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Kniffin A, Bangasser DA, Parikh V. Septohippocampal cholinergic system at the intersection of stress and cognition: Current trends and translational implications. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 59:2155-2180. [PMID: 37118907 PMCID: PMC10875782 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15999] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Deficits in hippocampus-dependent memory processes are common across psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders such as depression, anxiety and Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, stress is a major environmental risk factor for these pathologies and it exerts detrimental effects on hippocampal functioning via the activation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The medial septum cholinergic neurons extensively innervate the hippocampus. Although, the cholinergic septohippocampal pathway (SHP) has long been implicated in learning and memory, its involvement in mediating the adaptive and maladaptive impact of stress on mnemonic processes remains less clear. Here, we discuss current research highlighting the contributions of cholinergic SHP in modulating memory encoding, consolidation and retrieval. Then, we present evidence supporting the view that neurobiological interactions between HPA axis stress response and cholinergic signalling impact hippocampal computations. Finally, we critically discuss potential challenges and opportunities to target cholinergic SHP as a therapeutic strategy to improve cognitive impairments in stress-related disorders. We argue that such efforts should consider recent conceptualisations on the dynamic nature of cholinergic signalling in modulating distinct subcomponents of memory and its interactions with cellular substrates that regulate the adaptive stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa Kniffin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122
| | - Debra A. Bangasser
- Neuroscience Institute and Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Vinay Parikh
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122
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2
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Mogavero MP, Salemi M, Lanza G, Rinaldi A, Marchese G, Ravo M, Salluzzo MG, Antoci A, DelRosso LM, Bruni O, Ferini-Strambi L, Ferri R. Unveiling the pathophysiology of restless legs syndrome through transcriptome analysis. iScience 2024; 27:109568. [PMID: 38617564 PMCID: PMC11015462 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109568] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyze signaling pathways associated with differentially expressed messenger RNAs in people with restless legs syndrome (RLS). Seventeen RLS patients and 18 controls were enrolled. Coding RNA expression profiling of 12,857 gene transcripts by next-generation sequencing was performed. Enrichment analysis by pathfindR tool was carried-out, with p-adjusted ≤0.001 and fold-change ≥2.5. Nine main different network groups were significantly dysregulated in RLS: infections, inflammation, immunology, neurodegeneration, cancer, neurotransmission and biological, blood and metabolic mechanisms. Genetic predisposition plays a key role in RLS and evidence indicates its inflammatory nature; the high involvement of mainly neurotropic viruses and the TORCH complex might trigger inflammatory/immune reactions in genetically predisposed subjects and activate a series of biological pathways-especially IL-17, receptor potential channels, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells, NOD-like receptor, mitogen-activated protein kinase, p53, mitophagy, and ferroptosis-involved in neurotransmitter mechanisms, synaptic plasticity, axon guidance, neurodegeneration, carcinogenesis, and metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria P. Mogavero
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy
- San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Division of Neuroscience, Sleep Disorders Center, 20127 Milan, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe Lanza
- Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, 94018 Troina, Italy
- University of Catania, Department of Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Antonio Rinaldi
- Genomix4Life Srl, 84081 Baronissi, Italy
- Genome Research Center for Health-CRGS, 84081 Baronissi, Italy
| | - Giovanna Marchese
- Genomix4Life Srl, 84081 Baronissi, Italy
- Genome Research Center for Health-CRGS, 84081 Baronissi, Italy
| | - Maria Ravo
- Genomix4Life Srl, 84081 Baronissi, Italy
- Genome Research Center for Health-CRGS, 84081 Baronissi, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Oliviero Bruni
- Sapienza University of Rome, Developmental and Social Psychology, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Luigi Ferini-Strambi
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy
- San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Division of Neuroscience, Sleep Disorders Center, 20127 Milan, Italy
