D-serine availability modulates prefrontal cortex inhibitory interneuron development and circuit maturation

The proper development and function of telencephalic GABAergic interneurons is critical for maintaining the excitation and inhibition (E/I) balance in cortical circuits. Glutamate contributes to cortical interneuron (CIN) development via N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). NMDAR activation requires the binding of a co-agonist, either glycine or D-serine. D-serine (co-agonist at many mature forebrain synapses) is racemized by the neuronal enzyme serine racemase (SR) from L-serine. We utilized constitutive SR knockout (SR-/-) mice to investigate the effect of D-serine availability on the development of CINs and inhibitory synapses in the prelimbic cortex (PrL). We found that most immature Lhx6 + CINs expressed SR and the obligatory NMDAR subunit NR1. At embryonic day 15, SR-/- mice had an accumulation of GABA and increased mitotic proliferation in the ganglionic eminence and fewer Gad1 + (glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 kDa; GAD67) cells in the E18 neocortex. Lhx6 + cells develop into parvalbumin (PV+) and somatostatin (Sst+) CINs. In the PrL of postnatal day (PND) 16 SR-/- mice, there was a significant decrease in GAD67+ and PV+, but not SST + CIN density, which was associated with reduced inhibitory postsynaptic potentials in layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons. These results demonstrate that D-serine availability is essential for prenatal CIN development and postnatal cortical circuit maturation.

Functional and phosphoproteomic analysis of β-adrenergic receptor signaling at excitatory synapses in the CA1 region of the ventral hippocampus

Activation of β-adrenergic receptors (β-ARs) not only enhances learning and memory but also facilitates the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP), a form of synaptic plasticity involved in memory formation. To identify the mechanisms underlying β-AR-dependent forms of LTP we examined the effects of the β-AR agonist isoproterenol on LTP induction at excitatory synapses onto CA1 pyramidal cells in the ventral hippocampus. LTP induction at these synapses is inhibited by activation of SK-type K⁺ channels, suggesting that β-AR activation might facilitate LTP induction by inhibiting SK channels. However, although the SK channel blocker apamin enhanced LTP induction, it did not fully mimic the effects of isoproterenol. We therefore searched for potential alternative mechanisms using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to determine how β-AR activation regulates phosphorylation of postsynaptic density (PSD) proteins. Strikingly, β-AR activation regulated hundreds of phosphorylation sites in PSD proteins that have diverse roles in dendritic spine structure and function. Moreover, within the core scaffold machinery of the PSD, β-AR activation increased phosphorylation at several sites previously shown to be phosphorylated after LTP induction. Together, our results suggest that β-AR activation recruits a diverse set of signaling pathways that likely act in a concerted fashion to regulate LTP induction.

Psychedelics promote neuroplasticity through the activation of intracellular 5-HT2A receptors

Decreased dendritic spine density in the cortex is a hallmark of several neuropsychiatric diseases, and the ability to promote cortical neuron growth has been hypothesized to underlie the rapid and sustained therapeutic effects of psychedelics. Activation of 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) 2A receptors (5-HT2ARs) is essential for psychedelic-induced cortical plasticity, but it is currently unclear why some 5-HT2AR agonists promote neuroplasticity, whereas others do not. We used molecular and genetic tools to demonstrate that intracellular 5-HT2ARs mediate the plasticity-promoting properties of psychedelics; these results explain why serotonin does not engage similar plasticity mechanisms. This work emphasizes the role of location bias in 5-HT2AR signaling, identifies intracellular 5-HT2ARs as a therapeutic target, and raises the intriguing possibility that serotonin might not be the endogenous ligand for intracellular 5-HT2ARs in the cortex.

A brain atlas of synapse protein lifetime across the mouse lifespan

The lifetime of proteins in synapses is important for their signaling, maintenance, and remodeling, and for memory duration. We quantified the lifetime of endogenous PSD95, an abundant postsynaptic protein in excitatory synapses, at single-synapse resolution across the mouse brain and lifespan, generating the Protein Lifetime Synaptome Atlas. Excitatory synapses have a wide range of PSD95 lifetimes extending from hours to several months, with distinct spatial distributions in dendrites, neurons, and brain regions. Synapses with short protein lifetimes are enriched in young animals and in brain regions controlling innate behaviors, whereas synapses with long protein lifetimes accumulate during development, are enriched in the cortex and CA1 where memories are stored, and are preferentially preserved in old age. Synapse protein lifetime increases throughout the brain in a mouse model of autism and schizophrenia. Protein lifetime adds a further layer to synapse diversity and enriches prevailing concepts in brain development, aging, and disease.

Increased excitation-inhibition balance and loss of GABAergic synapses in the serine racemase knockout model of NMDA receptor hypofunction

