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Patton MH, Thomas KT, Bayazitov IT, Newman KD, Kurtz NB, Robinson CG, Ramirez CA, Trevisan AJ, Bikoff JB, Peters ST, Pruett-Miller SM, Jiang Y, Schild AB, Nityanandam A, Zakharenko SS. Synaptic plasticity in human thalamocortical assembloids. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114503. [PMID: 39018245 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Synaptic plasticities, such as long-term potentiation (LTP) and depression (LTD), tune synaptic efficacy and are essential for learning and memory. Current studies of synaptic plasticity in humans are limited by a lack of adequate human models. Here, we modeled the thalamocortical system by fusing human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived thalamic and cortical organoids. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing revealed that >80% of cells in thalamic organoids were glutamatergic neurons. When fused to form thalamocortical assembloids, thalamic and cortical organoids formed reciprocal long-range axonal projections and reciprocal synapses detectable by light and electron microscopy, respectively. Using whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology and two-photon imaging, we characterized glutamatergic synaptic transmission. Thalamocortical and corticothalamic synapses displayed short-term plasticity analogous to that in animal models. LTP and LTD were reliably induced at both synapses; however, their mechanisms differed from those previously described in rodents. Thus, thalamocortical assembloids provide a model system for exploring synaptic plasticity in human circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary H Patton
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Kristen T Thomas
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Ildar T Bayazitov
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Kyle D Newman
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Nathaniel B Kurtz
- Cell and Tissue Imaging Center, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Camenzind G Robinson
- Cell and Tissue Imaging Center, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Cody A Ramirez
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Alexandra J Trevisan
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Jay B Bikoff
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Samuel T Peters
- Center for Advanced Genome Engineering, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Shondra M Pruett-Miller
- Center for Advanced Genome Engineering, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA; Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Yanbo Jiang
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Andrew B Schild
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Anjana Nityanandam
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Stanislav S Zakharenko
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.
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2
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Vattino LG, MacGregor CP, Liu CJ, Sweeney CG, Takesian AE. Primary auditory thalamus relays directly to cortical layer 1 interneurons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.16.603741. [PMID: 39071266 PMCID: PMC11275971 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.16.603741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Inhibitory interneurons within cortical layer 1 (L1-INs) integrate inputs from diverse brain regions to modulate sensory processing and plasticity, but the sensory inputs that recruit these interneurons have not been identified. Here we used monosynaptic retrograde tracing and whole-cell electrophysiology to characterize the thalamic inputs onto two major subpopulations of L1-INs in the mouse auditory cortex. We find that the vast majority of auditory thalamic inputs to these L1-INs unexpectedly arise from the ventral subdivision of the medial geniculate body (MGBv), the tonotopically-organized primary auditory thalamus. Moreover, these interneurons receive robust functional monosynaptic MGBv inputs that are comparable to those recorded in the L4 excitatory pyramidal neurons. Our findings identify a direct pathway from the primary auditory thalamus to the L1-INs, suggesting that these interneurons are uniquely positioned to integrate thalamic inputs conveying precise sensory information with top-down inputs carrying information about brain states and learned associations.
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3
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Martínez-Gallego I, Rodríguez-Moreno A. Adenosine and Cortical Plasticity. Neuroscientist 2024:10738584241236773. [PMID: 38497585 DOI: 10.1177/10738584241236773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Brain plasticity is the ability of the nervous system to change its structure and functioning in response to experiences. These changes occur mainly at synaptic connections, and this plasticity is named synaptic plasticity. During postnatal development, environmental influences trigger changes in synaptic plasticity that will play a crucial role in the formation and refinement of brain circuits and their functions in adulthood. One of the greatest challenges of present neuroscience is to try to explain how synaptic connections change and cortical maps are formed and modified to generate the most suitable adaptive behavior after different external stimuli. Adenosine is emerging as a key player in these plastic changes at different brain areas. Here, we review the current knowledge of the mechanisms responsible for the induction and duration of synaptic plasticity at different postnatal brain development stages in which adenosine, probably released by astrocytes, directly participates in the induction of long-term synaptic plasticity and in the control of the duration of plasticity windows at different cortical synapses. In addition, we comment on the role of the different adenosine receptors in brain diseases and on the potential therapeutic effects of acting via adenosine receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Martínez-Gallego
- Laboratory of Cellular Neuroscience and Plasticity, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
| | - Antonio Rodríguez-Moreno
- Laboratory of Cellular Neuroscience and Plasticity, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
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4
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Patton MH, Thomas KT, Bayazitov IT, Newman KD, Kurtz NB, Robinson CG, Ramirez CA, Trevisan AJ, Bikoff JB, Peters ST, Pruett-Miller SM, Jiang Y, Schild AB, Nityanandam A, Zakharenko SS. Synaptic plasticity in human thalamocortical assembloids. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.01.578421. [PMID: 38352415 PMCID: PMC10862901 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.01.578421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Synaptic plasticities, such as long-term potentiation (LTP) and depression (LTD), tune synaptic efficacy and are essential for learning and memory. Current studies of synaptic plasticity in humans are limited by a lack of adequate human models. Here, we modeled the thalamocortical system by fusing human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived thalamic and cortical organoids. Single-nucleus RNA-sequencing revealed that most cells in mature thalamic organoids were glutamatergic neurons. When fused to form thalamocortical assembloids, thalamic and cortical organoids formed reciprocal long-range axonal projections and reciprocal synapses detectable by light and electron microscopy, respectively. Using whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology and two-photon imaging, we characterized glutamatergic synaptic transmission. Thalamocortical and corticothalamic synapses displayed short-term plasticity analogous to that in animal models. LTP and LTD were reliably induced at both synapses; however, their mechanisms differed from those previously described in rodents. Thus, thalamocortical assembloids provide a model system for exploring synaptic plasticity in human circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary H. Patton
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Kristen T. Thomas
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Ildar T. Bayazitov
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Kyle D. Newman
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Nathaniel B. Kurtz
- Cell and Tissue Imaging Center, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Camenzind G. Robinson
- Cell and Tissue Imaging Center, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Cody A. Ramirez
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Alexandra J. Trevisan
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Jay B. Bikoff
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Samuel T. Peters
- Center for Advanced Genome Engineering, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Shondra M. Pruett-Miller
- Center for Advanced Genome Engineering, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Memphis, TN 38105, USA
- Department of Cell & Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Yanbo Jiang
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Andrew B. Schild
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Anjana Nityanandam
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Stanislav S. Zakharenko
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Memphis, TN 38105, USA
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5
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Bayazitov IT, Teubner BJW, Feng F, Wu Z, Li Y, Blundon JA, Zakharenko SS. Sound-evoked adenosine release in cooperation with neuromodulatory circuits permits auditory cortical plasticity and perceptual learning. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113758. [PMID: 38358887 PMCID: PMC10939737 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113758] [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: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Meaningful auditory memories are formed in adults when acoustic information is delivered to the auditory cortex during heightened states of attention, vigilance, or alertness, as mediated by neuromodulatory circuits. Here, we identify that, in awake mice, acoustic stimulation triggers auditory thalamocortical projections to release adenosine, which prevents cortical plasticity (i.e., selective expansion of neural representation of behaviorally relevant acoustic stimuli) and perceptual learning (i.e., experience-dependent improvement in frequency discrimination ability). This sound-evoked adenosine release (SEAR) becomes reduced within seconds when acoustic stimuli are tightly paired with the activation of neuromodulatory (cholinergic or dopaminergic) circuits or periods of attentive wakefulness. If thalamic adenosine production is enhanced, then SEAR elevates further, the neuromodulatory circuits are unable to sufficiently reduce SEAR, and associative cortical plasticity and perceptual learning are blocked. This suggests that transient low-adenosine periods triggered by neuromodulatory circuits permit associative cortical plasticity and auditory perceptual learning in adults to occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ildar T Bayazitov
- Division of Neural Circuits and Behavior, Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Brett J W Teubner
- Division of Neural Circuits and Behavior, Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Feng Feng
- Division of Neural Circuits and Behavior, Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Zhaofa Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yulong Li
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jay A Blundon
- Division of Neural Circuits and Behavior, Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Stanislav S Zakharenko
- Division of Neural Circuits and Behavior, Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.
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6
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Pak S, Lee M, Lee S, Zhao H, Baeg E, Yang S, Yang S. Cortical surface plasticity promotes map remodeling and alleviates tinnitus in adult mice. Prog Neurobiol 2023; 231:102543. [PMID: 37924858 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2023.102543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Tinnitus induced by hearing loss is caused primarily by irreversible damage to the peripheral auditory system, which results in abnormal neural responses and frequency map disruption in the central auditory system. It remains unclear whether and how electrical rehabilitation of the auditory cortex can alleviate tinnitus. We hypothesize that stimulation of the cortical surface can alleviate tinnitus by enhancing neural responses and promoting frequency map reorganization. To test this hypothesis, we assessed and activated cortical maps using our newly designed graphene-based electrode array with a noise-induced tinnitus animal model. We found that cortical surface stimulation increased cortical activity, reshaped sensory maps, and alleviated hearing loss-induced tinnitus behavior in adult mice. These effects were likely due to retained long-term synaptic potentiation capabilities, as shown in cortical slices from the mice model. These findings suggest that cortical surface activation can be used to facilitate practical functional recovery from phantom percepts induced by sensory deprivation. They also provide a working principle for various treatment methods that involve electrical rehabilitation of the cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sojeong Pak
- Department of Neuroscience, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Minseok Lee
- Department of Neuroscience, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong; Department of Nano-bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangwon Lee
- Department of Nano-bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea; gBrain Inc., Incheon 21984, Republic of Korea
| | - Huilin Zhao
- Department of Neuroscience, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Eunha Baeg
- Department of Nano-bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunggu Yang
- Department of Nano-bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea; Center for Brain-Machine Interface, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea; gBrain Inc., Incheon 21984, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sungchil Yang
- Department of Neuroscience, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
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7
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Martínez-Gallego I, Rodríguez-Moreno A. Adenosine and Astrocytes Control Critical Periods of Neural Plasticity. Neuroscientist 2023; 29:532-537. [PMID: 36245418 DOI: 10.1177/10738584221126632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Windows of plasticity are fundamental for the correct formation of definitive brain circuits; these periods drive sensory and motor learning during development and ultimately learning and memory in adults. However, establishing windows of plasticity also imposes limitations on the central nervous system in terms of its capacity to recover from injury. Recent evidence highlights the important role that astrocytes and adenosine seem to play in controlling the duration of these critical periods of plasticity.
