Disynaptic amplification of metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 responses in the olfactory bulb

Modulating the Excitability of Olfactory Output Neurons Affects Whole-Body Metabolism

Metabolic state can alter olfactory sensitivity, but it is unknown whether the activity of the olfactory bulb (OB) may fine tune metabolic homeostasis. Our objective was to use CRISPR gene editing in male and female mice to enhance the excitability of mitral/tufted projection neurons (M/TCs) of the OB to test for improved metabolic health. Ex vivo slice recordings of MCs in CRISPR mice confirmed increased excitability due the targeted loss of Kv1.3 channels, which resulted in a less negative resting membrane potential (RMP), enhanced action potential (AP) firing, and insensitivity to the selective channel blocker margatoxin (MgTx). CRISPR mice exhibited enhanced odor discrimination using a habituation/dishabituation paradigm. CRISPR mice were challenged for 25 weeks with a moderately high-fat (MHF) diet, and compared with littermate controls, male mice were resistance to diet-induced obesity (DIO). Female mice did not exhibit DIO. CRISPR male mice gained less body weight, accumulated less white adipose tissue, cleared a glucose challenge more quickly, and had less serum leptin and liver triglycerides. CRISPR male mice consumed equivalent calories as control littermates, and had unaltered energy expenditure (EE) and locomotor activity, but used more fats for metabolic substrate over that of carbohydrates. Counter to CRISPR-engineered mice, by using chemogenetics to decrease M/TC excitability in male mice, activation of inhibitory designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) caused a decrease in odor discrimination, and resulted in a metabolic profile that was obesogenic, mice had reduced EE and oxygen consumption (VO2). We conclude that the activity of M/TC projection neurons canonically carries olfactory information and simultaneously can regulate whole-body metabolism.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The olfactory system drives food choice, and olfactory sensitivity is strongly correlated to hunger and fullness. Olfactory function thereby influences nutritional balance and obesity outcomes. Obesity has become a health and financial crisis in America, shortening life expectancy and increasing the severity of associated illnesses. It is expected that 51% of Americans will be obese by the year 2030. Using CRISPR gene editing and chemogenetic approaches, we discovered that changing the excitability of output neurons in the olfactory bulb (OB) affects metabolism and body weight stabilization in mice. Our results suggest that long-term therapeutic targeting of OB activity to higher processing centers may be a future clinical treatment of obesity or type II Diabetes.

Development of the mammalian main olfactory bulb

The mammalian main olfactory bulb is a crucial processing centre for the sense of smell. The olfactory bulb forms early during development and is functional from birth. However, the olfactory system continues to mature and change throughout life as a target of constitutive adult neurogenesis. Our Review synthesises current knowledge of prenatal, postnatal and adult olfactory bulb development, focusing on the maturation, morphology, functions and interactions of its diverse constituent glutamatergic and GABAergic cell types. We highlight not only the great advances in the understanding of olfactory bulb development made in recent years, but also the gaps in our present knowledge that most urgently require addressing.

Summary: This Review describes the morphological and functional maturation of cells in the mammalian main olfactory bulb, from embryonic development to adult neurogenesis.

Cellular and Synaptic Mechanisms That Differentiate Mitral Cells and Superficial Tufted Cells Into Parallel Output Channels in the Olfactory Bulb

A common feature of the primary processing structures of sensory systems is the presence of parallel output “channels” that convey different information about a stimulus. In the mammalian olfactory bulb, this is reflected in the mitral cells (MCs) and tufted cells (TCs) that have differing sensitivities to odors, with TCs being more sensitive than MCs. In this study, we examined potential mechanisms underlying the different responses of MCs vs. TCs. For TCs, we focused on superficial TCs (sTCs), which are a population of output TCs that reside in the superficial-most portion of the external plexiform layer, along with external tufted cells (eTCs), which are glutamatergic interneurons in the glomerular layer. Using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings in mouse bulb slices, we first measured excitatory currents in MCs, sTCs, and eTCs following olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) stimulation, separating the responses into a fast, monosynaptic component reflecting direct inputs from OSNs and a prolonged component partially reflecting eTC-mediated feedforward excitation. Responses were measured to a wide range of OSN stimulation intensities, simulating the different levels of OSN activity that would be expected to be produced by varying odor concentrations in vivo. Over a range of stimulation intensities, we found that the monosynaptic current varied significantly between the cell types, in the order of eTC > sTC > MC. The prolonged component was smaller in sTCs vs. both MCs and eTCs. sTCs also had much higher whole-cell input resistances than MCs, reflecting their smaller size and greater membrane resistivity. To evaluate how these different electrophysiological aspects contributed to spiking of the output MCs and sTCs, we used computational modeling. By exchanging the different cell properties in our modeled MCs and sTCs, we could evaluate each property's contribution to spiking differences between these cell types. This analysis suggested that the higher sensitivity of spiking in sTCs vs. MCs reflected both their larger monosynaptic OSN signal as well as their higher input resistance, while their smaller prolonged currents had a modest opposing effect. Taken together, our results indicate that both synaptic and intrinsic cellular features contribute to the production of parallel output channels in the olfactory bulb.

A unique olfactory bulb microcircuit driven by neurons expressing the precursor to glucagon-like peptide 1

The presence of large numbers of local interneurons in the olfactory bulb has demonstrated an extensive local signaling process, yet the identification and purpose of olfactory microcircuits is poorly explored. Because the discrimination of odors in a complex environment is highly dependent on the tuning of information by local interneurons, we studied for the first time the role of preproglucagon (PPG) neurons in the granule cell layer of the olfactory bulb. Combining electrophysiological recordings and confocal microscopy, we discovered that the PPG neurons are a population of cells expressing the precursor of glucagon-like peptide 1 and are glutamatergic; able to modulate the firing pattern of the mitral cells (M/TCs). Optogenetic activation of PPG neurons resulted in a mixed excitation and inhibition that created a multiphasic response shaping the M/TCs firing pattern. This suggests that PPG neurons could drive neuromodulation of the olfactory output and change the synaptic map regulating olfactory coding.

