Quantal transmission at mossy fibre targets in the CA3 region of the rat hippocampus

Presynaptic cAMP-PKA-mediated potentiation induces reconfiguration of synaptic vesicle pools and channel-vesicle coupling at hippocampal mossy fiber boutons

It is widely believed that information storage in neuronal circuits involves nanoscopic structural changes at synapses, resulting in the formation of synaptic engrams. However, direct evidence for this hypothesis is lacking. To test this conjecture, we combined chemical potentiation, functional analysis by paired pre-postsynaptic recordings, and structural analysis by electron microscopy (EM) and freeze-fracture replica labeling (FRL) at the rodent hippocampal mossy fiber synapse, a key synapse in the trisynaptic circuit of the hippocampus. Biophysical analysis of synaptic transmission revealed that forskolin-induced chemical potentiation increased the readily releasable vesicle pool size and vesicular release probability by 146% and 49%, respectively. Structural analysis of mossy fiber synapses by EM and FRL demonstrated an increase in the number of vesicles close to the plasma membrane and the number of clusters of the priming protein Munc13-1, indicating an increase in the number of both docked and primed vesicles. Furthermore, FRL analysis revealed a significant reduction of the distance between Munc13-1 and CaV2.1 Ca2+ channels, suggesting reconfiguration of the channel-vesicle coupling nanotopography. Our results indicate that presynaptic plasticity is associated with structural reorganization of active zones. We propose that changes in potential nanoscopic organization at synaptic vesicle release sites may be correlates of learning and memory at a plastic central synapse.

Pre- versus Post-synaptic Forms of LTP in Two Branches of the Same Hippocampal Afferent

There has been considerable controversy about pre- versus postsynaptic expression of memory-related long-term potentiation (LTP), with corresponding disputes about underlying mechanisms. We report here an instance in male mice, in which both types of potentiation are expressed but in separate branches of the same hippocampal afferent. Induction of LTP in the dentate gyrus (DG) branch of the lateral perforant path (LPP) reduces paired-pulse facilitation, is blocked by antagonism of cannabinoid receptor type 1, and is not affected by suppression of postsynaptic actin polymerization. These observations are consistent with presynaptic expression. The opposite pattern of results was obtained in the LPP branch that innervates the distal dendrites of CA3: LTP did not reduce paired-pulse facilitation, was unaffected by the cannabinoid receptor blocker, and required postsynaptic actin filament assembly. Differences in the two LPP termination sites were also noted for frequency facilitation of synaptic responses, an effect that was reproduced in a two-step simulation by small adjustments to vesicle release dynamics. These results indicate that different types of glutamatergic neurons impose different forms of filtering and synaptic plasticity on their afferents. They also suggest that inputs are routed to, and encoded by, different sites within the hippocampus depending upon the pattern of activity arriving over the parent axon.

Evolutionary conservation of hippocampal mossy fiber synapse properties

Various specialized structural/functional properties are considered essential for contextual memory encoding by hippocampal mossy fiber (MF) synapses. Although investigated to exquisite detail in model organisms, synapses, including MFs, have undergone minimal functional interrogation in humans. To determine the translational relevance of rodent findings, we evaluated MF properties within human tissue resected to treat epilepsy. Human MFs exhibit remarkably similar hallmark features to rodents, including AMPA receptor-dominated synapses with small contributions from NMDA and kainate receptors, large dynamic range with strong frequency facilitation, NMDA receptor-independent presynaptic long-term potentiation, and strong cyclic AMP (cAMP) sensitivity of release. Array tomography confirmed the evolutionary conservation of MF ultrastructure. The astonishing congruence of rodent and human MF core features argues that the basic MF properties delineated in animal models remain critical to human MF function. Finally, a selective deficit in GABAergic inhibitory tone onto human MF postsynaptic targets suggests that unrestrained detonator excitatory drive contributes to epileptic circuit hyperexcitability.

Recurrent Circuits Amplify Corticofugal Signals and Drive Feedforward Inhibition in the Inferior Colliculus

The inferior colliculus (IC) is a midbrain hub critical for perceiving complex sounds, such as speech. In addition to processing ascending inputs from most auditory brainstem nuclei, the IC receives descending inputs from auditory cortex that control IC neuron feature selectivity, plasticity, and certain forms of perceptual learning. Although corticofugal synapses primarily release the excitatory transmitter glutamate, many physiology studies show that auditory cortical activity has a net inhibitory effect on IC neuron spiking. Perplexingly, anatomy studies imply that corticofugal axons primarily target glutamatergic IC neurons while only sparsely innervating IC GABA neurons. Corticofugal inhibition of the IC may thus occur largely independently of feedforward activation of local GABA neurons. We shed light on this paradox using in vitro electrophysiology in acute IC slices from fluorescent reporter mice of either sex. Using optogenetic stimulation of corticofugal axons, we find that excitation evoked with single light flashes is indeed stronger in presumptive glutamatergic neurons compared with GABAergic neurons. However, many IC GABA neurons fire tonically at rest, such that sparse and weak excitation suffices to significantly increase their spike rates. Furthermore, a subset of glutamatergic IC neurons fire spikes during repetitive corticofugal activity, leading to polysynaptic excitation in IC GABA neurons owing to a dense intracollicular connectivity. Consequently, recurrent excitation amplifies corticofugal activity, drives spikes in IC GABA neurons, and generates substantial local inhibition in the IC. Thus, descending signals engage intracollicular inhibitory circuits despite apparent constraints of monosynaptic connectivity between auditory cortex and IC GABA neurons.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Descending "corticofugal" projections are ubiquitous across mammalian sensory systems, and enable the neocortex to control subcortical activity in a predictive or feedback manner. Although corticofugal neurons are glutamatergic, neocortical activity often inhibits subcortical neuron spiking. How does an excitatory pathway generate inhibition? Here we study the corticofugal pathway from auditory cortex to inferior colliculus (IC), a midbrain hub important for complex sound perception. Surprisingly, cortico-collicular transmission was stronger onto IC glutamatergic compared with GABAergic neurons. However, corticofugal activity triggered spikes in IC glutamate neurons with local axons, thereby generating strong polysynaptic excitation and feedforward spiking of GABAergic neurons. Our results thus reveal a novel mechanism that recruits local inhibition despite limited monosynaptic convergence onto inhibitory networks.

Ultrastructural analysis of wild-type and RIM1α knockout active zones in a large cortical synapse

Rab3A-interacting molecule (RIM) is crucial for fast Ca²⁺-triggered synaptic vesicle (SV) release in presynaptic active zones (AZs). We investigated hippocampal giant mossy fiber bouton (MFB) AZ architecture in 3D using electron tomography of rapid cryo-immobilized acute brain slices in RIM1α^-/- and wild-type mice. In RIM1α^-/-, AZs are larger with increased synaptic cleft widths and a 3-fold reduced number of tightly docked SVs (0-2 nm). The distance of tightly docked SVs to the AZ center is increased from 110 to 195 nm, and the width of their electron-dense material between outer SV membrane and AZ membrane is reduced. Furthermore, the SV pool in RIM1α^-/- is more heterogeneous. Thus, RIM1α, besides its role in tight SV docking, is crucial for synaptic architecture and vesicle pool organization in MFBs.

Presynaptic FMRP and local protein synthesis support structural and functional plasticity of glutamatergic axon terminals

Learning and memory rely on long-lasting, synapse-specific modifications. Although postsynaptic forms of plasticity typically require local protein synthesis, whether and how local protein synthesis contributes to presynaptic changes remain unclear. Here, we examined the mouse hippocampal mossy fiber (MF)-CA3 synapse, which expresses both structural and functional presynaptic plasticity and contains presynaptic fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein (FMRP), an RNA-binding protein involved in postsynaptic protein-synthesis-dependent plasticity. We report that MF boutons contain ribosomes and synthesize protein locally. The long-term potentiation of MF-CA3 synaptic transmission (MF-LTP) was associated with the translation-dependent enlargement of MF boutons. Remarkably, increasing in vitro or in vivo MF activity enhanced the protein synthesis in MFs. Moreover, the deletion of presynaptic FMRP blocked structural and functional MF-LTP, suggesting that FMRP is a critical regulator of presynaptic MF plasticity. Thus, presynaptic FMRP and protein synthesis dynamically control presynaptic structure and function in the mature mammalian brain.

