant experience-dependent
plasticity mechanisms in frontal brain areas and peripheral sensory
networks and propose why the vulnerability of these areas could be
part of a model to unify preexisting pathophysiological theories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam Carroll
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Sven Braeutigam
- Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - John M Dawes
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Zeljka Krsnik
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, Centre of Research Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivica Kostovic
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, Centre of Research Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ester Coutinho
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Jennifer M Dewing
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, Hampshire, UK
| | - Christopher A Horton
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Diego Gomez-Nicola
- Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - David A Menassa
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK.,Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
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15
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Sheikh A, Meng X, Liu J, Mikhailova A, Kao JPY, McQuillen PS, Kanold PO. Neonatal Hypoxia-Ischemia Causes Functional Circuit Changes in Subplate Neurons. Cereb Cortex 2020; 29:765-776. [PMID: 29365081 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhx358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Neonatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI) in the preterm human results in damage to subcortical developing white matter and cognitive impairments. Subplate neurons (SPNs) are among the first-born cortical neurons and are necessary for normal cerebral development. While moderate or severe HI at P1 in rats leads to SPN loss, it is unclear if HI, esp. forms not associated with overt cell loss lead to altered SPN circuits. Thus, we used two HI models with different severities in P1 rats. Cauterization of the common carotid artery (CCA) causes a largely transient and thus milder ischemia (HI-Caut) while CCA ligation causes more severe ischemia (HI-Lig). While HI-Lig caused subplate damage, HI-Caut did not cause overt histological damage on the light microscopic level. We used laser-scanning photostimulation (LSPS) in acute thalamocortical slices of auditory cortex during P5-10 to study the functional connectivity of SPNs. Both HI categories resulted in hyperconnectivity of excitatory and inhibitory circuits to SPNs. Thus, alterations on the circuit level are present in the absence of cell loss. Our results show that SPN circuits are uniquely susceptible to HI. Given the key developmental role of SPNs, our results suggest that altered SPN circuits might underlie the abnormal development of cortical function after HI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aminah Sheikh
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.,Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Xiangying Meng
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Ji Liu
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Alexandra Mikhailova
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Joseph P Y Kao
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, and Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Patrick S McQuillen
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Patrick O Kanold
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.,Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
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16
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Kanold PO, Deng R, Meng X. The Integrative Function of Silent Synapses on Subplate Neurons in Cortical Development and Dysfunction. Front Neuroanat 2019; 13:41. [PMID: 31040772 PMCID: PMC6476909 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2019.00041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The thalamocortical circuit is of central importance in relaying information to the cortex. In development, subplate neurons (SPNs) form an integral part of the thalamocortical pathway. These early born cortical neurons are the first neurons to receive thalamic inputs and excite neurons in the cortical plate. This feed-forward circuit topology of SPNs supports the role of SPNs in shaping the formation and plasticity of thalamocortical connections. Recently it has been shown that SPNs also receive inputs from the developing cortical plate and project to the thalamus. The cortical inputs to SPNs in early ages are mediated by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-receptor only containing synapses while at later ages α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)-receptors are present. Thus, SPNs perform a changing integrative function over development. NMDA-receptor only synapses are crucially influenced by the resting potential and thus insults to the developing brain that causes depolarizations, e.g., hypoxia, can influence the integrative function of SPNs. Since such insults in humans cause symptoms of neurodevelopmental disorders, NMDA-receptor only synapses on SPNs might provide a crucial link between early injuries and later circuit dysfunction. We thus here review subplate associated circuits, their changing functions, and discuss possible roles in development and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick O Kanold
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Rongkang Deng
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Xiangying Meng
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
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17
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Luhmann HJ, Kirischuk S, Kilb W. The Superior Function of the Subplate in Early Neocortical Development. Front Neuroanat 2018; 12:97. [PMID: 30487739 PMCID: PMC6246655 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2018.00097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