Balancing Extrasynaptic Excitation and Synaptic Inhibition within Olfactory Bulb Glomeruli

Glutamatergic transmission in the brain typically occurs at well-defined synaptic connections, but increasing evidence indicates that neural excitation can also occur through activation of “extrasynaptic” glutamate receptors. Here, we investigated the underlying mechanisms and functional properties of extrasynaptic signals that are part of a feedforward path of information flow in the olfactory bulb. This pathway involves glutamatergic interneurons, external tufted cells (eTCs), that are excited by olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) and in turn excite output mitral cells (MCs) extrasynaptically. Using pair-cell and triple-cell recordings in rat bulb slices (of either sex), combined with ultrastructural approaches, we first present evidence that eTC-to-MC signaling results from “spillover” of glutamate released at eTC synapses onto GABAergic periglomerular (PG) cells in glomeruli. Thus, feedforward excitation is an indirect result of and must cooccur with activation of inhibitory circuitry. Next, to examine the dynamics of the competing signals, we assayed the relationship between the number of spikes in eTCs and excitation of MCs or PG cells in pair-cell recordings. This showed that extrasynaptic excitation in MCs is very weak due to single spikes but rises sharply and supralinearly with increasing spikes, differing from sublinear behavior for synaptic excitation of PG cells. Similar dynamics leading to a preference for extrasynaptic excitation were also observed during recordings of extrasynaptic and inhibitory currents in response to OSN input of increasing magnitude. The observed alterations in the balance between extrasynaptic excitation and inhibition in glomeruli with stimulus strength could underlie an intraglomerular mechanism for olfactory contrast enhancement.

Distinct temporal filters in mitral cells and external tufted cells of the olfactory bulb

KEY POINTS

The release probability of the odorant receptor neuron (ORN) is reportedly one of the highest in the brain and is predicted to impose a transient temporal filter on postsynaptic cells. Mitral cells responded to high frequency ORN stimulation with sustained transmission, whereas external tufted cells responded transiently. The release probability of ORNs (0.7) was equivalent across mitral and external tufted cells and could be explained by a single pool of slowly recycling vesicles. The sustained response in mitral cells resulted from dendrodendritic amplification in mitral cells, which was blocked by NMDA and mGluR1 receptor antagonists, converting mitral cell responses to transient response profiles. Our results suggest that although the afferent ORN synapse shows strong synaptic depression, dendrodendritic circuitry in mitral cells produces robust amplification of brief afferent input, and thus the relative strength of axodendritic and dendrodendritic input determines the postsynaptic response profile.

ABSTRACT

Short-term synaptic plasticity is a critical regulator of neural circuits, and largely determines how information is temporally processed. In the olfactory bulb, afferent olfactory receptor neurons respond to increasing concentrations of odorants with barrages of action potentials, and their terminals have an extraordinarily high release probability. These features suggest that during naturalistic stimuli, afferent input to the olfactory bulb is subject to strong synaptic depression, presumably truncating the postsynaptic response to afferent stimuli. To examine this issue, we used single glomerular stimulation in mouse olfactory bulb slices to measure the synaptic dynamics of afferent-evoked input at physiological stimulus frequencies. In cell-attached recordings, mitral cells responded to high frequency stimulation with sustained responses, whereas external tufted cells responded transiently. Consistent with previous reports, olfactory nerve terminals onto both cell types had a high release probability (0.7), from a single pool of slowly recycling vesicles, indicating that the distinct responses of mitral and external tufted cells to high frequency stimulation did not originate presyaptically. Rather, distinct temporal response profiles in mitral cells and external tufted cells could be attributed to slow dendrodendritic responses in mitral cells, as blocking this slow current in mitral cells converted mitral cell responses to a transient response profile, typical of external tufted cells. Our results suggest that despite strong axodendritic synaptic depression, the balance of axodendritic and dendrodendritic circuitry in external tufted cells and mitral cells, respectively, tunes the postsynaptic responses to high frequency, naturalistic stimulation.

Inhibitory circuits of the mammalian main olfactory bulb

Synaptic inhibition critically influences sensory processing throughout the mammalian brain, including the main olfactory bulb (MOB), the first station of sensory processing in the olfactory system. Decades of research across numerous laboratories have established a central role for granule cells (GCs), the most abundant GABAergic interneuron type in the MOB, in the precise regulation of principal mitral and tufted cell (M/TC) firing rates and synchrony through lateral and recurrent inhibitory mechanisms. In addition to GCs, however, the MOB contains a vast diversity of other GABAergic interneuron types, and recent findings suggest that, while fewer in number, these oft-ignored interneurons are just as important as GCs in shaping odor-evoked M/TC activity. Here I challenge the prevailing centrality of GCs. In this review, I first outline the specific properties of each GABAergic interneuron type in the rodent MOB, with particular emphasis placed on direct interneuron recordings and cell type-selective manipulations. On the basis of these properties, I then critically reevaluate the contribution of GCs vs. other interneuron types to the regulation of odor-evoked M/TC firing rates and synchrony via lateral, recurrent, and other inhibitory mechanisms. This analysis yields a novel model in which multiple interneuron types with distinct abundances, connectivity patterns, and physiologies complement one another to regulate M/TC activity and sensory processing.

Differences in Glomerular-Layer-Mediated Feedforward Inhibition onto Mitral and Tufted Cells Lead to Distinct Modes of Intensity Coding

Understanding how each of the many interneuron subtypes affects brain network activity is critical. In the mouse olfactory system, mitral cells (MCs) and tufted cells (TCs) comprise parallel pathways of olfactory bulb output that are thought to play distinct functional roles in odor coding. Here, in acute mouse olfactory bulb slices, we test how the two major classes of olfactory bulb interneurons differentially contribute to differences in MC versus TC response properties. We show that, whereas TCs respond to olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) stimulation with short latencies regardless of stimulation intensity, MC latencies correlate negatively with stimulation intensity. These differences between MCs and TCs are caused in part by weaker excitatory and stronger inhibitory currents onto MCs than onto TCs. These differences in inhibition between MCs and TCs are most pronounced during the first 150 ms after stimulation and are mediated by glomerular layer circuits. Therefore, blocking inhibition originating in the glomerular layer, but not granule-cell-mediated inhibition, reduces MC spike latency at weak stimulation intensities and distinct temporal patterns of odor-evoked responses in MCs and TCs emerge in part due to differences in glomerular-layer-mediated inhibition.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Olfactory bulb mitral and tufted cells display different odor-evoked responses and are thought to form parallel channels of olfactory bulb output. Therefore, determining the circuit-level causes that drive these differences is vital. Here, we find that longer-latency responses in mitral cells, compared with tufted cells, are due to weaker excitation and stronger glomerular-layer-mediated inhibition.