Heterogeneity of glutamatergic synapses: cellular mechanisms and network consequences

Chemical synapses are commonly known as a structurally and functionally highly diverse class of cell-cell contacts specialized to mediate communication between neurons. They represent the smallest "computational" unit of the brain and are typically divided into excitatory and inhibitory as well as modulatory categories. These categories are subdivided into diverse types, each representing a different structure-function repertoire that in turn are thought to endow neuronal networks with distinct computational properties. The diversity of structure and function found among a given category of synapses is referred to as heterogeneity. The main building blocks for this heterogeneity are synaptic vesicles, the active zone, the synaptic cleft, the postsynaptic density, and glial processes associated with the synapse. Each of these five structural modules entails a distinct repertoire of functions, and their combination specifies the range of functional heterogeneity at mammalian excitatory synapses, which are the focus of this review. We describe synapse heterogeneity that is manifested on different levels of complexity ranging from the cellular morphology of the pre- and postsynaptic cells toward the expression of different protein isoforms at individual release sites. We attempt to define the range of structural building blocks that are used to vary the basic functional repertoire of excitatory synaptic contacts and discuss sources and general mechanisms of synapse heterogeneity. Finally, we explore the possible impact of synapse heterogeneity on neuronal network function.

Quantal analysis estimates docking site occupancy determining short-term depression at hippocampal glutamatergic synapses

Before fusion, synaptic vesicles (SVs) pause at discrete release/docking sites. During repetitive stimulation, the probability of site occupancy changes following SV fusion and replenishment. The occupancy probability is considered to be one of the crucial determinants of synaptic strength, but it is difficult to estimate separately because it usually blends with other synaptic parameters. Thus, the contribution of site occupancy to synaptic function, particularly to synaptic depression, remains elusive. Here, we directly estimated the occupancy probability at the hippocampal mossy fibre-CA3 interneuron synapse showing synaptic depression, using statistics of counts of vesicular events detected by deconvolution. We found that this synapse had a particularly high occupancy (∼0.85) with a high release probability of a docked SV (∼0.8) under 3 mm external calcium conditions. Analyses of quantal amplitudes and SV counts indicated that quantal size reduction decreased the amplitudes of all responses in a train to a similar degree, whereas release/docking site number was unchanged during trains, suggesting that quantal size and release/docking site number had little influence on the extent of synaptic depression. Model simulations revealed that the initial occupancy with high release probability and slow replenishment determined the time course of synaptic depression. Consistently, decreasing external calcium concentration reduced both the occupancy and release probability, and the reductions in turn produced less depression. Based on these results, we suggest that the occupancy probability is a crucial determinant of short-term synaptic depression at glutamatergic synapses in the hippocampus. KEY POINTS: The occupancy probability of a release/docking site by a synaptic vesicle at presynaptic terminals is considered to be one of the crucial determinants of synaptic strength, but it is difficult to estimate separately from other synaptic parameters. Here, we directly estimate the occupancy probability at the hippocampal mossy fibre-interneuron synapse using statistics of vesicular events detected by deconvolution. We show that the synapses have particularly high occupancy (0.85) with high release probability (0.8) under high external calcium concentration ([Ca²⁺ ]_o ) conditions, and that both parameter values change with [Ca²⁺ ]_o , shaping synaptic depression. Analyses of the quantal amplitudes and synaptic vesicle counts suggest that quantal sizes and release/docking site number have little influence on the extent of synaptic depression. The results suggest that the occupancy probability is a crucial determinant of short-term synaptic depression at glutamatergic synapses in the hippocampus.

Subcellular patch-clamp techniques for single-bouton stimulation and simultaneous pre- and postsynaptic recording at cortical synapses

Rigorous investigation of synaptic transmission requires analysis of unitary synaptic events by simultaneous recording from presynaptic terminals and postsynaptic target neurons. However, this has been achieved at only a limited number of model synapses, including the squid giant synapse and the mammalian calyx of Held. Cortical presynaptic terminals have been largely inaccessible to direct presynaptic recording, due to their small size. Here, we describe a protocol for improved subcellular patch-clamp recording in rat and mouse brain slices, with the synapse in a largely intact environment. Slice preparation takes ~2 h, recording ~3 h and post hoc morphological analysis 2 d. Single presynaptic hippocampal mossy fiber terminals are stimulated minimally invasively in the bouton-attached configuration, in which the cytoplasmic content remains unperturbed, or in the whole-bouton configuration, in which the cytoplasmic composition can be precisely controlled. Paired pre-postsynaptic recordings can be integrated with biocytin labeling and morphological analysis, allowing correlative investigation of synapse structure and function. Paired recordings can be obtained from mossy fiber terminals in slices from both rats and mice, implying applicability to genetically modified synapses. Paired recordings can also be performed together with axon tract stimulation or optogenetic activation, allowing comparison of unitary and compound synaptic events in the same target cell. Finally, paired recordings can be combined with spontaneous event analysis, permitting collection of miniature events generated at a single identified synapse. In conclusion, the subcellular patch-clamp techniques detailed here should facilitate analysis of biophysics, plasticity and circuit function of cortical synapses in the mammalian central nervous system.

Ultrastructural Correlates of Presynaptic Functional Heterogeneity in Hippocampal Synapses

Although similar in molecular composition, synapses can exhibit strikingly distinct functional transmitter release and plasticity characteristics. To determine whether ultrastructural differences co-define this functional heterogeneity, we combine hippocampal organotypic slice cultures, high-pressure freezing, freeze substitution, and 3D-electron tomography to compare two functionally distinct synapses: hippocampal Schaffer collateral and mossy fiber synapses. We find that mossy fiber synapses, which exhibit a lower release probability and stronger short-term facilitation than Schaffer collateral synapses, harbor lower numbers of docked synaptic vesicles at active zones and a second pool of possibly tethered vesicles in their vicinity. Our data indicate that differences in the ratio of docked versus tethered vesicles at active zones contribute to distinct functional characteristics of synapses.

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Electron tomography enables the dissection of vesicle pools at synaptic active zones

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Docked and primed vesicle availability contributes to initial release probability

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The ratio of docked and tethered vesicles may co-determine short-term plasticity

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Hippocampal mossy fibers contain three morphological types of docked vesicles

Topographic Organization of Correlation Along the Longitudinal and Transverse Axes in Rat Hippocampal CA3 Due to Excitatory Afferents

The topographic organization of afferents to the hippocampal CA3 subfield are well-studied, but their role in influencing the spatiotemporal dynamics of population activity is not understood. Using a large-scale, computational neuronal network model of the entorhinal-dentate-CA3 system, the effects of the perforant path, mossy fibers, and associational system on the propagation and transformation of network spiking patterns were investigated. A correlation map was constructed to characterize the spatial structure and temporal evolution of pairwise correlations which underlie the emergent patterns found in the population activity. The topographic organization of the associational system gave rise to changes in the spatial correlation structure along the longitudinal and transverse axes of the CA3. The resulting gradients may provide a basis for the known functional organization observed in hippocampus.

Ultrastructural Imaging of Activity-Dependent Synaptic Membrane-Trafficking Events in Cultured Brain Slices

Electron microscopy can resolve synapse ultrastructure with nanometer precision, but the capture of time-resolved, activity-dependent synaptic membrane-trafficking events has remained challenging, particularly in functionally distinct synapses in a tissue context. We present a method that combines optogenetic stimulation-coupled cryofixation ("flash-and-freeze") and electron microscopy to visualize membrane trafficking events and synapse-state-specific changes in presynaptic vesicle organization with high spatiotemporal resolution in synapses of cultured mouse brain tissue. With our experimental workflow, electrophysiological and "flash-and-freeze" electron microscopy experiments can be performed under identical conditions in artificial cerebrospinal fluid alone, without the addition of external cryoprotectants, which are otherwise needed to allow adequate tissue preservation upon freezing. Using this approach, we reveal depletion of docked vesicles and resolve compensatory membrane recycling events at individual presynaptic active zones at hippocampal mossy fiber synapses upon sustained stimulation.

Inter-spike mitochondrial Ca2+ release enhances high frequency synaptic transmission

KEY POINTS

Presynaptic mitochondria not only absorb but also release Ca²⁺ during high frequency stimulation (HFS) when presynaptic [Ca²⁺ ] is kept low (<500 nm) by high cytosolic Ca²⁺ buffer or strong plasma membrane calcium clearance mechanisms under physiological external [Ca²⁺ ]. Mitochondrial Ca²⁺ release (MCR) does not alter the global presynaptic Ca²⁺ transients. MCR during HFS enhances short-term facilitation and steady state excitatory postsynaptic currents by increasing vesicular release probability. The intra-train MCR may provide residual calcium at interspike intervals, and thus support high frequency neurotransmission at central glutamatergic synapses.