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Kimchi EY, Burgos-Robles A, Matthews GA, Chakoma T, Patarino M, Weddington JC, Siciliano C, Yang W, Foutch S, Simons R, Fong MF, Jing M, Li Y, Polley DB, Tye KM. Reward contingency gates selective cholinergic suppression of amygdala neurons. eLife 2024; 12:RP89093. [PMID: 38376907 PMCID: PMC10942609 DOI: 10.7554/elife.89093] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Basal forebrain cholinergic neurons modulate how organisms process and respond to environmental stimuli through impacts on arousal, attention, and memory. It is unknown, however, whether basal forebrain cholinergic neurons are directly involved in conditioned behavior, independent of secondary roles in the processing of external stimuli. Using fluorescent imaging, we found that cholinergic neurons are active during behavioral responding for a reward - even prior to reward delivery and in the absence of discrete stimuli. Photostimulation of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons, or their terminals in the basolateral amygdala (BLA), selectively promoted conditioned responding (licking), but not unconditioned behavior nor innate motor outputs. In vivo electrophysiological recordings during cholinergic photostimulation revealed reward-contingency-dependent suppression of BLA neural activity, but not prefrontal cortex. Finally, ex vivo experiments demonstrated that photostimulation of cholinergic terminals suppressed BLA projection neuron activity via monosynaptic muscarinic receptor signaling, while also facilitating firing in BLA GABAergic interneurons. Taken together, we show that the neural and behavioral effects of basal forebrain cholinergic activation are modulated by reward contingency in a target-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eyal Y Kimchi
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
- Department of Neurology, Northwestern UniversityChicagoUnited States
| | - Anthony Burgos-Robles
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
- The Department of Neuroscience, Developmental, and Regenerative Biology, Neuroscience Institute & Brain Health Consortium, University of Texas at San AntonioSan AntonioUnited States
| | - Gillian A Matthews
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Tatenda Chakoma
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Makenzie Patarino
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Javier C Weddington
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Cody Siciliano
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt UniversityNashvilleUnited States
| | - Wannan Yang
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Shaun Foutch
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Renee Simons
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Ming-fai Fong
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech & Emory UniversityAtlantaUnited States
| | - Miao Jing
- Chinese Institute for Brain ResearchBeijingChina
| | - Yulong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences; PKUIDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Daniel B Polley
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and EarBostonUnited States
- Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Kay M Tye
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
- HHMI Investigator, Member of the Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, and Wylie Vale Professor at the Salk Institute for Biological StudiesLa JollaUnited States
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Pérez-González D, Lao-Rodríguez AB, Aedo-Sánchez C, Malmierca MS. Acetylcholine modulates the precision of prediction error in the auditory cortex. eLife 2024; 12:RP91475. [PMID: 38241174 PMCID: PMC10942646 DOI: 10.7554/elife.91475] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
A fundamental property of sensory systems is their ability to detect novel stimuli in the ambient environment. The auditory brain contains neurons that decrease their response to repetitive sounds but increase their firing rate to novel or deviant stimuli; the difference between both responses is known as stimulus-specific adaptation or neuronal mismatch (nMM). Here, we tested the effect of microiontophoretic applications of ACh on the neuronal responses in the auditory cortex (AC) of anesthetized rats during an auditory oddball paradigm, including cascade controls. Results indicate that ACh modulates the nMM, affecting prediction error responses but not repetition suppression, and this effect is manifested predominantly in infragranular cortical layers. The differential effect of ACh on responses to standards, relative to deviants (in terms of averages and variances), was consistent with the representational sharpening that accompanies an increase in the precision of prediction errors. These findings suggest that ACh plays an important role in modulating prediction error signaling in the AC and gating the access of these signals to higher cognitive levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Pérez-González
- Cognitive and Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience of Castilla y León, Calle Pintor Fernando GallegoSalamancaSpain
- Institute for Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL)SalamancaSpain
- Department of Basic Psychology, Psychobiology and Behavioural Science Methodology, Faculty of Psychology, Campus Ciudad Jardín, University of SalamancaSalamancaSpain
| | - Ana Belén Lao-Rodríguez
- Cognitive and Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience of Castilla y León, Calle Pintor Fernando GallegoSalamancaSpain
- Institute for Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL)SalamancaSpain
| | - Cristian Aedo-Sánchez
- Cognitive and Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience of Castilla y León, Calle Pintor Fernando GallegoSalamancaSpain
- Institute for Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL)SalamancaSpain
| | - Manuel S Malmierca