Parallel processing of afferent olfactory sensory information

KEY POINTS

The functional synaptic connectivity between olfactory receptor neurons and principal cells within the olfactory bulb is not well understood. One view suggests that mitral cells, the primary output neuron of the olfactory bulb, are solely activated by feedforward excitation. Using focal, single glomerular stimulation, we demonstrate that mitral cells receive direct, monosynaptic input from olfactory receptor neurons. Compared to external tufted cells, mitral cells have a prolonged afferent-evoked EPSC, which serves to amplify the synaptic input. The properties of presynaptic glutamate release from olfactory receptor neurons are similar between mitral and external tufted cells. Our data suggest that afferent input enters the olfactory bulb in a parallel fashion.

ABSTRACT

Primary olfactory receptor neurons terminate in anatomically and functionally discrete cortical modules known as olfactory bulb glomeruli. The synaptic connectivity and postsynaptic responses of mitral and external tufted cells within the glomerulus may involve both direct and indirect components. For example, it has been suggested that sensory input to mitral cells is indirect through feedforward excitation from external tufted cells. We also observed feedforward excitation of mitral cells with weak stimulation of the olfactory nerve layer; however, focal stimulation of an axon bundle entering an individual glomerulus revealed that mitral cells receive monosynaptic afferent inputs. Although external tufted cells had a 4.1-fold larger peak EPSC amplitude, integration of the evoked currents showed that the synaptic charge was 5-fold larger in mitral cells, reflecting the prolonged response in mitral cells. Presynaptic afferents onto mitral and external tufted cells had similar quantal amplitude and release probability, suggesting that the larger peak EPSC in external tufted cells was the result of more synaptic contacts. The results of the present study indicate that the monosynaptic afferent input to mitral cells depends on the strength of odorant stimulation. The enhanced spiking that we observed in response to brief afferent input provides a mechanism for amplifying sensory information and contrasts with the transient response in external tufted cells. These parallel input paths may have discrete functions in processing olfactory sensory input.

The incretin hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 increases mitral cell excitability by decreasing conductance of a voltage-dependent potassium channel

Key points

The gut hormone called glucagon‐like peptide 1 (GLP‐1) is a strong moderator of energy homeostasis and communication between the peripheral organs and the brain.

GLP‐1 signalling occurs in the brain; using a newly developed genetic reporter line of mice, we have discovered GLP‐synthesizing cells in the olfactory bulb.

GLP‐1 increases the firing frequency of neurons (mitral cells) that encode olfactory information by decreasing activity of voltage‐dependent K channels (Kv1.3).

Modifying GLP‐1 levels, either therapeutically or following the ingestion of food, could alter the excitability of neurons in the olfactory bulb in a nutrition or energy state‐dependent manner to influence olfactory detection or metabolic sensing.

The results of the present study uncover a new function for an olfactory bulb neuron (deep short axon cells, Cajal cells) that could be capable of modifying mitral cell activity through the release of GLP‐1. This might be of relevance for the action of GLP‐1 mimetics now widely used in the treatment of diabetes.

Abstract

The olfactory system is intricately linked with the endocrine system where it may serve as a detector of the internal metabolic state or energy homeostasis in addition to its classical function as a sensor of external olfactory information. The recent development of transgenic mGLU‐yellow fluorescent protein mice that express a genetic reporter under the control of the preproglucagon reporter suggested the presence of the gut hormone, glucagon‐like peptide (GLP‐1), in deep short axon cells (Cajal cells) of the olfactory bulb and its neuromodulatory effect on mitral cell (MC) first‐order neurons. A MC target for the peptide was determined using GLP‐1 receptor binding assays, immunocytochemistry for the receptor and injection of fluorescence‐labelled GLP‐1 analogue exendin‐4. Using patch clamp recording of olfactory bulb slices in the whole‐cell configuration, we report that GLP‐1 and its stable analogue exendin‐4 increase the action potential firing frequency of MCs by decreasing the interburst interval rather than modifying the action potential shape, train length or interspike interval. GLP‐1 decreases Kv1.3 channel contribution to outward currents in voltage clamp recordings as determined by pharmacological blockade of Kv1.3 or utilizing mice with Kv1.3 gene‐targeted deletion as a negative control. Because fluctuations in GLP‐1 concentrations monitored by the olfactory bulb can modify the firing frequency of MCs, olfactory coding could change depending upon nutritional or physiological state. As a regulator of neuronal activity, GLP‐1 or its analogue may comprise a new metabolic factor with a potential therapeutic target in the olfactory bulb (i.e. via intranasal delivery) for controlling an imbalance in energy homeostasis.

The gut hormone called glucagon‐like peptide 1 (GLP‐1) is a strong moderator of energy homeostasis and communication between the peripheral organs and the brain.

GLP‐1 signalling occurs in the brain; using a newly developed genetic reporter line of mice, we have discovered GLP‐synthesizing cells in the olfactory bulb.

GLP‐1 increases the firing frequency of neurons (mitral cells) that encode olfactory information by decreasing activity of voltage‐dependent K channels (Kv1.3).

Modifying GLP‐1 levels, either therapeutically or following the ingestion of food, could alter the excitability of neurons in the olfactory bulb in a nutrition or energy state‐dependent manner to influence olfactory detection or metabolic sensing.

The results of the present study uncover a new function for an olfactory bulb neuron (deep short axon cells, Cajal cells) that could be capable of modifying mitral cell activity through the release of GLP‐1. This might be of relevance for the action of GLP‐1 mimetics now widely used in the treatment of diabetes.

Astroglial Connexin 43 Hemichannels Modulate Olfactory Bulb Slow Oscillations

An emergent concept in neurosciences consists in considering brain functions as the product of dynamic interactions between neurons and glial cells, particularly astrocytes. Although the role played by astrocytes in synaptic transmission and plasticity is now largely documented, their contribution to neuronal network activity is only beginning to be appreciated. In mouse olfactory bulb slices, we observed that the membrane potential of mitral cells oscillates between UP and DOWN states at a low frequency (<1 Hz). Such slow oscillations are correlated with glomerular local field potentials, indicating spontaneous local network activity. Using a combination of genetic and pharmacological tools, we showed that the activity of astroglial connexin 43 hemichannels, opened in an activity-dependent manner, increases UP state amplitude and impacts mitral cell firing rate. This effect requires functional adenosine A1 receptors, in line with the observation that ATP is released via connexin 43 hemichannels. These results highlight a new mechanism of neuroglial interaction in the olfactory bulb, where astrocyte connexin hemichannels are both targets and modulators of neuronal circuit function.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

An emergent concept in neuroscience consists in considering brain function as the product of dynamic interactions between neurons and glial cells, particularly astrocytes. A typical feature of astrocytes is their high expression level of connexins, the molecular constituents of gap junction channels and hemichannels. Although hemichannels represent a powerful medium for intercellular communication between astrocytes and neurons, their function in physiological conditions remains largely unexplored. Our results show that in the olfactory bulb, connexin 43 hemichannel function is promoted by neuronal activity and, in turn, modulates neuronal network slow oscillations. This novel mechanism of neuroglial interaction could influence olfactory information processing by directly impacting the output of the olfactory bulb.

