Enhanced Beta2-band Oscillations Denote Auditory Hallucination in Schizophrenia Patients and a Monkey Model of Psychosis

An electroencephalographic (EEG) signature of auditory hallucinations (AHs) is important for facilitating the diagnosis and treatment of AHs in schizophrenia. We recorded EEG from 25 schizophrenia patients with recurrent AHs. During the period of AHs, EEG recordings exhibited significantly elevated beta2-band power in the temporal region, as compared to those recorded in the absence of AHs or during stimulation with verbal sounds. We further generated methamphetamine-treated rhesus monkeys exhibiting psychosis-like behaviors, including repetitive sudden searching actions in the absence of external intrusion, suggesting the occurrence of AHs. Epidural EEG beta2-band power in the temporal region of these monkeys was enhanced immediately after methamphetamine treatment and positively correlated with the frequency of sudden searching actions. Thus, the enhancement of temporal beta2-band oscillations represents a signature for AHs in both patients and a monkey model of psychosis, and this monkey model can be used for developing closed-loop neuromodulation approaches for the treatment of refractory AHs in schizophrenia.

Whole-brain spatial organization of hippocampal single-neuron projectomes

Mapping single-neuron projections is essential for understanding brain-wide connectivity and diverse functions of the hippocampus (HIP). Here, we reconstructed 10,100 single-neuron projectomes of mouse HIP and classified 43 projectome subtypes with distinct projection patterns. The number of projection targets and axon-tip distribution depended on the soma location along HIP longitudinal and transverse axes. Many projectome subtypes were enriched in specific HIP subdomains defined by spatial transcriptomic profiles. Furthermore, we delineated comprehensive wiring diagrams for HIP neurons projecting exclusively within the HIP formation (HPF) and for those projecting to both intra- and extra-HPF targets. Bihemispheric projecting neurons generally projected to one pair of homologous targets with ipsilateral preference. These organization principles of single-neuron projectomes provide a structural basis for understanding the function of HIP neurons.

Origin of the efficiency of spike timing-based neural computation for processing temporal information

Although the advantage of spike timing-based over rate-based network computation has been recognized, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Using Tempotron and Perceptron as elementary neural models, we examined the intrinsic difference between spike timing-based and rate-based computations. For more direct comparison, we modified Tempotron computation into rate-based computation with the retention of some temporal information. Previous studies have shown that spike timing-based computation are computationally more powerful than rate-based computation in terms of the number of computational units required and the capability in classifying random patterns. Our study showed that spike timing-based and rate-based Tempotron computations provided similar capability in classifying random spike patterns, as well as in text sentiment classification and spam text detection. However, spike timing-based computation is superior in performing a task involving discriminating forward vs. reverse sequence of events, i.e., information mainly temporal in nature. Further studies revealed that this superiority required the asymmetry in the profile of the postsynaptic potential (PSP), and that temporal sequence information was converted to biased spatial distribution of synaptic weight modifications during learning. Thus, the intrinsic PSP asymmetry is a mechanistic basis for the high efficiency of spike timing-based computation for processing temporal information.

Neural Mechanism Underlying Task-Specific Enhancement of Motor Learning by Concurrent Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

The optimal protocol for neuromodulation by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) remains unclear. Using the rotarod paradigm, we found that mouse motor learning was enhanced by anodal tDCS (3.2 mA/cm2) during but not before or after the performance of a task. Dual-task experiments showed that motor learning enhancement was specific to the task accompanied by anodal tDCS. Studies using a mouse model of stroke induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion showed that concurrent anodal tDCS restored motor learning capability in a task-specific manner. Transcranial in vivo Ca2+ imaging further showed that anodal tDCS elevated and cathodal tDCS suppressed neuronal activity in the primary motor cortex (M1). Anodal tDCS specifically promoted the activity of task-related M1 neurons during task performance, suggesting that elevated Hebbian synaptic potentiation in task-activated circuits accounts for the motor learning enhancement. Thus, application of tDCS concurrent with the targeted behavioral dysfunction could be an effective approach to treating brain disorders.

