Cell type-specific synaptic dynamics of synchronized bursting in the juvenile CA3 rat hippocampus

Kainate receptors modulate the microstructure of synchrony during dentate gyrus epileptiform activity

Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE) is the most common form of epilepsy in adults. In TLE, recurrent mossy fiber (rMF) sprouting from dentate gyrus granule cells (DGCs) forms an aberrant epileptogenic network between dentate granule cells (DGCs) that operates via ectopically expressed kainate receptors (KARs). It was previously shown that KARs expressed at the rMF-DGC synapses play a prominent role in epileptiform network events in TLE. However, it is not well understood how KARs influence neuronal network dynamics and contribute to the generation of epileptiform network activity in the dentate gyrus. To address this question, we monitored the activity of DGCs using single-cell resolution calcium imaging performed in a reliable in vitro model of TLE. Under our experimental conditions, the most prominent DGC activity patterns were interictal-like epileptiform network events, which were correlated with high levels of neuronal synchronization. The pharmacological blockade of KARs reduced the frequency as well as the number of neurons involved in these events, without altering their spatiotemporal dynamics. Analysis of the microstructure of synchrony showed that blockade of KARs diminished the fraction of neurons forming the main functional cluster. Therefore, we propose that KARs act as modulators in the epileptic network by facilitating the recruitment of neurons into coactive cell assemblies, thereby contributing to the occurrence of epileptiform network events.

Neural plasticity and network remodeling: From concepts to pathology

Neuroplasticity has been subject to a great deal of research in the last century. Recently, significant emphasis has been placed on the global effect of localized plastic changes throughout the central nervous system, and on how these changes integrate in a pathological context. Specifically, alterations of network functionality have been described in various pathological contexts to which corresponding structural alterations have been proposed. However, considering the amount of literature and the different pathological contexts, an integration of this information is still lacking. In this paper we will review the concepts of neural plasticity as well as their repercussions on network remodeling and provide a possible explanation to how these two concepts relate to each other. We will further examine how alterations in different pathological contexts may relate to each other and will discuss the concept of plasticity diseases, its models and implications.

Modulation of synchronous sympathetic firing behaviors by endogenous GABA(A) and glycine receptor-mediated activities in the neonatal rat spinal cord in vitro

Delivering effective commands in the nervous systems require a temporal integration of neural activities such as synchronous firing. Although sympathetic nerve discharges are characterized by synchronous firing, its temporal structures and how it is modulated are largely unknown. This study used a collagenase-dissociated splanchnic sympathetic nerve-thoracic spinal cord preparation of neonatal rats in vitro as an experimental model. Several single-fiber activities were recorded simultaneously and verified by rigorous computational algorithms. Among 3763 fiber pairs that had spontaneous fiber activities, 382 fiber pairs had firing positively correlated. Their temporal relationship was quantitatively evaluated by cross-correlogram. On average, correlated firing in a fiber pair occurred in scales of ∼40ms lasting for ∼11ms. The relative frequency distribution curves of correlogram parametrical values pertinent to the temporal features were best described by trimodal Gaussians, suggesting a correlated firing originated from three or less sources. Applications of bicuculline or gabazine (noncompetitive or competitive GABA(A) receptor antagonist) and/or strychnine (noncompetitive glycine receptor antagonist) increased, decreased, or did not change individual fiber activities. Antagonist-induced enhancement and attenuation of correlated firing were demonstrated by a respective increase and decrease of the peak probability of the cross-correlograms. Heterogeneity in antagonistic responses suggests that the inhibitory neurotransmission mediated by GABA(A) and glycine receptors is not essential for but can serve as a neural substrate to modulate synchronous firing behaviors. Plausible neural mechanisms were proposed to explain the temporal structures of correlated firing between sympathetic fibers.

Aberrant regulation of synchronous network activity by the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder-associated human dopamine D4 receptor variant D4.7 in the prefrontal cortex

KEY POINTS

The hD4.7 variant has been linked to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); however, the underlying mechanism is unknown. We found that activation of hD4.7 induced over-suppression of glutamatergic excitatory network bursts and under-suppression of GABAergic inhibitory network bursts in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) circuitry. Methylphenidate, a psychostimulant drug used to treat ADHD, normalized the effects of hD4.7 on synchronous network bursts in PFC pyramidal neurons. The findings of the present study suggest that the aberrant regulation of PFC synchronous network activity by hD4.7 may underlie its involvement in ADHD. A unique feature of the human D4 receptor (hD4 R) gene is the existence of a large number of polymorphisms in exon 3 coding for the third intracellular loop, which consists of a variable number of tandem repeats. The hD4 R variants with long repeats have been linked to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); however, the underlying mechanism is unknown. Emerging evidence suggests that selective attention is controlled by the rhythmic synchronization in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and its connected networks. In the present study, we examined the role of hD4 R variants in regulating PFC synchronous network activity. D4 R knockout mice with viral infection of hD4.4 or hD4.7 in the medial PFC were used. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed to examine the effects of activating hD4.x on the spontaneous large scale correlated activity in PFC pyramidal neurons. We found that, compared to the normal four-repeat variant hD4.4, the ADHD-linked variant hD4.7 induces more suppression of glutamatergic excitatory network bursts and less suppression of GABAergic inhibitory network bursts in the PFC circuitry. Methylphenidate, a psychostimulant drug used to treat ADHD, normalized the effects of hD4.7 on synchronous network bursts in PFC pyramidal neurons. These results reveal the differential effects of hD4 R variants on the integrated excitability of PFC circuits. It is suggested that the aberrant regulation of PFC network activity by hD4.7 may underlie its involvement in ADHD. The methylphenidate-induced normalization of synaptic circuitry regulation may contribute to its effectiveness in ADHD treatment.

Emergence of spatial behavioral function and associated mossy fiber connectivity and c-Fos labeling patterns in the hippocampus of rats

Improvement on spatial tasks is observed during a late, postnatal developmental period (PND18 – PND24).  The purpose of the current work was 1) to determine whether the emergence of spatial-behavioral function was based on the ability to generate appropriate behavioral output; 2) to assess whether mossy fiber connectivity patterns preceded the emergence of spatial-behavioral function; 3) to explore functional changes in the hippocampus to determine whether activity in hippocampal networks occurred in a training-dependent or developmentally-dependent fashion.  To these ends, male, Long Evans rats were trained on a spatial water or dry maze task for one day (PND16, PND18 or PND20) then euthanized.  Training on these 2 tasks with opposing behavioral demands (swimming versus exploration) was hypothesized to control for behavioral topology.  Only at PND20 was there evidence of spatial-behavioral function for both tasks.  Examination of synaptophysin staining in the CA3 region (i.e., mossy fiber projections) revealed enhanced connectivity patterns that preceded the emergence of spatial behavior.  Analysis of c-Fos labeling (functional changes) revealed developmentally-dependent increases in c-Fos positive cells in the dentate gyrus, CA3 and CA1 regions whereas training-dependent increases were noted in the CA3 and CA1 regions for the water-maze trained groups.  Results suggest that changes in mossy fiber connectivity in association with enhanced hippocampal functioning precede the emergence of spatial behavior observed at PND20.  The combination of neuroanatomical and behavioural results confirms the hypothesis that this time represents a sensitive period for hippocampal development and modification and the emergence of spatial/ cognitive function.

