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McKenna JT, Yang C, Bellio T, Anderson-Chernishof MB, Gamble MC, Hulverson A, McCoy JG, Winston S, Hodges E, Katsuki F, McNally JM, Basheer R, Brown RE. Characterization of basal forebrain glutamate neurons suggests a role in control of arousal and avoidance behavior. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:1755-1778. [PMID: 33997911 PMCID: PMC8340131 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02288-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The basal forebrain (BF) is involved in arousal, attention, and reward processing but the role of individual BF neuronal subtypes is still being uncovered. Glutamatergic neurons are the least well-understood of the three main BF neurotransmitter phenotypes. Here we analyzed the distribution, size, calcium-binding protein content and projections of the major group of BF glutamatergic neurons expressing the vesicular glutamate transporter subtype 2 (vGluT2) and tested the functional effect of activating them. Mice expressing Cre recombinase under the control of the vGluT2 promoter were crossed with a reporter strain expressing the red fluorescent protein, tdTomato, to generate vGluT2-cre-tdTomato mice. Immunohistochemical staining for choline acetyltransferase and a cross with mice expressing green fluorescent protein selectively in GABAergic neurons confirmed that cholinergic, GABAergic and vGluT2+ neurons represent distinct BF subpopulations. Subsets of BF vGluT2+ neurons expressed the calcium-binding proteins calbindin or calretinin, suggesting that multiple subtypes of BF vGluT2+ neurons exist. Anterograde tracing using adeno-associated viral vectors expressing channelrhodopsin2-enhanced yellow fluorescent fusion proteins revealed major projections of BF vGluT2+ neurons to neighboring BF cholinergic and parvalbumin neurons, as well as to extra-BF areas involved in the control of arousal or aversive/rewarding behavior such as the lateral habenula and ventral tegmental area. Optogenetic activation of BF vGluT2+ neurons elicited a striking avoidance of the area where stimulation was given, whereas stimulation of BF parvalbumin or cholinergic neurons did not. Together with previous optogenetic findings suggesting an arousal-promoting role, our findings suggest that BF vGluT2 neurons play a dual role in promoting wakefulness and avoidance behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- James T McKenna
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Dept. of Psychiatry, VA Boston Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School, 1400 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, USA
| | - Chun Yang
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Dept. of Psychiatry, VA Boston Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School, 1400 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, USA
| | - Thomas Bellio
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Dept. of Psychiatry, VA Boston Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School, 1400 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, USA
- Stonehill College, Easton, MA, 02357, USA
| | - Marissa B Anderson-Chernishof
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Dept. of Psychiatry, VA Boston Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School, 1400 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, USA
| | - Mackenzie C Gamble
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Dept. of Psychiatry, VA Boston Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School, 1400 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, USA
- Stonehill College, Easton, MA, 02357, USA
| | - Abigail Hulverson
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Dept. of Psychiatry, VA Boston Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School, 1400 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, USA
- Stonehill College, Easton, MA, 02357, USA
| | - John G McCoy
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Dept. of Psychiatry, VA Boston Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School, 1400 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, USA
- Stonehill College, Easton, MA, 02357, USA
| | - Stuart Winston
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Dept. of Psychiatry, VA Boston Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School, 1400 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, USA
| | - Erik Hodges
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Dept. of Psychiatry, VA Boston Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School, 1400 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, USA
| | - Fumi Katsuki
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Dept. of Psychiatry, VA Boston Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School, 1400 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, USA
| | - James M McNally
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Dept. of Psychiatry, VA Boston Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School, 1400 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, USA
| | - Radhika Basheer
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Dept. of Psychiatry, VA Boston Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School, 1400 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, USA
| | - Ritchie E Brown
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Dept. of Psychiatry, VA Boston Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School, 1400 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, USA.
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Peeters LM, van den Berg M, Hinz R, Majumdar G, Pintelon I, Keliris GA. Cholinergic Modulation of the Default Mode Like Network in Rats. iScience 2020; 23:101455. [PMID: 32846343 PMCID: PMC7452182 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of the default mode network (DMN), a large-scale brain network that is suppressed during attention-demanding tasks, had major impact in neuroscience. This network exhibits an antagonistic relationship with attention-related networks. A better understanding of the processes underlying modulation of DMN is imperative, as this network is compromised in several neurological diseases. Cholinergic neuromodulation is one of the major regulatory networks for attention, and studies suggest a role in regulation of the DMN. In this study, we unilaterally activated the right basal forebrain cholinergic neurons and observed decreased right intra-hemispheric and interhemispheric FC in the default mode like network (DMLN). Our findings provide critical insights into the interplay between cholinergic neuromodulation and DMLN, demonstrate that differential effects can be exerted between the two hemispheres by unilateral stimulation, and open windows for further studies involving directed modulations of DMN in treatments for diseases demonstrating compromised DMN activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lore M. Peeters
- Bio-Imaging Lab, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken – Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Monica van den Berg
- Bio-Imaging Lab, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken – Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Rukun Hinz
- Bio-Imaging Lab, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken – Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Gaurav Majumdar
- Bio-Imaging Lab, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken – Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Isabel Pintelon
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Georgios A. Keliris
- Bio-Imaging Lab, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken – Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