- Cognitive and Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience of Castilla y León, Calle Pintor Fernando GallegoSalamancaSpain
- Institute for Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL)SalamancaSpain
- Department of Biology and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, University of SalamancaSalamancaSpain
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Satchell M, Fry B, Noureddine Z, Simmons A, Ognjanovski NN, Aton SJ, Zochowski MR. Neuromodulation via muscarinic acetylcholine pathway can facilitate distinct, complementary, and sequential roles for NREM and REM states during sleep-dependent memory consolidation. bioRxiv 2024:2023.05.19.541465. [PMID: 38293183 PMCID: PMC10827095 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.19.541465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Across vertebrate species, sleep consists of repeating cycles of NREM followed by REM. However, the respective functions of NREM, REM, and their stereotypic cycling pattern are not well understood. Using a simplified biophysical network model, we show that NREM and REM sleep can play differential and critical roles in memory consolidation primarily regulated, based on state-specific changes in cholinergic signaling. Within this network, decreasing and increasing muscarinic acetylcholine (ACh) signaling during bouts of NREM and REM, respectively, differentially alters neuronal excitability and excitatory/inhibitory balance. During NREM, deactivation of inhibitory neurons leads to network-wide disinhibition and bursts of synchronized activity led by firing in engram neurons. These features strengthen connections from the original engram neurons to less-active network neurons. In contrast, during REM, an increase in network inhibition suppresses firing in all but the most-active excitatory neurons, leading to competitive strengthening/pruning of the memory trace. We tested the predictions of the model against in vivo recordings from mouse hippocampus during active sleep-dependent memory storage. Consistent with modeling results, we find that functional connectivity between CA1 neurons changes differentially at transition from NREM to REM sleep during learning. Returning to the model, we find that an iterative sequence of state-specific activations during NREM/REM cycling is essential for memory storage in the network, serving a critical role during simultaneous consolidation of multiple memories. Together these results provide a testable mechanistic hypothesis for the respective roles of NREM and REM sleep, and their universal relative timing, in memory consolidation. Significance statement Using a simplified computational model and in vivo recordings from mouse hippocampus, we show that NREM and REM sleep can play differential roles in memory consolidation. The specific neurophysiological features of the two sleep states allow for expansion of memory traces (during NREM) and prevention of overlap between different memory traces (during REM). These features are likely essential in the context of storing more than one new memory simultaneously within a brain network.
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Ren C, Peng K, Yang R, Liu W, Liu C, Komiyama T. Global and subtype-specific modulation of cortical inhibitory neurons regulated by acetylcholine during motor learning. Neuron 2022; 110:2334-2350.e8. [PMID: 35584693 PMCID: PMC9308684 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.04.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Inhibitory neurons (INs) consist of distinct subtypes with unique functions. Previous studies on INs mainly focused on single brain regions, and thus it remains unclear whether the modulation of IN subtypes occurs globally across multiple regions. Here, we monitored the activity of different cortical IN subtypes at both macroscale and microscale in mice learning a lever-press task. Learning evoked a global modulation of IN subtypes throughout the cortex. The initial learning phase involved strong activation of vasoactive intestinal peptide-expressing INs (VIP-INs) and weak activation of somatostatin-expressing INs (SOM-INs). Inactivating VIP-INs increased SOM-IN activity and impaired initial learning. Concurrently, cortical cholinergic inputs from the basal forebrain were initially more active but became less engaged over learning. Manipulation of the cholinergic system impaired motor learning and differentially altered activity of IN subtypes. These results reveal that motor learning involves a global and subtype-specific modulation on cortical INs regulated by the cholinergic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Ren
- Neurobiology Section, Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior, Department of Neurosciences, and Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Kailong Peng
- Neurobiology Section, Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior, Department of Neurosciences, and Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Ruize Yang
- Neurobiology Section, Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior, Department of Neurosciences, and Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Weikang Liu
- Neurobiology Section, Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior, Department of Neurosciences, and Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Chang Liu
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Takaki Komiyama
- Neurobiology Section, Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior, Department of Neurosciences, and Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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7