Visualizing advances in the future of primate neuroscience research

Future neuroscience and biomedical projects involving non-human primates (NHPs) remain essential in our endeavors to understand the complexities and functioning of the mammalian central nervous system. In so doing, the NHP neuroscience researcher must be allowed to incorporate state-of-the-art technologies, including the use of novel viral vectors, gene therapy and transgenic approaches to answer continuing and emerging research questions that can only be addressed in NHP research models. This perspective piece captures these emerging technologies and some specific research questions they can address. At the same time, we highlight some current caveats to global NHP research and collaborations including the lack of common ethical and regulatory frameworks for NHP research, the limitations involving animal transportation and exports, and the ongoing influence of activist groups opposed to NHP research.

Transcriptome, connectome and neuromodulation of the primate brain

Single-cell transcriptomic analysis has facilitated cell type identification in the brain and mapping of cell type-specific connectomes, helping to elucidate neural circuits underlying brain functions and to treat brain disorders by neuromodulation. Yet, we lack a consensual definition of neuronal types/subtypes and clear distinction between cause and effect within interconnected networks.

An interview with Mingjie Zhang: phase separation in biological systems

Mingjie Zhang is a distinguished structural biologist whose research interest is the protein assemblies in cells, particularly those at the synapse, where two neurons meet and transmit nervous impulses from one to the other. In recent years, his group discovered the phenomenon of phase separation in both the pre- and post-synaptic sites of neurons and elucidated its regulation and physiological function. In this interview, NSR Executive Editor-in-Chief Mu-ming Poo talks with Prof. Zhang on the fast-developing research area of biological phase separation, as well as Zhang's new role as the Founding Dean of the School of Life Sciences at Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) in Shenzhen.

Opportunities and limitations of genetically modified nonhuman primate models for neuroscience research

The recently developed new genome-editing technologies, such as the CRISPR/Cas system, have opened the door for generating genetically modified nonhuman primate (NHP) models for basic neuroscience and brain disorders research. The complex circuit formation and experience-dependent refinement of the human brain are very difficult to model in vitro, and thus require use of in vivo whole-animal models. For many neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, abnormal circuit formation and refinement might be at the center of their pathophysiology. Importantly, many of the critical circuits and regional cell populations implicated in higher human cognitive function and in many psychiatric disorders are not present in lower mammalian brains, while these analogous areas are replicated in NHP brains. Indeed, neuropsychiatric disorders represent a tremendous health and economic burden globally. The emerging field of genetically modified NHP models has the potential to transform our study of higher brain function and dramatically facilitate the development of effective treatment for human brain disorders. In this paper, we discuss the importance of developing such models, the infrastructure and training needed to maximize the impact of such models, and ethical standards required for using these models.

Conversation with Chen-Ning Yang: reminiscence and reflection

Chen-Ning Yang () is the most distinguished Chinese theoretical physicist. In 1954, together with Robert Mills, he formulated the Yang–Mills Gauge Theory, which led to the development of the Standard Model, the leading framework for understanding particle physics. In 1956, Yang and Tsung-Dao Lee () proposed the possibility of parity non-conservation in weak interaction, which won them the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1957. Besides these two major achievements, Yang made many other seminal contributions to particle physics, statistical physics and condensed matter physics.

At the end of 2003, Yang returned to China from the US and established the Institute for Advanced Study at Tsinghua University in Beijing. NSR’s Executive Editor-in-Chief Mu-ming Poo (), a neurobiologist, and Alexander Wu Chao (), an accelerator physicist at Stanford University, talked with Professor Yang on a variety of topics, ranging from his retrospective view on Yang–Mills theory, on his contemporary physicists, on tastes in scientific research, and on the current and future developments of Chinese science. The following is an excerpt from this conversation that took place on 21 March 2019 at Tsinghua University, Beijing.

The Differentiation Stage of Transplanted Stem Cells Modulates Nerve Regeneration

In regenerative medicine applications, the differentiation stage of implanted stem cells must be optimized to control cell fate and enhance therapeutic efficacy. We investigated the therapeutic potential of human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cells at two differentiation stages on peripheral nerve regeneration. Neural crest stem cells (NCSCs) and Schwann cells (NCSC-SCs) derived from iPSCs were used to construct a tissue-engineered nerve conduit that was applied to bridge injured nerves in a rat sciatic nerve transection model. Upon nerve conduit implantation, the NCSC group showed significantly higher electrophysiological recovery at 1 month as well as better gastrocnemius muscle recovery at 5 months than the acellular group, but the NCSC-SC group didn’t. Both transplanted NCSCs and NCSC-SCs interacted with newly-growing host axons, while NCSCs showed better survival rate and distribution. The transplanted NCSCs mainly differentiated into Schwann cells with no teratoma formation, and they secreted higher concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor than NCSC-SCs. In conclusion, transplantation of iPSC-NCSCs accelerated functional nerve recovery with the involvement of stem cell differentiation and paracrine signaling. This study unravels the in vivo performance of stem cells during tissue regeneration, and provides a rationale of using appropriate stem cells for regenerative medicine.