During early development the structure and function of the cerebral cortex is critically organized by subplate neurons (SPNs), a mostly transient population of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons located below the cortical plate. At the molecular and morphological level SPNs represent a rather diverse population of cells expressing a variety of genetic markers and revealing different axonal-dendritic morphologies. Electrophysiologically SPNs are characterized by their rather mature intrinsic membrane properties and firing patterns. They are connected via electrical and chemical synapses to local and remote neurons, e.g., thalamic relay neurons forming the first thalamocortical input to the cerebral cortex. Therefore SPNs are robustly activated at pre- and perinatal stages by the sensory periphery. Although SPNs play pivotal roles in early neocortical activity, development and plasticity, they mostly disappear by programmed cell death during further maturation. On the one hand, SPNs may be selectively vulnerable to hypoxia-ischemia contributing to brain damage, on the other hand there is some evidence that enhanced survival rates or alterations in SPN distribution may contribute to the etiology of neurological or psychiatric disorders. This review aims to give a comprehensive and up-to-date overview on the many functions of SPNs during early physiological and pathophysiological development of the cerebral cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiko J Luhmann
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Sergei Kirischuk
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Werner Kilb
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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18
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Hoerder-Suabedissen A, Hayashi S, Upton L, Nolan Z, Casas-Torremocha D, Grant E, Viswanathan S, Kanold PO, Clasca F, Kim Y, Molnár Z. Subset of Cortical Layer 6b Neurons Selectively Innervates Higher Order Thalamic Nuclei in Mice. Cereb Cortex 2018; 28:1882-1897. [PMID: 29481606 PMCID: PMC6018949 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2017] [Revised: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The thalamus receives input from 3 distinct cortical layers, but input from only 2 of these has been well characterized. We therefore investigated whether the third input, derived from layer 6b, is more similar to the projections from layer 6a or layer 5. We studied the projections of a restricted population of deep layer 6 cells ("layer 6b cells") taking advantage of the transgenic mouse Tg(Drd1a-cre)FK164Gsat/Mmucd (Drd1a-Cre), that selectively expresses Cre-recombinase in a subpopulation of layer 6b neurons across the entire cortical mantle. At P8, 18% of layer 6b neurons are labeled with Drd1a-Cre::tdTomato in somatosensory cortex (SS), and some co-express known layer 6b markers. Using Cre-dependent viral tracing, we identified topographical projections to higher order thalamic nuclei. VGluT1+ synapses formed by labeled layer 6b projections were found in posterior thalamic nucleus (Po) but not in the (pre)thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN). The lack of TRN collaterals was confirmed with single-cell tracing from SS. Transmission electron microscopy comparison of terminal varicosities from layer 5 and layer 6b axons in Po showed that L6b varicosities are markedly smaller and simpler than the majority from L5. Our results suggest that L6b projections to the thalamus are distinct from both L5 and L6a projections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shuichi Hayashi
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Louise Upton
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Zachary Nolan
- Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Diana Casas-Torremocha
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autónoma University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eleanor Grant
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Sarada Viswanathan
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 1116 Biosciences Building,College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Patrick O Kanold
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 1116 Biosciences Building,College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Francisco Clasca
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autónoma University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Yongsoo Kim
- Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Zoltán Molnár
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QX, UK
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19
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Distinct Translaminar Glutamatergic Circuits to GABAergic Interneurons in the Neonatal Auditory Cortex. Cell Rep 2018; 19:1141-1150. [PMID: 28494864 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.04.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Revised: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
GABAergic activity is important in neocortical development and plasticity. Because the maturation of GABAergic interneurons is regulated by neural activity, the source of excitatory inputs to GABAergic interneurons plays a key role in development. We show, by laser-scanning photostimulation, that layer 4 and layer 5 GABAergic interneurons in the auditory cortex in neonatal mice (<P7) receive extensive translaminar glutamatergic input via NMDAR-only synapses. Extensive translaminar AMPAR-mediated input developed during the second postnatal week, whereas NMDAR-only presynaptic connections decreased. GABAergic interneurons showed two spatial patterns of translaminar connection: inputs originating predominantly from supragranular or from supragranular and infragranular layers, including the subplate, which relays early thalamocortical activity. Sensory deprivation altered the development of translaminar inputs. Thus, distinct translaminar circuits to GABAergic interneurons exist throughout development, and the maturation of excitatory synapses is input-specific. Glutamatergic signaling from subplate and intracortical sources likely plays a role in the maturation of GABAergic interneurons.