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Qi G, Feldmeyer D. Cell-Type Specific Neuromodulation of Excitatory and Inhibitory Neurons via Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptors in Layer 4 of Rat Barrel Cortex. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:843025. [PMID: 35250496 PMCID: PMC8894850 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.843025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuromodulator acetylcholine (ACh) plays an important role in arousal, attention, vigilance, learning and memory. ACh is released during different behavioural states and affects the brain microcircuit by regulating neuronal and synaptic properties. Here, we investigated how a low concentration of ACh (30 μM) affects the intrinsic properties of electrophysiologically and morphologically identified excitatory and inhibitory neurons in layer 4 (L4) of rat barrel cortex. ACh altered the membrane potential of L4 neurons in a heterogeneous manner. Nearly all L4 regular spiking (RS) excitatory neurons responded to bath-application of ACh with a M4 muscarinic ACh receptor-mediated hyperpolarisation. In contrast, in the majority of L4 fast spiking (FS) and non-fast spiking (nFS) interneurons 30 μM ACh induced a depolarisation while the remainder showed a hyperpolarisation or no response. The ACh-induced depolarisation of L4 FS interneurons was much weaker than that in L4 nFS interneurons. There was no clear difference in the response to ACh for three morphological subtypes of L4 FS interneurons. However, in four morpho-electrophysiological subtypes of L4 nFS interneurons, VIP+-like interneurons showed the strongest ACh-induced depolarisation; occasionally, even action potential firing was elicited. The ACh-induced depolarisation in L4 FS interneurons was exclusively mediated by M1 muscarinic ACh receptors; in L4 nFS interneurons it was mainly mediated by M1 and/or M3/5 muscarinic ACh receptors. In a subset of L4 nFS interneurons, a co-operative activation of muscarinic and nicotinic ACh receptors was also observed. The present study demonstrates that low-concentrations of ACh affect different L4 neuron types in a cell-type specific way. These effects result from a specific expression of different muscarinic and/or nicotinic ACh receptors on the somatodendritic compartments of L4 neurons. This suggests that even at low concentrations ACh may tune the excitability of L4 excitatory and inhibitory neurons and their synaptic microcircuits differentially depending on the behavioural state during which ACh is released.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanxiao Qi
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, INM-10, Reseach Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- *Correspondence: Guanxiao Qi,
| | - Dirk Feldmeyer
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, INM-10, Reseach Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance-Brain, Translational Brain Medicine, Aachen, Germany
- Dirk Feldmeyer,
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Abstract
Itch is an unpleasant somatic sensation with the desire to scratch, and it consists of sensory, affective, and motivational components. Acute itch serves as a critical protective mechanism because an itch-evoked scratching response will help to remove harmful substances invading the skin. Recently, exciting progress has been made in deciphering the mechanisms of itch at both the peripheral nervous system and the CNS levels. Key neuronal subtypes and circuits have been revealed for ascending transmission and the descending modulation of itch. In this review, we mainly summarize the current understanding of the central circuit mechanisms of itch in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Mu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan-Gang Sun
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (CEBSIT), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai, China.
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9
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Jimenez-Martin J, Potapov D, Potapov K, Knöpfel T, Empson RM. Cholinergic modulation of sensory processing in awake mouse cortex. Sci Rep 2021; 11:17525. [PMID: 34471145 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96696-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic modulation of brain activity is fundamental for awareness and conscious sensorimotor behaviours, but deciphering the timing and significance of acetylcholine actions for these behaviours is challenging. The widespread nature of cholinergic projections to the cortex means that new insights require access to specific neuronal populations, and on a time-scale that matches behaviourally relevant cholinergic actions. Here, we use fast, voltage imaging of L2/3 cortical pyramidal neurons exclusively expressing the genetically-encoded voltage indicator Butterfly 1.2, in awake, head-fixed mice, receiving sensory stimulation, whilst manipulating the cholinergic system. Altering muscarinic acetylcholine function re-shaped sensory-evoked fast depolarisation and subsequent slow hyperpolarisation of L2/3 pyramidal neurons. A consequence of this re-shaping was disrupted adaptation of the sensory-evoked responses, suggesting a critical role for acetylcholine during sensory discrimination behaviour. Our findings provide new insights into how the cortex processes sensory information and how loss of acetylcholine, for example in Alzheimer's Disease, disrupts sensory behaviours.