Excitatory effects of parvalbumin-expressing interneurons maintain hippocampal epileptiform activity via synchronous afterdischarges

Epileptic seizures are characterized by periods of hypersynchronous, hyperexcitability within brain networks. Most seizures involve two stages: an initial tonic phase, followed by a longer clonic phase that is characterized by rhythmic bouts of synchronized network activity called afterdischarges (ADs). Here we investigate the cellular and network mechanisms underlying hippocampal ADs in an effort to understand how they maintain seizure activity. Using in vitro hippocampal slice models from rats and mice, we performed electrophysiological recordings from CA3 pyramidal neurons to monitor network activity and changes in GABAergic signaling during epileptiform activity. First, we show that the highest synchrony occurs during clonic ADs, consistent with the idea that specific circuit dynamics underlie this phase of the epileptiform activity. We then show that ADs require intact GABAergic synaptic transmission, which becomes excitatory as a result of a transient collapse in the chloride (Cl(-)) reversal potential. The depolarizing effects of GABA are strongest at the soma of pyramidal neurons, which implicates somatic-targeting interneurons in AD activity. To test this, we used optogenetic techniques to selectively control the activity of somatic-targeting parvalbumin-expressing (PV(+)) interneurons. Channelrhodopsin-2-mediated activation of PV(+) interneurons during the clonic phase generated excitatory GABAergic responses in pyramidal neurons, which were sufficient to elicit and entrain synchronous AD activity across the network. Finally, archaerhodopsin-mediated selective silencing of PV(+) interneurons reduced the occurrence of ADs during the clonic phase. Therefore, we propose that activity-dependent Cl(-) accumulation subverts the actions of PV(+) interneurons to perpetuate rather than terminate pathological network hyperexcitability during the clonic phase of seizures.

Optogenetic activation of cajal-retzius cells reveals their glutamatergic output and a novel feedforward circuit in the developing mouse hippocampus

Cajal-Retzius cells orchestrate the development of cortical circuits by secreting the glycoprotein reelin. However, their computational functions are still unknown. In fact, the nature of their postsynaptic targets, major neurotransmitter released, as well as the class of postsynaptic receptors activated by their firing remain unclear. Here, we have addressed these questions by activating Cajal-Retzius cells optogenetically in mouse hippocampal slices. Light delivered to stratum lacunosum-moleculare triggered EPSCs both on local interneurons and on pyramidal cells. Responses recorded under voltage-clamp conditions had identical short latencies and similar amplitudes, but were kinetically different (i.e., faster in interneurons vs pyramidal cells). In both cases, responses were blocked by TTX, indicating that they were generated by action potential-dependent release. Responses in interneurons were rescued by the addition of 4-AP to TTX, and decreased when presynaptic firing in Cajal-Retzius cells was reduced by the chemokine CXCL12, indicating the existence of a direct Cajal-Retzius cell-interneuron monosynaptic connection. Although the combined application of 4-AP and TTX did not rescue responses in pyramidal cells, neither were they affected by the GABAA receptor blocker gabazine, which would be expected if they were polysynaptic. Both connections showed physiological and pharmacological properties indicating the involvement of AMPA- and NMDA-type glutamate receptors. The connectivity from presynaptic Cajal-Retzius cells to interneurons was strong enough to generate long-latency feedforward GABAergic input onto pyramidal cells. We propose that this newly defined Cajal-Retzius cell-dependent microcircuit may regulate synaptic plasticity and dendritic development in stratum lacunosum-moleculare, thus impacting the integrative properties of the developing hippocampus.

Models of vocal learning in the songbird: Historical frameworks and the stabilizing critic

Birdsong is a form of sensorimotor learning that involves a mirror-like system that activates with both song hearing and production. Early models of song learning, based on behavioral measures, identified key features of vocal plasticity, such as the requirements for memorization of a tutor song and auditory feedback during song practice. The concept of a comparator, which compares the memory of the tutor song to auditory feedback, featured prominently. Later models focused on linking anatomically-defined neural modules to behavioral concepts, such as the comparator. Exploiting the anatomical modularity of the songbird brain, localized lesions illuminated mechanisms of the neural song system. More recent models have integrated neuronal mechanisms identified in other systems with observations in songbirds. While these models explain multiple aspects of song learning, they must incorporate computational elements based on unknown biological mechanisms to bridge the motor-to-sensory delay and/or transform motor signals into the sensory domain. Here, I introduce the stabilizing critic hypothesis, which enables sensorimotor learning by (1) placing a purely sensory comparator afferent of the song system and (2) endowing song system disinhibitory interneuron networks with the capacity both to bridge the motor-sensory delay through prolonged bursting and to stabilize song segments selectively based on the comparator signal. These proposed networks stabilize an otherwise variable signal generated by both putative mirror neurons and a cortical-basal ganglia-thalamic loop. This stabilized signal then temporally converges with a matched premotor signal in the efferent song motor cortex, promoting spike-timing-dependent plasticity in the premotor circuitry and behavioral song learning.

Physiological sharp wave-ripples and interictal events in vitro: what's the difference?

Sharp wave-ripples and interictal events are physiological and pathological forms of transient high activity in the hippocampus with similar features. Sharp wave-ripples have been shown to be essential in memory consolidation, whereas epileptiform (interictal) events are thought to be damaging. It is essential to grasp the difference between physiological sharp wave-ripples and pathological interictal events to understand the failure of control mechanisms in the latter case. We investigated the dynamics of activity generated intrinsically in the Cornu Ammonis region 3 of the mouse hippocampus in vitro, using four different types of intervention to induce epileptiform activity. As a result, sharp wave-ripples spontaneously occurring in Cornu Ammonis region 3 disappeared, and following an asynchronous transitory phase, activity reorganized into a new form of pathological synchrony. During epileptiform events, all neurons increased their firing rate compared to sharp wave-ripples. Different cell types showed complementary firing: parvalbumin-positive basket cells and some axo-axonic cells stopped firing as a result of a depolarization block at the climax of the events in high potassium, 4-aminopyridine and zero magnesium models, but not in the gabazine model. In contrast, pyramidal cells began firing maximally at this stage. To understand the underlying mechanism we measured changes of intrinsic neuronal and transmission parameters in the high potassium model. We found that the cellular excitability increased and excitatory transmission was enhanced, whereas inhibitory transmission was compromised. We observed a strong short-term depression in parvalbumin-positive basket cell to pyramidal cell transmission. Thus, the collapse of pyramidal cell perisomatic inhibition appears to be a crucial factor in the emergence of epileptiform events.