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20
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Subplate neurons are the first cortical neurons to respond to sensory stimuli. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:12602-12607. [PMID: 29114043 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1710793114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
In utero experience, such as maternal speech in humans, can shape later perception, although the underlying cortical substrate is unknown. In adult mammals, ascending thalamocortical projections target layer 4, and the onset of sensory responses in the cortex is thought to be dependent on the onset of thalamocortical transmission to layer 4 as well as the ear and eye opening. In developing animals, thalamic fibers do not target layer 4 but instead target subplate neurons deep in the developing white matter. We investigated if subplate neurons respond to sensory stimuli. Using electrophysiological recordings in young ferrets, we show that auditory cortex neurons respond to sound at very young ages, even before the opening of the ears. Single unit recordings showed that auditory responses emerged first in cortical subplate neurons. Subsequently, responses appeared in the future thalamocortical input layer 4, and sound-evoked spike latencies were longer in layer 4 than in subplate, consistent with the known relay of thalamic information to layer 4 by subplate neurons. Electrode array recordings show that early auditory responses demonstrate a nascent topographic organization, suggesting that topographic maps emerge before the onset of spiking responses in layer 4. Together our results show that sound-evoked activity and topographic organization of the cortex emerge earlier and in a different layer than previously thought. Thus, early sound experience can activate and potentially sculpt subplate circuits before permanent thalamocortical circuits to layer 4 are present, and disruption of this early sensory activity could be utilized for early diagnosis of developmental disorders.
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21
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Meng X, Winkowski DE, Kao JPY, Kanold PO. Sublaminar Subdivision of Mouse Auditory Cortex Layer 2/3 Based on Functional Translaminar Connections. J Neurosci 2017; 37:10200-10214. [PMID: 28931571 PMCID: PMC5647773 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1361-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Revised: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The cerebral cortex is subdivided into six layers based on morphological features. The supragranular layers 2/3 (L2/3) contain morphologically and genetically diverse populations of neurons, suggesting the existence of discrete classes of cells. In primates and carnivores L2/3 can be subdivided morphologically, but cytoarchitectonic divisions are less clear in rodents. Nevertheless, discrete classes of cells could exist based on their computational requirement, which might be linked to their associated functional microcircuits. Through in vitro slice recordings coupled with laser-scanning photostimulation we investigated whether L2/3 of male mouse auditory cortex contains discrete subpopulations of cells with specific functional microcircuits. We use hierarchical clustering on the laminar connection patterns to reveal the existence of multiple distinct classes of L2/3 neurons. The classes of L2/3 neurons are distinguished by the pattern of their laminar and columnar inputs from within A1 and their location within L2/3. Cells in superficial L2 show more extensive columnar integration than deeper L3 cells. Moreover, L3 cells receive more translaminar input from L4. In vivo imaging in awake mice revealed that L2 cells had higher bandwidth than L3 cells, consistent with the laminar differences in columnar integration. These results suggest that similar to higher mammals, rodent L2/3 is not a homogenous layer but contains several parallel microcircuits.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Layer 2/3 of auditory cortex is functionally diverse. We investigated whether L2/3 cells form classes based on their functional connectivity. We used in vitro whole-cell patch-clamp recordings with laser-scanning photostimulation and performed unsupervised clustering on the resulting excitatory and inhibitory connection patterns. Cells within each class were located in different sublaminae. Superficial cells showed wider integration along the tonotopic axis and the amount of L4 input varied with sublaminar location. To identify whether sensory responses varied with sublaminar location, we performed in vivo Ca2+ imaging and found that L2 cells were less frequency-selective than L3 cells. Our results show that the diversity of receptive fields in L2/3 is likely due to diversity in the underlying functional circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangying Meng
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, and
| | - Daniel E Winkowski
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, and
| | - Joseph P Y Kao
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, and Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - Patrick O Kanold
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, and
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22