ABSTRACT

Emerging evidence indicates that mitochondrial Ca²⁺ buffering contributes to local regulation of synaptic transmission. It is unknown, however, whether mitochondrial Ca²⁺ release (MCR) occurs during high frequency synaptic transmission. Confirming the previous notion that 2 μm tetraphenylphosphonium (TPP⁺ ) is a specific inhibitor of the mitochondrial Na⁺ /Ca²⁺ exchanger (mNCX), we studied the role of MCR via mNCX in short-term plasticity during high frequency stimulation (HFS) at the calyx of Held synapse of the rat. TPP⁺ reduced short-term facilitation (STF) and steady state excitatory postsynaptic currents during HFS at mature calyx synapses under physiological extracellular [Ca²⁺ ] ([Ca²⁺ ]_o  = 1.2 mm), but not at immature calyx or at 2 mm [Ca²⁺ ]_o . The inhibitory effects of TPP⁺ were stronger at synapses with morphologically complex calyces harbouring many swellings and at 32°C than at simple calyx synapses and at room temperature. These effects of TPP⁺ on STF were well correlated with those on the presynaptic mitochondrial [Ca²⁺ ] build-up during HFS. Mitochondrial [Ca²⁺ ] during HFS was increased by TPP⁺ at mature calyces under 1.2 mm [Ca²⁺ ]_o , and further enhanced at 32°C, but not under 2 mm [Ca²⁺ ]_o or at immature calyces. The close correlation of the effects of TPP⁺ on mitochondrial [Ca²⁺ ] with those on STF suggests that mNCX contributes to STF at the calyx of Held synapses. The intra-train MCR enhanced vesicular release probability without altering global presynaptic [Ca²⁺ ]. Our results suggest that MCR during HFS elevates local [Ca²⁺ ] near synaptic sites at interspike intervals to enhance STF and to support stable synaptic transmission under physiological [Ca²⁺ ]_o .

Variance analysis as a tool to predict the mechanism underlying synaptic plasticity

BACKGROUND

The strength of synaptic transmission onto a neuron depends on the number of functional vesicle release sites (N), the probability of vesicle release (P_r), and the quantal size (Q). Statistical tools based on the quantal model of synaptic transmission can be used to acquire information on which of these parameters is the source of plasticity. However, quantal analysis depends on assumptions that may not be met at central synapses.

NEW METHOD

We examined the merit of quantal analysis to extract the mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity by applying binomial statistics on the variance in amplitude of postsynaptic currents evoked at Schaffer collateral-CA1 (Sc-CA1) synapses in mouse hippocampal slices. We extend this analysis by combining the conventional inverse square of the coefficient of variation (1/CV²) with the variance-to-mean ratio (VMR).

RESULTS

This method can be used to assess the relative, but not absolute, contribution of N, P_r and Q to synaptic plasticity. The changes in 1/CV² and VMR values correctly reflect experimental modifications of N, P_r and Q at Sc-CA1 synapses.

COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS

While the 1/CV² depends on N and P_r, but is independent of Q, the VMR is dependent on P_r and Q, but not on N. Combining both allows for a rapid assessment of the mechanism underlying synaptic plasticity without the need for additional electrophysiological experiments.

CONCLUSION

Combining the 1/CV² with the VMR allows for a reliable prediction of the relative contribution of changes in N, P_r and Q to synaptic plasticity.

Spermidine protects from age-related synaptic alterations at hippocampal mossy fiber-CA3 synapses

Aging is associated with functional alterations of synapses thought to contribute to age-dependent memory impairment (AMI). While therapeutic avenues to protect from AMI are largely elusive, supplementation of spermidine, a polyamine normally declining with age, has been shown to restore defective proteostasis and to protect from AMI in Drosophila. Here we demonstrate that dietary spermidine protects from age-related synaptic alterations at hippocampal mossy fiber (MF)-CA3 synapses and prevents the aging-induced loss of neuronal mitochondria. Dietary spermidine rescued age-dependent decreases in synaptic vesicle density and largely restored defective presynaptic MF-CA3 long-term potentiation (LTP) at MF-CA3 synapses (MF-CA3) in aged animals. In contrast, spermidine failed to protect CA3-CA1 hippocampal synapses characterized by postsynaptic LTP from age-related changes in function and morphology. Our data demonstrate that dietary spermidine attenuates age-associated deterioration of MF-CA3 synaptic transmission and plasticity. These findings provide a physiological and molecular basis for the future therapeutic usage of spermidine.

Glutamate Imaging Reveals Multiple Sites of Stochastic Release in the CA3 Giant Mossy Fiber Boutons

One of the most studied central synapses which have provided fundamental insights into cellular mechanisms of neural connectivity is the “giant” excitatory connection between hippocampal mossy fibers (MFs) and CA3 pyramidal cells. Its large presynaptic bouton features multiple release sites and is densely packed with thousands of synaptic vesicles, to sustain a highly facilitating “detonator” transmission. However, whether glutamate release sites at this synapse act independently, in a stochastic manner, or rather synchronously, remains poorly understood. This knowledge is critical for a better understanding of mechanisms underpinning presynaptic plasticity and postsynaptic signal integration rules. Here, we use the optical glutamate sensor SF-iGluSnFR and the intracellular Ca²⁺ indicator Cal-590 to monitor spike-evoked glutamate release and presynaptic calcium entry in MF boutons. Multiplexed imaging reveals that distinct sites in individual MF giant boutons release glutamate in a probabilistic fashion, also showing use-dependent short-term facilitation. The present approach provides novel insights into the basic mechanisms of neurotransmitter release at excitatory synapses.

Excitatory Synaptic Input to Hilar Mossy Cells under Basal and Hyperexcitable Conditions

Hilar mossy cells (HMCs) in the hippocampus receive glutamatergic input from dentate granule cells (DGCs) via mossy fibers (MFs) and back-projections from CA3 pyramidal neuron collateral axons. Many fundamental features of these excitatory synapses have not been characterized in detail despite their potential relevance to hippocampal cognitive processing and epilepsy-induced adaptations in circuit excitability. In this study, we compared pre- and postsynaptic parameters between MF and CA3 inputs to HMCs in young and adult mice of either sex and determined the relative contributions of the respective excitatory inputs during in vitro and in vivo models of hippocampal hyperexcitability. The two types of excitatory synapses both exhibited a modest degree of short-term plasticity, with MF inputs to HMCs exhibiting lower paired-pulse (PP) and frequency facilitation than was described previously for MF–CA3 pyramidal cell synapses. MF–HMC synapses exhibited unitary excitatory synaptic currents (EPSCs) of larger amplitude, contained postsynaptic kainate receptors, and had a lower NMDA/AMPA receptor ratio compared to CA3–HMC synapses. Pharmacological induction of hippocampal hyperexcitability in vitro transformed the abundant but relatively weak CA3–HMC connections to very large amplitude spontaneous bursts of compound EPSCs (cEPSCs) in young mice (∼P20) and, to a lesser degree, in adult mice (∼P70). CA3–HMC cEPSCs were also observed in slices prepared from mice with spontaneous seizures several weeks after intrahippocampal kainate injection. Strong excitation of HMCs during synchronous CA3 activity represents an avenue of significant excitatory network generation back to DGCs and might be important in generating epileptic networks.

Hippocampal GABAergic Inhibitory Interneurons

In the hippocampus GABAergic local circuit inhibitory interneurons represent only ~10-15% of the total neuronal population; however, their remarkable anatomical and physiological diversity allows them to regulate virtually all aspects of cellular and circuit function. Here we provide an overview of the current state of the field of interneuron research, focusing largely on the hippocampus. We discuss recent advances related to the various cell types, including their development and maturation, expression of subtype-specific voltage- and ligand-gated channels, and their roles in network oscillations. We also discuss recent technological advances and approaches that have permitted high-resolution, subtype-specific examination of their roles in numerous neural circuit disorders and the emerging therapeutic strategies to ameliorate such pathophysiological conditions. The ultimate goal of this review is not only to provide a touchstone for the current state of the field, but to help pave the way for future research by highlighting where gaps in our knowledge exist and how a complete appreciation of their roles will aid in future therapeutic strategies.

