Excitatory synaptic transmission provides the basis of normal CNS function, and abnormalities of excitatory neurotransmission contribute to neurological and psychiatric disorders as wide-ranging as epilepsy, schizophrenia, and ischemia. Considerable progress has been made in understanding the processes that underlie normal excitatory synaptic transmission and synaptic plasticity at dendritic spine synapses between CA3 and CA1 pyramidal hippocampal neurons in the in vitro slice preparation. In this application, we propose to use electrophysiological recording to examine excitatory synapses made by the same afferents from CA3 pyramidal cells onto a different target population, GABAergic interneurons. These synapses have markedly different properties from those on their pyramidal cell neighbors. The interneurons are almost free of spines, so excitatory synapses are found nearly exclusively on dendritic shafts. Synapses on interneurons also are reported to lack the AMPAR subunit, GluR2. Furthermore, when high-frequency stimulation is delivered to CA3 afferents, synapses they make upon pyramidal cells undergo LTP; in contrast, our earlier work demonstrates that the same high-frequency stimulation to CA3 afferents triggers LTD at synapses onto interneurons. The fact that the same presynaptic afferents make synapses with distinct properties onto these two targets affords a unique opportunity to compare synaptic function, plasticity, and modulation in a defined and well-understood system in mature brain tissue. This work will provide insight into the proteins and signaling molecules required for regulation of normal synaptic transmission and plasticity at CNS excitatory synapses.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS050570-04
Application #
7472500
Study Section
Neurobiology of Learning and Memory Study Section (LAM)
Program Officer
Stewart, Randall R
Project Start
2005-08-01
Project End
2010-07-31
Budget Start
2008-08-01
Budget End
2010-07-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2008
Total Cost
$228,399
Indirect Cost
Name
Brown University
Department
Pharmacology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
001785542
City
Providence
State
RI
Country
United States
Zip Code
02912
Pradier, Bruno; Lanning, Katherine; Taljan, Katherine T et al. (2018) Persistent but Labile Synaptic Plasticity at Excitatory Synapses. J Neurosci 38:5750-5758
Pradier, Bruno; Shin, Hye Bin; Kim, Duk Soo et al. (2018) Long-Term Depression Induced by Optogenetically Driven Nociceptive Inputs to Trigeminal Nucleus Caudalis or Headache Triggers. J Neurosci 38:7529-7540
Weiner, Katherine F; Ghose, Geoffrey M (2015) Population coding in area V4 during rapid shape detections. J Neurophysiol 113:3021-34
Harrison, Ian T; Weiner, Katherine F; Ghose, Geoffrey M (2013) Inattention blindness to motion in middle temporal area. J Neurosci 33:8396-410
Schneider, Blaine A; Ghose, Geoffrey M (2012) Temporal production signals in parietal cortex. PLoS Biol 10:e1001413
Edwards, Jeffrey G; Gibson, Helen E; Jensen, Tyron et al. (2012) A novel non-CB1/TRPV1 endocannabinoid-mediated mechanism depresses excitatory synapses on hippocampal CA1 interneurons. Hippocampus 22:209-21
Sumioka, Akio; Brown, Travis E; Kato, Akihiko S et al. (2011) PDZ binding of TARP?-8 controls synaptic transmission but not synaptic plasticity. Nat Neurosci 14:1410-2
McBain, Chris J; Kauer, Julie A (2009) Presynaptic plasticity: targeted control of inhibitory networks. Curr Opin Neurobiol 19:254-62
Ghose, Geoffrey M; Harrison, Ian T (2009) Temporal precision of neuronal information in a rapid perceptual judgment. J Neurophysiol 101:1480-93
Gibson, Helen E; Edwards, Jeffrey G; Page, Rachel S et al. (2008) TRPV1 channels mediate long-term depression at synapses on hippocampal interneurons. Neuron 57:746-59

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