Postnatal development attunes olfactory bulb mitral cells to high-frequency signaling

Mitral cells (MCs) are a major class of principal neurons in the vertebrate olfactory bulb, conveying odor-evoked activity from the peripheral sensory neurons to olfactory cortex. Previous work has described the development of MC morphology and connectivity during the first few weeks of postnatal development. However, little is known about the postnatal development of MC intrinsic biophysical properties. To understand stimulus encoding in the developing olfactory bulb, we have therefore examined the development of MC intrinsic biophysical properties in acute slices from postnatal day (P)7-P35 mice. Across development, we observed systematic changes in passive membrane properties and action potential waveforms consistent with a developmental increase in sodium and potassium conductances. We further observed developmental decreases in hyperpolarization-evoked membrane potential sag and firing regularity, extending recent links between MC sag heterogeneity and firing patterns. We then applied a novel combination of statistical analyses to examine how the evolution of these intrinsic biophysical properties specifically influenced the representation of fluctuating stimuli by MCs. We found that immature MCs responded to frozen fluctuating stimuli with lower firing rates, lower spike-time reliability, and lower between-cell spike-time correlations than more mature MCs. Analysis of spike-triggered averages revealed that these changes in spike timing were driven by a developmental shift from broad integration of inputs to more selective detection of coincident inputs. Consistent with this shift, generalized linear model fits to MC firing responses demonstrated an enhanced encoding of high-frequency stimulus features by mature MCs.

Intraglomerular lateral inhibition promotes spike timing variability in principal neurons of the olfactory bulb

The activity of mitral and tufted cells, the principal neurons of the olfactory bulb, is modulated by several classes of interneurons. Among them, diverse periglomerular (PG) cell types interact with the apical dendrites of mitral and tufted cells inside glomeruli at the first stage of olfactory processing. We used paired recording in olfactory bulb slices and two-photon targeted patch-clamp recording in vivo to characterize the properties and connections of a genetically identified population of PG cells expressing enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP) under the control of the Kv3.1 potassium channel promoter. Kv3.1-EYFP(+) PG cells are axonless and monoglomerular neurons that constitute ∼30% of all PG cells and include calbindin-expressing neurons. They respond to an olfactory nerve stimulation with a short barrage of excitatory inputs mediated by mitral, tufted, and external tufted cells, and, in turn, they indiscriminately release GABA onto principal neurons. They are activated by even the weakest olfactory nerve input or by the discharge of a single principal neuron in slices and at each respiration cycle in anesthetized mice. They participate in a fast-onset intraglomerular lateral inhibition between principal neurons from the same glomerulus, a circuit that reduces the firing rate and promotes spike timing variability in mitral cells. Recordings in other PG cell subtypes suggest that this pathway predominates in generating glomerular inhibition. Intraglomerular lateral inhibition may play a key role in olfactory processing by reducing the similarity of principal cells discharge in response to the same incoming input.

Bulbar microcircuit model predicts connectivity and roles of interneurons in odor coding

Stimulus encoding by primary sensory brain areas provides a data-rich context for understanding their circuit mechanisms. The vertebrate olfactory bulb is an input area having unusual two-layer dendro-dendritic connections whose roles in odor coding are unclear. To clarify these roles, we built a detailed compartmental model of the rat olfactory bulb that synthesizes a much wider range of experimental observations on bulbar physiology and response dynamics than has hitherto been modeled. We predict that superficial-layer inhibitory interneurons (periglomerular cells) linearize the input-output transformation of the principal neurons (mitral cells), unlike previous models of contrast enhancement. The linearization is required to replicate observed linear summation of mitral odor responses. Further, in our model, action-potentials back-propagate along lateral dendrites of mitral cells and activate deep-layer inhibitory interneurons (granule cells). Using this, we propose sparse, long-range inhibition between mitral cells, mediated by granule cells, to explain how the respiratory phases of odor responses of sister mitral cells can be sometimes decorrelated as observed, despite receiving similar receptor input. We also rule out some alternative mechanisms. In our mechanism, we predict that a few distant mitral cells receiving input from different receptors, inhibit sister mitral cells differentially, by activating disjoint subsets of granule cells. This differential inhibition is strong enough to decorrelate their firing rate phases, and not merely modulate their spike timing. Thus our well-constrained model suggests novel computational roles for the two most numerous classes of interneurons in the bulb.

Metabotropic glutamate receptors promote disinhibition of olfactory bulb glomeruli that scales with input strength

Increasing evidence indicates that the neural circuitry within glomeruli of the olfactory bulb plays a major role in affecting information flow between olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) and output mitral cells (MCs). Glutamatergic external tufted (ET) cells, located at glomeruli, can act as intermediary cells in excitation between OSNs and MCs, whereas activation of MCs by OSNs is, in turn, suppressed by inhibitory synapses onto ET cells. In this study, we used patch-clamp recordings in rat olfactory bulb slices to examine the function of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in altering these glomerular signaling mechanisms. We found that activation of group II mGluRs profoundly reduced inhibition onto ET cells evoked by OSN stimulation. The mGluRs that mediated disinhibition were located on presynaptic GABAergic periglomerular cells and appeared to be activated by glutamate transients derived from dendrites in glomeruli. In terms of glomerular output, the mGluR-mediated reduction in GABA release led to a robust increase in the number of action potentials evoked by OSN stimulation in both ET cells and MCs. Importantly, however, the enhanced excitation was specific to when a glomerulus was strongly activated by OSN inputs. By being selective for strong vs. weak glomerular activation, mGluR-mediated disinhibition provides a mechanism to enhance the contrast in odor signals that activate OSN inputs into a single glomerulus at varying intensities.