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Meng X, Kao JPY, Lee HK, Kanold PO. Intracortical Circuits in Thalamorecipient Layers of Auditory Cortex Refine after Visual Deprivation. eNeuro 2017; 4:ENEURO.0092-17.2017. [PMID: 28396883 PMCID: PMC5383732 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0092-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory cortices do not work in isolation. The functional responses of neurons in primary sensory cortices can be affected by activity from other modalities. For example, short-term visual deprivations, or dark exposure (DE), leads to enhanced neuronal responses and frequency selectivity to sounds in layer 4 (L4) of primary auditory cortex (A1). Circuit changes within A1 likely underlie these changes. Prior studies revealed that DE enhanced thalamocortical transmission to L4 in A1. Because the frequency selectivity of L4 neurons is determined by both thalamocortical and intracortical inputs, changes in intralaminar circuits to L4 neurons might also contribute to improved sound responses. We thus investigated in mouse A1 whether intracortical circuits to L4 cells changed after DE. Using in vitro whole-cell patch recordings in thalamocortical slices from mouse auditory cortex, we show that DE can lead to refinement of interlaminar excitatory as well as inhibitory connections from L2/3 to L4 cells, manifested as a weakening of these connections. The circuit refinement is present along the tonotopic axis, indicating reduced integration along the tonotopic axis. Thus, cross-modal influences may alter the spectral and temporal processing of sensory stimuli in multiple cortical layers by refinement of thalamocortical and intracortical circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangying Meng
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742
| | - Joseph P. Y. Kao
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, and Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201
| | - Hey-Kyoung Lee
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742
- Department of Neuroscience, Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
| | - Patrick O. Kanold
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742
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23
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Nagode DA, Meng X, Winkowski DE, Smith E, Khan-Tareen H, Kareddy V, Kao JPY, Kanold PO. Abnormal Development of the Earliest Cortical Circuits in a Mouse Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Cell Rep 2017; 18:1100-1108. [PMID: 28147267 PMCID: PMC5488290 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2016] [Revised: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) involves deficits in speech and sound processing. Cortical circuit changes during early development likely contribute to such deficits. Subplate neurons (SPNs) form the earliest cortical microcircuits and are required for normal development of thalamocortical and intracortical circuits. Prenatal valproic acid (VPA) increases ASD risk, especially when present during a critical time window coinciding with SPN genesis. Using optical circuit mapping in mouse auditory cortex, we find that VPA exposure on E12 altered the functional excitatory and inhibitory connectivity of SPNs. Circuit changes manifested as "patches" of mostly increased connection probability or strength in the first postnatal week and as general hyper-connectivity after P10, shortly after ear opening. These results suggest that prenatal VPA exposure severely affects the developmental trajectory of cortical circuits and that sensory-driven activity may exacerbate earlier, subtle connectivity deficits. Our findings identify the subplate as a possible common pathophysiological substrate of deficits in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Nagode
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Xiangying Meng
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Daniel E Winkowski
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Ed Smith
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Hamza Khan-Tareen
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | | | - Joseph P Y Kao
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, and Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Patrick O Kanold
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
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24
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Muralidharan S, Dirda NDA, Katz EJ, Tang CM, Bandyopadhyay S, Kanold PO, Kao JPY. Ncm, a Photolabile Group for Preparation of Caged Molecules: Synthesis and Biological Application. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0163937. [PMID: 27695074 PMCID: PMC5047466 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0163937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2015] [Accepted: 09/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Ncm, 6-nitrocoumarin-7-ylmethyl, is a photolabile protective group useful for making “caged” molecules. Ncm marries the reliable photochemistry of 2-nitrobenzyl systems with the excellent stability and spectroscopic properties of the coumarin chromophore. From simple, commercially available starting materials, preparation of Ncm and its caged derivatives is both quick and easy. Photorelease of Ncm-caged molecules occurs on the microsecond time scale, with quantum efficiencies of 0.05–0.08. We report the synthesis and physical properties of Ncm and its caged derivatives. The utility of Ncm-caged glutamate for neuronal photostimulation is demonstrated in cultured hippocampal neurons and in brain slice preparations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sukumaran Muralidharan
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Nathaniel D. A. Dirda
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth J. Katz
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Cha-Min Tang
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Sharba Bandyopadhyay
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Patrick O. Kanold
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Joseph P. Y. Kao
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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25