GABAergic transmission facilitates ictogenesis and synchrony between CA3, hilus, and dentate gyrus in slices from epileptic rats

The impact of regional hippocampal interactions and GABAergic transmission on ictogenesis remain unclear. Cortico-hippocampal slices from pilocarpine-treated epileptic rats were compared with controls to investigate associations between seizurelike events (SLE), GABAergic transmission, and neuronal synchrony within and between cortico-hippocampal regions. Multielectrode array recordings revealed more prevalent hippocampal SLE in epileptic tissue when excitatory transmission was enhanced and GABAergic transmission was intact [removal of Mg(2+) (0Mg)] than when GABAergic transmission was blocked [removal of Mg(2+) + bicuculline methiodide (0Mg+BMI)]. When activity within individual regions was analyzed, spectral and temporal slow oscillation/SLE correlations and cross-correlations were highest within the hilus of epileptic tissue during SLE but were similar in 0Mg and 0Mg+BMI. GABAergic facilitation of spectral "slow" oscillation and ripple correlations was most prominent within CA3 of epileptic tissue during SLE. When activity between regions was analyzed, slow oscillation and ripple coherence was highest between the hilus and dentate gyrus as well as between the hilus and CA3 of epileptic tissue during SLE and was significantly higher in 0Mg than 0Mg+BMI. High 0Mg-induced SLE cross-correlations between the hilus and dentate gyrus as well as between the hilus and CA3 were reduced or abolished in 0Mg+BMI. SLE cross-correlation lag measurements provided evidence for a monosynaptic connection from the hilus to the dentate gyrus during SLE. Findings implicate the hilus as an oscillation generator, whose impact on other cortico-hippocampal regions is mediated by GABAergic transmission. Data also suggest that GABAA receptor-mediated transmission facilitates back-propagation from CA3/hilus to the dentate gyrus and that this back-propagation augments SLE in epileptic hippocampus.

Seizures as imbalanced up states: excitatory and inhibitory conductances during seizure-like events

Precisely timed and dynamically balanced excitatory (E) and inhibitory (I) conductances underlie the basis of neural network activity. Normal E/I balance is often shifted in epilepsy, resulting in neuronal network hyperexcitability and recurrent seizures. However, dynamics of the actual excitatory and inhibitory synaptic conductances (ge and gi, respectively) during seizures remain unknown. To study the dynamics of E and I network balance, we calculated ge and gi during the initiation, body, and termination of seizure-like events (SLEs) in the rat hippocampus in vitro. Repetitive emergent SLEs in 4-aminopyridine (100 μM) and reduced extracellular magnesium (0.6 mM) were recorded in the identified CA1 pyramidal cells (PC) and oriens-lacunosum moleculare (O-LM) interneurons. Calculated ge/gi ratio dynamics showed that the initiation stage of the SLEs was dominated by inhibition in the PCs and was more balanced in the O-LM cells. During the body of the SLEs, the balance shifted toward excitation, with ge and gi peaking in both cell types at nearly the same time. In the termination phase, PCs were again dominated by inhibition, whereas O-LM cells experienced persistent excitatory synaptic barrage. In this way, increased excitability of interneurons may play roles in both seizure initiation (žiburkus J, Cressman JR, Barreto E, Schiff SJ. J Neurophysiol 95: 3948-3954, 2006) and in their termination. Overall, SLE stages can be characterized in PC and O-LM cells by dynamically distinct changes in the balance of ge and gi, where a temporal sequence of imbalance shifts with the changing firing patterns of the cellular subtypes comprising the hyperexcitable microcircuits.

Fast spiking interneuron control of seizure propagation in a cortical slice model of focal epilepsy

In different animal models of focal epilepsy, seizure-like ictal discharge propagation is transiently opposed by feedforward inhibition. The specific cellular source of this signal and the mechanism by which inhibition ultimately becomes ineffective are, however, undefined. We used a brain slice model to study how focal ictal discharges that were repetitively evoked from the same site, and at precise times, propagate across the cortex. We used Ca(2+) imaging and simultaneous single/dual cell recordings from pyramidal neurons (PyNs) and different classes of interneurons in rodents, including G42 and GIN transgenic mice expressing the green fluorescence protein in parvalbumin (Pv)-fast spiking (FS) and somatostatin (Som) interneurons, respectively. We found that these two classes of interneurons fired intensively shortly after ictal discharge generation at the focus. The inhibitory barrages that were recorded in PyNs occurred in coincidence with Pv-FS, but not with Som interneuron burst discharges. Furthermore, the strength of inhibitory barrages increased or decreased in parallel with increased or decreased firing in Pv-FS interneurons but not in Som interneurons. A firing impairment of Pv-FS interneurons caused by a membrane depolarization was found to precede ictal discharge onset in neighbouring pyramidal neurons. This event may account for the collapse of local inhibition that allows spatially defined clusters of PyNs to be recruited into propagating ictal discharges. Our study demonstrates that Pv-FS interneurons are a major source of the inhibitory barrages that oppose ictal discharge propagation and raises the possibility that targeting Pv-FS interneurons represents a new therapeutic strategy to prevent the generalization of human focal seizures.

Hippocampal neuron firing and local field potentials in the in vitro 4-aminopyridine epilepsy model

Excessive synchronous neuronal activity is a defining feature of epileptic activity. We previously characterized the properties of distinct glutamatergic and GABAergic transmission-dependent synchronous epileptiform discharges in mouse hippocampal slices using the 4-aminopyridine model of epilepsy. In the present study, we sought to identify the specific hippocampal neuronal populations that initiate and underlie these local field potentials (LFPs). A perforated multielectrode array was used to simultaneously record multiunit action potential firing and LFPs during spontaneous epileptiform activity. LFPs had distinct components based on the initiation site, extent of propagation, and pharmacological sensitivity. Individual units, located in different hippocampal subregions, fired action potentials during these LFPs. A specific neuron subgroup generated sustained action potential firing throughout the various components of the LFPs. The activity of this subgroup preceded the LFPs observed in the presence of antagonists of ionotropic glutamatergic synaptic transmission. In the absence of ionotropic glutamatergic and GABAergic transmission, LFPs disappeared, but units with shorter spike duration and high basal firing rates were still active. These spontaneously active units had an increased level of activity during LFPs and consistently preceded all LFPs recorded before blockade of synaptic transmission. Our findings reveal that neuronal subpopulations with interneuron properties are likely responsible for initiating synchronous activity in an in vitro model of epileptiform discharges.

A candidate mechanism underlying the variance of interictal spike propagation

Synchronous activation of neural networks is an important physiological mechanism, and dysregulation of synchrony forms the basis of epilepsy. We analyzed the propagation of synchronous activity through chronically epileptic neural networks. Electrocorticographic recordings from epileptic patients demonstrate remarkable variance in the pathways of propagation between sequential interictal spikes (IISs). Calcium imaging in chronically epileptic slice cultures demonstrates that pathway variance depends on the presence of GABAergic inhibition and that spike propagation becomes stereotyped following GABA receptor blockade. Computer modeling suggests that GABAergic quenching of local network activations leaves behind regions of refractory neurons, whose late recruitment forms the anatomical basis of variability during subsequent network activation. Targeted path scanning of slice cultures confirmed local activations, while ex vivo recordings of human epileptic tissue confirmed the dependence of interspike variance on GABA-mediated inhibition. These data support the hypothesis that the paths by which synchronous activity spreads through an epileptic network change with each activation, based on the recent history of localized activity that has been successfully inhibited.