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8
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Andrade-Talavera Y, Pérez-Rodríguez M, Prius-Mengual J, Rodríguez-Moreno A. Neuronal and astrocyte determinants of critical periods of plasticity. Trends Neurosci 2023:S0166-2236(23)00105-4. [PMID: 37202300 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Windows of plasticity allow environmental experiences to produce intense activity-dependent changes during postnatal development. The reordering and refinement of neural connections occurs during these periods, significantly influencing the formation of brain circuits and physiological processes in adults. Recent advances have shed light on factors that determine the onset and duration of sensitive and critical periods of plasticity. Although GABAergic inhibition has classically been implicated in closing windows of plasticity, astrocytes and adenosinergic inhibition have also emerged more recently as key determinants of the duration of these periods of plasticity. Here, we review novel aspects of the involvement of GABAergic inhibition, the possible role of presynaptic NMDARs, and the emerging roles of astrocytes and adenosinergic inhibition in determining the duration of windows of plasticity in different brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuniesky Andrade-Talavera
- Laboratory of Cellular Neuroscience and Plasticity, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, ES-41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Mikel Pérez-Rodríguez
- Laboratory of Cellular Neuroscience and Plasticity, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, ES-41013 Seville, Spain
| | - José Prius-Mengual
- Laboratory of Cellular Neuroscience and Plasticity, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, ES-41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Antonio Rodríguez-Moreno
- Laboratory of Cellular Neuroscience and Plasticity, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, ES-41013 Seville, Spain.
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9
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Luo J, Xue N, Chen J. A Review: Research Progress of Neural Probes for Brain Research and Brain-Computer Interface. BIOSENSORS 2022; 12:bios12121167. [PMID: 36551135 PMCID: PMC9775442 DOI: 10.3390/bios12121167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Neural probes, as an invasive physiological tool at the mesoscopic scale, can decipher the code of brain connections and communications from the cellular or even molecular level, and realize information fusion between the human body and external machines. In addition to traditional electrodes, two new types of neural probes have been developed in recent years: optoprobes based on optogenetics and magnetrodes that record neural magnetic signals. In this review, we give a comprehensive overview of these three kinds of neural probes. We firstly discuss the development of microelectrodes and strategies for their flexibility, which is mainly represented by the selection of flexible substrates and new electrode materials. Subsequently, the concept of optogenetics is introduced, followed by the review of several novel structures of optoprobes, which are divided into multifunctional optoprobes integrated with microfluidic channels, artifact-free optoprobes, three-dimensional drivable optoprobes, and flexible optoprobes. At last, we introduce the fundamental perspectives of magnetoresistive (MR) sensors and then review the research progress of magnetrodes based on it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ning Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jiamin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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10
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Davenport CM, Teubner BJW, Han SB, Patton MH, Eom TY, Garic D, Lansdell BJ, Shirinifard A, Chang TC, Klein J, Pruett-Miller SM, Blundon JA, Zakharenko SS. Innate frequency-discrimination hyperacuity in Williams-Beuren syndrome mice. Cell 2022; 185:3877-3895.e21. [PMID: 36152627 PMCID: PMC9588278 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.08.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) is a rare disorder caused by hemizygous microdeletion of ∼27 contiguous genes. Despite neurodevelopmental and cognitive deficits, individuals with WBS have spared or enhanced musical and auditory abilities, potentially offering an insight into the genetic basis of auditory perception. Here, we report that the mouse models of WBS have innately enhanced frequency-discrimination acuity and improved frequency coding in the auditory cortex (ACx). Chemogenetic rescue showed frequency-discrimination hyperacuity is caused by hyperexcitable interneurons in the ACx. Haploinsufficiency of one WBS gene, Gtf2ird1, replicated WBS phenotypes by downregulating the neuropeptide receptor VIPR1. VIPR1 is reduced in the ACx of individuals with WBS and in the cerebral organoids derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells with the WBS microdeletion. Vipr1 deletion or overexpression in ACx interneurons mimicked or reversed, respectively, the cellular and behavioral phenotypes of WBS mice. Thus, the Gtf2ird1-Vipr1 mechanism in ACx interneurons may underlie the superior auditory acuity in WBS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M Davenport
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Brett J W Teubner
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Seung Baek Han
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Mary H Patton
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Tae-Yeon Eom
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Dusan Garic
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Benjamin J Lansdell
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Abbas Shirinifard
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Ti-Cheng Chang
- Center for Applied Bioinformatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Jonathon Klein
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Shondra M Pruett-Miller
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Jay A Blundon
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Stanislav S Zakharenko
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.
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11
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Martínez-Gallego I, Pérez-Rodríguez M, Coatl-Cuaya H, Flores G, Rodríguez-Moreno A. Adenosine and Astrocytes Determine the Developmental Dynamics of Spike Timing-Dependent Plasticity in the Somatosensory Cortex. J Neurosci 2022; 42:6038-6052. [PMID: 35768208 PMCID: PMC9351642 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0115-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
During development, critical periods of synaptic plasticity facilitate the reordering and refinement of neural connections, allowing the definitive synaptic circuits responsible for correct adult physiology to be established. The L4-L2/3 synapses in the somatosensory cortex (S1) exhibit a presynaptic form of spike timing-dependent long-term depression (t-LTD) that probably fulfills a role in synaptic refinement. This t-LTD persists until the fourth postnatal week in mice, disappearing thereafter. When we investigated the mechanisms underlying this maturation-related loss of t-LTD in either sex mouse slices, we found that it could be completely recovered by antagonizing adenosine type 1 receptors. By contrast, an agonist of A1R impeded the induction of t-LTD at P13-27. Furthermore, we found that the adenosine that mediated the loss of t-LTD at the end of the fourth week of development is most probably supplied by astrocytes. At more mature stages (P38-60), we found that the protocol used to induce t-LTD provokes t-LTP. We characterized the mechanisms underlying the induction of this form of LTP, and we found it to be expressed presynaptically, as witnessed by paired-pulse and coefficient of variation analysis. In addition, this form of presynaptic t-LTP requires the activation of NMDARs and mGlu1Rs, and the entry of Ca2+ into the postsynaptic neuron through L-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels. Nitric oxide is also required for t-LTP as a messenger in the postsynaptic neuron as are the adenosine and glutamate that are released in association with astrocyte signaling. These results provide direct evidence of the mechanisms that close the window of plasticity associated with t-LTD and that drive the switch in synaptic transmission from t-LTD to t-LTP at L4-L2/3 synapses, in which astrocytes play a central role.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT During development, critical periods of plasticity facilitate the reordering and refining of neural connections, allowing correct adult physiology to be established. The L4-L2/3 synapses in the somatosensory cortex exhibit a presynaptic form plasticity (LTD) that probably fulfills a role in synaptic refinement. It is present until the fourth postnatal week in mice, disappearing thereafter. The mechanisms that are responsible for this loss of plasticity are not clear. We describe here these mechanisms and those involved in the switch from LTD to LTP observed as the brain matures. Defining these events responsible for closing (and opening) plasticity windows may be important for brain repair, sensorial recovery, the treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders, and for educational policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Martínez-Gallego
- Laboratory of Cellular Neuroscience and Plasticity, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, ES-41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Mikel Pérez-Rodríguez
- Laboratory of Cellular Neuroscience and Plasticity, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, ES-41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Heriberto Coatl-Cuaya
- Laboratory of Cellular Neuroscience and Plasticity, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, ES-41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Gonzalo Flores
- Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla CP 72570, México
| | - Antonio Rodríguez-Moreno
- Laboratory of Cellular Neuroscience and Plasticity, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, ES-41013 Seville, Spain
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12
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Zeeman M, Liu X, Zhang O, Yan J. Role of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor subunits GluN2A and GluN2B in auditory thalamocortical long-term potentiation in adult mice. Neurosci Lett 2021; 761:136091. [PMID: 34197904 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.136091] [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: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Cortical neurons undergo continuous remodelling throughout development and into adulthood, associated with long-term changes in the synaptic transmission of thalamocortical pathways, i.e., long-term potentiation (LTP); such plasticity is input-specific, reflected in the frequency-specificity of the auditory system. It is well established that thalamocortical LTP is dependent on the activation of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. In this study, the roles of NMDA receptor subunits GluN2A and GluN2B in LTP induction were examined in thalamocortical pathways of the auditory system using subunit-selective pharmacological inhibition and in vivo tetanic stimulation of the auditory thalamus, while recording neural response in the primary auditory cortex. Long-term enhancement of thalamocortical field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (i.e., thalamocortical LTP) were induced by high frequency tetanic stimulation of the ventral division of the medial geniculate body. Such enhancement in thalamocortical fEPSPs was decreased when a GluN2A blocker (NVP-M077) was applied to the recording site in the primary auditory cortex and was increased when a GluN2B blocker (Ro25-6981) was applied. Our data suggest that the induction of thalamocortical LTP is dependent on the differential expression of the GluN2A and GluN2B subunits of NMDA receptors in thalamocortical circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Zeeman
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada.
| | - Xiuping Liu
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada.
| | - Oliver Zhang
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada.
| | - Jun Yan
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada.