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Sturm JJ, Nguyen T, Kandler K. Mapping Auditory Synaptic Circuits with Photostimulation of Caged Glutamate. Methods Mol Biol 2016; 1427:525-537. [PMID: 27259947 PMCID: PMC5957083 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3615-1_30] [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] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Photostimulation of neurons with caged glutamate is a viable tool for mapping the strength and spatial distribution of synaptic networks in living brain slices. In photostimulation experiments, synaptic connectivity is assessed by eliciting action potentials in putative presynaptic neurons via focal photolysis of caged glutamate, while measuring postsynaptic responses via intracellular recordings. Two approaches are commonly used for delivering light to small, defined areas in the slice preparation; an optical fiber-based method and a laser-scanning-based method. In this chapter, we outline the technical bases for using photostimulation of caged glutamate to map synaptic circuits, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using fiber-based vs. laser-based systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua J Sturm
- Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Ear and Eye Institute, University of Pittsburgh, 3501 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Tuan Nguyen
- Department of Physics, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ, 08628, USA
| | - Karl Kandler
- Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Ear and Eye Institute, University of Pittsburgh, 3501 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
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26
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Barber M, Pierani A. Tangential migration of glutamatergic neurons and cortical patterning during development: Lessons from Cajal-Retzius cells. Dev Neurobiol 2015; 76:847-81. [PMID: 26581033 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2015] [Revised: 11/12/2015] [Accepted: 11/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Tangential migration is a mode of cell movement, which in the developing cerebral cortex, is defined by displacement parallel to the ventricular surface and orthogonal to the radial glial fibers. This mode of long-range migration is a strategy by which distinct neuronal classes generated from spatially and molecularly distinct origins can integrate to form appropriate neural circuits within the cortical plate. While it was previously believed that only GABAergic cortical interneurons migrate tangentially from their origins in the subpallial ganglionic eminences to integrate in the cortical plate, it is now known that transient populations of glutamatergic neurons also adopt this mode of migration. These include Cajal-Retzius cells (CRs), subplate neurons (SPs), and cortical plate transient neurons (CPTs), which have crucial roles in orchestrating the radial and tangential development of the embryonic cerebral cortex in a noncell-autonomous manner. While CRs have been extensively studied, it is only in the last decade that the molecular mechanisms governing their tangential migration have begun to be elucidated. To date, the mechanisms of SPs and CPTs tangential migration remain unknown. We therefore review the known signaling pathways, which regulate parameters of CRs migration including their motility, contact-redistribution and adhesion to the pial surface, and discuss this in the context of how CR migration may regulate their signaling activity in a spatial and temporal manner. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 76: 847-881, 2016.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Barber
- Institut Jacques-Monod, CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Cité, Paris, France.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Alessandra Pierani
- Institut Jacques-Monod, CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Cité, Paris, France
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27
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Abstract
UNLABELLED Survivors of preterm birth are at high risk of pervasive cognitive and learning impairments, suggesting disrupted early brain development. The limits of viability for preterm birth encompass the third trimester of pregnancy, a "precritical period" of activity-dependent development characterized by the onset of spontaneous and evoked patterned electrical activity that drives neuronal maturation and formation of cortical circuits. Reduced background activity on electroencephalogram (EEG) is a sensitive marker of brain injury in human preterm infants that predicts poor neurodevelopmental outcome. We studied a rodent model of very early hypoxic-ischemic brain injury to investigate effects of injury on both general background and specific patterns of cortical activity measured with EEG. EEG background activity is depressed transiently after moderate hypoxia-ischemia with associated loss of spindle bursts. Depressed activity, in turn, is associated with delayed expression of glutamate receptor subunits and transporters. Cortical pyramidal neurons show reduced dendrite development and spine formation. Complementing previous observations in this model of impaired visual cortical plasticity, we find reduced somatosensory whisker barrel plasticity. Finally, EEG recordings from human premature newborns with brain injury demonstrate similar depressed background activity and loss of bursts in the spindle frequency band. Together, these findings suggest that abnormal development after early brain injury may result in part from disruption of specific forms of brain activity necessary for activity-dependent circuit development. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Preterm birth and term birth asphyxia result in brain injury from inadequate oxygen delivery and constitute a major and growing worldwide health problem. Poor outcomes are noted in a majority of very premature (<25 weeks gestation) newborns, resulting in death or life-long morbidity with motor, sensory, learning, behavioral, and language disabilities that limit academic achievement and well-being. Limited progress has been made to develop therapies that improve neurologic outcomes. The overall objective of this study is to understand the effect of early brain injury on activity-dependent brain development and cortical plasticity to develop new treatments that will optimize repair and recovery after brain injury.