β-Adrenergic modulation of spontaneous spatiotemporal activity patterns and synchrony in hyperexcitable hippocampal circuits

A description of healthy and pathological brain dynamics requires an understanding of spatiotemporal patterns of neural activity and characteristics of its propagation between interconnected circuits. However, the structure and modulation of the neural activation maps underlying these patterns and their propagation remain elusive. We investigated effects of β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) stimulation on the spatiotemporal characteristics of emergent activity in rat hippocampal circuits. Synchronized epileptiform-like activity, such as interictal bursts (IBs) and ictal-like events (ILEs), were evoked by 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), and their dynamics were studied using a combination of electrophysiology and fast voltage-sensitive dye imaging. Dynamic characterization of the spontaneous IBs showed that they originated in dentate gyrus/CA3 border and propagated toward CA1. To determine how β-AR modulates spatiotemporal characteristics of the emergent IBs, we used the β-AR agonist isoproterenol (ISO). ISO significantly reduced the spatiotemporal extent and propagation velocity of the IBs and significantly altered network activity in the 1- to 20-Hz range. Dual whole cell recordings of the IBs in CA3/CA1 pyramidal cells and optical analysis of those regions showed that ISO application reduced interpyramidal and interregional synchrony during the IBs. In addition, ISO significantly reduced duration not only of the shorter duration IBs but also the prolonged ILEs in 4-AP. To test whether the decrease in ILE duration was model dependent, we used a different hyperexcitability model, zero magnesium (0 Mg(2+)). Prolonged ILEs were readily formed in 0 Mg(2+), and addition of ISO significantly reduced their durations. Taken together, these novel results provide evidence that β-AR activation dynamically reshapes the spatiotemporal activity patterns in hyperexcitable circuits by altering network rhythmogenesis, propagation velocity, and intercellular/regional synchronization.

An optimally evolved connective ratio of neural networks that maximizes the occurrence of synchronized bursting behavior

Background

Synchronized bursting activity (SBA) is a remarkable dynamical behavior in both ex vivo and in vivo neural networks. Investigations of the underlying structural characteristics associated with SBA are crucial to understanding the system-level regulatory mechanism of neural network behaviors.

Results

In this study, artificial pulsed neural networks were established using spike response models to capture fundamental dynamics of large scale ex vivo cortical networks. Network simulations with synaptic parameter perturbations showed the following two findings. (i) In a network with an excitatory ratio (ER) of 80-90%, its connective ratio (CR) was within a range of 10-30% when the occurrence of SBA reached the highest expectation. This result was consistent with the experimental observation in ex vivo neuronal networks, which were reported to possess a matured inhibitory synaptic ratio of 10-20% and a CR of 10-30%. (ii) No SBA occurred when a network does not contain any all-positive-interaction feedback loop (APFL) motif. In a neural network containing APFLs, the number of APFLs presented an optimal range corresponding to the maximal occurrence of SBA, which was very similar to the optimal CR.

Conclusions

In a neural network, the evolutionarily selected CR (10-30%) optimizes the occurrence of SBA, and APFL serves a pivotal network motif required to maximize the occurrence of SBA.

Lidocaine injections targeting CA3 hippocampus impair long-term spatial memory and prevent learning-induced mossy fiber remodeling

Learning a spatial location induces remodeling of the mossy fiber terminal field (MFTF) in the CA3 subfield of the dorsal hippocampus (Ramirez-Amaya et al. (2001) J Neurosci 21:7340-7348; Holahan et al. (2006) Hippocampus 16:560-570; Rekart et al. (2007a) Learn Mem 14:416-421). These fibers appear to grow from the stratum lucidum into distal stratum oriens. Is this axonal growth dependent on “repeated and persistent” neural activity in the CA3 region during training? To address this issue, we targeted local inactivation of the MFTF region in a post-training, consolidation paradigm. Male Wistar rats, bilaterally implanted with chronic indwelling cannulae aimed at the MFTF CA3 region, were trained on a hidden platform water maze task (10 trials per day for 5 days). Immediately after the 10th trial on each training day, rats were injected with lidocaine (4% w/v; 171 mM; n=7) or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS; n=7). Behavioral measures of latency, path length, and thigmotaxis were recorded, as was directional heading. A retention test (probe trial) was given 7 days after the last training day, and brains were subsequently processed for MFTF distribution (Timm's stain) and cannula location. Lidocaine treatment was found to block the learning-associated structural remodeling of the MFTF that was reported previously and observed in the PBS-injected controls. During training, the lidocaine group showed elevated latencies and a misdirected heading to locate the platform on the first trial of each training day. On the 7-day retention probe trial, the lidocaine-injected group showed poor retention indicated by the absence of a search bias in the area where the platform had been located during training. These data suggest that the reduction of neuronal activity in the CA3 region impairs long-term storage of spatial information. As this was associated with reduced MFTF structural remodeling, it provides initial anatomical and behavioral evidence for an activity-dependent, presynaptic growth model of memory.

Transition to seizure: from "macro"- to "micro"-mysteries

One of the most terrifying aspects of epilepsy is the sudden and apparently unpredictable transition of the brain into the pathological state of an epileptic seizure. The pathophysiology of the transition to seizure still remains mysterious. Herein we review some of the key concepts and relevant literatures dealing with this enigmatic transitioning of brain states. At the "MACRO" level, electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings at time display preictal phenomena followed by pathological high-frequency oscillations at the seizure onset. Numerous seizure prediction algorithms predicated on identifying changes prior to seizure onset have met with little success, underscoring our lack of understanding of the dynamics of transition to seizure, amongst other inherent limitation. We then discuss the concept of synchronized hyperexcited oscillatory networks underlying seizure generation. We consider these networks as weakly coupled oscillators, a concept which forms the basis of some relevant mathematical modeling of seizure transitions. Next, the underlying "MICRO" processes involved in seizure generation are discussed. The depolarization of the GABA(A) chloride reversal potential is a major concept, facilitating epileptogenesis, particularly in immature brain. Also the balance of inhibitory and excitatory local neuronal networks plays an important role in the process of transitioning to seizure. Gap junctional communication, including that which occurs between glia, as well as ephaptic interactions are increasingly recognized as critical for seizure generation. In brief, this review examines the evidence regarding the characterization of the transition to seizure at both the "MACRO" and "MICRO" levels, trying to characterize this mysterious yet critical problem of the brain state transitioning into a seizure.

Effects of glial release and somatic receptors on bursting in synchronized neuronal networks

A model is constructed to study the phenomenon of bursting in cultured neuronal networks by considering the effects of glial release and the extrasynaptic receptors on neurons. In the frequently observed situations of synchronized bursting, the whole neuronal network can be described by a mean-field model. In this model, the dynamics of the synchronized network in the presence of glia is represented by an effective two-compartment neuron with stimulations on both the dendrite and soma. Numerical simulations of this model show that most of the experimental observations in bursting, in particular the high plateau and the slow repolarization, can be reproduced. Our findings suggest that the effects of glia release and extrasynaptic receptors, which are usually neglected in neuronal models, can become important in intense network activities. Furthermore, simulations of the model are also performed for the case of glia-suppressed cultures to compare with recent experimental results.