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13
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Ewall G, Parkins S, Lin A, Jaoui Y, Lee HK. Cortical and Subcortical Circuits for Cross-Modal Plasticity Induced by Loss of Vision. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:665009. [PMID: 34113240 PMCID: PMC8185208 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.665009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cortical areas are highly interconnected both via cortical and subcortical pathways, and primary sensory cortices are not isolated from this general structure. In primary sensory cortical areas, these pre-existing functional connections serve to provide contextual information for sensory processing and can mediate adaptation when a sensory modality is lost. Cross-modal plasticity in broad terms refers to widespread plasticity across the brain in response to losing a sensory modality, and largely involves two distinct changes: cross-modal recruitment and compensatory plasticity. The former involves recruitment of the deprived sensory area, which includes the deprived primary sensory cortex, for processing the remaining senses. Compensatory plasticity refers to plasticity in the remaining sensory areas, including the spared primary sensory cortices, to enhance the processing of its own sensory inputs. Here, we will summarize potential cellular plasticity mechanisms involved in cross-modal recruitment and compensatory plasticity, and review cortical and subcortical circuits to the primary sensory cortices which can mediate cross-modal plasticity upon loss of vision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle Ewall
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Zanvyl-Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Samuel Parkins
- Cell, Molecular, Developmental Biology and Biophysics (CMDB) Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Amy Lin
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Zanvyl-Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Yanis Jaoui
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Zanvyl-Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Hey-Kyoung Lee
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Zanvyl-Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Cell, Molecular, Developmental Biology and Biophysics (CMDB) Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
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14
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Khan TA, Revah O, Gordon A, Yoon SJ, Krawisz AK, Goold C, Sun Y, Kim CH, Tian Y, Li MY, Schaepe JM, Ikeda K, Amin ND, Sakai N, Yazawa M, Kushan L, Nishino S, Porteus MH, Rapoport JL, Bernstein JA, O'Hara R, Bearden CE, Hallmayer JF, Huguenard JR, Geschwind DH, Dolmetsch RE, Paşca SP. Neuronal defects in a human cellular model of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Nat Med 2020; 26:1888-1898. [PMID: 32989314 PMCID: PMC8525897 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-020-1043-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is a highly penetrant and common genetic cause of neuropsychiatric disease. Here we generated induced pluripotent stem cells from 15 individuals with 22q11DS and 15 control individuals and differentiated them into three-dimensional (3D) cerebral cortical organoids. Transcriptional profiling across 100 days showed high reliability of differentiation and revealed changes in neuronal excitability-related genes. Using electrophysiology and live imaging, we identified defects in spontaneous neuronal activity and calcium signaling in both organoid- and 2D-derived cortical neurons. The calcium deficit was related to resting membrane potential changes that led to abnormal inactivation of voltage-gated calcium channels. Heterozygous loss of DGCR8 recapitulated the excitability and calcium phenotypes and its overexpression rescued these defects. Moreover, the 22q11DS calcium abnormality could also be restored by application of antipsychotics. Taken together, our study illustrates how stem cell derived models can be used to uncover and rescue cellular phenotypes associated with genetic forms of neuropsychiatric disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Themasap A Khan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Program in Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Omer Revah
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Aaron Gordon
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Se-Jin Yoon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Anna K Krawisz
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Carleton Goold
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yishan Sun
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Chul Hoon Kim
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yuan Tian
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Interdepartmental PhD Program in Bioinformatics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Min-Yin Li
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Julia M Schaepe
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kazuya Ikeda
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Neal D Amin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Noriaki Sakai
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Masayuki Yazawa
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Leila Kushan
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Seiji Nishino
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Judith L Rapoport
- National Institute of Mental Health, Child Psychiatry Branch, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Ruth O'Hara
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Carrie E Bearden
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joachim F Hallmayer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - John R Huguenard
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Daniel H Geschwind
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Institute of Precision Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Sergiu P Paşca
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Stanford Brain Organogenesis Program, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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15
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Persic D, Thomas ME, Pelekanos V, Ryugo DK, Takesian AE, Krumbholz K, Pyott SJ. Regulation of auditory plasticity during critical periods and following hearing loss. Hear Res 2020; 397:107976. [PMID: 32591097 PMCID: PMC8546402 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2020.107976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Revised: 03/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Sensory input has profound effects on neuronal organization and sensory maps in the brain. The mechanisms regulating plasticity of the auditory pathway have been revealed by examining the consequences of altered auditory input during both developmental critical periods—when plasticity facilitates the optimization of neural circuits in concert with the external environment—and in adulthood—when hearing loss is linked to the generation of tinnitus. In this review, we summarize research identifying the molecular, cellular, and circuit-level mechanisms regulating neuronal organization and tonotopic map plasticity during developmental critical periods and in adulthood. These mechanisms are shared in both the juvenile and adult brain and along the length of the auditory pathway, where they serve to regulate disinhibitory networks, synaptic structure and function, as well as structural barriers to plasticity. Regulation of plasticity also involves both neuromodulatory circuits, which link plasticity with learning and attention, as well as ascending and descending auditory circuits, which link the auditory cortex and lower structures. Further work identifying the interplay of molecular and cellular mechanisms associating hearing loss-induced plasticity with tinnitus will continue to advance our understanding of this disorder and lead to new approaches to its treatment. During CPs, brain plasticity is enhanced and sensitive to acoustic experience. Enhanced plasticity can be reinstated in the adult brain following hearing loss. Molecular, cellular, and circuit-level mechanisms regulate CP and adult plasticity. Plasticity resulting from hearing loss may contribute to the emergence of tinnitus. Modifying plasticity in the adult brain may offer new treatments for tinnitus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dora Persic
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head/Neck Surgery, 9713, GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Maryse E Thomas
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye & Ear and Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head/Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Vassilis Pelekanos
- Hearing Sciences, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, UK
| | - David K Ryugo
- Hearing Research, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia; Department of Otolaryngology, Head, Neck & Skull Base Surgery, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia
| | - Anne E Takesian
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye & Ear and Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head/Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Katrin Krumbholz
- Hearing Sciences, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, UK
| | - Sonja J Pyott
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head/Neck Surgery, 9713, GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands.
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16
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Ultrastructure of light-activated axons following optogenetic stimulation to produce late-phase long-term potentiation. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0226797. [PMID: 31940316 PMCID: PMC6961864 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Analysis of neuronal compartments has revealed many state-dependent changes in geometry but establishing synapse-specific mechanisms at the nanoscale has proven elusive. We co-expressed channelrhodopsin2-GFP and mAPEX2 in a subset of hippocampal CA3 neurons and used trains of light to induce late-phase long-term potentiation (L-LTP) in area CA1. L-LTP was shown to be specific to the labeled axons by severing CA3 inputs, which prevented back-propagating recruitment of unlabeled axons. Membrane-associated mAPEX2 tolerated microwave-enhanced chemical fixation and drove tyramide signal amplification to deposit Alexa Fluor dyes in the light-activated axons. Subsequent post-embedding immunogold labeling resulted in outstanding ultrastructure and clear distinctions between labeled (activated), and unlabeled axons without obscuring subcellular organelles. The gold-labeled axons in potentiated slices were reconstructed through serial section electron microscopy; presynaptic vesicles and other constituents could be quantified unambiguously. The genetic specification, reliable physiology, and compatibility with established methods for ultrastructural preservation make this an ideal approach to link synapse ultrastructure and function in intact circuits.