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Meng X, Kao JPY, Lee HK, Kanold PO. Visual Deprivation Causes Refinement of Intracortical Circuits in the Auditory Cortex. Cell Rep 2015; 12:955-64. [PMID: 26235625 PMCID: PMC4719125 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2015] [Revised: 05/27/2015] [Accepted: 07/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Loss of a sensory modality can lead to functional enhancement of the remaining senses. For example, short-term visual deprivations, or dark exposure (DE), can enhance neuronal responses in the auditory cortex to sounds. These enhancements encompass increased spiking rates and frequency selectivity as well as increased spiking reliability. Although we previously demonstrated enhanced thalamocortical transmission after DE, increased synaptic strength cannot account for increased frequency selectivity or reliability. We thus investigated whether other changes in the underlying circuitry contributed to improved neuronal responses. We show that DE can lead to refinement of intra- and inter-laminar connections in the mouse auditory cortex. Moreover, we use a computational model to show that the combination of increased transmission and circuit refinement can lead to increased firing reliability. Thus cross-modal influences can alter the spectral and temporal processing of sensory stimuli by refinement of thalamocortical and intracortical circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangying Meng
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Joseph P Y Kao
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology and Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Hey-Kyoung Lee
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Patrick O Kanold
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
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Erlandson MA, Manzoni OJ, Bureau I. The Functional Organization of Neocortical Networks Investigated in Slices with Local Field Recordings and Laser Scanning Photostimulation. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0132008. [PMID: 26134668 PMCID: PMC4489676 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0132008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2015] [Accepted: 06/09/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The organization of cortical networks can be investigated functionally in brain slices. Laser scanning photostimulation (LSPS) with glutamate-uncaging allows for a rapid survey of all connections impinging on single cells recorded in patch-clamp. We sought to develop a variant of the method that would allow for a more exhaustive mapping of neuronal networks at every experiment. We found that the extracellular field recordings could be used to detect synaptic responses evoked by LSPS. One to two electrodes were placed in all six cortical layers of barrel cortex successively and maps were computed from the size of synaptic negative local field potentials. The field maps displayed a laminar organization similar to the one observed in maps computed from excitatory postsynaptic currents recorded in patch-clamp mode. Thus, LSPS combined with field recording is an interesting alternative to obtain for every animal tested a comprehensive map of the excitatory intracortical network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A. Erlandson
- U901 INMED, INSERM, Marseille, France
- UMRS 901, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Olivier J. Manzoni
- U901 INMED, INSERM, Marseille, France
- UMRS 901, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Ingrid Bureau
- U901 INMED, INSERM, Marseille, France
- UMRS 901, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
- * E-mail:
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30
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Hoerder-Suabedissen A, Molnár Z. Development, evolution and pathology of neocortical subplate neurons. Nat Rev Neurosci 2015; 16:133-46. [DOI: 10.1038/nrn3915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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