China Brain Project: Basic Neuroscience, Brain Diseases, and Brain-Inspired Computing

The China Brain Project covers both basic research on neural mechanisms underlying cognition and translational research for the diagnosis and intervention of brain diseases as well as for brain-inspired intelligence technology. We discuss some emerging themes, with emphasis on unique aspects.

Spontaneous expression of mirror self-recognition in monkeys after learning precise visual-proprioceptive association for mirror images

Mirror self-recognition (MSR) is generally considered to be an intrinsic cognitive ability found only in humans and a few species of great apes. Rhesus monkeys do not spontaneously show MSR, but they have the ability to use a mirror as an instrument to find hidden objects. The mechanism underlying the transition from simple mirror use to MSR remains unclear. Here we show that rhesus monkeys could show MSR after learning precise visual-proprioceptive association for mirror images. We trained head-fixed monkeys on a chair in front of a mirror to touch with spatiotemporal precision a laser pointer light spot on an adjacent board that could only be seen in the mirror. After several weeks of training, when the same laser pointer light was projected to the monkey's face, a location not used in training, all three trained monkeys successfully touched the face area marked by the light spot in front of a mirror. All trained monkeys passed the standard face mark test for MSR both on the monkey chair and in their home cage. Importantly, distinct from untrained control monkeys, the trained monkeys showed typical mirror-induced self-directed behaviors in their home cage, such as using the mirror to explore normally unseen body parts. Thus, bodily self-consciousness may be a cognitive ability present in many more species than previously thought, and acquisition of precise visual-proprioceptive association for the images in the mirror is critical for revealing the MSR ability of the animal.

Worldwide initiatives to advance brain research

To highlight worldwide efforts to fund neuroscience research and address the growing threat of brain disorders, Nature Neuroscience asked leaders of six global brain initiatives to write about their programs.

What is memory? The present state of the engram

The mechanism of memory remains one of the great unsolved problems of biology. Grappling with the question more than a hundred years ago, the German zoologist Richard Semon formulated the concept of the engram, lasting connections in the brain that result from simultaneous “excitations”, whose precise physical nature and consequences were out of reach of the biology of his day. Neuroscientists now have the knowledge and tools to tackle this question, however, and this Forum brings together leading contemporary views on the mechanisms of memory and what the engram means today.

EMX1 regulates NRP1-mediated wiring of the mouse anterior cingulate cortex

Transcription factors act during cortical development as master regulatory genes that specify cortical arealization and cellular identities. Although numerous transcription factors have been identified as being crucial for cortical development, little is known about their downstream targets and how they mediate the emergence of specific neuronal connections via selective axon guidance. The EMX transcription factors are essential for early patterning of the cerebral cortex, but whether EMX1 mediates interhemispheric connectivity by controlling corpus callosum formation remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that in mice on the C57Bl/6 background EMX1 plays an essential role in the midline crossing of an axonal subpopulation of the corpus callosum derived from the anterior cingulate cortex. In the absence of EMX1, cingulate axons display reduced expression of the axon guidance receptor NRP1 and form aberrant axonal bundles within the rostral corpus callosum. EMX1 also functions as a transcriptional activator of Nrp1 expression in vitro, and overexpression of this protein in Emx1 knockout mice rescues the midline-crossing phenotype. These findings reveal a novel role for the EMX1 transcription factor in establishing cortical connectivity by regulating the interhemispheric wiring of a subpopulation of neurons within the mouse anterior cingulate cortex.