Feedforward inhibition is randomly wired from individual granule cells onto CA3 pyramidal cells

Feedforward inhibition (FFI) between the dentate gyrus (DG) and CA3 sparsifies and shapes memory‐ and spatial navigation‐related activities. However, our understanding of this prototypical FFI circuit lacks essential details, as the wiring of FFI is not yet mapped between individual DG granule cells (GCs) and CA3 pyramidal cells (PCs). Importantly, theoretically opposite network contributions are possible depending on whether the directly excited PCs are differently inhibited than the non‐excited PCs. Therefore, to better understand FFI wiring schemes, we compared the prevalence of disynaptic inhibitory postsynaptic events (diIPSCs) between pairs of individually recorded GC axons or somas and PCs, some of which were connected by monosynaptic excitation, while others were not. If FFI wiring is specific, diIPSCs are expected only in connected PCs; whereas diIPSCs should not be present in these PCs if FFI is laterally wired from individual GCs. However, we found single GC‐elicited diIPSCs with similar probabilities irrespective of the presence of monosynaptic excitation. This observation suggests that the wiring of FFI between individual GCs and PCs is independent of the direct excitation. Therefore, the randomly distributed FFI contributes to the hippocampal signal sparsification by setting the general excitability of the CA3 depending on the overall activity of GCs.

Sparse and Specific Coding during Information Transmission between Co-cultured Dentate Gyrus and CA3 Hippocampal Networks

To better understand encoding and decoding of stimulus information in two specific hippocampal sub-regions, we isolated and co-cultured rat primary dentate gyrus (DG) and CA3 neurons within a two-chamber device with axonal connectivity via micro-tunnels. We tested the hypothesis that, in these engineered networks, decoding performance of stimulus site information would be more accurate when stimuli and information flow occur in anatomically correct feed-forward DG to CA3 vs. CA3 back to DG. In particular, we characterized the neural code of these sub-regions by measuring sparseness and uniqueness of the responses evoked by specific paired-pulse stimuli. We used the evoked responses in CA3 to decode the stimulation sites in DG (and vice-versa) by means of learning algorithms for classification (support vector machine, SVM). The device was placed over an 8 × 8 grid of extracellular electrodes (micro-electrode array, MEA) in order to provide a platform for monitoring development, self-organization, and improved access to stimulation and recording at multiple sites. The micro-tunnels were designed with dimensions 3 × 10 × 400 μm allowing axonal growth but not migration of cell bodies and long enough to exclude traversal by dendrites. Paired-pulse stimulation (inter-pulse interval 50 ms) was applied at 22 different sites and repeated 25 times in each chamber for each sub-region to evoke time-locked activity. DG-DG and CA3-CA3 networks were used as controls. Stimulation in DG drove signals through the axons in the tunnels to activate a relatively small set of specific electrodes in CA3 (sparse code). CA3-CA3 and DG-DG controls were less sparse in coding than CA3 in DG-CA3 networks. Using all target electrodes with the three highest spike rates (14%), the evoked responses in CA3 specified each stimulation site in DG with optimum uniqueness of 64%. Finally, by SVM learning, these evoked responses in CA3 correctly decoded the stimulation sites in DG for 43% of the trials, significantly higher than the reverse, i.e., how well-recording in DG could predict the stimulation site in CA3. In conclusion, our co-cultured model for the in vivo DG-CA3 hippocampal network showed sparse and specific responses in CA3, selectively evoked by each stimulation site in DG.

The Role of mGlu Receptors in Hippocampal Plasticity Deficits in Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders: Implications for Allosteric Modulators as Novel Therapeutic Strategies

Long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) are two distinct forms of synaptic plasticity that have been extensively characterized at the Schaffer collateral-CA1 (SCCA1) synapse and the mossy fiber (MF)-CA3 synapse within the hippocampus, and are postulated to be the molecular underpinning for several cognitive functions. Deficits in LTP and LTD have been implicated in the pathophysiology of several neurological and psychiatric disorders. Therefore, there has been a large effort focused on developing an understanding of the mechanisms underlying these forms of plasticity and novel therapeutic strategies that improve or rescue these plasticity deficits. Among many other targets, the metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors show promise as novel therapeutic candidates for the treatment of these disorders. Among the eight distinct mGlu receptor subtypes (mGlu1-8), the mGlu1,2,3,5,7 subtypes are expressed throughout the hippocampus and have been shown to play important roles in the regulation of synaptic plasticity in this brain area. However, development of therapeutic agents that target these mGlu receptors has been hampered by a lack of subtype-selective compounds. Recently, discovery of allosteric modulators of mGlu receptors has provided novel ligands that are highly selective for individual mGlu receptor subtypes. The mGlu receptors modulate the multiple forms of synaptic plasticity at both SC-CA1 and MF synapses and allosteric modulators of mGlu receptors have emerged as potential therapeutic agents that may rescue plasticity deficits and improve cognitive function in patients suffering from multiple neurological and psychiatric disorders.

Plasticity-dependent, full detonation at hippocampal mossy fiber-CA3 pyramidal neuron synapses

Mossy fiber synapses on CA3 pyramidal cells are 'conditional detonators' that reliably discharge postsynaptic targets. The 'conditional' nature implies that burst activity in dentate gyrus granule cells is required for detonation. Whether single unitary excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) trigger spikes in CA3 neurons remains unknown. Mossy fiber synapses exhibit both pronounced short-term facilitation and uniquely large post-tetanic potentiation (PTP). We tested whether PTP could convert mossy fiber synapses from subdetonator into detonator mode, using a recently developed method to selectively and noninvasively stimulate individual presynaptic terminals in rat brain slices. Unitary EPSPs failed to initiate a spike in CA3 neurons under control conditions, but reliably discharged them after induction of presynaptic short-term plasticity. Remarkably, PTP switched mossy fiber synapses into full detonators for tens of seconds. Plasticity-dependent detonation may be critical for efficient coding, storage, and recall of information in the granule cell-CA3 cell network.

Aging-related impairments of hippocampal mossy fibers synapses on CA3 pyramidal cells

The network interaction between the dentate gyrus and area CA3 of the hippocampus is responsible for pattern separation, a process that underlies the formation of new memories, and which is naturally diminished in the aged brain. At the cellular level, aging is accompanied by a progression of biochemical modifications that ultimately affects its ability to generate and consolidate long-term potentiation. Although the synapse between dentate gyrus via the mossy fibers (MFs) onto CA3 neurons has been subject of extensive studies, the question of how aging affects the MF-CA3 synapse is still unsolved. Extracellular and whole-cell recordings from acute hippocampal slices of aged Wistar rats (34 ± 2 months old) show that aging is accompanied by a reduction in the interneuron-mediated inhibitory mechanisms of area CA3. Several MF-mediated forms of short-term plasticity, MF long-term potentiation and at least one of the critical signaling cascades necessary for potentiation are also compromised in the aged brain. An analysis of the spontaneous glutamatergic and gamma-aminobutyric acid-mediated currents on CA3 cells reveal a dramatic alteration in amplitude and frequency of the nonevoked events. CA3 cells also exhibited increased intrinsic excitability. Together, these results demonstrate that aging is accompanied by a decrease in the GABAergic inhibition, reduced expression of short- and long-term forms of synaptic plasticity, and increased intrinsic excitability.

The anticonvulsant action of the galanin receptor agonist NAX-5055 involves modulation of both excitatory- and inhibitory neurotransmission

The endogenous neuropeptide galanin is ubiquitously expressed throughout the mammalian brain. Through the galanin receptors GalR1-3, galanin has been demonstrated to modulate both glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission, and this appears to be important in epilepsy and seizure activity. Accordingly, galanin analogues are likely to provide a new approach to seizure management. However, since peptides are generally poor candidates for therapeutic agents due to their poor metabolic stability and low brain bioavailability, a search for alternative strategies for the development of galanin-based anti-convulsant drugs was prompted. Based on this, a rationally designed GalR1 preferring galanin analogue, NAX-5055, was synthesized. This compound demonstrates anti-convulsant actions in several animal models of epilepsy. However, the alterations at the cellular level leading to this anti-convulsant action of NAX-5055 are not known. Here we investigate the action of NAX-5055 at the cellular level by determining its effects on excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission, i.e. vesicular release of glutamate and GABA, respectively, in cerebellar, neocortical and hippocampal preparations. In addition, its effects on cell viability and neurotransmitter transporter capacity were examined to evaluate potential cell toxicity mediated by NAX-5055. It was found that vesicular release of glutamate was reduced concentration-dependently by NAX-5055 in the range from 0.1 to 1000 nM. Moreover, exposure to 1 μM NAX-5055 led to a reduction in the extracellular level of glutamate and an elevation of the extracellular level of GABA. Altogether these findings may at least partly explain the anti-convulsant effect of NAX-5055 observed in vivo.