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17
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Kral A, Dorman MF, Wilson BS. Neuronal Development of Hearing and Language: Cochlear Implants and Critical Periods. Annu Rev Neurosci 2019; 42:47-65. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-080317-061513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The modern cochlear implant (CI) is the most successful neural prosthesis developed to date. CIs provide hearing to the profoundly hearing impaired and allow the acquisition of spoken language in children born deaf. Results from studies enabled by the CI have provided new insights into ( a) minimal representations at the periphery for speech reception, ( b) brain mechanisms for decoding speech presented in quiet and in acoustically adverse conditions, ( c) the developmental neuroscience of language and hearing, and ( d) the mechanisms and time courses of intramodal and cross-modal plasticity. Additionally, the results have underscored the interconnectedness of brain functions and the importance of top-down processes in perception and learning. The findings are described in this review with emphasis on the developing brain and the acquisition of hearing and spoken language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrej Kral
- Institute of AudioNeuroTechnology and Department of Experimental Otology, ENT Clinics, Hannover Medical University, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas 75080, USA
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Michael F. Dorman
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
| | - Blake S. Wilson
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas 75080, USA
- School of Medicine and Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
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18
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Teichert M, Isstas M, Liebmann L, Hübner CA, Wieske F, Winter C, Lehmann K, Bolz J. Visual deprivation independent shift of ocular dominance induced by cross-modal plasticity. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0213616. [PMID: 30856226 PMCID: PMC6411125 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
There is convincing evidence that the deprivation of one sense can lead to adaptive neuronal changes in spared primary sensory cortices. However, the repercussions of late-onset sensory deprivations on functionality of the remaining sensory cortices are poorly understood. Using repeated intrinsic signal imaging we investigated the effects of whisker or auditory deprivation (WD or AD, respectively) on responsiveness of the binocular primary visual cortex (V1) in fully adult mice. The binocular zone of mice is innervated by both eyes, with the contralateral eye always dominating V1 input over ipsilateral eye input, the normal ocular dominance (OD) ratio. Strikingly, we found that 3 days of WD or AD induced a transient shift of OD, which was mediated by a potentiation of V1 input through the ipsilateral eye. This cross-modal effect was accompanied by strengthening of layer 4 synapses in V1, required visual experience through the ipsilateral eye and was mediated by an increase of the excitation/inhibition ratio in V1. Finally, we demonstrate that both WD and AD induced a long-lasting improvement of visual performance. Our data provide evidence that the deprivation of a non-visual sensory modality cross-modally induces experience dependent V1 plasticity and improves visual behavior, even in adult mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Teichert
- Institute of General Zoology and Animal Physiology, University of Jena, Jena, Germany
- Synapses-Circuits-Plasticity, Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Marcel Isstas
- Institute of General Zoology and Animal Physiology, University of Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Lutz Liebmann
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Jena, University of Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Christian A. Hübner
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Jena, University of Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Franziska Wieske
- Department of Psychiatry, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christine Winter
- Department of Psychiatry, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Konrad Lehmann
- Institute of General Zoology and Animal Physiology, University of Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Jürgen Bolz
- Institute of General Zoology and Animal Physiology, University of Jena, Jena, Germany
- * E-mail:
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19
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Sun YJ, Liu BH, Tao HW, Zhang LI. Selective Strengthening of Intracortical Excitatory Input Leads to Receptive Field Refinement during Auditory Cortical Development. J Neurosci 2019; 39:1195-1205. [PMID: 30587538 PMCID: PMC6381237 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2492-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Revised: 11/17/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In the primary auditory cortex (A1) of rats, refinement of excitatory input to layer (L)4 neurons contributes to the sharpening of their frequency selectivity during postnatal development. L4 neurons receive both feedforward thalamocortical and recurrent intracortical inputs, but how potential developmental changes of each component can account for the sharpening of excitatory input tuning remains unclear. By combining in vivo whole-cell recording and pharmacological silencing of cortical spiking in young rats of both sexes, we examined developmental changes at three hierarchical stages: output of auditory thalamic neurons, thalamocortical input and recurrent excitatory input to an A1 L4 neuron. In the thalamus, the tonotopic map matured with an expanded range of frequency representations, while the frequency tuning of output responses was unchanged. On the other hand, the tuning shape of both thalamocortical and intracortical excitatory inputs to a L4 neuron became sharpened. In particular, the intracortical input became better tuned than thalamocortical excitation. Moreover, the weight of intracortical excitation around the optimal frequency was selectively strengthened, resulting in a dominant role of intracortical excitation in defining the total excitatory input tuning. Our modeling work further demonstrates that the frequency-selective strengthening of local recurrent excitatory connections plays a major role in the refinement of excitatory input tuning of L4 neurons.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT During postnatal development, sensory cortex undergoes functional refinement, through which the size of sensory receptive field is reduced. In the rat primary auditory cortex, such refinement in layer (L)4 is mainly attributed to improved selectivity of excitatory input a L4 neuron receives. In this study, we further examined three stages along the hierarchical neural pathway where excitatory input refinement might occur. We found that developmental refinement takes place at both thalamocortical and intracortical circuit levels, but not at the thalamic output level. Together with modeling results, we revealed that the optimal-frequency-selective strengthening of intracortical excitation plays a dominant role in the refinement of excitatory input tuning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujiao J Sun
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute
- Graduate Program in Physiology and Biophysics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089
| | - Bao-Hua Liu
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute
- Graduate Program in Physiology and Biophysics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089
| | - Huizhong W Tao
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute,
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, and
| | - Li I Zhang
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute,
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, and
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20
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Hackett TA. Adenosine A 1 Receptor mRNA Expression by Neurons and Glia in the Auditory Forebrain. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2018; 301:1882-1905. [PMID: 30315630 PMCID: PMC6282551 DOI: 10.1002/ar.23907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Revised: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In the brain, purines such as ATP and adenosine can function as neurotransmitters and co‐transmitters, or serve as signals in neuron–glial interactions. In thalamocortical (TC) projections to sensory cortex, adenosine functions as a negative regulator of glutamate release via activation of the presynaptic adenosine A1 receptor (A1R). In the auditory forebrain, restriction of A1R‐adenosine signaling in medial geniculate (MG) neurons is sufficient to extend LTP, LTD, and tonotopic map plasticity in adult mice for months beyond the critical period. Interfering with adenosine signaling in primary auditory cortex (A1) does not contribute to these forms of plasticity, suggesting regional differences in the roles of A1R‐mediated adenosine signaling in the forebrain. To advance understanding of the circuitry, in situ hybridization was used to localize neuronal and glial cell types in the auditory forebrain that express A1R transcripts (Adora1), based on co‐expression with cell‐specific markers for neuronal and glial subtypes. In A1, Adora1 transcripts were concentrated in L3/4 and L6 of glutamatergic neurons. Subpopulations of GABAergic neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia expressed lower levels of Adora1. In MG, Adora1 was expressed by glutamatergic neurons in all divisions, and subpopulations of all glial classes. The collective findings imply that A1R‐mediated signaling broadly extends to all subdivisions of auditory cortex and MG. Selective expression by neuronal and glial subpopulations suggests that experimental manipulations of A1R‐adenosine signaling could impact several cell types, depending on their location. Strategies to target Adora1 in specific cell types can be developed from the data generated here. Anat Rec, 301:1882–1905, 2018. © 2018 The Authors. The Anatomical Record published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Anatomists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Troy A Hackett
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.,Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.,Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.,Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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21
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Patton MH, Blundon JA, Zakharenko SS. Rejuvenation of plasticity in the brain: opening the critical period. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2018; 54:83-89. [PMID: 30286407 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2018.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 08/30/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Cortical circuits are particularly sensitive to incoming sensory information during well-defined intervals of postnatal development called 'critical periods'. The critical period for cortical plasticity closes in adults, thus restricting the brain's ability to indiscriminately store new sensory information. For example, children acquire language in an exposure-based manner, whereas learning language in adulthood requires more effort and attention. It has been suggested that pairing sounds with the activation of neuromodulatory circuits involved in attention reopens this critical period. Here, we review two critical period hypotheses related to neuromodulation: cortical disinhibition and thalamic adenosine. We posit that these mechanisms co-regulate the critical period for auditory cortical plasticity. We also discuss ways to reopen this period and rejuvenate cortical plasticity in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary H Patton
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jay A Blundon
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Stanislav S Zakharenko
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.
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22
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Parvalbumin-Interneuron Output Synapses Show Spike-Timing-Dependent Plasticity that Contributes to Auditory Map Remodeling. Neuron 2018; 99:720-735.e6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Revised: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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23
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Eom TY, Bayazitov IT, Anderson K, Yu J, Zakharenko SS. Schizophrenia-Related Microdeletion Impairs Emotional Memory through MicroRNA-Dependent Disruption of Thalamic Inputs to the Amygdala. Cell Rep 2018; 19:1532-1544. [PMID: 28538174 PMCID: PMC5457478 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Revised: 03/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) are at high risk of developing psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia. Individuals with 22q11DS and schizophrenia are impaired in emotional memory, anticipating, recalling, and assigning a correct context to emotions. The neuronal circuits responsible for these emotional memory deficits are unknown. Here, we show that 22q11DS mouse models have disrupted synaptic transmission at thalamic inputs to the lateral amygdala (thalamo-LA projections). This synaptic deficit is caused by haploinsufficiency of the 22q11DS gene Dgcr8, which is involved in microRNA processing, and is mediated by the increased dopamine receptor Drd2 levels in the thalamus and by reduced probability of glutamate release from thalamic inputs. This deficit in thalamo-LA synaptic transmission is sufficient to cause fear memory deficits. Our results suggest that dysregulation of the Dgcr8–Drd2 mechanism at thalamic inputs to the amygdala underlies emotional memory deficits in 22q11DS. Thalamic inputs to the lateral amygdala (LA) are impaired in 22q11DS mice Thalamo-LA disruption is sufficient to cause associative fear memory deficits Deficiency in microRNA-processing Dgcr8 causes thalamo-LA and fear memory deficits Fear memory deficits in 22q11DS mice are rescued by thalamic Drd2 inhibition
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae-Yeon Eom
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Ildar T Bayazitov
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Kara Anderson
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Jing Yu
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Stanislav S Zakharenko
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.