George Fu Gao: the past and future of Ebola

Newly returned from the frontline of the battle against Ebola in West Africa, Dr George Fu Gao talked to NSR on this largest Ebola epidemic in history. As Deputy Director-General of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Dr Gao has been personally involved in the fight against acute infectious diseases both on the laboratory bench and in the field for many years. Recalling the sight of an Ebola-infected young man stumbling to his death on the street and observing the continuing climb of patient statistics, he anxiously calls for larger global help to affected countries. The help provided by the world community to West Africa was 'too late and insufficient', and in this age of globalization 'no country can care only for herself alone'. In this interview, Dr Gao also reviews the history, progression, and prognosis of the Ebola epidemic, the cause of failure in the early prevention and containment of the disease, the role of government policies and public health systems, and global prospects and strategies for similar acute infectious diseases in the future.

Mirror-induced self-directed behaviors in rhesus monkeys after visual-somatosensory training

Mirror self-recognition is a hallmark of higher intelligence in humans. Most children recognize themselves in the mirror by 2 years of age. In contrast to human and some great apes, monkeys have consistently failed the standard mark test for mirror self-recognition in all previous studies. Here, we show that rhesus monkeys could acquire mirror-induced self-directed behaviors resembling mirror self-recognition following training with visual-somatosensory association. Monkeys were trained on a monkey chair in front of a mirror to touch a light spot on their faces produced by a laser light that elicited an irritant sensation. After 2-5 weeks of training, monkeys had learned to touch a face area marked by a non-irritant light spot or odorless dye in front of a mirror and by a virtual face mark on the mirroring video image on a video screen. Furthermore, in the home cage, five out of seven trained monkeys showed typical mirror-induced self-directed behaviors, such as touching the mark on the face or ear and then looking at and/or smelling their fingers, as well as spontaneously using the mirror to explore normally unseen body parts. Four control monkeys of a similar age that went through mirror habituation but had no training of visual-somatosensory association did not pass any mark tests and did not exhibit mirror-induced self-directed behaviors. These results shed light on the origin of mirror self-recognition and suggest a new approach to studying its neural mechanism.

Activity-dependent neural plasticity from bench to bedside

Much progress has been made in understanding how behavioral experience and neural activity can modify the structure and function of neural circuits during development and in the adult brain. Studies of physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying activity-dependent plasticity in animal models have suggested potential therapeutic approaches for a wide range of brain disorders in humans. Physiological and electrical stimulations as well as plasticity-modifying molecular agents may facilitate functional recovery by selectively enhancing existing neural circuits or promoting the formation of new functional circuits. Here, we review the advances in basic studies of neural plasticity mechanisms in developing and adult nervous systems and current clinical treatments that harness neural plasticity, and we offer perspectives on future development of plasticity-based therapy.

Spike-timing-dependent BDNF secretion and synaptic plasticity

In acute hippocampal slices, we found that the presence of extracellular brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is essential for the induction of spike-timing-dependent long-term potentiation (tLTP). To determine whether BDNF could be secreted from postsynaptic dendrites in a spike-timing-dependent manner, we used a reduced system of dissociated hippocampal neurons in culture. Repetitive pairing of iontophoretically applied glutamate pulses at the dendrite with neuronal spikes could induce persistent alterations of glutamate-induced responses at the same dendritic site in a manner that mimics spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP)-the glutamate-induced responses were potentiated and depressed when the glutamate pulses were applied 20 ms before and after neuronal spiking, respectively. By monitoring changes in the green fluorescent protein (GFP) fluorescence at the dendrite of hippocampal neurons expressing GFP-tagged BDNF, we found that pairing of iontophoretic glutamate pulses with neuronal spiking resulted in BDNF secretion from the dendrite at the iontophoretic site only when the glutamate pulses were applied within a time window of approximately 40 ms prior to neuronal spiking, consistent with the timing requirement of synaptic potentiation via STDP. Thus, BDNF is required for tLTP and BDNF secretion could be triggered in a spike-timing-dependent manner from the postsynaptic dendrite.