Activation of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors enhances persistent sodium current and rhythmic bursting in main olfactory bulb external tufted cells

Rhythmically bursting olfactory bulb external tufted (ET) cells are thought to play a key role in synchronizing glomerular network activity to respiratory-driven sensory input. Whereas spontaneous bursting in these cells is intrinsically generated by interplay of several voltage-dependent currents, bursting strength and frequency can be modified by local intrinsic and centrifugal synaptic input. Activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) engages a calcium-dependent cation current (I(CAN)) that increases rhythmic bursting, but mGluRs may also modulate intrinsic mechanisms involved in bursting. Here, we used patch-clamp electrophysiology in rat olfactory bulb slices to investigate whether mGluRs modulate two key intrinsic currents involved in ET cell burst initiation: persistent sodium (I(NaP)) and hyperpolarization-activated cation (Ih) currents. Using a BAPTA-based internal solution to block I(CAN), we found that the mGluR1/5 agonist DHPG enhanced I(NaP) but did not alter Ih. I(NaP) enhancement consisted of increased current at membrane potentials between -60 and -50 mV and a hyperpolarizing shift in activation threshold. Both effects would be predicted to shorten the interburst interval. In agreement, DHPG modestly depolarized (∼3.5 mV) ET cells and increased burst frequency without effect on other major burst parameters. This increase was inversely proportional to the basal burst rate such that slower ET cells exhibited the largest increases. This may enable ET cells with slow intrinsic burst rates to pace with faster sniff rates. Taken with other findings, these results indicate that multiple neurotransmitter mechanisms are engaged to fine-tune rhythmic ET cell bursting to context- and state-dependent changes in sniffing frequency.

Glucose sensitivity of mouse olfactory bulb neurons is conveyed by a voltage-gated potassium channel

The olfactory bulb has recently been proposed to serve as a metabolic sensor of internal chemistry, particularly that modified by metabolism. Because the voltage-dependent potassium channel Kv1.3 regulates a large proportion of the outward current in olfactory bulb neurons and gene-targeted deletion of the protein produces a phenotype of resistance to diet-induced obesity in mice, we hypothesized that this channel may play a role in translating energy availability into a metabolic signal. Here we explored the ability of extracellular glucose concentration to modify evoked excitability of the mitral neurons that principally regulate olfactory coding and processing of olfactory information. Using voltage-clamp electrophysiology of heterologously expressed Kv1.3 channels in HEK 293 cells, we found that Kv1.3 macroscopic currents responded to metabolically active (d-) rather than inactive (l-) glucose with a response profile that followed a bell-shaped curve. Olfactory bulb slices stimulated with varying glucose concentrations showed glucose-dependent mitral cell excitability as evaluated by current-clamp electrophysiology. While glucose could be either excitatory or inhibitory, the majority of the sampled neurons displayed a decreased firing frequency in response to elevated glucose concentration that was linked to increased latency to first spike and decreased action potential cluster length. Unlike modulation attributed to phosphorylation, glucose modulation of mitral cells was rapid, less than one minute, and was reversible within the time course of a patch recording. Moreover, we report that modulation targets properties of spike firing rather than action potential shape, involves synaptic activity of glutamate or GABA signalling circuits, and is dependent upon Kv1.3 expression. Given the rising incidence of metabolic disorders attributed to weight gain, changes in neuronal excitability in brain regions regulating sensory perception of food are of consequence.

Activation requirements for metabotropic glutamate receptors

It has been common experimentally to use high frequency, tetanic, stimulation to activate metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in cortex and thalamus. To determine what type of stimulation is actually necessary to activate mGluRs we examined the effects of varying stimulation duration and intensity on activating mGluR responses. We used a thalamocortical and an intracortical slice preparation from mice and performed whole cell recordings from neurons in the ventral posterior medial nucleus or in layer 4 of primary somatosensory cortex (S1) while electrically stimulating in layer 6 of S1. Extracellular ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonists and GABAA receptor antagonists were used to isolate Group I or Group II mGluR responses. We observed that high frequency stimulation is not necessary for the activation of either Group I or Group II mGluRs. Either could be activated with as few as 2-3 pulses at stimulation frequencies around 15-20Hz. Additionally, increasing the number of pulses, intensity of stimulation, or stimulation frequency increased amplitude and duration of the mGluR response.

Patterns of heterogeneous expression of pannexin 1 and pannexin 2 transcripts in the olfactory epithelium and olfactory bulb

Pannexins form membrane channels that release biological signals to communicate with neighboring cells. Here, we report expression patterns of pannexin 1 (Panx1) and pannexin 2 (Panx2) in the olfactory epithelium and olfactory bulb of adult mice. In situ hybridization revealed that mRNAs for Panx1 and Panx2 were both expressed in the olfactory epithelium and olfactory bulb. Expression of Panx1 and Panx2 was mainly found in cell bodies below the sustentacular cell layer in the olfactory epithelium, indicating that Panx1 and Panx2 are expressed in mature and immature olfactory neurons, and basal cells. Expression of Panx2 was observed in sustentacular cells in a few locations of the olfactory epithelium. In the olfactory bulb, Panx1 and Panx2 were expressed in spatial patterns. Many mitral cells, tufted cells, periglomerular cells and granule cells were Panx1 and Panx2 positive. Mitral cells located at the dorsal and lateral portions of the olfactory bulb showed weak Panx1 expression compared with those in the medial side. However, the opposite was true for the distribution of Panx2 positive mitral cells. There were more Panx2 mRNA positive mitral cells and granule cells compared to those expressing Panx1. Our findings on pannexin expression in the olfactory system of adult mice raise the novel possibility that pannexins play a role in information processing in the olfactory system. Demonstration of expression patterns of pannexins in the olfactory system provides an anatomical basis for future functional studies.

Calcium-activated sustained firing responses distinguish accessory from main olfactory bulb mitral cells

Many mammals rely on pheromones for mediating social interactions. Recent studies indicate that both the main olfactory system (MOS) and accessory olfactory system (AOS) detect and process pheromonal stimuli, yet the functional difference between these two chemosensory systems remains unclear. We hypothesized that the main functional distinction between the MOS and AOS is the type of sensory information processing performed by each system. Here we compared the electrophysiological responses of mitral cells recorded from the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) and main olfactory bulb (MOB) in acute mouse brain slices to various stimuli and found them markedly different. The response of MOB mitral cells to brief (0.1 ms, 1-100 V) stimulation of their sensory afferents remained transient regardless of stimulus strength, whereas sufficiently strong stimuli evoked sustained firing in AOB mitral cells lasting up to several minutes. Using EPSC-like current injections (10-100 pA, 10 ms rise time constant, 5 s decay time constant) in the presence of various synaptic blockers (picrotoxin, CGP55845, APV, DNQX, E4CPG, and MSPG), we demonstrated that this difference is attributable to distinct intrinsic properties of the two neuronal populations. The AOB sustained responses were found to be mediated by calcium-activated nonselective cationic current induced by transient intense firing. This current was found to be at least partially mediated by TRPM4 channels activated by calcium influx. We hypothesize that the sustained activity of the AOS induces a new sensory state in the animal, reflecting its social context.