Epac2 Mediates cAMP-Dependent Potentiation of Neurotransmission in the Hippocampus

Presynaptic terminal cAMP elevation plays a central role in plasticity at the mossy fiber-CA3 synapse of the hippocampus. Prior studies have identified protein kinase A as a downstream effector of cAMP that contributes to mossy fiber LTP (MF-LTP), but the potential contribution of Epac2, another cAMP effector expressed in the MF synapse, has not been considered. We investigated the role of Epac2 in MF-CA3 neurotransmission using Epac2(-/-) mice. The deletion of Epac2 did not cause gross alterations in hippocampal neuroanatomy or basal synaptic transmission. Synaptic facilitation during short trains was not affected by loss of Epac2 activity; however, both long-term plasticity and forskolin-mediated potentiation of MFs were impaired, demonstrating that Epac2 contributes to cAMP-dependent potentiation of transmitter release. Examination of synaptic transmission during long sustained trains of activity suggested that the readily releasable pool of vesicles is reduced in Epac2(-/-) mice. These data suggest that cAMP elevation uses an Epac2-dependent pathway to promote transmitter release, and that Epac2 is required to maintain the readily releasable pool at MF synapses in the hippocampus.

A Combined Optogenetic-Knockdown Strategy Reveals a Major Role of Tomosyn in Mossy Fiber Synaptic Plasticity

Neurotransmitter release probability (P(r)) largely determines the dynamic properties of synapses. While much is known about the role of presynaptic proteins in transmitter release, their specific contribution to synaptic plasticity is unclear. One such protein, tomosyn, is believed to reduce P(r) by interfering with the SNARE complex formation. Tomosyn is enriched at hippocampal mossy fiber-to-CA3 pyramidal cell synapses (MF-CA3), which characteristically exhibit low P(r), strong synaptic facilitation, and pre-synaptic protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP). To evaluate tomosyn's role in MF-CA3 function, we used a combined knockdown (KD)-optogenetic strategy whereby presynaptic neurons with reduced tomosyn levels were selectively activated by light. Using this approach in mouse hippocampal slices, we found that facilitation, LTP, and PKA-induced potentiation were significantly impaired at tomosyn-deficient synapses. These findings not only indicate that tomosyn is a key regulator of MF-CA3 plasticity but also highlight the power of a combined KD-optogenetic approach to determine the role of presynaptic proteins.

The ubiquitous nature of multivesicular release

'Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability' (E.W. Dijkstra [1]) Presynaptic action potentials trigger the fusion of vesicles to release neurotransmitter onto postsynaptic neurons. Each release site was originally thought to liberate at most one vesicle per action potential in a probabilistic fashion, rendering synaptic transmission unreliable. However, the simultaneous release of several vesicles, or multivesicular release (MVR), represents a simple mechanism to overcome the intrinsic unreliability of synaptic transmission. MVR was initially identified at specialized synapses but is now known to be common throughout the brain. MVR determines the temporal and spatial dispersion of transmitter, controls the extent of receptor activation, and contributes to adapting synaptic strength during plasticity and neuromodulation. MVR consequently represents a widespread mechanism that extends the dynamic range of synaptic processing.

Vesicles derived via AP-3-dependent recycling contribute to asynchronous release and influence information transfer

Action potentials trigger synchronous and asynchronous neurotransmitter release. Temporal properties of both types of release could be altered in an activity-dependent manner. While the effects of activity-dependent changes in synchronous release on postsynaptic signal integration have been studied, the contribution of asynchronous release to information transfer during natural stimulus patterns is unknown. Here we find that during trains of stimulations, asynchronous release contributes to the precision of action potential firing. Our data show that this form of release is selectively diminished in AP-3b2 KO animals, which lack functional neuronal AP-3, an adaptor protein regulating vesicle formation from endosomes generated during bulk endocytosis. We find that in the absence of neuronal AP-3, asynchronous release is attenuated and the activity-dependent increase in the precision of action potential timing is compromised. Lack of asynchronous release decreases the capacity of synaptic information transfer and renders synaptic communication less reliable in response to natural stimulus patterns.

Interplay between synchronization of multivesicular release and recruitment of additional release sites support short-term facilitation at hippocampal mossy fiber to CA3 pyramidal cells synapses

Synaptic short-term plasticity is a key regulator of neuronal communication and is controlled via various mechanisms. A well established property of mossy fiber to CA3 pyramidal cell synapses is the extensive short-term facilitation during high-frequency bursts. We investigated the mechanisms governing facilitation using a combination of whole-cell electrophysiological recordings, electrical minimal stimulation, and random-access two-photon microscopy in acute mouse hippocampal slices. Two distinct presynaptic mechanisms were involved in short-term facilitation, with their relative contribution dependent on extracellular calcium concentration. The synchronization of multivesicular release was observed during trains of facilitating EPSCs recorded in 1.2 mM external Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)]e). Indeed, covariance analysis revealed a gradual augmentation in quantal size during trains of EPSCs, and application of the low-affinity glutamate receptor antagonist γ-D-glutamylglycine showed an increase in cleft glutamate concentration during paired-pulse stimulation. Whereas synchronization of multivesicular release contributed to the facilitation in 1.2 mM [Ca(2+)]e, variance-mean analysis showed that recruitment of more release sites (N) was likely to account for the larger facilitation observed in 2.5 mM [Ca(2+)]e. Furthermore, this increase in N could be promoted by calcium microdomains of heterogeneous amplitudes observed in single mossy fiber boutons. Our findings suggest that the combination of multivesicular release and the recruitment of additional release sites act together to increase glutamate release during burst activity. This is supported by the compartmentalized spatial profile of calcium elevations in boutons and helps to expand the dynamic range of mossy fibers information transfer.

Direct excitation of parvalbumin-positive interneurons by M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors: roles in cellular excitability, inhibitory transmission and cognition

Parvalbumin-containing (PV) neurons, a major class of GABAergic interneurons, are essential circuit elements of learning networks. As levels of acetylcholine rise during active learning tasks, PV neurons become increasingly engaged in network dynamics. Conversely, impairment of either cholinergic or PV interneuron function induces learning deficits. Here, we examined PV interneurons in hippocampus (HC) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) and their modulation by muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs). HC PV cells, visualized by crossing PV-CRE mice with Rosa26YFP mice, were anatomically identified as basket cells and PV bistratified cells in the stratum pyramidale; in stratum oriens, HC PV cells were electrophysiologically distinct from somatostatin-containing cells. With glutamatergic transmission pharmacologically blocked, mAChR activation enhanced PV cell excitability in both CA1 HC and PFC; however, CA1 HC PV cells exhibited a stronger postsynaptic depolarization than PFC PV cells. To delete M1 mAChRs genetically from PV interneurons, we created PV-M1 knockout mice by crossing PV-CRE and floxed M1 mice. The elimination of M1 mAChRs from PV cells diminished M1 mAChR immunoreactivity and muscarinic excitation of HC PV cells. Selective cholinergic activation of HC PV interneurons using Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs technology enhanced the frequency and amplitude of inhibitory synaptic currents in CA1 pyramidal cells. Finally, relative to wild-type controls, PV-M1 knockout mice exhibited impaired novel object recognition and, to a lesser extent, impaired spatial working memory, but reference memory remained intact. Therefore, the direct activation of M1 mAChRs on PV cells contributes to some forms of learning and memory.