Excitation-inhibition balance in the CA3 network--neuronal specificity and activity-dependent plasticity

Activation of the axons of the granule cells, the mossy fibers, excites pyramidal cells and interneurons in the CA3 area, which, in turn, inhibit pyramidal cells. The integration of the various inputs that converge onto CA3 cells has been studied by pharmacological dissection of either the excitatory or inhibitory components. This strategy has the disadvantage of partially isolating the recorded cell from the network, ignoring the sources and the impact of concurrent inputs. To overcome this limitation, we dissociated excitatory and inhibitory synaptic conductances by mathematical extraction techniques, and analysed the dynamics of the integration of excitatory and inhibitory inputs in pyramidal cells and stratum lucidum interneurons (Sl-Ints) of CA3. We have uncovered a shunting mechanism that decreases the responsiveness of CA3 output cells to mossy fiber input after a period of enhanced excitability. The activation of the dentate gyrus (DG) after applying a kindling-like protocol in vitro, or after producing one or several seizures in vivo, results in a graded and reversible increase of inhibitory conductances in pyramidal cells, while in Sl-Ints, an increase of excitatory conductances occurs. Thus, interneurons reach more depolarized membrane potentials on DG activation yielding a high excitatory postsynaptic potential-spike coupling, while the contrary occurs in pyramidal cells. This effective activation of feedforward inhibition is synergized by the emergence of direct DG-mediated inhibition on pyramidal cells. These factors force the synaptic conductance to peak at a potential value close to resting membrane potential, thus producing shunt inhibition and decreasing the responsiveness of CA3 output cells to mossy fiber input.

Elevated potassium elicits recurrent surges of large GABAA-receptor-mediated post-synaptic currents in hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons

Previously, we found that rat hippocampal CA3 interneurons become hyperactive with increasing concentrations of extracellular K(+) up to 10 mM. However, it is unclear how this enhanced interneuronal activity affects pyramidal neurons. Here we voltage-clamped rat hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons in vitro at 0 mV to isolate γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-activated inhibitory post-synaptic currents (IPSCs) and measured these in artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) and with 10 mM K(+) bath perfusion. In aCSF, small IPSCs were present with amplitudes of 0.053 ± 0.007 nA and a frequency of 0.27 ± 0.14 Hz. With 10 mM K(+) perfusion, IPSCs increased greatly in frequency and amplitude, culminating in surge events with peak amplitudes of 0.56 ± 0.08 nA, that appeared and disappeared cyclically with durations lasting 2.02 ± 0.37 min repeatedly, up to 10 times over a 30-min bath perfusion of elevated K(+). These large IPSCs were GABA(A)-receptor mediated and did not involve significant desensitization of this receptor. Perfusion of a GABA transporter inhibitor (NO-711), glutamate receptor inhibitors CNQX and APV, or a gap junctional blocker (carbenoxolone) prevented the resurgence of large IPSCs. Pressure ejected sucrose resulted in the abolishment of subsequent surges. No elevated K(+)-mediated surges were observed in CA3 interneurons from the stratum oriens layer. In conclusion, these cyclic large IPSC events observable in CA3 pyramidal neurons in 10 mM KCl may be due to transient GABA depletion from continuously active interneuronal afferents.

Synapse clusters are preferentially formed by synapses with large recycling pool sizes

Synapses are distributed heterogeneously in neural networks. The relationship between the spatial arrangement of synapses and an individual synapse's structural and functional features remains to be elucidated. Here, we examined the influence of the number of adjacent synapses on individual synaptic recycling pool sizes. When measuring the discharge of the styryl dye FM1-43 from electrically stimulated synapses in rat hippocampal tissue cultures, a strong positive correlation between the number of neighbouring synapses and recycling vesicle pool sizes was observed. Accordingly, vesicle-rich synapses were found to preferentially reside next to neighbours with large recycling pool sizes. Although these synapses with large recycling pool sizes were rare, they were densely arranged and thus exhibited a high amount of release per volume. To consolidate these findings, functional terminals were marked by live-cell antibody staining with anti-synaptotagmin-1-cypHer or overexpression of synaptopHluorin. Analysis of synapse distributions in these systems confirmed the results obtained with FM 1-43. Our findings support the idea that clustering of synapses with large recycling pool sizes is a distinct developmental feature of newly formed neural networks and may contribute to functional plasticity.

Priming of hippocampal population bursts by individual perisomatic-targeting interneurons

Hippocampal population bursts ("sharp wave-ripples") occur during rest and slow-wave sleep and are thought to be important for memory consolidation. The cellular mechanisms involved are incompletely understood. Here we investigated the cellular mechanisms underlying the initiation of sharp waves using a hippocampal slice model. To this end, we used a combination of field recordings with planar multielectrode arrays and whole-cell patch-clamp recordings of individual anatomically identified pyramidal neurons and interneurons. We found that GABA(A) receptor-mediated inhibition is necessary for sharp wave generation. Moreover, the activity of individual perisomatic-targeting interneurons can both suppress, and subsequently enhance, the local generation of sharp waves. Finally, we show that this is achieved by the tight control of local excitation and inhibition by perisomatic-targeting interneurons. These results suggest that perisomatic-targeting interneurons assist in selecting the subset of pyramidal neurons that initiate each hippocampal sharp wave-ripple.

Characterizing the persistent CA3 interneuronal spiking activity in elevated extracellular potassium in the young rat hippocampus

Seizures coincide with an increase in extracellular potassium concentrations [K(+)](e) yet little information is available regarding this phenomenon on the firing pattern, frequency and neuronal properties of inhibitory neurons responsible for modulating network excitability. Therefore, we investigated the effects of elevating [K(+)](e) from 2.5 to 12.5mM on CA3 rat hippocampal interneurons in vitro using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings. We found that the majority of interneurons (21/25) in artificial cerebral spinal fluid (aCSF) exhibited spontaneous tonic spiking activity. As the [K(+)](e) increased to 12.5mM, interneurons exhibited a tonic, irregular, burst firing activity, or a combination of these. The input resistance decreased significantly to 59+/-18% at 7.5mM K(+) and did not further change at higher [K(+)](e) while the amount of K(+)-induced depolarization significantly increased from 5 to 12.5mM K(+) perfusion; a depolarization block occurred in 4 of the 12 interneurons at 12.5mM. Also, as [K(+)](e) increased, a transition from lower (1.3+/-0.6Hz) to higher dominant peak frequency (15.0+/-5.0Hz) was observed. We found that non-fast spiking (NFS) interneurons represented the majority of cells recorded and exhibited mostly tonic firing activity in raised K(+). Fast spiking (FS) interneurons predominately had a tonic firing pattern with very few exhibiting bursting activity in elevated K(+). In conclusion, we report that raised [K(+)](e) in amounts observed during seizures increases hippocampal CA3 interneuronal activity and suggests that a loss or impairment of inhibitory function may be present during these events.