Mature and precursor brain-derived neurotrophic factor have individual roles in the mouse olfactory bulb

Background

Sensory deprivation induces dramatic morphological and neurochemical changes in the olfactory bulb (OB) that are largely restricted to glomerular and granule layer interneurons. Mitral cells, pyramidal-like neurons, are resistant to sensory-deprivation-induced changes and are associated with the precursor to brain-derived neurotrophic factor (proBDNF); here, we investigate its unknown function in the adult mouse OB.

Principal Findings

As determined using brain-slice electrophysiology in a whole-cell configuration, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), but not proBDNF, increased mitral cell excitability. BDNF increased mitral cell action potential firing frequency and decreased interspike interval in response to current injection. In a separate set of experiments, intranasal delivery of neurotrophic factors to awake, adult mice was performed to induce sustained interneuron neurochemical changes. ProBDNF, but not BDNF, increased activated-caspase 3 and reduced tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in OB glomerular interneurons. In a parallel set of experiments, short-term sensory deprivation produced by unilateral naris occlusion generated an identical phenotype.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that only mature BDNF increases mitral cell excitability whereas proBDNF remains ineffective. Our demonstration that proBDNF activates an apoptotic marker in vivo is the first for any proneurotrophin and establishes a role for proBDNF in a model of neuronal plasticity.

The influence of single bursts versus single spikes at excitatory dendrodendritic synapses

The synchronization of neuronal activity is thought to enhance information processing. There is much evidence supporting rhythmically bursting external tufted cells (ETCs) of the rodent olfactory bulb glomeruli coordinating the activation of glomerular interneurons and mitral cells via dendrodendritic excitation. However, as bursting has variable significance at axodendritic cortical synapses, it is not clear if ETC bursting imparts a specific functional advantage over the preliminary spike in dendrodendritic synaptic networks. To answer this question, we investigated the influence of single ETC bursts and spikes with the in vitro rat olfactory bulb preparation at different levels of processing, via calcium imaging of presynaptic ETC dendrites, dual electrical recording of ETC -interneuron synaptic pairs, and multicellular calcium imaging of ETC-induced population activity. Our findings supported single ETC bursts, versus single spikes, driving robust presynaptic calcium signaling, which in turn was associated with profound extension of the initial monosynaptic spike-driven dendrodendritic excitatory postsynaptic potential. This extension could be driven by either the spike-dependent or spike-independent components of the burst. At the population level, burst-induced excitation was more widespread and reliable compared with single spikes. This further supports the ETC network, in part due to a functional advantage of bursting at excitatory dendrodendritic synapses, coordinating synchronous activity at behaviorally relevant frequencies related to odor processing in vivo.

Monosynaptic and polysynaptic feed-forward inputs to mitral cells from olfactory sensory neurons

Olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) expressing the same odorant receptor converge in specific glomeruli where they transmit olfactory information to mitral cells. Surprisingly, synaptic mechanisms underlying mitral cell activation are still controversial. Using patch-clamp recordings in mouse olfactory bulb slices, we demonstrate that stimulation of OSNs produces a biphasic postsynaptic excitatory response in mitral cells. The response was initiated by a fast and graded monosynaptic input from OSNs and followed by a slower component of feedforward excitation, involving dendro-dendritic interactions between external tufted, tufted and other mitral cells. The mitral cell response occasionally lacked the fast OSN input when few afferent fibers were stimulated. We also show that OSN stimulation triggers a strong and slow feedforward inhibition that shapes the feedforward excitation but leaves unaffected the monosynaptic component. These results confirm the existence of direct OSN to mitral cells synapses but also emphasize the prominence of intraglomerular feedforward pathways in the mitral cell response.

Loss of olfactory cell adhesion molecule reduces the synchrony of mitral cell activity in olfactory glomeruli

Odours generate activity in olfactory receptor neurons, whose axons contact the dendritic tufts of mitral cells within olfactory bulb glomeruli. These axodendritic synapses are anatomically separated from dendrodendritic synapses within each glomerulus. Mitral cells within a glomerulus show highly synchronized activity as assessed with whole-cell recording from pairs of mitral cells. We examined glomerular activity in mice lacking the olfactory cell adhesion molecule (OCAM). Glomeruli in mice lacking OCAM show a redistribution of synaptic subcompartments, but the total area occupied by axonal inputs was similar to wild-type mice. Stimulation of olfactory nerve bundles showed that excitatory synaptic input to mitral cells as well as dendrodendritic inhibition was unaffected in the knockout. However, correlated spiking in mitral cells was significantly reduced, as was electrical coupling between apical dendrites. To analyse slow network dynamics we induced slow oscillations with a glutamate uptake blocker. Evoked and spontaneous slow oscillations in mitral cells and external tufted cells were broader and had multiple peaks in OCAM knockout mice, indicating that synchrony of slow glomerular activity was also reduced. To assess the degree of shared activity between mitral cells under physiological conditions, we analysed spontaneous sub-threshold voltage oscillations using coherence analysis. Coherent activity was markedly reduced in cells from OCAM knockout mice across a broad range of frequencies consistent with a decrease in tightly time-locked activity. We suggest that synchronous activity within each glomerulus is dependent on segregation of synaptic subcompartments.

Gap junctions in olfactory neurons modulate olfactory sensitivity

Background

One of the fundamental questions in olfaction is whether olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) behave as independent entities within the olfactory epithelium. On the basis that mature ORNs express multiple connexins, I postulated that gap junctional communication modulates olfactory responses in the periphery and that disruption of gap junctions in ORNs reduces olfactory sensitivity. The data collected from characterizing connexin 43 (Cx43) dominant negative transgenic mice OlfDNCX, and from calcium imaging of wild type mice (WT) support my hypothesis.