There is substantial evidence that both N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) hypofunction and dysfunction of GABAergic neurotransmission contribute to schizophrenia, though the relationship between these pathophysiological processes remains largely unknown. Although models using cell-type-specific genetic deletion of NMDARs have been informative, they display overly pronounced phenotypes extending beyond those of schizophrenia. Here, we used the serine racemase knockout (SRKO) mice, a model of reduced NMDAR activity rather than complete receptor elimination, to examine the link between NMDAR hypofunction and decreased GABAergic inhibition. The SRKO mice, in which there is a >90% reduction in the NMDAR coagonist d-serine, exhibit many of the neurochemical and behavioral abnormalities observed in schizophrenia. We found a significant reduction in inhibitory synapses onto CA1 pyramidal neurons in the SRKO mice. This reduction increases the excitation/inhibition balance resulting in enhanced synaptically driven neuronal excitability without changes in intrinsic excitability. Consistently, significant reductions in inhibitory synapse density in CA1 were observed by immunohistochemistry. We further show, using a single-neuron genetic deletion approach, that the loss of GABAergic synapses onto pyramidal neurons observed in the SRKO mice is driven in a cell-autonomous manner following the deletion of SR in individual CA1 pyramidal cells. These results support a model whereby NMDAR hypofunction in pyramidal cells disrupts GABAergic synapses leading to disrupted feedback inhibition and impaired neuronal synchrony.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Recently, disruption of excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance has become an area of considerable interest for psychiatric research. Here, we report a reduction in inhibition in the serine racemase knockout mouse model of schizophrenia that increases E/I balance and enhances synaptically driven neuronal excitability. This reduced inhibition was driven cell-autonomously in pyramidal cells lacking serine racemase, suggesting a novel mechanism for how chronic NMDA receptor hypofunction can disrupt information processing in schizophrenia.

Misaligned feeding impairs memories

Robust sleep/wake rhythms are important for health and cognitive function. Unfortunately, many people are living in an environment where their circadian system is challenged by inappropriate meal- or work-times. Here we scheduled food access to the sleep time and examined the impact on learning and memory in mice. Under these conditions, we demonstrate that the molecular clock in the master pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), is unaltered while the molecular clock in the hippocampus is synchronized by the timing of food availability. This chronic circadian misalignment causes reduced hippocampal long term potentiation and total CREB expression. Importantly this mis-timed feeding resulted in dramatic deficits in hippocampal-dependent learning and memory. Our findings suggest that the timing of meals have far-reaching effects on hippocampal physiology and learned behaviour.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.09460.001

Many processes within the body follow an approximately 24-hour cycle. In addition to patterns of sleep and wakefulness, such circadian rhythms help to regulate body temperature, blood pressure and hormone levels. They also affect when we feel hungry, when our muscles work most efficiently, and when we are mentally at our sharpest.

A region of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) generates and maintains circadian rhythms, and thus acts as the body’s master clock. Daily exposure to light keeps the SCN synchronized with the 24-hour day/night cycle. However, most organs, from the heart to the pancreas, also possess their own clocks, which help to regulate organ-specific processes. These secondary clocks normally operate in synchrony with the SCN.

Exposure to light has long been known to influence circadian rhythms. However, more recent evidence suggests that the timing of meals may also affect circadian clocks, particularly those within the digestive system. Loh et al. therefore decided to investigate whether eating outside normal waking hours would also affect other key physiological processes, specifically the cognitive processes of learning and memory.

Mice normally consume most of their food after sunset. Loh et al. showed that rodents that were instead fed during the day performed less well on cognitive tests than other mice who received the same food at night. The daytime-fed mice showed changes in a region of the brain called the hippocampus, which supports learning and memory. In particular, daytime feeding changed the timing of the secondary circadian clock within the hippocampus, although it had no effect on the master clock in the SCN. Loh et al. therefore suggest that the misalignment of these circadian clocks impairs cognition.

Further experiments are needed to determine whether a similar relationship exists between the timing of meals and cognitive performance in humans. If so, these findings will have implications for the many individuals whose mealtimes, for work or social reasons, are out of synchrony with their body clocks.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.09460.002

Circuit mechanisms underlying motor memory formation in the cerebellum

The cerebellum stores associative motor memories essential for properly timed movement; however, the mechanisms by which these memories form and are acted upon remain unclear. To determine how cerebellar activity relates to movement and motor learning, we used optogenetics to manipulate spontaneously firing Purkinje neurons (PNs) in mouse simplex lobe. Using high-speed videography and motion tracking, we found that altering PN activity produced rapid forelimb movement. PN inhibition drove movements time-locked to stimulus onset, whereas PN excitation drove delayed movements time-locked to stimulus offset. Pairing either PN inhibition or excitation with sensory stimuli triggered the formation of robust, associative motor memories; however, PN excitation led to learned movements whose timing more closely matched training intervals. These findings implicate inhibition of PNs as a teaching signal, consistent with a model whereby learning leads first to reductions in PN firing that subsequently instruct circuit changes in the cerebellar nucleus.

Differential classical conditioning of the gill-withdrawal reflex in Aplysia recruits both NMDA receptor-dependent enhancement and NMDA receptor-dependent depression of the reflex

Differential classical conditioning of the gill-withdrawal response (GWR) in Aplysia can be elicited by training in which a conditioned stimulus (CS) delivered to one side of the siphon (the CS+) is paired with a noxious unconditioned stimulus (US; tail shock), while a second conditioned stimulus (the CS-), delivered to a different siphon site, is unpaired with the US. NMDA receptor (NMDAR) activation has been shown previously to be critical for nondifferential classical conditioning in Aplysia. Here, we used a semi-intact preparation to test whether differential classical conditioning of the GWR also depends on activation of NMDARs. Differential training produced conditioned enhancement of the reflexive response to the CS+ and a reduction in the response to the CS-. Comparison of the results after differential training with those after training in which only the two CSs were presented (CS-alone experiments) indicated that the decrement in the response to CS- after differential training was not caused by habituation. Surprisingly, differential training in the NMDAR antagonist APV (DL-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate) blocked not only the conditioned enhancement of the GWR, but also the conditioning-induced depression of the GWR. We suggest that differential conditioning involves an NMDAR-dependent, competitive interaction between the separate neural pathways activated by the CS+ and CS-.