Chronic network stimulation enhances evoked action potentials

Neurons cultured on multielectrode arrays almost always lack external stimulation except during the acute experimental phase. We have investigated the effects of chronic stimulation during the course of development in cultured hippocampal neural networks by applying paired pulses at half of the electrodes for 0, 1 or 3 r/day for 8 days. Spike latencies increased from 4 to 16 ms as the distance from the stimulus increased from 200 to 1700 microm, suggesting an average of four synapses over this distance. Compared to no chronic stimulation, our results indicate that chronic stimulation increased evoked spike counts per stimulus by 50% at recording sites near the stimulating electrode and increased the instantaneous firing rate. On trials where both pulses elicited responses, spike count was 40-80% higher than when only one of the pulses elicited a response. In attempts to identify spike amplitude plasticity, we found mainly amplitude variation with different latencies suggesting recordings from neurons with different identities. These data suggest plastic network changes induced by chronic stimulation that enhance the reliability of information transmission and the efficiency of multisynaptic network communication.

Quantitative dynamics and spatial profile of perisomatic GABAergic input during epileptiform synchronization in the CA1 hippocampus

Perisomatic GABAergic input appears spared or even increased in intractable temporal lobe epilepsy, and has been suggested to contribute to the generation of pathological discharges. Nevertheless, its degree of functional activity during epileptiform synchronization has not been thoroughly investigated. Thus, it remains unclear how structural preservation or loss of domain-specific GABAergic input may affect the network. Here, we have taken advantage of a model of epileptiform activity in vitro to quantify the charge transfer provided by perisomatic GABA(A) receptor-mediated input to CA1 pyramidal neurons during interictal-like bursts. By recording both firing in GABAergic interneurons and the charge transfer generated by unitary postsynaptic currents to target pyramidal cells, we have estimated the charge transfer that would be dynamically generated by the recruitment of the entire pool of perisomatic-targeting interneurons and the number of perisomatic-targeting interneurons that would be required to generate the experimentally observed GABAergic input. In addition, we have recorded and compared the dynamics and charge density of GABAergic input recorded at different membrane compartments such as the soma vs. the proximal dendrite. Our results suggest that GABA(A) receptor-mediated perisomatic input is massively activated during burst synchronization and that its kinetic properties and charge density are similar at the soma and proximal dendrite. These functional results match structural data published by other laboratories very well and strengthen the hypothesis that the potential preservation of perisomatic GABAergic input in intractable epilepsies may be a key factor in the generation of pathological network activity.

Burst firing induces postsynaptic LTD at developing mossy fibre-CA3 pyramid synapses

Synaptic development is an activity-dependent process utilizing coordinated network activity to drive synaptogenesis and subsequent refinement of immature connections. Hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons (PYRs) exhibit intense burst firing (BF) early in development, concomitant with the period of mossy fibre (MF) development. However, whether developing MF-PYR synapses utilize PYR BF to promote MF synapse maturation remains unknown. Recently, we demonstrated that transient tonic depolarization of postsynaptic PYRs induces a persistent postsynaptic form of long-term depression (depolarization-induced long-term depression, DiLTD) at immature MF-PYR synapses. DiLTD induction is NMDAR independent but does require postsynaptic Ca(2+) influx through L-type voltage gated Ca(2+) channels (L-VGCCs), and is expressed as a reduction in AMPAR function through the loss of GluR2-lacking AMPARs present at immature MF-PYR synapses. Here we examined whether more physiologically relevant phasic L-VGCC activation by PYR action potential (AP) BF activity patterns can trigger DiLTD. Using combined electrophysiological and Ca(2+) imaging approaches we demonstrate that PYR BF effectively drives L-VGCC activation and that brief periods of repetitive PYR BF, produced by direct current injection or intrinsic network activity induces NMDAR-independent LTD by promoting Ca(2+) influx through the activated L-VGCCs. This BF induced LTD, just like DiLTD, is specific for developing MF-PYR synapses, is PICK1 dependent, and is expressed postsynaptically. Our results demonstrate that DiLTD can be induced by phasic L-VGCC activation driven by PYR BF, suggesting the engagement of natural PYR network activity patterns for MF synapse maturation.

Repeated blockade of GABAA receptors in the medial septal region induces epileptiform activity in the hippocampus

Changes in the activity of putative interneurons of the stratum oriens of the hippocampus and hippocampal EEG after the delivery of the GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline (1.0nmol/1microl) to the medial septal region were investigated in awake rabbits. The injection of bicuculline produced a sharp increase in the firing rate in 94.3% of hippocampal cells. The effect of bicuculline on the neuronal theta rhythmicity depended on the number of injections. The first five daily infusions decreased the theta activity in 85.7% of cells. On the fourth to fifth experimental days paroxysmal discharges and 8-15Hz oscillations were recorded in the hippocampal EEG. Six to seven further daily bicuculline injections following a brief diminution of theta activity produced a sharp augmentation of theta oscillations in 78.9% of cells and provoked seizures. Immediately before seizures, stabilization of theta bursts and an increase in burst frequency was usually observed in putative interneurons. During seizures, neuronal rhythmic activity was either disordered and then turned into seizure discharges or was inhibited, partially or completely. In the hippocampal EEG, the power of theta rhythm before seizures usually strongly increased compared with controls. Injection of the GABAA agonist muscimol (30nmol/1microl) 15min before bicuculline infusion prevented the development of seizures. These findings suggest that the interplay between septal neurons via GABAA receptors is critical in the tuning of septal output signals that insure generation of natural theta rhythm as well as adequate functioning of the hippocampus.

The GABAA receptor-mediated recurrent inhibition in ventral compared with dorsal CA1 hippocampal region is weaker, decays faster and lasts less

Hippocampal functions appear to be segregated along the dorso-ventral axis of the structure. Differences at the cellular and local neuronal network level may be involved in this functional segregation. In this study the characteristics of CA1 recurrent inhibition (RI) were measured and compared between dorsal (DH, n = 95) and ventral (VH, n = 60) hippocampal slices, using recordings of suprathreshold field potentials. RI strength was estimated as the percentile decrease of the population spike (PS) amplitude evoked with an orthodromic stimulus (at the Schaffer collaterals) when preceded by an antidromic stimulus (at the alveus). Varying the interpulse interval (IPI) between the two stimuli, we estimated RI duration. Alvear stimulation produced significant PS suppression in both VH and DH at every IPI tested, from 10 to 270 ms. Moreover, gradually more oblique DH (but not VH) slices displayed increasing RI, which at IPIs < or = 125 ms was reversibly abolished by the GABAA receptor antagonist picrotoxin (10 microM). The GABAA-mediated RI, measured under the blockade of GABAB receptors, was weaker, decayed faster and lasted less in VH compared to DH slices, regardless of the slice orientation. Specifically, in VH compared to DH, the PS suppression at 20 ms was 34.4 +/- 4.5% versus 69.9 +/- 6.5% (P < 0.001), the time constant of RI decay was 29 +/- 2.4 versus 87.5 +/- 13.6 ms (P < 0.01) and the duration was 50 versus 125 ms (P < 0.001). Thus, GABAA-mediated RI may control the CA1 excitatory output less effectively in VH compared to DH. The observed dorso-ventral differences in RI contribute to the longitudinal diversification of the structure and may underlie to some extent the region-specificity of hippocampal functions.