Monitoring tectal neuronal activities and motor behavior in zebrafish larvae

To understand how visuomotor behaviors are controlled by the nervous system, it is necessary to monitor the activity of large populations of neurons with single-cell resolution over a large area of the brain in a relatively simple, behaving organism. The zebrafish larva, a small lower vertebrate with transparent skin, serves as an excellent model for this purpose. Immediately after the larva hatches, it needs to catch prey and avoid predators. This strong evolutionary pressure leads to the rapid development of functional sensory systems, particularly vision. By 5 d postfertilization (dpf), tectal cells show distinct visually evoked patterns of activation, and the larvae are able to perform a variety of visuomotor behaviors. During the early larval stage, zebrafish breathe mainly through the skin and can be restrained under the microscope using a drop of low-melting-point agarose, without the use of anesthetics. Moreover, the transparency of the skin, the small diameter of the neurons (4-5 µm), and the high-neuronal density enable the use of in vivo noninvasive imaging techniques to monitor neuronal activities of up to ∼500 cells within the central nervous system, still with single-cell resolution. This article describes a method for simultaneously monitoring spontaneous and visually evoked activities of large populations of neurons in the optic tectum of the zebrafish larva, using a synthetic calcium dye (Oregon Green BAPTA-1 AM) and a conventional confocal or two-photon scanning fluorescence microscope, together with a method for measuring the tail motor behavior of the head-immobilized zebrafish larva.

Activity recall in a visual cortical ensemble

Cue-triggered recall of learned temporal sequences is an important cognitive function that has been attributed to higher brain areas. Here, recordings in both anesthetized and awake rats demonstrate that after repeated stimulation with a moving spot that evoked sequential firing of an ensemble of primary visual cortex (V1) neurons, just a brief flash at the starting point of the motion path was sufficient to evoke a sequential firing pattern that reproduced the activation order evoked by the moving spot. The speed of recalled spike sequences may reflect the internal dynamics of the network rather than the motion speed. In awake animals, such recall was observed during a synchronized (“quiet wakeful”) brain state with large-amplitude, low-frequency local field potential (LFP), but not in a desynchronized (“active”) state with low-amplitude, high-frequency LFP. Such conditioning-enhanced, cue-evoked sequential spiking of a V1 ensemble may contribute to experience-based perceptual inference in a brain state-dependent manner.

Role of LKB1-SAD/MARK pathway in neuronal polarization

The formation of axon/dendrite polarity is critical for the neuron to perform its signaling function in the brain. Recent advance in our understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the development and maintenance of neuronal polarity has been greatly facilitated by the use of the culture system of dissociated hippocampal neurons. Among many polarization-related proteins, we here focus on the mammalian LKB1, the counterpart of the C. elegans Par-4, which is an upstream regulator among six Par (partitioning-defective) genes that act as master regulators of cell polarity in different cell types across evolutionary distant species. Recent studies have identified LKB1 and its downstream targets SAD/MARK kinases (mammalian homologs of Par-1) as key regulators of neuronal polarization and axon development in cultured neurons and in developing cortical neurons in vivo. We will review the properties of and interactions among proteins in this LKB1-SAD/MARK pathway, drawing upon information obtained from both neuronal and non-neuronal systems. Due to central role of the protein kinase A-dependent phosphorylation of LKB1 in the activation of this pathway, we will review recent findings on how cAMP and cGMP signaling may serve as antagonistic second messengers for axon/dendrite development, and how these cyclic nucleotides may mediate the action of extracellular polarizing factors by modulating the activity of the LKB1-SAD/MARK pathway.

Elevated BDNF after cocaine withdrawal facilitates LTP in medial prefrontal cortex by suppressing GABA inhibition

Medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is known to be involved in relapse after cocaine withdrawal, but the underlying cellular mechanism remains largely unknown. Here, we report that after terminating repeated cocaine exposure in rats, a gradual increase in the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the mPFC facilitates activity-induced long-term potentiation (LTP) of excitatory synapses on layer V pyramidal neurons. This enhanced synaptic plasticity could be attributed to BDNF-induced suppression of GABAergic inhibition in the mPFC by reducing the surface expression of GABA(A) receptors. The BDNF effect was mediated by BDNF-TrkB-phosphatase 2A signaling pathway. Downregulating TrkB expression bilaterally in the mPFC reduced the locomotor hypersensitivity to cocaine 8 days after cocaine withdrawal. Thus, elevated BDNF expression after cocaine withdrawal sensitizes the excitatory synapses in the mPFC to undergo activity-induced persistent potentiation that may contribute to cue-induced drug craving and drug-seeking behavior.