Dendritic inhibition provided by interneuron-specific cells controls the firing rate and timing of the hippocampal feedback inhibitory circuitry

In cortical networks, different types of inhibitory interneurons control the activity of glutamatergic principal cells and GABAergic interneurons. Principal neurons represent the major postsynaptic target of most interneurons; however, a population of interneurons that is dedicated to the selective innervation of GABAergic cells exists in the CA1 area of the hippocampus. The physiological properties of these cells and their functional relevance for network computations remain unknown. Here, we used a combination of dual simultaneous patch-clamp recordings and targeted optogenetic stimulation in acute mouse hippocampal slices to examine how one class of interneuron-specific (IS) cells controls the activity of its GABAergic targets. We found that type 3 IS (IS3) cells that coexpress the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and calretinin contact several distinct types of interneurons within the hippocampal CA1 stratum oriens/alveus (O/A), with preferential innervation of oriens-lacunosum moleculare cells (OLMs) through dendritic synapses. In contrast, VIP-positive basket cells provided perisomatic inhibition to CA1 pyramidal neurons with the asynchronous GABA release and were not connected with O/A interneurons. Furthermore, unitary IPSCs recorded at IS3-OLM synapses had a small amplitude and low release probability but summated efficiently during high-frequency firing of IS3 interneurons. Moreover, the synchronous generation of a single spike in several IS cells that converged onto a single OLM controlled the firing rate and timing of OLM interneurons. Therefore, dendritic inhibition originating from IS cells is needed for the flexible activity-dependent recruitment of OLM interneurons for feedback inhibition.

Information processing and synaptic plasticity at hippocampal mossy fiber terminals

Granule cells of the dentate gyrus receive cortical information and they transform and transmit this code to the CA3 area via their axons, the mossy fibers (MFs). Structural and functional complexity of this network has been extensively studied at various organizational levels. This review is focused on the anatomical and physiological properties of the MF system. We will discuss the mechanism by which dentate granule cells process signals from single action potentials (APs), short bursts and longer stimuli. Various parameters of synaptic interactions at different target cells such as quantal transmission, short- and long-term plasticity (LTP) will be summarized. Different types of synaptic contacts formed by MFs have unique sets of rules for information processing during different rates of granule cell activity. We will investigate the complex interactions between key determinants of information transfer between the dentate gyrus and the CA3 area of the hippocampus.

Distinct dendritic arborization and in vivo firing patterns of parvalbumin-expressing basket cells in the hippocampal area CA3

Hippocampal CA3 area generates temporally structured network activity such as sharp waves and gamma and theta oscillations. Parvalbumin-expressing basket cells, making GABAergic synapses onto cell bodies and proximal dendrites of pyramidal cells, control pyramidal cell activity and participate in network oscillations in slice preparations, but their roles in vivo remain to be tested. We have recorded the spike timing of parvalbumin-expressing basket cells in areas CA2/3 of anesthetized rats in relation to CA3 putative pyramidal cell firing and activity locally and in area CA1. During theta oscillations, CA2/3 basket cells fired on the same phase as putative pyramidal cells, but, surprisingly, significantly later than downstream CA1 basket cells. This indicates a distinct modulation of CA3 and CA1 pyramidal cells by basket cells, which receive different inputs. We observed unexpectedly large dendritic arborization of CA2/3 basket cells in stratum lacunosum moleculare (33% of length, 29% surface, and 24% synaptic input from a total of ∼35,000), different from the dendritic arborizations of CA1 basket cells. Area CA2/3 basket cells fired phase locked to both CA2/3 and CA1 gamma oscillations, and increased firing during CA1 sharp waves, thus supporting the role of CA3 networks in the generation of gamma oscillations and sharp waves. However, during ripples associated with sharp waves, firing of CA2/3 basket cells was phase locked only to local but not CA1 ripples, suggesting the independent generation of fast oscillations by basket cells in CA1 and CA2/3. The distinct spike timing of basket cells during oscillations in CA1 and CA2/3 suggests differences in synaptic inputs paralleled by differences in dendritic arborizations.

Influence of slow oscillation on hippocampal activity and ripples through cortico-hippocampal synaptic interactions, analyzed by a cortical-CA3-CA1 network model

Hippocampal sharp wave-ripple complexes (SWRs) involve the synchronous discharge of thousands of cells throughout the CA3-CA1-subiculum-entorhinal cortex axis. Their strong transient output affects cortical targets, rendering SWRs a possible means for memory transfer from the hippocampus to the neocortex for long-term storage. Neurophysiological observations of hippocampal activity modulation by the cortical slow oscillation (SO) during deep sleep and anesthesia, and correlations between ripples and UP states, support the role of SWRs in memory consolidation through a cortico-hippocampal feedback loop. We couple a cortical network exhibiting SO with a hippocampal CA3-CA1 computational network model exhibiting SWRs, in order to model such cortico-hippocampal correlations and uncover important parameters and coupling mechanisms controlling them. The cortical oscillatory output entrains the CA3 network via connections representing the mossy fiber input, and the CA1 network via the temporoammonic pathway (TA). The spiking activity in CA3 and CA1 is shown to depend on the excitation-to-inhibition ratio, induced by combining the two hippocampal inputs, with mossy fiber input controlling the UP-state correlation of CA3 population bursts and corresponding SWRs, whereas the temporoammonic input affects the overall CA1 spiking activity. Ripple characteristics and pyramidal spiking participation to SWRs are shaped by the strength of the Schaffer collateral drive. A set of in vivo recordings from the rat hippocampus confirms a model-predicted segregation of pyramidal cells into subgroups according to the SO state where they preferentially fire and their response to SWRs. These groups can potentially play distinct functional roles in the replay of spike sequences.

Hippocampal and cerebellar mossy fibre boutons - same name, different function

Over a century ago, the Spanish anatomist Ramón y Cajal described 'mossy fibres' in the hippocampus and the cerebellum, which contain several presynaptic boutons. Technical improvements in recent decades have allowed direct patch-clamp recordings from both hippocampal and cerebellar mossy fibre boutons (hMFBs and cMFBs, respectively), making them ideal models to study fundamental properties of synaptic transmission. hMFBs and cMFBs have similar size and shape, but each hMFB contacts one postsynaptic hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neuron, while each cMFB contacts ∼50 cerebellar granule cells. Furthermore, hMFBs and cMFBs differ in terms of their functional specialization. At hMFBs, a large number of release-ready vesicles and low release probability (<0.1) contribute to marked synaptic facilitation. At cMFBs, a small number of release-ready vesicles, high release probability (∼0.5) and rapid vesicle reloading result in moderate frequency-dependent synaptic depression. These presynaptic mechanisms, in combination with faster postsynaptic currents of cerebellar granule cells compared with hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons, enable much higher transmission frequencies at cMFB compared with hMFB synapses. Analysing the underling mechanisms of synaptic transmission and information processing represents a fascinating challenge and may reveal insights into the structure-function relationship of the human brain.

Deficits in morphofunctional maturation of hippocampal mossy fiber synapses in a mouse model of intellectual disability

The grik2 gene, coding for the kainate receptor subunit GluK2 (formerly GluR6), is associated with autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disability. Here, we tested the hypothesis that GluK2 could play a role in the appropriate maturation of synaptic circuits involved in learning and memory. We show that both the functional and morphological maturation of hippocampal mossy fiber to CA3 pyramidal cell (mf-CA3) synapses is delayed in mice deficient for the GluK2 subunit (GluK2⁻/⁻). In GluK2⁻/⁻ mice this deficit is manifested by a transient reduction in the amplitude of AMPA-EPSCs at a critical time point of postnatal development, whereas the NMDA component is spared. By combining multiple probability peak fluctuation analysis and immunohistochemistry, we have provided evidence that the decreased amplitude reflects a decrease in the quantal size per mf-CA3 synapse and in the number of active synaptic sites. Furthermore, we analyzed the time course of structural maturation of CA3 synapses by confocal imaging of YFP-expressing cells followed by tridimensional (3D) anatomical reconstruction of thorny excrescences and presynaptic boutons. We show that major changes in synaptic structures occur subsequently to the sharp increase in synaptic transmission, and more importantly that the course of structural maturation of synaptic elements is impaired in GluK2⁻/⁻ mice. This study highlights how a mutation in a gene linked to intellectual disability in the human may lead to a transient reduction of synaptic strength during postnatal development, impacting on the proper formation of neural circuits linked to memory.

Are unreliable release mechanisms conserved from NMJ to CNS?

The frog neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a strong and reliable synapse because, during activation, sufficient neurotransmitter is released to trigger a postsynaptic action potential (AP). Recent evidence supports the hypothesis that this reliability emerges from the assembly of thousands of unreliable single vesicle release sites. The mechanisms that govern this unreliability include a paucity of voltage-gated calcium channels, a low probability of calcium channel opening during an AP, and the rare triggering of synaptic vesicle fusion even when a calcium channel does open and allows calcium flux. Here, we discuss the evidence that these unreliable single vesicle release sites may be the fundamental building blocks of many types of synapses in both the peripheral and central nervous system (PNS and CNS, respectively).