NMDA receptor trafficking at recurrent synapses stabilizes the state of the CA3 network

Metaplasticity describes the stabilization of synaptic strength such that strong synapses are likely to remain strong while weak synapses are likely to remain weak. A potential mechanism for metaplasticity is a correlated change in both N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated postsynaptic conductance and synaptic strength. Synchronous activation of CA3-CA3 synapses during spontaneous bursts of population activity caused long-term potentiation (LTP) of recurrent CA3-CA3 glutamatergic synapses under control conditions and depotentiation when NMDA receptors were partially blocked by competitive antagonists. LTP was associated with a significant increase in membrane-bound NMDA receptors, whereas depotentiation was associated with a significant decrease in membrane-bound NMDA receptors. During burst activity, further depotentiation could be induced by sequential reductions in antagonist concentration, consistent with a depotentiation-associated reduction in membrane-bound NMDA receptors. The decrease in number of membrane-bound NMDA receptors associated with depotentiation reduced the probability of subsequent potentiation of weakened synapses in the face of ongoing synchronous network activity. This molecular mechanism stabilizes synaptic strength, which in turn stabilizes the state of the CA3 neuronal network, reflected in the frequency of spontaneous population bursts.

Spike Timing of Lacunosom-Moleculare Targeting Interneurons and CA3 Pyramidal Cells During High-Frequency Network Oscillations In Vitro

Network activity in the 200- to 600-Hz range termed high-frequency oscillations (HFOs) has been detected in epileptic tissue from both humans and rodents and may underlie the mechanism of epileptogenesis in experimental rodent models. Slower network oscillations including theta and gamma oscillations as well as ripples are generated by the complex spike timing and interactions between interneurons and pyramidal cells of the hippocampus. We determined the activity of CA3 pyramidal cells, stratum oriens lacunosum-moleculare (O-LM) and s. radiatum lacunosum-moleculare (R-LM) interneurons during HFO in the in vitro low-Mg2+ model of epileptiform activity in GIN mice. In these animals, interneurons can be identified prior to cell-attached recordings by the expression of green-fluorescent protein (GFP). Simultaneous local field potential recordings from s. pyramidale and on-cell recordings of individual interneurons and principal cells revealed three primary firing behaviors of the active cells: 36% of O-LM interneurons and 60% of pyramidal cells fired action potentials at high frequencies during the HFO. R-LM interneurons were biphasic in that they fired at high frequency at the beginning of the HFO but stopped firing before its end. When considering only the highest frequency component of the oscillations most pyramidal cells fired on the rising phase of the oscillation. These data provide evidence for functional distinction during HFOs within otherwise homogeneous groups of O-LM interneurons and pyramidal cells.

Electrophysiological properties and subunit composition of GABAA receptors in patients with gelastic seizures and hypothalamic hamartoma

Abnormalities in GABA(A) receptor structure and/or function have been associated with various forms of epilepsy in both humans and animals. Whether this is true for patients with gelastic seizures and hypothalamic hamartoma (HH) is unknown. In this study, we characterized the pharmacological properties and native subunit composition of GABA(A) receptors on acutely dissociated single neurons from surgically resected HH tissues using patch-clamp, immunocytochemical, and RT-PCR techniques. We found that 1) GABA induced an inward current (I(GABA)) at a holding potential of -60 mV; 2) I(GABA) was mimicked by the GABA(A) receptor agonist muscimol and blocked by the GABA(A) receptor antagonist bicuculline, suggesting that I(GABA) was mediated principally through the GABA(A) receptor; 3) the EC(50) and Hill coefficient derived from the I(GABA) concentration-response curve were 6.8 muM and 1.9, respectively; 4) the current-voltage curve was linear at a reversal potential close to zero; and 5) I(GABA) exhibited low sensitivity to zinc and diazepam but higher sensitivity to pentobarbital and pregnanolone. Additionally, using Xenopus oocytes microtransplanted with normal human hypothalamic tissue, we confirmed that the functional properties of GABA(A) receptors were similar to those seen in small isolated HH neurons. Finally, the expression profile of GABA(A) receptor subunits obtained from normal control human hypothalamic tissue was identical to that from surgically resected human HH tissue. Taken together, our data indicate that GABA(A) receptors on small HH neurons exhibit normal pharmacosensitivity and subunit composition. These findings bear relevance to a broader understanding of inhibitory neurotransmission in human HH tissue.

Propagation of postsynaptic currents and potentials via gap junctions in GABAergic networks of the rat hippocampus

The integration of synaptic signalling in the mammalian hippocampus underlies higher cognitive functions such as learning and memory. We have studied the gap junction-mediated cell-to-cell and network propagation of GABA(A) receptor-mediated events in stratum lacunosum moleculare interneurons of the rat hippocampus. Propagated events were identified both in voltage- and current-clamp configurations. After blockade of ionotropic excitatory synaptic transmission, voltage-clamp recordings with chloride-loaded electrodes (predicted GABA(A) receptor reversal potential: 0 mV) at -15 mV revealed the unexpected presence of spontaneous events of opposite polarities. Inward events were larger and kinetically faster when compared to outward currents. Both types of events were blocked by gabazine, but only outward currents were significantly affected by the gap junction blocker carbenoxolone, indicating that outward events originated in electrically coupled neurons. These results were in agreement with computational modelling showing that propagated events were modulated in size and shape by their relative distance to the gap junction site. Paired recordings from electrically coupled interneurons performed with high- and low-chloride pipettes (predicted GABA(A) receptor reversal potentials: 0 mV and -80 mV, respectively) directly demonstrated that depolarizing postsynaptic events could propagate to the cell recorded with the low-chloride solution. Cell-to-cell propagation was abolished by carbenoxolone, and was not observed in uncoupled pairs. Application of 4-aminopyridine on slices resulted in spontaneous network activation of interneurons, which was driven by excitatory GABA(A) receptor-mediated input. Population activity was greatly depressed by carbenoxolone, suggesting that propagation of depolarizing synaptic GABAergic potentials may be a critical determinant of interneuronal synchronous bursting in the hippocampus.

Neuronal networks and synaptic plasticity: understanding complex system dynamics by interfacing neurons with silicon technologies

Information processing in the central nervous system is primarily mediated through synaptic connections between neurons. This connectivity in turn defines how large ensembles of neurons may coordinate network output to execute complex sensory and motor functions including learning and memory. The synaptic connectivity between any given pair of neurons is not hard-wired;rather it exhibits a high degree of plasticity, which in turn forms the basis for learning and memory. While there has been extensive research to define the cellular and molecular basis of synaptic plasticity, at the level of either pairs of neurons or smaller networks, analysis of larger neuronal ensembles has proved technically challenging. The ability to monitor the activities of larger neuronal networks simultaneously and non-invasively is a necessary prerequisite to understanding how neuronal networks function at the systems level. Here we describe recent breakthroughs in the area of various bionic hybrids whereby neuronal networks have been successfully interfaced with silicon devices to monitor the output of synaptically connected neurons. These technologies hold tremendous potential for future research not only in the area of synaptic plasticity but also for the development of strategies that will enable implantation of electronic devices in live animals during various memory tasks.