Spike-timing dependent plasticity beyond synapse - pre- and post-synaptic plasticity of intrinsic neuronal excitability

Long-lasting plasticity of synaptic transmission is classically thought to be the cellular substrate for information storage in the brain. Recent data indicate however that it is not the whole story and persistent changes in the intrinsic neuronal excitability have been shown to occur in parallel to the induction of long-term synaptic modifications. This form of plasticity depends on the regulation of voltage-gated ion channels. Here we review the experimental evidence for plasticity of neuronal excitability induced at pre- or postsynaptic sites when long-term plasticity of synaptic transmission is induced with Spike-Timing Dependent Plasticity (STDP) protocols. We describe the induction and expression mechanisms of the induced changes in excitability. Finally, the functional synergy between synaptic and non-synaptic plasticity and their spatial extent are discussed.

Burst spiking of a single cortical neuron modifies global brain state

Different global patterns of brain activity are associated with distinct arousal and behavioral states of an animal, but how the brain rapidly switches between different states remains unclear. We here report that repetitive high-frequency burst spiking of a single rat cortical neuron could trigger a switch between the cortical states resembling slow-wave and rapid-eye-movement sleep. This is reflected in the switching of the membrane potential of the stimulated neuron from slow UP/DOWN oscillations to a persistent-UP state or vice versa, with concurrent changes in the temporal pattern of cortical local field potential (LFP) recorded several millimeters away. These results point to the power of single cortical neurons in modulating the behavioral state of an animal.

Asian promise: the state and future of collaborations in neuroscience

As investment in science and technology continues to grow in Asia, countries such as China, Japan and Singapore are witnessing great improvements in their neuroscience research environments; this is reflected in the opening of new research institutions and in the influx of neuroscientists trained abroad. Collaborative projects between researchers in these countries and laboratories in the United States and Europe are not only helping to shape these institutions, they are also leading to a surge in high-quality publications in both basic and translational neuroscience, resulting in increasing international recognition. Nature Reviews Neuroscience asks four neuroscientists about their collaborative experiences and the impact that such collaborations are having on neuroscience research.

Endothelial cell polarization and chemotaxis in a microfluidic device

The directed migration of endothelial cells is an early and critical step in angiogenesis, or new blood vessel formation. In this study, the polarization and chemotaxis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) in response to quantified gradients of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were examined. To accomplish this, a microfluidic device was designed and fabricated to generate stable concentration gradients of biomolecules in a cell culture chamber while minimizing the fluid shear stress experienced by the cells. Finite element simulation of the device geometry produced excellent agreement with the observed VEGF concentration distribution, which was found to be stable across multiple hours. This device is expected to have wide applicability in the study of shear-sensitive cells such as HUVEC and non-adherent cell types as well as in the study of migration through three-dimensional matrices. HUVEC were observed to chemotax towards higher VEGF concentrations across the entire range of concentrations studied (18-32 ng mL(-1)) when the concentration gradient was 14 ng mL(-1) mm(-1). In contrast, shallow gradients (2 ng mL(-1) mm(-1)) across the same concentration range were unable to induce HUVEC chemotaxis. Furthermore, while all HUVEC exposed to elevated VEGF levels (both in steep and shallow gradients) displayed an increased number of filopodia, only chemotaxing HUVEC displayed an asymmetric distribution of filopodia, with enhanced numbers of protrusions present along the leading edge. These results suggest a two-part requirement to induce VEGF chemotaxis: the VEGF absolute concentration enhances the total number of filopodia extended while the VEGF gradient steepness induces filopodia localization, cell polarization, and subsequent directed migration.

In vitro analysis of specificity during nerve-muscle synaptogenesis

The early phase of synapse formation was studied in cultures of Xenopus laevis spinal neurons and myotomal muscle cells. Two early events are described: the pulsatile secretion of acetylcholine from the nerve terminal in response to myocytic or neuronal contacts, and the development of nerve-myocyte adhesion during the first few minutes of contact. The specificity in these early events in synaptogenesis was assessed with respect to the positional and clonal relationships of the neurons and myocytes. Axial position and lineage were determined by injecting embryos with a fluorescent dye, such that dissociated cells could subsequently be identified in culture. We examined the efficacy of spontaneous synaptic currents, and the relative preponderance of growth cone-myocyte associations, for neurite-myocyte pairs of the same or dissimilar origin. Neither of these two assays revealed a dependence on the axial position or the lineage of the cells. Although these studies indicate that early nerve-muscle interactions show little positional or clonal selectivity, myocytes clearly influence the onset of synaptic function.