Results

I generated OlfDNCX mice that express a dominant negative Cx43 protein, Cx43/β-gal, in mature ORNs to inactivate gap junctions and hemichannels composed of Cx43 or other structurally related connexins. Characterization of OlfDNCX revealed that Cx43/β-gal was exclusively expressed in areas where mature ORNs resided. Real time quantitative PCR indicated that cellular machineries of OlfDNCX were normal in comparison to WT. Electroolfactogram recordings showed decreased olfactory responses to octaldehyde, heptaldehyde and acetyl acetate in OlfDNCX compared to WT. Octaldehyde-elicited glomerular activity in the olfactory bulb, measured according to odor-elicited c-fos mRNA upregulation in juxtaglomerular cells, was confined to smaller areas of the glomerular layer in OlfDNCX compared to WT. In WT mice, octaldehyde sensitive neurons exhibited reduced response magnitudes after application of gap junction uncoupling reagents and the effects were specific to subsets of neurons.

Conclusions

My study has demonstrated that altered assembly of Cx43 or structurally related connexins in ORNs modulates olfactory responses and changes olfactory activation maps in the olfactory bulb. Furthermore, pharmacologically uncoupling of gap junctions reduces olfactory activity in subsets of ORNs. These data suggest that gap junctional communication or hemichannel activity plays a critical role in maintaining olfactory sensitivity and odor perception.

Synaptic activation of T-type Ca2+ channels via mGluR activation in the primary dendrite of mitral cells

Mitral cells are the primary output of the olfactory bulb, projecting to many higher brain areas. Understanding how mitral cells process and transmit information is key to understanding olfactory perception. Mitral dendrites possess high densities of voltage-gated channels, are able to initiate and propagate orthodromic and antidromic action potentials, and release neurotransmitter. We show that mitral cells also possess a low-voltage-activated T-type Ca(2+) current. Immunohistochemistry shows strong Cav3.3 labeling in the primary dendrite and apical tuft with weaker staining in basal dendrites and no staining in somata. A low-voltage-activated Ca(2+) current activates from -68 mV, is blocked by 500 microM Ni(2+) and 50 microM NNC 55-0396, but is insensitive to 50 microM Ni(2+) and 500 microM isradipine. 2-photon Ca(2+) imaging shows that T channels are functionally expressed in the primary dendrite where their activity determines the resting [Ca(2+)] and are responsible for subthreshold voltage-dependent Ca(2+) changes previously observed in vivo. Application of the group 1 mGluR agonist dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG) (50 microM) robustly upregulates T-channel current in the primary and apical tuft dendrite. Olfactory nerve stimulation generates a long-lasting depolarization, and we show that mGluRs recruit T channels to contribute approximately 36% of the voltage integral of this depolarization. The long-lasting depolarization results in sustained firing and block of T channels decreased action potential firing by 84.1 +/- 4.6%. Therefore upregulation of T channels by mGluRs is required for prolonged firing in response to olfactory nerve input.

Control of on/off glomerular signaling by a local GABAergic microcircuit in the olfactory bulb

Odors are coded at the input level of the olfactory bulb by a spatial map of activated glomeruli, reflecting different odorant receptors (ORs) stimulated in the nose. Here we examined the function of local synaptic processing within glomeruli in transforming these input patterns into an output for the bulb, using patch-clamp recordings and calcium imaging in rat bulb slices. Two types of transformations were observed at glomeruli, the first of which produced a bimodal, "on/off" glomerular signal that varied probabilistically depending on olfactory receptor neuron (ORN) input levels. The bimodal response behavior was seen in glomerular synaptic responses, as well as in action potential ("spike") firing, wherein all mitral cells affiliated with a glomerulus either engaged in prolonged spike bursts or did not spike at all. In addition, evidence was obtained that GABAergic periglomerular (PG) cells that surround a glomerulus can prevent activation of a glomerulus through inhibitory inputs targeted onto excitatory external tufted cells. The path of PG cell activation appeared to be confined to one glomerulus, such that ORNs at one glomerulus initiated inhibition of the same glomerulus. The observed glomerular "self-inhibition" provides a mechanism of filtering odor signals that would be an alternative to commonly proposed mechanisms of lateral inhibition between OR-specific glomeruli. In this case, selective suppression of weak odor signals could be achieved based on the difference in the input resistance of PG cells versus excitatory neurons at a glomerulus.

All-or-none population bursts temporally constrain surround inhibition between mouse olfactory glomeruli

With each sniff, the olfactory bulbs of the brain generate a neural activity pattern representing the odour environment, transmitting this to higher brain centres in the form of mitral cell output. Inhibitory circuits in the olfactory bulb glomerular and external plexiform layers may amplify contrast in these patterns, through surround inhibition of mitral cells. These circuits may operate in series, but their respective roles are unclear. A single sniff is sufficient for odour discrimination, but is not clear that the inhibitory circuits act within this timeframe. We used microdissected slices of mouse olfactory bulb to study each circuit in isolation. We found that unlike surround inhibition mediated in the external plexiform layer, surround inhibition mediated in the glomerular layer was activated by sensory synaptic input, but not by mitral cell output. The results also suggest that interactions between olfactory glomeruli are exclusively inhibitory, unlike in antennal lobe, and that surround inhibition mediated within the external plexiform layer may involve neural circuit elements not preserved in slice preparations. Surround inhibition was effective only after an interval corresponding to a single sniff in vivo. Surplus excitation, initiated by sensory input but generated by collective all-or-none responses of mitral cells, may delay surround inhibition and allow the synchronous activation of multiple glomeruli without each suppressing the other. Surround inhibition in the glomerular layer may subsequently allow a fresh representation of the odour environment to be generated with each sniff. These findings are consistent with combinatorial odour coding based on all-or-none glomerular responses.

Metabotropic glutamate receptors and dendrodendritic synapses in the main olfactory bulb

The main olfactory bulb (MOB) is the first site of synaptic processing in the central nervous system for odor information that is relayed from olfactory receptor neurons in the nasal cavity via the olfactory nerve (ON). Glutamate and ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) play a dominant role at ON synapses. Similarly, glutamate and iGluRs mediate dendrodendritic transmission between several populations of neurons within the MOB network. Neuroanatomical studies demonstrate that metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) are densely expressed through the MOB network, and they are particularly abundant at dendrodendritic synapses. Until recently, the physiological roles of mGluRs in the MOB were poorly understood. Over the past several years, mGluRs have been shown to play surprisingly powerful neuromodulatory roles at ON synapses and in dendrodendritic neurotransmission in the MOB. This chapter focuses on recent advances in our understanding of mGluR-mediated signaling components at dendrodendritic synapses.