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24
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Tang ZQ, Lu Y. Anatomy and Physiology of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors in Mammalian and Avian Auditory System. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 1. [PMID: 30854519 DOI: 10.24966/tap-7752/100001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Glutamate, as the major excitatory neurotransmitter used in the vertebrate brain, activates ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs and mGluRs), which mediate fast and slow neuronal actions, respectively. mGluRs play important modulatory roles in many brain areas, forming potential targets for drugs developed to treat brain disorders. Here, we review studies on mGluRs in the mammalian and avian auditory system. Although anatomical expression of mGluRs in the cochlear nucleus has been well characterized, data for other auditory nuclei await more systematic investigations especially at the electron microscopy level. The physiology of mGluRs has been extensively studied using in vitro brain slice preparations, with a focus on the auditory circuitry in the brainstem. These in vitro physiological studies have demonstrated that mGluRs participate in synaptic transmission, regulate ionic homeostasis, induce synaptic plasticity, and maintain the balance between Excitation and Inhibition (E/I) in a variety of auditory structures. However, the modulatory roles of mGluRs in auditory processing remain largely unclear at the system and behavioral levels, and the functions of mGluRs in auditory disorders remain entirely unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng-Quan Tang
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Oregon, USA
| | - Yong Lu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Ohio, USA
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25
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Affiliation(s)
- Vassilis Kehayas
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Anthony Holtmaat
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
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26
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Blundon JA, Roy NC, Teubner BJW, Yu J, Eom TY, Sample KJ, Pani A, Smeyne RJ, Han SB, Kerekes RA, Rose DC, Hackett TA, Vuppala PK, Freeman BB, Zakharenko SS. Restoring auditory cortex plasticity in adult mice by restricting thalamic adenosine signaling. Science 2017; 356:1352-1356. [PMID: 28663494 PMCID: PMC5523828 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf4612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Revised: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Circuits in the auditory cortex are highly susceptible to acoustic influences during an early postnatal critical period. The auditory cortex selectively expands neural representations of enriched acoustic stimuli, a process important for human language acquisition. Adults lack this plasticity. Here we show in the murine auditory cortex that juvenile plasticity can be reestablished in adulthood if acoustic stimuli are paired with disruption of ecto-5'-nucleotidase-dependent adenosine production or A1-adenosine receptor signaling in the auditory thalamus. This plasticity occurs at the level of cortical maps and individual neurons in the auditory cortex of awake adult mice and is associated with long-term improvement of tone-discrimination abilities. We conclude that, in adult mice, disrupting adenosine signaling in the thalamus rejuvenates plasticity in the auditory cortex and improves auditory perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay A. Blundon
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Noah C. Roy
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Brett J. W. Teubner
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Jing Yu
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Tae-Yeon Eom
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - K. Jake Sample
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Amar Pani
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Richard J. Smeyne
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Seung Baek Han
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Ryan A Kerekes
- Electrical and Electronics Systems Research Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Derek C. Rose
- Electrical and Electronics Systems Research Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Troy A. Hackett
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Pradeep K. Vuppala
- Preclinical Pharmacokinetics Shared Resource, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Burgess B. Freeman
- Preclinical Pharmacokinetics Shared Resource, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Stanislav S. Zakharenko
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
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27
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Holca-Lamarre R, Lücke J, Obermayer K. Models of Acetylcholine and Dopamine Signals Differentially Improve Neural Representations. Front Comput Neurosci 2017; 11:54. [PMID: 28690509 PMCID: PMC5479899 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2017.00054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological and artificial neural networks (ANNs) represent input signals as patterns of neural activity. In biology, neuromodulators can trigger important reorganizations of these neural representations. For instance, pairing a stimulus with the release of either acetylcholine (ACh) or dopamine (DA) evokes long lasting increases in the responses of neurons to the paired stimulus. The functional roles of ACh and DA in rearranging representations remain largely unknown. Here, we address this question using a Hebbian-learning neural network model. Our aim is both to gain a functional understanding of ACh and DA transmission in shaping biological representations and to explore neuromodulator-inspired learning rules for ANNs. We model the effects of ACh and DA on synaptic plasticity and confirm that stimuli coinciding with greater neuromodulator activation are over represented in the network. We then simulate the physiological release schedules of ACh and DA. We measure the impact of neuromodulator release on the network's representation and on its performance on a classification task. We find that ACh and DA trigger distinct changes in neural representations that both improve performance. The putative ACh signal redistributes neural preferences so that more neurons encode stimulus classes that are challenging for the network. The putative DA signal adapts synaptic weights so that they better match the classes of the task at hand. Our model thus offers a functional explanation for the effects of ACh and DA on cortical representations. Additionally, our learning algorithm yields performances comparable to those of state-of-the-art optimisation methods in multi-layer perceptrons while requiring weaker supervision signals and interacting with synaptically-local weight updates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphaël Holca-Lamarre
- Neural Information Processing Group, Fakultät IV, Technische Universität BerlinBerlin, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational NeuroscienceBerlin, Germany
| | - Jörg Lücke
- Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all and Research Center Neurosensory Science, Carl von Ossietzky Universität OldenburgOldenburg, Germany
- Machine Learning Lab, Department of Medical Physics and Acoustics, Carl von Ossietzky Universität OldenburgOldenburg, Germany
| | - Klaus Obermayer
- Neural Information Processing Group, Fakultät IV, Technische Universität BerlinBerlin, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational NeuroscienceBerlin, Germany
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28
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Adamsky A, Goshen I. Astrocytes in Memory Function: Pioneering Findings and Future Directions. Neuroscience 2017; 370:14-26. [PMID: 28571720 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.05.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Revised: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes have been generally believed to perform mainly homeostatic and supportive functions for neurons in the central nervous system. Recently, a growing body of evidence suggests previously unrecognized and surprising functions for astrocytes, including regulation of synaptic formation, transmission and plasticity, all of which are considered as the infrastructure for information processing and memory formation and stabilization. This review discusses the involvement of astrocytes in memory functions and the possible mechanisms that may underlie it. We review the important breakthroughs obtained in this field, as well as some of the controversies that arose from the past difficulty to manipulate these cells in a cell type-specific and non-invasive manner. Finally, we present new research avenues based on the advanced tools becoming available in recent years: optogenetics and chemogenetics, and the potential ways in which these tools may further illuminate the role of astrocytes in memory processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adar Adamsky
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences (ELSC), The Hebrew University, Givat Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Inbal Goshen
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences (ELSC), The Hebrew University, Givat Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
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29
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Tatti R, Haley MS, Swanson O, Tselha T, Maffei A. Neurophysiology and Regulation of the Balance Between Excitation and Inhibition in Neocortical Circuits. Biol Psychiatry 2017; 81:821-831. [PMID: 27865453 PMCID: PMC5374043 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2016] [Revised: 08/25/2016] [Accepted: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Brain function relies on the ability of neural networks to maintain stable levels of activity, while experiences sculpt them. In the neocortex, the balance between activity and stability relies on the coregulation of excitatory and inhibitory inputs onto principal neurons. Shifts of excitation or inhibition result in altered excitability impaired processing of incoming information. In many neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders, the excitability of local circuits is altered, suggesting that their pathophysiology may involve shifts in synaptic excitation, inhibition, or both. Most studies focused on identifying the cellular and molecular mechanisms controlling network excitability to assess whether they may be altered in animal models of disease. The impact of changes in excitation/inhibition balance on local circuit and network computations is not clear. Here we report findings on the integration of excitatory and inhibitory inputs in healthy cortical circuits and discuss how shifts in excitation/inhibition balance may relate to pathological phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Tatti
- Dept. of Neurobiology and Behavior, SUNY-Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY 11794
| | - Melissa S. Haley
- Dept. of Neurobiology and Behavior, SUNY-Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY 11794
| | - Olivia Swanson
- Dept. of Neurobiology and Behavior, SUNY-Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY 11794
| | - Tenzin Tselha
- Dept. of Neurobiology and Behavior, SUNY-Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY 11794
| | - Arianna Maffei
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, The State University of New York, Stony Brook, New York.