Bioactive nanofibers: synergistic effects of nanotopography and chemical signaling on cell guidance

Biodegradable nanofibers have tremendous potential for tissue repair. However, the combined effects of nanofiber organization and immobilized bioactive factors on cell guidance are not well understood. In this study, we developed aligned and bioactive nanofibrous scaffolds by immobilizing extracellular matrix protein and growth factor onto nanofibers, which simulated the physical and biochemical properties of native matrix fibrils. The aligned nanofibers significantly induced neurite outgrowth and enhanced skin cell migration during wound healing compared to randomly oriented nanofibers. Furthermore, the immobilized biochemical factors (as efficient as soluble factors) synergized with aligned nanofibers to promote highly efficient neurite outgrowth but had less effect on skin cell migration. This study shed light on the relative importance of nanotopography and chemical signaling in the guidance of different cell behavior.

LKB1/STRAD promotes axon initiation during neuronal polarization

Axon/dendrite differentiation is a critical step in neuronal development. In cultured hippocampal neurons, the accumulation of LKB1 and STRAD, two interacting proteins critical for establishing epithelial polarity, in an undifferentiated neurite correlates with its subsequent axon differentiation. Downregulation of either LKB1 or STRAD by siRNAs prevented axon differentiation, and overexpression of these proteins led to multiple axon formation. Furthermore, interaction of STRAD with LKB1 promoted LKB1 phosphorylation at a PKA site S431 and elevated the LKB1 level, and overexpressing LKB1 with a serine-to-alanine mutation at S431 (LKB1(S431A)) prevented axon differentiation. In developing cortical neurons in vivo, downregulation of LKB1 or overexpression of LKB1(S431A) also abolished axon formation. Finally, local exposure of the undifferentiated neurite to brain-derived neurotrophic factor or dibutyryl-cAMP promoted axon differentiation in a manner that depended on PKA-dependent LKB1 phosphorylation. Thus local LKB1/STRAD accumulation and PKA-dependent LKB1 phosphorylation represents an early signal for axon initiation.

Long-range Ca2+ signaling from growth cone to soma mediates reversal of neuronal migration induced by slit-2

Neuronal migration and growth-cone extension are both guided by extracellular factors in the developing brain, but whether these two forms of guidance are mechanistically linked is unclear. Application of a Slit-2 gradient in front of the leading process of cultured cerebellar granule cells led to the collapse of the growth cone and the reversal of neuronal migration, an event preceded by a propagating Ca(2+) wave from the growth cone to the soma. The Ca(2+) wave was required for the Slit-2 effect and was sufficient by itself to induce the reversal of migration. The Slit-2-induced reversal of migration required active RhoA, which was accumulated at the front of the migrating neuron, and this polarized RhoA distribution was reversed during the migration reversal induced by either the Slit-2 gradient or the Ca(2+) wave. Thus, long-range Ca(2+) signaling coordinates the Slit-2-induced changes in motility at two distant parts of migrating neurons by regulating RhoA distribution.

Vesicular glutamate transport at a central synapse limits the acuity of visual perception in zebrafish

The neural circuitry that constrains visual acuity in the CNS has not been experimentally identified. We show here that zebrafish blumenkohl (blu) mutants are impaired in resolving rapid movements and fine spatial detail. The blu gene encodes a vesicular glutamate transporter expressed by retinal ganglion cells. Mutant retinotectal synapses release less glutamate, per vesicle and per terminal, and fatigue more quickly than wild-type in response to high-frequency stimulation. In addition, mutant axons arborize more extensively, thus increasing the number of synaptic terminals and effectively normalizing the combined input to postsynaptic cells in the tectum. This presumably homeostatic response results in larger receptive fields of tectal cells and a degradation of the retinotopic map. As predicted, mutants have a selective deficit in the capture of small prey objects, a behavior dependent on the tectum. Our studies successfully link the disruption of a synaptic protein to complex changes in neural circuitry and behavior.

Spike timing-dependent plasticity: from synapse to perception

Information in the nervous system may be carried by both the rate and timing of neuronal spikes. Recent findings of spike timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) have fueled the interest in the potential roles of spike timing in processing and storage of information in neural circuits. Induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) in a variety of in vitro and in vivo systems has been shown to depend on the temporal order of pre- and postsynaptic spiking. Spike timing-dependent modification of neuronal excitability and dendritic integration was also observed. Such STDP at the synaptic and cellular level is likely to play important roles in activity-induced functional changes in neuronal receptive fields and human perception.