Group I mGluR activation enhances Ca(2+)-dependent nonselective cation currents and rhythmic bursting in main olfactory bulb external tufted cells

In the main olfactory bulb, activation of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) by olfactory nerve stimulation generates slow (2 Hz) oscillations near the basal respiratory frequency. These oscillations arise in the glomerular layer and may be generated, in part, by the intrinsic neurons, the juxtaglomerular neurons. We investigated the physiological effects of group I mGluR agonists on one population of juxtaglomerular neurons, external tufted (ET) cells, which rhythmically burst at respiratory frequencies and synchronize the intraglomerular network. Electrophysiological studies in rat main olfactory bulb slices demonstrated that the mGluR agonist 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG) amplified the strength of ET cell spike bursts, principally by increasing the number of spikes per burst. Voltage-clamp and Ca(2+)-imaging studies showed that DHPG elicits a Ca(2+)-dependent nonselective cation current (I(CAN)) in the dendrites of ET cells triggered by Ca(2+) release from internal stores. The DHPG effects on bursting and membrane current were attenuated by flufenamic acid and SKF96365, agents known to antagonize I(CAN) in a variety of neurons. DHPG also elicited slow membrane current oscillations and spikelets in ET cells when synaptic transmission and intrinsic membrane channels were inoperative. These findings indicate that DHPG may passively (by increasing burst strength) or actively (by increasing conductance of gap junctions) enhance the strength of electrical synapses between ET cells. Together, these findings indicate that activation of group I mGluRs on the dendrites of ET cells play a key role in the generation of slow rhythmic oscillation in the glomerular network, which is in turn tuned to sniffing of the animal in vivo.

External tufted cells drive the output of olfactory bulb glomeruli

Odors synchronize the activity of olfactory bulb mitral cells that project to the same glomerulus. In vitro, a slow rhythmic excitation intrinsic to the glomerular network persists, even in the absence of afferent input. We show here that a subpopulation of juxtaglomerular cells, external tufted (ET) cells, may trigger this rhythmic activity. We used paired whole-cell recording and Ca(2+) imaging in bulb slices from wild-type and transgenic mice expressing the fluorescent Ca(2+) indicator protein GCaMP-2. Slow, periodic population bursts in mitral cells were synchronized with spontaneous discharges in ET cells. Moreover, activation of a single ET cell was sufficient to evoke population bursts in mitral cells within the same glomerulus. Stimulation of the olfactory nerve induced similar population bursts and activated ET cells at a lower threshold than mitral cells, suggesting that ET cells mediate feedforward excitation of mitral cells. We propose that ET cells act as essential drivers of glomerular output to the olfactory cortex.

Two GABAergic intraglomerular circuits differentially regulate tonic and phasic presynaptic inhibition of olfactory nerve terminals

Olfactory nerve axons terminate in olfactory bulb glomeruli forming excitatory synapses onto the dendrites of mitral/tufted (M/T) and juxtaglomerular cells, including external tufted (ET) and periglomerular (PG) cells. PG cells are heterogeneous in neurochemical expression and synaptic organization. We used a line of mice expressing green fluorescent protein under the control of the glutamic acid decarboxylase 65-kDa gene (GAD65+) promoter to characterize a neurochemically identified subpopulation of PG cells by whole cell recording and subsequent morphological reconstruction. GAD65+ GABAergic PG cells form two functionally distinct populations: 33% are driven by monosynaptic olfactory nerve (ON) input (ON-driven PG cells), the remaining 67% receive their strongest drive from an ON-->ET-->PG circuit with no or weak monosynaptic ON input (ET-driven PG cells). In response to ON stimulation, ON-driven PG cells exhibit paired-pulse depression (PPD), which is partially reversed by GABA(B) receptor antagonists. The ON-->ET-->PG circuit exhibits phasic GABA(B)-R-independent PPD. ON input to both circuits is under tonic GABA(B)-R-dependent inhibition. We hypothesize that this tonic GABA(B)R-dependent presynaptic inhibition of olfactory nerve terminals is due to autonomous bursting of ET cells in the ON-->ET-->PG circuit, which drives tonic spontaneous GABA release from ET-driven PG cells. Both circuits likely produce tonic and phasic postsynaptic inhibition of other intraglomerular targets. Thus olfactory bulb glomeruli contain at least two functionally distinct GABAergic circuits that may play different roles in olfactory coding.

Odor-induced persistent discharge of mitral cells in the mouse olfactory bulb

Short-term retention of sensory information in the form of persistent activity of central neurons plays a key role in transforming a brief sensory stimulation into longer-lasting brain responses. The olfactory system uses this transformation for various functional purposes, but the underlying neuronal mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we recorded odor-evoked, single-unit spike responses of mitral and tufted (M/T) cells in the mouse olfactory bulb (OB) under urethane anesthesia and examined the neuronal mechanisms of the persistent discharge (PD) of M/T cells that outlasts the odor stimulus for tens of seconds. The properties of the persistent afterdischarge that occurred after odor stimulation were distinct from those of odor-induced immediate spike responses in terms of the magnitude, odorant specificity, and odorant concentration-response relationship. This suggests that neuronal mechanisms other than prolonged input from olfactory sensory neurons are involved in generating these afterdischarges. Metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGluR1) is expressed in the dendrites of M/T cells and is thought to participate in intraglomerular interactions among M/T cells. In OBs lacking mGluR1, or treated locally with an mGluR1-selective antagonist, the duration of the odor-induced spike responses was significantly lower than that in control OBs, indicating that mGluR1 within the bulbar neuronal circuits participates in the PD generation. These results suggest that neuronal circuits in the OB can actively prolong the odor-induced spike activity of bulbar output neurons and thus transform a brief odor input into longer-lasting activity in the central olfactory system.

Experience-dependent modification of primary sensory synapses in the mammalian olfactory bulb

Experience-dependent changes in neural circuits have traditionally been investigated several synapses downstream of sensory input. Whether experience can alter the strength of primary sensory synapses remains mostly unknown. To address this issue, we investigated the consequences of odor deprivation on synapses made by olfactory sensory axons in the olfactory bulb of rats. Odor deprivation triggered an increase in the probability of glutamate release from olfactory sensory neuron synapses. Deprivation also increased the amplitude of quantal synaptic currents mediated by AMPA- and NMDA-type glutamate receptors, as well as the abundance of these receptors in the glomerular region. Our results demonstrate that sensory experience is capable of modulating synaptic strength at the earliest stages of information transfer between the environment and an organism. Such compensatory experience-dependent changes may represent a mechanism of sensory gain control.