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Collins L, Boddington L, Steffan PJ, McCormick D. Vagus nerve stimulation induces widespread cortical and behavioral activation. Curr Biol 2021; 31:2088-2098.e3. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.02.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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Mei L, Zhou Y, Sun Y, Liu H, Zhang D, Liu P, Shu H. Acetylcholine Muscarinic Receptors in Ventral Hippocampus Modulate Stress-Induced Anxiety-Like Behaviors in Mice. Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 13:598811. [PMID: 33384583 PMCID: PMC7769836 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.598811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress exposure increases the risk of developing various neuropsychiatric illnesses. The ventral hippocampus (vHPC) is central to affective and cognitive processing and displays a high density of acetylcholine (ACh) muscarinic receptors (mAChRs). However, the precise role of vHPC mAChRs in anxiety remains to be fully investigated. In this study, we found that chronic restraint stress (CRS) induced social avoidance and anxiety-like behaviors in mice and increased mAChR expression in the vHPC. CRS increased the vHPC ACh release in behaving mice. Moreover, CRS altered the synaptic activities and enhanced neuronal activity of the vHPC neurons. Using pharmacological and viral approaches, we showed that infusing the antagonist of mAChRs or decreasing their expression in the vHPC attenuated the anxiety-like behavior and rescued the social avoidance behaviors in mice probably due to suppression of vHPC neuronal activity and its excitatory synaptic transmission. Our results suggest that the changes of neuronal activity and synaptic transmission in the vHPC mediated by mAChRs may play an important role in stress-induced anxiety-like behavior, providing new insights into the pathological mechanism and potential pharmacological target for anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Mei
- Department of Anesthesiology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hong Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dengwen Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pingping Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haihua Shu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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12
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Venkatesan S, Jeoung HS, Chen T, Power SK, Liu Y, Lambe EK. Endogenous Acetylcholine and Its Modulation of Cortical Microcircuits to Enhance Cognition. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2020; 45:47-69. [PMID: 32601996 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2020_138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Acetylcholine regulates the cerebral cortex to sharpen sensory perception and enhance attentional focus. The cellular and circuit mechanisms of this cholinergic modulation are under active investigation in sensory and prefrontal cortex, but the universality of these mechanisms across the cerebral cortex is not clear. Anatomical maps suggest that the sensory and prefrontal cortices receive distinct cholinergic projections and have subtle differences in the expression of cholinergic receptors and the metabolic enzyme acetylcholinesterase. First, we briefly review this anatomical literature and the recent progress in the field. Next, we discuss in detail the electrophysiological effects of cholinergic receptor subtypes and the cell and circuit consequences of their stimulation by endogenous acetylcholine as established by recent optogenetic work. Finally, we explore the behavioral ramifications of in vivo manipulations of endogenous acetylcholine. We find broader similarities than we expected between the cholinergic regulation of sensory and prefrontal cortex, but there are some differences and some gaps in knowledge. In visual, auditory, and somatosensory cortex, the cell and circuit mechanisms of cholinergic sharpening of sensory perception have been probed in vivo with calcium imaging and optogenetic experiments to simultaneously test mechanism and measure the consequences of manipulation. By contrast, ascertaining the links between attentional performance and cholinergic modulation of specific prefrontal microcircuits is more complicated due to the nature of the required tasks. However, ex vivo optogenetic manipulations point to differences in the cholinergic modulation of sensory and prefrontal cortex. Understanding how and where acetylcholine acts within the cerebral cortex to shape cognition is essential to pinpoint novel treatment targets for the perceptual and attention deficits found in multiple psychiatric and neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ha-Seul Jeoung
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tianhui Chen
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Saige K Power
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yupeng Liu
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Evelyn K Lambe
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Dezawa S, Nagasaka K, Watanabe Y, Takashima I. Lesions of the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (Meynert) induce enhanced somatosensory responses and tactile hypersensitivity in rats. Exp Neurol 2020; 335:113493. [PMID: 33011194 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2020.113493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We used the immunotoxin 192 immunoglobulin G-saporin to produce a selective cholinergic lesion in the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) of rats and investigated whether the NBM lesion led to tactile hypersensitivity in the forepaw. The paw mechanical threshold test showed that the lesioned rats had a decreased threshold compared to the control. Surprisingly, there was a significant positive correlation between mechanical threshold and survival rate of NBM cholinergic neurons. Furthermore, using local field potential (LFP) recordings and voltage-sensitive dye (VSD) imaging, we found that the forepaw-evoked response in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) was significantly enhanced in both amplitude and spatial extent in the NBM-lesioned rats. The neurophysiological measures of S1 response, such as LFP amplitude and maximal activated cortical area depicted by VSD, were also correlated with withdrawal behavior. Additional pharmacological experiments demonstrated that forepaw-evoked responses were increased in naive rats by blocking S1 cholinergic receptors with mecamylamine and scopolamine, while the response decreased in NBM-lesioned rats with the cholinergic agonist carbachol. In addition, NBM burst stimulation, which facilitates acetylcholine release in the S1, suppressed subsequent sensory responses to forepaw stimulation. Taken together, these results suggest that neuronal loss in the NBM diminishes acetylcholine actions in the S1, thereby enhancing the cortical representation of sensory stimuli, which may in turn lead to behavioral hypersensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinnosuke Dezawa
- Human Informatics and Interaction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8568, Japan; Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Nagasaka
- Human Informatics and Interaction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8568, Japan; Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
| | - Yumiko Watanabe
- Human Informatics and Interaction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8568, Japan
| | - Ichiro Takashima
- Human Informatics and Interaction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8568, Japan; Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan.