SJ. Interneuron and pyramidal cell interplay during in vitro seizure-like events

Excitatory and inhibitory (EI) interactions shape network activity. However, little is known about the EI interactions in pathological conditions such as epilepsy. To investigate EI interactions during seizure-like events (SLEs), we performed simultaneous dual and triple whole cell and extracellular recordings in pyramidal cells and oriens interneurons in rat hippocampal CA1. We describe a novel pattern of interleaving EI activity during spontaneous in vitro SLEs generated by the potassium channel blocker 4-aminopyridine in the presence of decreased magnesium. Interneuron activity was increased during interictal periods. During ictal discharges interneurons entered into long-lasting depolarization block (DB) with suppression of spike generation; simultaneously, pyramidal cells produced spike trains with increased frequency (6-14 Hz) and correlation. After this period of runaway excitation, interneuron postictal spiking resumed and pyramidal cells became progressively quiescent. We performed correlation measures of cell-pair interactions using either the spikes alone or the subthreshold postsynaptic interspike signals. EE spike correlation was notably increased during interneuron DB, whereas subthreshold EE correlation decreased. EI spike correlations increased at the end of SLEs, whereas II subthreshold correlations increased during DB. Our findings underscore the importance of complex cell-type-specific neuronal interactions in the formation of seizure patterns.

Depolarizing GABA acts on intrinsically bursting pyramidal neurons to drive giant depolarizing potentials in the immature hippocampus

Spontaneous periodic network events are a characteristic feature of developing neuronal networks, and they are thought to play a crucial role in the maturation of neuronal circuits. In the immature hippocampus, these types of events are seen in intracellular recordings as giant depolarizing potentials (GDPs) during the stage of neuronal development when GABA(A)-mediated transmission is depolarizing. However, the precise mechanism how GABAergic transmission promotes GDP occurrence is not known. Using whole-cell, cell-attached, perforated-patch, and field-potential recordings in hippocampal slices, we demonstrate here that CA3 pyramidal neurons in the newborn rat generate intrinsic bursts when depolarized. Furthermore, the characteristic rhythmicity of GDP generation is not based on a temporally patterned output of the GABAergic interneuronal network. However, GABAergic depolarization plays a key role in promoting voltage-dependent, intrinsic pyramidal bursting activity. The present data indicate that glutamatergic CA3 neurons have an instructive, pacemaker role in the generation of GDPs, whereas both synaptic and tonic depolarizing GABAergic mechanisms exert a temporally nonpatterned, facilitatory action in the generation of these network events.

Threshold Behavior in the Initiation of Hippocampal Population Bursts

Hippocampal population discharges such as sharp waves, epileptiform firing, and GDPs recur at long and variable intervals. The mechanisms for their precise timing are not well understood. Here, we show that population bursts in the disinhibited CA3 region are initiated at a threshold level of population firing after recovery from a previous event. Each population discharge follows an active buildup period when synaptic traffic and cell firing increase to threshold levels. Single-cell firing can advance burst onset by increasing population firing to suprathreshold values. Population synchrony is suppressed when threshold frequencies cannot be reached due to reduced cellular excitability or synaptic efficacy. Reducing synaptic strength reveals partially synchronous population bursts that are curtailed by GABA(B)-mediated conductances. Excitatory glutamatergic transmission and delayed GABA(B)-mediated signals have opposing feedback effects on CA3 cell firing and so determine threshold behavior for population synchrony.

Electrical coupling between interneurons with different excitable properties in the stratum lacunosum-moleculare of the juvenile CA1 rat hippocampus

Electrical coupling among GABAergic interneurons is believed to play an essential role in shaping synchronized brain network activity related to cognition and behavior. We have studied the rules governing the electrical coupling between hippocampal interneurons located in stratum lacunosum-moleculare of the CA1 hippocampus. The most frequently recorded interneuron subtype had short multipolar dendrites and a dense local axonal arborization, typical of neurogliaform cells. Electrical excitability in this class of interneurons was heterogeneous. Although injection of small current steps evoked late spiking, larger steps triggered different types of firing patterns. Trains of action potentials ranged from clearly adapting to highly irregular, with clustered or mostly regular spikes. Electrotonic and action potentials could be propagated to the coupled cells; the coupling coefficient for electrotonic signals was 0.035, which compared with 0.005 for action potentials. Electrical coupling was reversibly blocked by application of carbenoxolone. Multiple simultaneous recordings indicated that interneurons with similar and different firing patterns were electrically coupled. This visual impression was quantitatively confirmed by principal component analysis applied to variables related to membrane excitability. In fact, the probability of finding electrically coupled neurons in our sample was not dependent on the excitable properties of the cells tested and was approximately 0.34. The presence of diffuse electrical coupling among hippocampal interneurons of stratum lacunosum-moleculare with different excitability is a novel finding with important implications. For example, the promiscuity of electrical connections may endow inhibitory networks with a large degree of flexibility and regulate the computational power of the hippocampus during different synchronized states.

Spontaneous recurrent network activity in organotypic rat hippocampal slices

Organotypic hippocampal slices were prepared from postnatal day 4 rats and maintained in culture for >6 weeks. Cultured slices exhibited from 12 days in vitro spontaneous events which closely resembled giant depolarizing potentials (GDPs) recorded in neonatal hippocampal slices. GDP-like events occurred over the entire hippocampus with a delay of 30-60 ms between two adjacent regions as demonstrated by pair recordings from CA3-CA3, CA3-CA1 and interneurone-CA3 pyramidal cells. As in acute slices, spontaneous recurrent events were generated by the interplay of GABA and glutamate acting on AMPA receptors as they were reversibly blocked by bicuculline and 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione but not by dl-2-amino-5-phosphonopentaoic acid. The equilibrium potentials for GABA measured in whole cell and gramicidin-perforated patch from interconnected interneurones-CA3 pyramidal cells were -70 and -56 mV, respectively. The resting membrane potential estimated from the reversal of N-methyl-D-aspartate-induced single-channel currents in cell-attach experiments was -75 mV. In spite of its depolarizing action, in the majority of cases GABA was still inhibitory as it blocked the firing of principal cells. The increased level of glutamatergic connectivity certainly contributed to network synchronization and to the development of interictal discharges after prolonged exposure to bicuculline. In spite of its inhibitory action, in a minority of cells GABA was still depolarizing and excitatory as it was able to bring principal cells to fire, suggesting that a certain degree of immaturity is still present in cultured slices. This was in line with the transient bicuculline-induced block of GDPs and with the isoguvacine-induced increase of GDP frequency.

Stratum oriens horizontal interneurone diversity and hippocampal network dynamics

In this last decade, the combination of differential interference contrast infrared video technology and patch-clamp techniques applied to slices in vitro has allowed the routine electrophysiological recording of visually identified central neurones. This has opened the way to the possibility of preselecting GABAergic interneurones of the hippocampus on the basis of some peculiar morphological characteristics. In particular, stratum oriens 'horizontal' interneurones are easily recognizable in living hippocampal slices because of their location and bipolar/bitufted appearance. Thus, this class of cells has rapidly risen as one of the most studied in the entire hippocampus. In this review, I will try to assemble the vast electrophysiological knowledge on these interneurones into a more focused picture, which is relevant for network activity in vitro and in vivo.