High affinity group III mGluRs regulate mossy fiber input to CA3 interneurons

Stratum lacunosum-moleculare interneurons (L-Mi) in hippocampal area CA3 target the apical dendrite of pyramidal cells providing feedforward inhibition. Here we report that selective activation of group III metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) 4/8 with L(+)-2-amino-4-phosphnobytyric acid (L-AP4; 10 μM) decreased the probability of glutamate release from the mossy fiber (MF) terminals synapsing onto L-Mi. Consistent with this interpretation, application of L-AP4 in the presence of 3 mM strontium decreased the frequency of asynchronous MF EPSCs in L-Mi. Furthermore, the dose response curve showed that L-AP4 at 400 μM produced no further decrease in MF EPSC amplitude compared with 20 μM L-AP4, indicating the lack of mGluRs 7 at these MF terminals. We also found that one mechanism of mGluRs 4/8-mediated inhibition of release is linked to N-type voltage gated calcium channels at MF terminals. Application of the group III mGluR antagonist MSOP (100 μM) demonstrated that mGluRs 4/8 are neither tonically active nor activated by low and moderate frequencies of activity. However, trains of stimuli to the MF at 20 and 40 Hz delivered during the application of MSOP revealed a relief of inhibition of transmitter release and an increase in the overall probability of action potential firing in the postsynaptic L-Mi. Interestingly, the time to first action potential was significantly shorter in the presence of MSOP, indicating that mGluR 4/8 activation delays L-Mi firing in response to MF activity. Taken together, our data demonstrate that the timing and probability of action potentials in L-Mi evoked by MF synaptic input is regulated by the activation of presynaptic high affinity group III mGluRs.

Nitric oxide is an activity-dependent regulator of target neuron intrinsic excitability

Activity-dependent changes in synaptic strength are well established as mediating long-term plasticity underlying learning and memory, but modulation of target neuron excitability could complement changes in synaptic strength and regulate network activity. It is thought that homeostatic mechanisms match intrinsic excitability to the incoming synaptic drive, but evidence for involvement of voltage-gated conductances is sparse. Here, we show that glutamatergic synaptic activity modulates target neuron excitability and switches the basis of action potential repolarization from Kv3 to Kv2 potassium channel dominance, thereby adjusting neuronal signaling between low and high activity states, respectively. This nitric oxide-mediated signaling dramatically increases Kv2 currents in both the auditory brain stem and hippocampus (>3-fold) transforming synaptic integration and information transmission but with only modest changes in action potential waveform. We conclude that nitric oxide is a homeostatic regulator, tuning neuronal excitability to the recent history of excitatory synaptic inputs over intervals of minutes to hours.

Properties and functional implications of I (h) in hippocampal area CA3 interneurons

The present study examines the biophysical properties and functional implications of I (h) in hippocampal area CA3 interneurons with somata in strata radiatum and lacunosum-moleculare. Characterization studies showed a small maximum h-conductance (2.6 ± 0.3 nS, n = 11), shallow voltage dependence with a hyperpolarized half-maximal activation (V (1/2) = -91 mV), and kinetics characterized by double-exponential functions. The functional consequences of I (h) were examined with regard to temporal summation and impedance measurements. For temporal summation experiments, 5-pulse mossy fiber input trains were activated. Blocking I (h) with 50 μM ZD7288 resulted in an increase in temporal summation, suggesting that I (h) supports sensitivity of response amplitude to relative input timing. Impedance was assessed by applying sinusoidal current commands. From impedance measurements, we found that I (h) did not confer theta-band resonance, but flattened the impedance-frequency relations instead. Double immunolabeling for hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated proteins and glutamate decarboxylase 67 suggests that all four subunits are present in GABAergic interneurons from the strata considered for electrophysiological studies. Finally, a model of I (h) was employed in computational analyses to confirm and elaborate upon the contributions of I (h) to impedance and temporal summation.

Computational investigation of the changing patterns of subtype specific NMDA receptor activation during physiological glutamatergic neurotransmission

NMDA receptors (NMDARs) are the major mediator of the postsynaptic response during synaptic neurotransmission. The diversity of roles for NMDARs in influencing synaptic plasticity and neuronal survival is often linked to selective activation of multiple NMDAR subtypes (NR1/NR2A-NMDARs, NR1/NR2B-NMDARs, and triheteromeric NR1/NR2A/NR2B-NMDARs). However, the lack of available pharmacological tools to block specific NMDAR populations leads to debates on the potential role for each NMDAR subtype in physiological signaling, including different models of synaptic plasticity. Here, we developed a computational model of glutamatergic signaling at a prototypical dendritic spine to examine the patterns of NMDAR subtype activation at temporal and spatial resolutions that are difficult to obtain experimentally. We demonstrate that NMDAR subtypes have different dynamic ranges of activation, with NR1/NR2A-NMDAR activation sensitive at univesicular glutamate release conditions, and NR2B containing NMDARs contributing at conditions of multivesicular release. We further show that NR1/NR2A-NMDAR signaling dominates in conditions simulating long-term depression (LTD), while the contribution of NR2B containing NMDAR significantly increases for stimulation frequencies that approximate long-term potentiation (LTP). Finally, we show that NR1/NR2A-NMDAR content significantly enhances response magnitude and fidelity at single synapses during chemical LTP and spike timed dependent plasticity induction, pointing out an important developmental switch in synaptic maturation. Together, our model suggests that NMDAR subtypes are differentially activated during different types of physiological glutamatergic signaling, enhancing the ability for individual spines to produce unique responses to these different inputs.

Release of glutamate from one neuron onto glutamate receptors on adjacent neurons serves as the primary basis for neuronal communication. Further, different types of glutamate signals produce unique responses within the neuronal network, providing the ability for glutamate receptors to discriminate between alternative types of signaling. The NMDA receptor (NMDAR) is a glutamate receptor that mediates a variety of physiological functions, including the molecular basis for learning and memory. These receptors exist as a variety of subtypes, and this molecular heterogeneity is used to explain the diversity in signaling initiated by NMDARs. However, the lack of reliable experimental tools to control the activation of each subtype has led to debate over the subtype specific roles of the NMDAR. We have developed a stochastic model of glutamate receptor activation at a single synapse and find that NMDAR subtypes detect different types of glutamate signals. Moreover, the presence of multiple populations of NMDAR subtypes on a given neuron allows for differential patterns of NMDAR activation in response to varied glutamate inputs. This model demonstrates how NMDAR subtypes enable effective and reliable communication within neuronal networks and can be used as a tool to examine specific roles of NMDAR subtypes in neuronal function.

mGluRs modulate strength and timing of excitatory transmission in hippocampal area CA3

Excitatory transmission within hippocampal area CA3 stems from three major glutamatergic pathways: the perforant path formed by axons of layer II stellate cells in the entorhinal cortex, the mossy fiber axons originating from the dentate gyrus granule cells, and the recurrent axon collaterals of CA3 pyramidal cells. The synaptic communication of each of these pathways is modulated by metabotropic glutamate receptors that fine-tune the signal by affecting both the timing and strength of the connection. Within area CA3 of the hippocampus, group I mGluRs (mGluR1 and mGluR5) are expressed postsynaptically, whereas group II (mGluR2 and mGluR3) and III mGluRs (mGluR4, mGluR7, and mGluR8) are expressed presynaptically. Receptors from each group have been demonstrated to be required for different forms of pre- and postsynaptic long-term plasticity and also have been implicated in regulating short-term plasticity. A recent observation has demonstrated that a presynaptically expressed mGluR can affect the timing of action potentials elicited in the postsynaptic target. Interestingly, mGluRs can be distributed in a target-specific manner, such that synaptic input from one presynaptic neuron can be modulated by different receptors at each of its postsynaptic targets. Consequently, mGluRs provide a mechanism for synaptic specialization of glutamatergic transmission in the hippocampus. This review will highlight the variability in mGluR modulation of excitatory transmission within area CA3 with an emphasis on how these receptors contribute to the strength and timing of network activity within pyramidal cells and interneurons.