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Yu S, Lin Z, Xiao Z. [Changes of membrane properties and synaptic stability of rat retinal ganglion cells during postnatal development]. Nan Fang Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao 2018; 38:1100-1106. [PMID: 30377110 DOI: 10.12122/j.issn.1673-4254.2018.09.13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the changes in the membrane properties and synaptic stability of the rat retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) during postnatal development. METHODS Whole-cell patch-clamp technique was used to record the action potentials (AP) and miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSC) of SD rat RGCs at postnatal days 7, 14 and 40. The active and passive membrane properties and the synaptic stability (measured by the amplitude, frequency, rise time and decay time of mEPSC) of the RGCs were analyzed using Patchmaster software. RESULTS Comparison of the RGCs in SD rats across different postnatal ages revealed significant changes in the electrophysiological characteristics of the RGCs during postnatal development. The discharge rate was significantly greater while the AP half-peak width was significantly smaller at postnatal day 15 (P15) than at P7 (P < 0.01), but were both similar between P15 and P40 (P=0.086); in terms of the passive membrane properties, the membrane time constant gradually decreased during the development. The frequency of mEPSCs increased significantly over time during postnatal development (P < 0.01), but was similar between P15 and P40 rats. CONCLUSIONS In SD rats, the membrane properties and synaptic stability of the RGCs undergo alterations following a specific pattern, which highlights a critical period where distinct changes occur in the electrophysiological characteristics of RGCs, followed by gradual stabilization over time. Such changes in the electrophysiological characteristics represent the basic characteristics of RGCs for visual signal processing, and understanding of this mechanism may provide insights into the exact role of the RGC in visual information processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Yu
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Zhengrong Lin
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Zhongju Xiao
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
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Faget L, Zell V, Souter E, McPherson A, Ressler R, Gutierrez-Reed N, Yoo JH, Dulcis D, Hnasko TS. Opponent control of behavioral reinforcement by inhibitory and excitatory projections from the ventral pallidum. Nat Commun 2018; 9:849. [PMID: 29487284 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03125-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The ventral pallidum (VP) lies at the interface between sensory, motor, and cognitive processing-with a particular role in mounting behavioral responses to rewards. Though the VP is predominantly GABAergic, glutamate neurons were recently identified, though their relative abundances and respective roles are unknown. Here, we show that VP glutamate neurons are concentrated in the rostral ventromedial VP and project to qualitatively similar targets as do VP GABA neurons. At the functional level, we used optogenetics to show that activity in VP GABA neurons can drive positive reinforcement, particularly through projections to the ventral tegmental area (VTA). On the other hand, activation of VP glutamate neurons leads to behavioral avoidance, particularly through projections to the lateral habenula. These findings highlight cell-type and projection-target specific roles for VP neurons in behavioral reinforcement, dysregulation of which could contribute to the emergence of negative symptoms associated with drug addiction and other neuropsychiatric disease.
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Nair J, Klaassen AL, Arato J, Vyssotski AL, Harvey M, Rainer G. Basal forebrain contributes to default mode network regulation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:1352-7. [PMID: 29363595 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1712431115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The default mode network (DMN) is a collection of cortical brain regions that is active during states of rest or quiet wakefulness in humans and other mammalian species. A pertinent characteristic of the DMN is a suppression of local field potential gamma activity during cognitive task performance as well as during engagement with external sensory stimuli. Conversely, gamma activity is elevated in the DMN during rest. Here, we document that the rat basal forebrain (BF) exhibits the same pattern of responses, namely pronounced gamma oscillations during quiet wakefulness in the home cage and suppression of this activity during active exploration of an unfamiliar environment. We show that gamma oscillations are localized to the BF and that gamma-band activity in the BF has a directional influence on a hub of the rat DMN, the anterior cingulate cortex, during DMN-dominated brain states. The BF is well known as an ascending, activating, neuromodulatory system involved in wake-sleep regulation, memory formation, and regulation of sensory information processing. Our findings suggest a hitherto undocumented role of the BF as a subcortical node of the DMN, which we speculate may be important for switching between internally and externally directed brain states. We discuss potential BF projection circuits that could underlie its role in DMN regulation and highlight that certain BF nuclei may provide potential target regions for up- or down-regulation of DMN activity that might prove useful for treatment of DMN dysfunction in conditions such as epilepsy or major depressive disorder.
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Yang C, Thankachan S, McCarley RW, Brown RE. The menagerie of the basal forebrain: how many (neural) species are there, what do they look like, how do they behave and who talks to whom? Curr Opin Neurobiol 2017; 44:159-166. [PMID: 28538168 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2017.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2016] [Revised: 04/21/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The diverse cell-types of the basal forebrain control sleep-wake states, cortical activity and reward processing. Large, slow-firing, cholinergic neurons suppress cortical delta activity and promote cortical plasticity in response to reinforcers. Large, fast-firing, cortically-projecting GABAergic neurons promote wakefulness and fast cortical activity. In particular, parvalbumin/GABAergic neurons promote neocortical gamma band activity. Conversely, excitation of slower-firing somatostatin/GABAergic neurons promotes sleep through inhibition of cortically-projecting neurons. Activation of glutamatergic neurons promotes wakefulness, likely by exciting other cortically-projecting neurons. Similarly, cholinergic neurons indirectly promote wakefulness by excitation of wake-promoting, cortically-projecting GABAergic neurons and/or inhibition of sleep-promoting somatostatin/GABAergic neurons. Both glia and neurons increase the levels of adenosine during prolonged wakefulness. Adenosine presynaptically inhibits glutamatergic inputs to wake-promoting cholinergic and GABAergic/parvalbumin neurons, promoting sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Yang
- Psychiatry, VA BHS and Harvard Medical School, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, USA
| | - Stephen Thankachan
- Psychiatry, VA BHS and Harvard Medical School, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, USA
| | - Robert W McCarley
- Psychiatry, VA BHS and Harvard Medical School, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, USA.
| | - Ritchie E Brown
- Psychiatry, VA BHS and Harvard Medical School, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, USA.
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