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30
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Pedrosa V, Clopath C. The Role of Neuromodulators in Cortical Plasticity. A Computational Perspective. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2017; 8:38. [PMID: 28119596 PMCID: PMC5222801 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2016.00038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuromodulators play a ubiquitous role across the brain in regulating plasticity. With recent advances in experimental techniques, it is possible to study the effects of diverse neuromodulatory states in specific brain regions. Neuromodulators are thought to impact plasticity predominantly through two mechanisms: the gating of plasticity and the upregulation of neuronal activity. However, the consequences of these mechanisms are poorly understood and there is a need for both experimental and theoretical exploration. Here we illustrate how neuromodulatory state affects cortical plasticity through these two mechanisms. First, we explore the ability of neuromodulators to gate plasticity by reshaping the learning window for spike-timing-dependent plasticity. Using a simple computational model, we implement four different learning rules and demonstrate their effects on receptive field plasticity. We then compare the neuromodulatory effects of upregulating learning rate versus the effects of upregulating neuronal activity. We find that these seemingly similar mechanisms do not yield the same outcome: upregulating neuronal activity can lead to either a broadening or a sharpening of receptive field tuning, whereas upregulating learning rate only intensifies the sharpening of receptive field tuning. This simple model demonstrates the need for further exploration of the rich landscape of neuromodulator-mediated plasticity. Future experiments, coupled with biologically detailed computational models, will elucidate the diversity of mechanisms by which neuromodulatory state regulates cortical plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Pedrosa
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College LondonLondon, UK; CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of BrazilBrasilia, Brazil
| | - Claudia Clopath
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London London, UK
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31
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Kral A, Yusuf PA, Land R. Higher-order auditory areas in congenital deafness: Top-down interactions and corticocortical decoupling. Hear Res 2017; 343:50-63. [DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2016.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2016] [Revised: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 08/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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32
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Chun S, Du F, Westmoreland JJ, Han SB, Wang YD, Eddins D, Bayazitov IT, Devaraju P, Yu J, Mellado Lagarde MM, Anderson K, Zakharenko SS. Thalamic miR-338-3p mediates auditory thalamocortical disruption and its late onset in models of 22q11.2 microdeletion. Nat Med 2016; 23:39-48. [PMID: 27892953 PMCID: PMC5218899 DOI: 10.1038/nm.4240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Although 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is associated with early-life behavioral abnormalities, affected individuals are also at high risk for the development of schizophrenia symptoms, including psychosis, later in life. Auditory thalamocortical (TC) projections recently emerged as a neural circuit that is specifically disrupted in mouse models of 22q11DS (hereafter referred to as 22q11DS mice), in which haploinsufficiency of the microRNA (miRNA)-processing-factor-encoding gene Dgcr8 results in the elevation of the dopamine receptor Drd2 in the auditory thalamus, an abnormal sensitivity of thalamocortical projections to antipsychotics, and an abnormal acoustic-startle response. Here we show that these auditory TC phenotypes have a delayed onset in 22q11DS mice and are associated with an age-dependent reduction of miR-338-3p, a miRNA that targets Drd2 and is enriched in the thalamus of both humans and mice. Replenishing depleted miR-338-3p in mature 22q11DS mice rescued the TC abnormalities, and deletion of Mir338 (which encodes miR-338-3p) or reduction of miR-338-3p expression mimicked the TC and behavioral deficits and eliminated the age dependence of these deficits. Therefore, miR-338-3p depletion is necessary and sufficient to disrupt auditory TC signaling in 22q11DS mice, and it may mediate the pathogenic mechanism of 22q11DS-related psychosis and control its late onset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungkun Chun
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Fei Du
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Joby J Westmoreland
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Seung Baek Han
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Yong-Dong Wang
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Donnie Eddins
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Ildar T Bayazitov
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Prakash Devaraju
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jing Yu
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Marcia M Mellado Lagarde
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Kara Anderson
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Stanislav S Zakharenko
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
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33
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Guo Y, Zhang P, Sheng Q, Zhao S, Hackett TA. lncRNA expression in the auditory forebrain during postnatal development. Gene 2016; 593:201-216. [PMID: 27544636 PMCID: PMC5034298 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2016.08.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Revised: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The biological processes governing brain development and maturation depend on complex patterns of gene and protein expression, which can be influenced by many factors. One of the most overlooked is the long noncoding class of RNAs (lncRNAs), which are known to play important regulatory roles in an array of biological processes. Little is known about the distribution of lncRNAs in the sensory systems of the brain, and how lncRNAs interact with other mechanisms to guide the development of these systems. In this study, we profiled lncRNA expression in the mouse auditory forebrain during postnatal development at time points before and after the onset of hearing (P7, P14, P21, adult). First, we generated lncRNA profiles of the primary auditory cortex (A1) and medial geniculate body (MG) at each age. Then, we determined the differential patterns of expression by brain region and age. These analyses revealed that the lncRNA expression profile was distinct between both brain regions and between each postnatal age, indicating spatial and temporal specificity during maturation of the auditory forebrain. Next, we explored potential interactions between functionally-related lncRNAs, protein coding RNAs (pcRNAs), and associated proteins. The maturational trajectories (P7 to adult) of many lncRNA - pcRNA pairs were highly correlated, and predictive analyses revealed that lncRNA-protein interactions tended to be strong. A user-friendly database was constructed to facilitate inspection of the expression levels and maturational trajectories for any lncRNA or pcRNA in the database. Overall, this study provides an in-depth summary of lncRNA expression in the developing auditory forebrain and a broad-based foundation for future exploration of lncRNA function during brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Guo
- Dept. of Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Pan Zhang
- Dept. of Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Quanhu Sheng
- Dept. of Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Shilin Zhao
- Dept. of Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Troy A Hackett
- Dept. of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.
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34
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Assessment of Methods for the Intracellular Blockade of GABAA Receptors. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0160900. [PMID: 27501143 PMCID: PMC4976935 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 07/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Selective blockade of inhibitory synaptic transmission onto specific neurons is a useful tool for dissecting the excitatory and inhibitory synaptic components of ongoing network activity. To achieve this, intracellular recording with a patch solution capable of blocking GABAA receptors has advantages over other manipulations, such as pharmacological application of GABAergic antagonists or optogenetic inhibition of populations of interneurones, in that the majority of inhibitory transmission is unaffected and hence the remaining network activity preserved. Here, we assess three previously described methods to block inhibition: intracellular application of the molecules picrotoxin, 4,4’-dinitro-stilbene-2,2’-disulphonic acid (DNDS) and 4,4’-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2’-disulphonic acid (DIDS). DNDS and picrotoxin were both found to be ineffective at blocking evoked, monosynaptic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) onto mouse CA1 pyramidal cells. An intracellular solution containing DIDS and caesium fluoride, but lacking nucleotides ATP and GTP, was effective at decreasing the amplitude of IPSCs. However, this effect was found to be independent of DIDS, and the absence of intracellular nucleotides, and was instead due to the presence of fluoride ions in this intracellular solution, which also blocked spontaneously occurring IPSCs during hippocampal sharp waves. Critically, intracellular fluoride ions also caused a decrease in both spontaneous and evoked excitatory synaptic currents and precluded the inclusion of nucleotides in the intracellular solution. Therefore, of the methods tested, only fluoride ions were effective for intracellular blockade of IPSCs but this approach has additional cellular effects reducing its selectivity and utility.
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35
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Kral A, Kronenberger WG, Pisoni DB, O'Donoghue GM. Neurocognitive factors in sensory restoration of early deafness: a connectome model. Lancet Neurol 2016; 15:610-21. [PMID: 26976647 PMCID: PMC6260790 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(16)00034-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 183] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2015] [Revised: 12/15/2015] [Accepted: 01/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Progress in biomedical technology (cochlear, vestibular, and retinal implants) has led to remarkable success in neurosensory restoration, particularly in the auditory system. However, outcomes vary considerably, even after accounting for comorbidity-for example, after cochlear implantation, some deaf children develop spoken language skills approaching those of their hearing peers, whereas other children fail to do so. Here, we review evidence that auditory deprivation has widespread effects on brain development, affecting the capacity to process information beyond the auditory system. After sensory loss and deafness, the brain's effective connectivity is altered within the auditory system, between sensory systems, and between the auditory system and centres serving higher order neurocognitive functions. As a result, congenital sensory loss could be thought of as a connectome disease, with interindividual variability in the brain's adaptation to sensory loss underpinning much of the observed variation in outcome of cochlear implantation. Different executive functions, sequential processing, and concept formation are at particular risk in deaf children. A battery of clinical tests can allow early identification of neurocognitive risk factors. Intervention strategies that address these impairments with a personalised approach, taking interindividual variations into account, will further improve outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrej Kral
- Institute of AudioNeuroTechnology and Department of Experimental Otology, ENT Clinics, Medical University Hannover, Hannover, Germany; School of Behavioural and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - William G Kronenberger
- Department of Psychiatry, and DeVault Otologic Research Laboratory, Department of Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - David B Pisoni
- Department of Psychiatry, and DeVault Otologic Research Laboratory, Department of Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Gerard M O'Donoghue
- National Institute of Health Research, Nottingham Hearing Biomedical Research Unit, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK
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36
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Tan AYY. Spatial diversity of spontaneous activity in the cortex. Front Neural Circuits 2015; 9:48. [PMID: 26441547 PMCID: PMC4585302 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2015.00048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2015] [Accepted: 08/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The neocortex is a layered sheet across which a basic organization is thought to widely apply. The variety of spontaneous activity patterns is similar throughout the cortex, consistent with the notion of a basic cortical organization. However, the basic organization is only an outline which needs adjustments and additions to account for the structural and functional diversity across cortical layers and areas. Such diversity suggests that spontaneous activity is spatially diverse in any particular behavioral state. Accordingly, this review summarizes the laminar and areal diversity in cortical activity during fixation and slow oscillations, and the effects of attention, anesthesia and plasticity on the cortical distribution of spontaneous activity. Among questions that remain open, characterizing the spatial diversity in spontaneous membrane potential may help elucidate how differences in circuitry among cortical regions supports their varied functions. More work is also needed to understand whether cortical spontaneous activity not only reflects cortical circuitry, but also contributes to determining the outcome of plasticity, so that it is itself a factor shaping the functional diversity of the cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Y Y Tan
- Center for Perceptual Systems and Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX, USA
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37
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Song W, Semework M. Tactile representation in somatosensory thalamus (VPL) and cortex (S1) of awake primate and the plasticity induced by VPL neuroprosthetic stimulation. Brain Res 2015; 1625:301-13. [PMID: 26348987 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.08.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2015] [Revised: 08/20/2015] [Accepted: 08/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
To further understand how tactile information is carried in somatosensory cortex (S1) and the thalamus (VPL), and how neuronal plasticity after neuroprosthetic stimulation affects sensory encoding, we chronically implanted microelectrode arrays across hand areas in both S1 and VPL, where neuronal activities were simultaneously recorded during tactile stimulation on the finger pad of awake monkeys. Tactile information encoded in the firing rate of individual units (rate coding) or in the synchrony of unit pairs (synchrony coding) was quantitatively assessed within the information theoretic-framework. We found that tactile information encoded in VPL was higher than that encoded in S1 for both rate coding and synchrony coding; rate coding carried greater information than synchrony coding for the same recording area. With the aim for neuroprosthetic stimulation, plasticity of the circuit was tested after 30 min of VPL electrical stimulation, where stimuli were delivered either randomly or contingent on the spiking of an S1 unit. We showed that neural encoding in VPL was more stable than in S1, which depends not only on the thalamic input but also on recurrent feedback. The percent change of mutual-information after stimulation was increased with closed-loop stimulation, but decreased with random stimulation. The underlying mechanisms during closed-loop stimulation might be spike-timing-dependent plasticity, while frequency-dependent synaptic plasticity might play a role in random stimulation. Our results suggest that VPL could be a promising target region for somatosensory stimulation with closed-loop brain-machine-interface applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiguo Song
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, NY 11203, USA.