Network hyperexcitability in hippocampal slices from Mecp2 mutant mice revealed by voltage-sensitive dye imaging

Dysfunctions of neuronal and network excitability have emerged as common features in disorders associated with intellectual disabilities, autism, and seizure activity, all common clinical manifestations of Rett syndrome (RTT), a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by loss-of-function mutations in the transcriptional regulator methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2). Here, we evaluated the consequences of Mecp2 mutation on hippocampal network excitability, as well as synapse structure and function using a combination of imaging and electrophysiological approaches in acute slices. Imaging the amplitude and spatiotemporal spread of neuronal depolarizations with voltage-sensitive dyes (VSD) revealed that the CA1 and CA3 regions of hippocampal slices from symptomatic male Mecp2 mutant mice are highly hyperexcitable. However, only the density of docked synaptic vesicles and the rate of release from the readily releasable pool are impaired in Mecp2 mutant mice, while synapse density and morphology are unaffected. The differences in network excitability were not observed in surgically isolated CA1 minislices, and blockade of GABAergic inhibition enhanced VSD signals to the same extent in Mecp2 mutant and wild-type mice, suggesting that network excitability originates in area CA3. Indeed, extracellular multiunit recordings revealed a higher level of spontaneous firing of CA3 pyramidal neurons in slices from symptomatic Mecp2 mutant mice. The neuromodulator adenosine reduced the amplitude and spatiotemporal spread of VSD signals evoked in CA1 of Mecp2 mutant slices to wild-type levels, suggesting its potential use as an anticonvulsant in RTT individuals. The present results suggest that hyperactive CA3 pyramidal neurons contribute to hippocampal dysfunction and possibly to limbic seizures observed in Mecp2 mutant mice and RTT individuals.

Multiple forms of long-term synaptic plasticity at hippocampal mossy fiber synapses on interneurons

The hippocampal mossy fiber (MF) pathway originates from the dentate gyrus granule cells and provides a powerful excitatory synaptic drive to neurons in the dentate gyrus hilus and area CA3. Much of the early work on the MF pathway focused on its electrophysiological properties, and ability to drive CA3 pyramidal cell activity. Over the last ten years, however, a new focus on the synaptic interaction between granule cells and inhibitory interneurons has emerged. These data have revealed an immense heterogeneity of long-term plasticity at MF synapses on various interneuron targets. Interestingly, these studies also indicate that the mechanisms of MF long-term plasticity in some interneuron subtypes may be more similar to pyramidal cells than previously appreciated. In this review, we first define the synapse types at each of the interneuron targets based on the receptors present. We then describe the different forms of long-term plasticity observed, and the mechanisms underlying each form as they are currently understood. Finally we highlight various open questions surrounding MF long-term plasticity in interneurons, focusing specifically on the induction and maintenance of LTP, and what the functional impact of persistent changes in efficacy at MF-interneuron synapses might be on the emergent properties of the inhibitory network dynamics in area CA3. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Synaptic Plasticity & Interneurons'.

Short- and long-lasting consequences of in vivo nicotine treatment on hippocampal excitability

The potential for relapse following cessation of drug use can last for years, implying the induction of stable changes in neural circuitry. In hippocampal slices from rats treated with nicotine for 1 week, withdrawal from nicotine in vivo produces an increase in CA1 pyramidal cell excitability that persists up to 9 months. Immediately upon drug cessation, the enhanced excitability depends on input from regions upstream of CA1, while the long-term excitability change (> 4 weeks) is expressed as an increase in the intrinsic excitability of CA1 neurons. Re-exposure to nicotine in vitro restores hippocampal function to control levels via activation of high-affinity nicotinic acetylcholine receptors after 1 d of withdrawal, but not at times >4 weeks. Thus, nicotine in vivo first induces homeostatic adaptations followed by other more robust neural changes. These mechanisms may contribute to hippocampal localized cue-motivated reinstatement of drug-seeking and/or cognitive deficits observed during withdrawal.

Passive and active shaping of unitary responses from associational/commissural and perforant path synapses in hippocampal CA3 pyramidal cells

Although associational/commissural (A/C) and perforant path (PP) inputs to CA3b pyramidal cells play a central role in hippocampal mnemonic functions, the active and passive processes that shape A/C and PP AMPA and NMDA receptor-mediated unitary EPSP/EPSC (AMPA and NMDA uEPSP/uEPSC) have not been fully characterized yet. Here we find no differences in somatic amplitude between A/C and PP for either AMPA or NMDA uEPSPs. However, larger AMPA uEPSCs were evoked from proximal than from distal A/C or PP. Given the space-clamp constraints in CA3 pyramidal cells, these voltage clamp data suggest that the location-independence of A/C and PP AMPA uEPSP amplitudes is achieved in part through the activation of voltage dependent conductances at or near the soma. Moreover, similarity in uEPSC amplitudes for distal A/C and PP points to the additional participation of unclamped active conductances. Indeed, the pharmacological blockade of voltage-dependent conductances eliminates the location-independence of these inputs. In contrast, the location-independence of A/C and PP NMDA uEPSP/uEPSC amplitudes is maintained across all conditions indicating that propagation is not affected by active membrane processes. The location-independence for A/C uEPSP amplitudes may be relevant in the recruitment of CA3 pyramidal cells by other CA3 pyramidal cells. These data also suggest that PP excitation represents a significant input to CA3 pyramidal cells. Implication of the passive data on local synaptic properties is further investigated in the companion paper with a detailed computational model.

Control of CA3 output by feedforward inhibition despite developmental changes in the excitation-inhibition balance

In somatosensory cortex, the relative balance of excitation and inhibition determines how effectively feedforward inhibition enforces the temporal fidelity of action potentials. Within the CA3 region of the hippocampus, glutamatergic mossy fiber (MF) synapses onto CA3 pyramidal cells (PCs) provide strong monosynaptic excitation that exhibit prominent facilitation during repetitive activity. We demonstrate in the juvenile CA3 that MF-driven polysynaptic IPSCs facilitate to maintain a fixed EPSC-IPSC ratio during short-term plasticity. In contrast, in young adult mice this MF-driven polysynaptic inhibitory input can facilitate or depress in response to short trains of activity. Transgenic mice lacking the feedback inhibitory loop continue to exhibit both facilitating and depressing polysynaptic IPSCs, indicating that this robust inhibition is not caused by the secondary engagement of feedback inhibition. Surprisingly, eliminating MF-driven inhibition onto CA3 pyramidal cells by blockade of GABA(A) receptors did not lead to a loss of temporal precision of the first action potential observed after a stimulus but triggered in many cases a long excitatory plateau potential capable of triggering repetitive action potential firing. These observations indicate that, unlike other regions of the brain, the temporal precision of single MF-driven action potentials is dictated primarily by the kinetics of MF EPSPs, not feedforward inhibition. Instead, feedforward inhibition provides a robust regulation of CA3 PC excitability across development to prevent excessive depolarization by the monosynaptic EPSP and multiple action potential firings.

Modelling vesicular release at hippocampal synapses

We study local calcium dynamics leading to a vesicle fusion in a stochastic, and spatially explicit, biophysical model of the CA3-CA1 presynaptic bouton. The kinetic model for vesicle release has two calcium sensors, a sensor for fast synchronous release that lasts a few tens of milliseconds and a separate sensor for slow asynchronous release that lasts a few hundred milliseconds. A wide range of data can be accounted for consistently only when a refractory period lasting a few milliseconds between releases is included. The inclusion of a second sensor for asynchronous release with a slow unbinding site, and thereby a long memory, affects short-term plasticity by facilitating release. Our simulations also reveal a third time scale of vesicle release that is correlated with the stimulus and is distinct from the fast and the slow releases. In these detailed Monte Carlo simulations all three time scales of vesicle release are insensitive to the spatial details of the synaptic ultrastructure. Furthermore, our simulations allow us to identify features of synaptic transmission that are universal and those that are modulated by structure.

Chemical synaptic transmission in neurons takes place when a neurotransmitter released from a nerve terminal of the presynaptic neuron signals to the postsynaptic neuron that an event has occurred. The goal of our research was to model the release at a type of synapse found in the hippocampus, a part of the brain that is involved with learning and memory. The synapse model was simulated in a computer that kept track of all of the important molecules in the nerve terminal. The model led to a better understanding of the extant experimental data including exact conditions that lead to the release of a single packet of neurotransmitter. According to our model, the release of more than one packet can be triggered by a single presynaptic event but the packets are released one at a time. Furthermore, we uncovered the mechanisms underlying an extremely fast form of release that had not been previously studied. The model made predictions for other properties of the synapse that can be tested experimentally. A better understanding of how the normal synapses in the hippocampus work will help us to better understand what goes wrong with synapses in mental disorders such as depression and schizophrenia.