Spike timing-dependent LTP/LTD mediates visual experience-dependent plasticity in a developing retinotectal system

Sensory experience plays an instructive role in the development of the nervous system. Here we showed that visual experience can induce persistent modification of developing retinotectal circuits via spike timing-dependent plasticity (STDP). Pairing light stimuli with spiking of the tectal cell induced persistent enhancement or reduction of light-evoked responses, with a dependence on the relative timing between light stimulus and postsynaptic spiking similar to that for STDP. Using precisely timed sequential three-bar stimulation to mimic a moving bar, we showed that spike timing-dependent LTP/LTD can account for the asymmetric modification of the tectal cell receptive field induced by moving bar. Furthermore, selective inhibition of signaling mediated by brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nitric oxide, which are respectively required for light-induced LTP and LTD, interfered with moving bar-induced temporally specific changes in the tectal cell responses. Together, these findings suggest that STDP can mediate sensory experience-dependent circuit refinement in the developing nervous system.

Requirement of TRPC channels in netrin-1-induced chemotropic turning of nerve growth cones

Ion channels formed by the TRP (transient receptor potential) superfamily of proteins act as sensors for temperature, osmolarity, mechanical stress and taste. The growth cones of developing axons are responsible for sensing extracellular guidance factors, many of which trigger Ca2+ influx at the growth cone; however, the identity of the ion channels involved remains to be clarified. Here, we report that TRP-like channel activity exists in the growth cones of cultured Xenopus neurons and can be modulated by exposure to netrin-1 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, two chemoattractants for axon guidance. Whole-cell recording from growth cones showed that netrin-1 induced a membrane depolarization, part of which remained after all major voltage-dependent channels were blocked. Furthermore, the membrane depolarization was sensitive to blockers of TRP channels. Pharmacological blockade of putative TRP currents or downregulation of Xenopus TRP-1 (xTRPC1) expression with a specific morpholino oligonucleotide abolished the growth-cone turning and Ca2+ elevation induced by a netrin-1 gradient. Thus, TRPC currents reflect early events in the growth cone's detection of some extracellular guidance signals, resulting in membrane depolarization and cytoplasmic Ca2+ elevation that mediates the turning of growth cones.

Spike-timing-dependent synaptic plasticity depends on dendritic location

In the neocortex, each neuron receives thousands of synaptic inputs distributed across an extensive dendritic tree. Although postsynaptic processing of each input is known to depend on its dendritic location, it is unclear whether activity-dependent synaptic modification is also location-dependent. Here we report that both the magnitude and the temporal specificity of spike-timing-dependent synaptic modification vary along the apical dendrite of rat cortical layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons. At the distal dendrite, the magnitude of long-term potentiation is smaller, and the window of pre-/postsynaptic spike interval for long-term depression (LTD) is broader. The spike-timing window for LTD correlates with the window of action potential-induced suppression of NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors; this correlation applies to both their dendritic location-dependence and pharmacological properties. Presynaptic stimulation with partial blockade of NMDA receptors induced LTD and occluded further induction of spike-timing-dependent LTD, suggesting that NMDA receptor suppression underlies LTD induction. Computer simulation studies showed that the dendritic inhomogeneity of spike-timing-dependent synaptic modification leads to differential input selection at distal and proximal dendrites according to the temporal characteristics of presynaptic spike trains. Such location-dependent tuning of inputs, together with the dendritic heterogeneity of postsynaptic processing, could enhance the computational capacity of cortical pyramidal neurons.

Spike timing-dependent plasticity of neural circuits

Recent findings of spike timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) have stimulated much interest among experimentalists and theorists. Beyond the traditional correlation-based Hebbian plasticity, STDP opens up new avenues for understanding information coding and circuit plasticity that depend on the precise timing of neuronal spikes. Here we summarize experimental characterization of STDP at various synapses, the underlying cellular mechanisms, and the associated changes in neuronal excitability and dendritic integration. We also describe STDP in the context of complex spike patterns and its dependence on the dendritic location of the synapse. Finally, we discuss timing-dependent modification of neuronal receptive fields and human visual perception and the computational significance of STDP as a synaptic learning rule.