| | - Mulugeta Semework
- Joint Graduate Program in Biomedical Engineering SUNY Downstate and NYU-POLY, NY 11203, USA
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38
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Coordinated forms of noradrenergic plasticity in the locus coeruleus and primary auditory cortex. Nat Neurosci 2015; 18:1483-92. [PMID: 26301326 PMCID: PMC4583810 DOI: 10.1038/nn.4090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2015] [Accepted: 07/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The cerebral cortex is plastic and represents the world according to the significance of sensory stimuli. However, cortical networks are embodied in complex circuits, including neuromodulatory systems such as the noradrenergic locus coeruleus, providing information about internal state and behavioral relevance. Although norepinephrine is important for cortical plasticity, it is unknown how modulatory neurons themselves respond to changes of sensory input. We examined how locus coeruleus neurons are modified by experience and the consequences of locus coeruleus plasticity for cortical representations and sensory perception. We made whole-cell recordings from rat locus coeruleus and primary auditory cortex (A1), pairing sounds with locus coeruleus activation. Although initially unresponsive, locus coeruleus neurons developed and maintained auditory responses afterwards. Locus coeruleus plasticity induced changes in A1 responses lasting at least hours and improved auditory perception for days to weeks. Our results demonstrate that locus coeruleus is highly plastic, leading to substantial changes in regulation of brain state by norepinephrine.
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Hackett TA, Guo Y, Clause A, Hackett NJ, Garbett K, Zhang P, Polley DB, Mirnics K. Transcriptional maturation of the mouse auditory forebrain. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:606. [PMID: 26271746 PMCID: PMC4536593 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-1709-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2015] [Accepted: 06/01/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The maturation of the brain involves the coordinated expression of thousands of genes, proteins and regulatory elements over time. In sensory pathways, gene expression profiles are modified by age and sensory experience in a manner that differs between brain regions and cell types. In the auditory system of altricial animals, neuronal activity increases markedly after the opening of the ear canals, initiating events that culminate in the maturation of auditory circuitry in the brain. This window provides a unique opportunity to study how gene expression patterns are modified by the onset of sensory experience through maturity. As a tool for capturing these features, next-generation sequencing of total RNA (RNAseq) has tremendous utility, because the entire transcriptome can be screened to index expression of any gene. To date, whole transcriptome profiles have not been generated for any central auditory structure in any species at any age. In the present study, RNAseq was used to profile two regions of the mouse auditory forebrain (A1, primary auditory cortex; MG, medial geniculate) at key stages of postnatal development (P7, P14, P21, adult) before and after the onset of hearing (~P12). Hierarchical clustering, differential expression, and functional geneset enrichment analyses (GSEA) were used to profile the expression patterns of all genes. Selected genesets related to neurotransmission, developmental plasticity, critical periods and brain structure were highlighted. An accessible repository of the entire dataset was also constructed that permits extraction and screening of all data from the global through single-gene levels. To our knowledge, this is the first whole transcriptome sequencing study of the forebrain of any mammalian sensory system. Although the data are most relevant for the auditory system, they are generally applicable to forebrain structures in the visual and somatosensory systems, as well. Results The main findings were: (1) Global gene expression patterns were tightly clustered by postnatal age and brain region; (2) comparing A1 and MG, the total numbers of differentially expressed genes were comparable from P7 to P21, then dropped to nearly half by adulthood; (3) comparing successive age groups, the greatest numbers of differentially expressed genes were found between P7 and P14 in both regions, followed by a steady decline in numbers with age; (4) maturational trajectories in expression levels varied at the single gene level (increasing, decreasing, static, other); (5) between regions, the profiles of single genes were often asymmetric; (6) GSEA revealed that genesets related to neural activity and plasticity were typically upregulated from P7 to adult, while those related to structure tended to be downregulated; (7) GSEA and pathways analysis of selected functional networks were not predictive of expression patterns in the auditory forebrain for all genes, reflecting regional specificity at the single gene level. Conclusions Gene expression in the auditory forebrain during postnatal development is in constant flux and becomes increasingly stable with age. Maturational changes are evident at the global through single gene levels. Transcriptome profiles in A1 and MG are distinct at all ages, and differ from other brain regions. The database generated by this study provides a rich foundation for the identification of novel developmental biomarkers, functional gene pathways, and targeted studies of postnatal maturation in the auditory forebrain. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1709-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Troy A Hackett
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA. .,Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
| | - Yan Guo
- Department of Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Amanda Clause
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | | | | | - Pan Zhang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Daniel B Polley
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Karoly Mirnics
- Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA. .,Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA. .,Department of Psychiatry, University of Szeged, 6725, Szeged, Hungary. .,Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
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Hackett TA, Clause AR, Takahata T, Hackett NJ, Polley DB. Differential maturation of vesicular glutamate and GABA transporter expression in the mouse auditory forebrain during the first weeks of hearing. Brain Struct Funct 2015; 221:2619-73. [PMID: 26159773 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-015-1062-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2014] [Accepted: 05/07/2015] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Vesicular transporter proteins are an essential component of the presynaptic machinery that regulates neurotransmitter storage and release. They also provide a key point of control for homeostatic signaling pathways that maintain balanced excitation and inhibition following changes in activity levels, including the onset of sensory experience. To advance understanding of their roles in the developing auditory forebrain, we tracked the expression of the vesicular transporters of glutamate (VGluT1, VGluT2) and GABA (VGAT) in primary auditory cortex (A1) and medial geniculate body (MGB) of developing mice (P7, P11, P14, P21, adult) before and after ear canal opening (~P11-P13). RNA sequencing, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry were combined to track changes in transporter expression and document regional patterns of transcript and protein localization. Overall, vesicular transporter expression changed the most between P7 and P21. The expression patterns and maturational trajectories of each marker varied by brain region, cortical layer, and MGB subdivision. VGluT1 expression was highest in A1, moderate in MGB, and increased with age in both regions. VGluT2 mRNA levels were low in A1 at all ages, but high in MGB, where adult levels were reached by P14. VGluT2 immunoreactivity was prominent in both regions. VGluT1 (+) and VGluT2 (+) transcripts were co-expressed in MGB and A1 somata, but co-localization of immunoreactive puncta was not detected. In A1, VGAT mRNA levels were relatively stable from P7 to adult, while immunoreactivity increased steadily. VGAT (+) transcripts were rare in MGB neurons, whereas VGAT immunoreactivity was robust at all ages. Morphological changes in immunoreactive puncta were found in two regions after ear canal opening. In the ventral MGB, a decrease in VGluT2 puncta density was accompanied by an increase in puncta size. In A1, perisomatic VGAT and VGluT1 terminals became prominent around the neuronal somata. Overall, the observed changes in gene and protein expression, regional architecture, and morphology relate to-and to some extent may enable-the emergence of mature sound-evoked activity patterns. In that regard, the findings of this study expand our understanding of the presynaptic mechanisms that regulate critical period formation associated with experience-dependent refinement of sound processing in auditory forebrain circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Troy A Hackett
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 465 21st Avenue South, MRB-3 Suite 7110, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
| | - Amanda R Clause
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Toru Takahata
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 465 21st Avenue South, MRB-3 Suite 7110, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | | | - Daniel B Polley
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Abstract
Synapses are highly plastic and are modified by changes in patterns of neural activity or sensory experience. Plasticity of cortical excitatory synapses is thought to be important for learning and memory, leading to alterations in sensory representations and cognitive maps. However, these changes must be coordinated across other synapses within local circuits to preserve neural coding schemes and the organization of excitatory and inhibitory inputs, i.e., excitatory-inhibitory balance. Recent studies indicate that inhibitory synapses are also plastic and are controlled directly by a large number of neuromodulators, particularly during episodes of learning. Many modulators transiently alter excitatory-inhibitory balance by decreasing inhibition, and thus disinhibition has emerged as a major mechanism by which neuromodulation might enable long-term synaptic modifications naturally. This review examines the relationships between neuromodulation and synaptic plasticity, focusing on the induction of long-term changes that collectively enhance cortical excitatory-inhibitory balance for improving perception and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert C Froemke
- Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, Neuroscience Institute, and Departments of Otolaryngology, Neuroscience, and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016;
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Wu C, Stefanescu RA, Martel DT, Shore SE. Listening to another sense: somatosensory integration in the auditory system. Cell Tissue Res 2015; 361:233-50. [PMID: 25526698 PMCID: PMC4475675 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-014-2074-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2014] [Accepted: 11/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Conventionally, sensory systems are viewed as separate entities, each with its own physiological process serving a different purpose. However, many functions require integrative inputs from multiple sensory systems and sensory intersection and convergence occur throughout the central nervous system. The neural processes for hearing perception undergo significant modulation by the two other major sensory systems, vision and somatosensation. This synthesis occurs at every level of the ascending auditory pathway: the cochlear nucleus, inferior colliculus, medial geniculate body and the auditory cortex. In this review, we explore the process of multisensory integration from (1) anatomical (inputs and connections), (2) physiological (cellular responses), (3) functional and (4) pathological aspects. We focus on the convergence between auditory and somatosensory inputs in each ascending auditory station. This review highlights the intricacy of sensory processing and offers a multisensory perspective regarding the understanding of sensory disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calvin Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology, Kresge Hearing Research Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Neocortical and thalamic interactions are necessary for the execution of complex sensory-motor tasks and associated cognitive processes. Investigation of thalamocortical circuit development is therefore critical to understand developmental disorders involving abnormal cortical function. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of thalamus-dependent cortical patterning and cortical neuron differentiation. RECENT FINDINGS Although the principles of cortical map patterning are increasingly understood, the extent to which thalamocortical inputs contribute to cortical neuron differentiation is still unclear. The recent development of genetic models allowing cell-type-specific dissection of cortical input pathways has shed light on some of the input-dependent and activity-dependent processes occurring during cortical development, which are discussed here. SUMMARY These recent studies have revealed interwoven links between thalamic and cortical neurons, in which cell intrinsic differentiation programs are tightly regulated by synaptic input during a prolonged period of development. Challenges in the years to come will be to identify the mechanisms underlying the reciprocal interactions between intrinsic and extrinsic differentiation programs, and their contribution to neurodevelopmental disorders and neuropsychiatric disorders at large.
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Takesian AE, Hensch TK. Balancing plasticity/stability across brain development. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2014; 207:3-34. [PMID: 24309249 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-63327-9.00001-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 372] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The potency of the environment to shape brain function changes dramatically across the lifespan. Neural circuits exhibit profound plasticity during early life and are later stabilized. A focus on the cellular and molecular bases of these developmental trajectories has begun to unravel mechanisms, which control the onset and closure of such critical periods. Two important concepts have emerged from the study of critical periods in the visual cortex: (1) excitatory-inhibitory circuit balance is a trigger; and (2) molecular "brakes" limit adult plasticity. The onset of the critical period is determined by the maturation of specific GABA circuits. Targeting these circuits using pharmacological or genetic approaches can trigger premature onset or induce a delay. These manipulations are so powerful that animals of identical chronological age may be at the peak, before, or past their plastic window. Thus, critical period timing per se is plastic. Conversely, one of the outcomes of normal development is to stabilize the neural networks initially sculpted by experience. Rather than being passively lost, the brain's intrinsic potential for plasticity is actively dampened. This is demonstrated by the late expression of brake-like factors, which reversibly limit excessive circuit rewiring beyond a critical period. Interestingly, many of these plasticity regulators are found in the extracellular milieu. Understanding why so many regulators exist, how they interact and, ultimately, how to lift them in noninvasive ways may hold the key to novel therapies and lifelong learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne E Takesian
- FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Goshen I. The optogenetic revolution in memory research. Trends Neurosci 2014; 37:511-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2014.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2014] [Revised: 06/02/2014] [Accepted: 06/12/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Lu Y. Metabotropic glutamate receptors in auditory processing. Neuroscience 2014; 274:429-45. [PMID: 24909898 PMCID: PMC5299851 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.05.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2014] [Revised: 05/03/2014] [Accepted: 05/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
As the major excitatory neurotransmitter used in the vertebrate brain, glutamate activates ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), which mediate fast and slow neuronal actions, respectively. Important modulatory roles of mGluRs have been shown in many brain areas, and drugs targeting mGluRs have been developed for the treatment of brain disorders. Here, I review studies on mGluRs in the auditory system. Anatomical expression of mGluRs in the cochlear nucleus has been well characterized, while data for other auditory nuclei await more systematic investigations at both the light and electron microscopy levels. The physiology of mGluRs has been extensively studied using in vitro brain slice preparations, with a focus on the lower auditory brainstem in both mammals and birds. These in vitro physiological studies have revealed that mGluRs participate in neurotransmission, regulate ionic homeostasis, induce synaptic plasticity, and maintain the balance between excitation and inhibition in a variety of auditory structures. However, very few in vivo physiological studies on mGluRs in auditory processing have been undertaken at the systems level. Many questions regarding the essential roles of mGluRs in auditory processing still remain unanswered and more rigorous basic research is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Lu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, College of Medicine, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH 44272, USA.
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Yang S, Yang S, Park JS, Kirkwood A, Bao S. Failed stabilization for long-term potentiation in the auditory cortex of FMR1 knockout mice. PLoS One 2014; 9:e104691. [PMID: 25115962 PMCID: PMC4130563 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0104691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2014] [Accepted: 07/10/2014] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome is a developmental disorder that affects sensory systems. A null mutation of the Fragile X Mental Retardation protein 1 (Fmr1) gene in mice has varied effects on developmental plasticity in different sensory systems, including normal barrel cortical plasticity, altered ocular dominance plasticity and grossly impaired auditory frequency map plasticity. The mutation also has different effects on long-term synaptic plasticity in somatosensory and visual cortical neurons, providing insights on how it may differentially affect the sensory systems. Here we present evidence that long-term potentiation (LTP) is impaired in the developing auditory cortex of the Fmr1 knockout (KO) mice. This impairment of synaptic plasticity is consistent with impaired frequency map plasticity in the Fmr1 KO mouse. Together, these results suggest a potential role of LTP in sensory map plasticity during early sensory development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungchil Yang
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Sunggu Yang
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jae-Sung Park
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Alfredo Kirkwood
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Shaowen Bao
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Chun S, Westmoreland JJ, Bayazitov IT, Eddins D, Pani AK, Smeyne RJ, Yu J, Blundon JA, Zakharenko SS. Specific disruption of thalamic inputs to the auditory cortex in schizophrenia models. Science 2014; 344:1178-82. [PMID: 24904170 DOI: 10.1126/science.1253895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia are alleviated by antipsychotic agents that inhibit D2 dopamine receptors (Drd2s). The defective neural circuits and mechanisms of their sensitivity to antipsychotics are unknown. We identified a specific disruption of synaptic transmission at thalamocortical glutamatergic projections in the auditory cortex in murine models of schizophrenia-associated 22q11 deletion syndrome (22q11DS). This deficit is caused by an aberrant elevation of Drd2 in the thalamus, which renders 22q11DS thalamocortical projections sensitive to antipsychotics and causes a deficient acoustic startle response similar to that observed in schizophrenic patients. Haploinsufficiency of the microRNA-processing gene Dgcr8 is responsible for the Drd2 elevation and hypersensitivity of auditory thalamocortical projections to antipsychotics. This suggests that Dgcr8-microRNA-Drd2-dependent thalamocortical disruption is a pathogenic event underlying schizophrenia-associated psychosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungkun Chun
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Joby J Westmoreland
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Ildar T Bayazitov
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Donnie Eddins
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Amar K Pani
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Richard J Smeyne
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Jing Yu
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Jay A Blundon
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Stanislav S Zakharenko
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.
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Optogenetic-mediated release of histamine reveals distal and autoregulatory mechanisms for controlling arousal. J Neurosci 2014; 34:6023-9. [PMID: 24760861 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4838-13.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Histaminergic neurons in the tuberomammillary nucleus (TMN) are an important component of the ascending arousal system and may form part of a "flip-flop switch" hypothesized to regulate sleep and wakefulness. Anatomical studies have shown that the wake-active TMN and sleep-active ventrolateral preoptic nucleus (VLPO) are reciprocally connected, suggesting that each region can inhibit its counterpart when active. In this study, we determined how histamine affects the two branches of this circuit. We selectively expressed channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) in TMN neurons and used patch-clamp recordings in mouse brain slices to examine the effects of photo-evoked histamine release in the ventrolateral TMN and VLPO. Photostimulation decreased inhibitory GABAergic inputs to the ventrolateral TMN neurons but produced a membrane hyperpolarization and increased inhibitory synaptic input to the VLPO neurons. We found that in VLPO the response to histamine was indirect, most likely via a GABAergic interneuron. Our experiments demonstrate that release of histamine from TMN neurons can disinhibit the TMN and suppresses the activity of sleep-active VLPO neurons to promote TMN neuronal firing. This further supports the sleep-wake "flip-flop switch" hypothesis and a role for histamine in stabilizing the switch to favor wake states.
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Forward suppression in the auditory cortex is caused by the Ca(v)3.1 calcium channel-mediated switch from bursting to tonic firing at thalamocortical projections. J Neurosci 2014; 33:18940-50. [PMID: 24285899 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3335-13.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Brief sounds produce a period of suppressed responsiveness in the auditory cortex (ACx). This forward suppression can last for hundreds of milliseconds and might contribute to mechanisms of temporal separation of sounds and stimulus-specific adaptation. However, the mechanisms of forward suppression remain unknown. We used in vivo recordings of sound-evoked responses in the mouse ACx and whole-cell recordings, two-photon calcium imaging in presynaptic terminals, and two-photon glutamate uncaging in dendritic spines performed in brain slices to show that synaptic depression at thalamocortical (TC) projections contributes to forward suppression in the ACx. Paired-pulse synaptic depression at TC projections lasts for hundreds of milliseconds and is attributable to a switch between firing modes in thalamic neurons. Thalamic neurons respond to a brief depolarizing pulse with a burst of action potentials; however, within hundreds of milliseconds, the same pulse repeated again produces only a single action potential. This switch between firing modes depends on Ca(v)3.1 T-type calcium channels enriched in thalamic relay neurons. Pharmacologic inhibition or knockdown of Ca(v)3.1 T-type calcium channels in the auditory thalamus substantially reduces synaptic depression at TC projections and forward suppression in the ACx. These data suggest that Ca(v)3.1-dependent synaptic depression at TC projections contributes to mechanisms of forward suppression in the ACx.
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