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14
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Granger AJ, Wang W, Robertson K, El-Rifai M, Zanello AF, Bistrong K, Saunders A, Chow BW, Nuñez V, Turrero García M, Harwell CC, Gu C, Sabatini BL. Cortical ChAT + neurons co-transmit acetylcholine and GABA in a target- and brain-region-specific manner. eLife 2020; 9:57749. [PMID: 32613945 PMCID: PMC7360370 DOI: 10.7554/elife.57749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [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: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The mouse cerebral cortex contains neurons that express choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and are a potential local source of acetylcholine. However, the neurotransmitters released by cortical ChAT+ neurons and their synaptic connectivity are unknown. We show that the nearly all cortical ChAT+ neurons in mice are specialized VIP+ interneurons that release GABA strongly onto other inhibitory interneurons and acetylcholine sparsely onto layer 1 interneurons and other VIP+/ChAT+ interneurons. This differential transmission of ACh and GABA based on the postsynaptic target neuron is reflected in VIP+/ChAT+ interneuron pre-synaptic terminals, as quantitative molecular analysis shows that only a subset of these are specialized to release acetylcholine. In addition, we identify a separate, sparse population of non-VIP ChAT+ neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex with a distinct developmental origin that robustly release acetylcholine in layer 1. These results demonstrate both cortex-region heterogeneity in cortical ChAT+ interneurons and target-specific co-release of acetylcholine and GABA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J Granger
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Wengang Wang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Keiramarie Robertson
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Mahmoud El-Rifai
- Neurobiology Imaging Facility, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Andrea F Zanello
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Karina Bistrong
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Arpiar Saunders
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Brian W Chow
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Vicente Nuñez
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | | | - Corey C Harwell
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Chenghua Gu
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Bernardo L Sabatini
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
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15
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Abstract
Neural activity and behavior are both notoriously variable, with responses differing widely between repeated presentation of identical stimuli or trials. Recent results in humans and animals reveal that these variations are not random in their nature, but may in fact be due in large part to rapid shifts in neural, cognitive, and behavioral states. Here we review recent advances in the understanding of rapid variations in the waking state, how variations are generated, and how they modulate neural and behavioral responses in both mice and humans. We propose that the brain has an identifiable set of states through which it wanders continuously in a nonrandom fashion, owing to the activity of both ascending modulatory and fast-acting corticocortical and subcortical-cortical neural pathways. These state variations provide the backdrop upon which the brain operates, and understanding them is critical to making progress in revealing the neural mechanisms underlying cognition and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A McCormick
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, USA;
| | - Dennis B Nestvogel
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, USA;
| | - Biyu J He
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Physiology, and Radiology, Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
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16
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17
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Matsumoto S, Ohyama K, Díaz J, Yanagisawa M, Greene RW, Vogt KE. Enhanced cortical responsiveness during natural sleep in freely behaving mice. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2278. [PMID: 32042079 PMCID: PMC7010820 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59151-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cortical networks exhibit large shifts in spontaneous dynamics depending on the vigilance state. Waking and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep are characterized by ongoing irregular activity of cortical neurons while during slow wave sleep (SWS) these neurons show synchronous alterations between silent (OFF) and active (ON) periods. The network dynamics underlying these phenomena are not fully understood. Additional information about the state of cortical networks can be obtained by evaluating evoked cortical responses during the sleep-wake cycle. We measured local field potentials (LFP) and multi-unit activity (MUA) in the cortex in response to repeated brief optogenetic stimulation of thalamocortical afferents. Both LFP and MUA responses were considerably increased in sleep compared to waking, with larger responses during SWS than during REM sleep. The strongly increased cortical response in SWS is discussed within the context of SWS-associated neuro-modulatory tone that may reduce feedforward inhibition. Responses to stimuli were larger during SWS-OFF periods than during SWS-ON periods. SWS responses showed clear daily fluctuation correlated to light-dark cycle, but no reaction to increased sleep need following sleep deprivation. Potential homeostatic synaptic plasticity was either absent or masked by large vigilance-state effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumire Matsumoto
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.,School of Integrative and Global Majors, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Kaoru Ohyama
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.,Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Research Fellow, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Javier Díaz
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Masashi Yanagisawa
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Robert W Greene
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry & Neuroscience, Peter O'Donnell Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kaspar E Vogt
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
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18
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Abstract
Cortical gain regulation allows neurons to respond adaptively to changing inputs. Neural gain is modulated by internal and external influences, including attentional and arousal states, motor activity and neuromodulatory input. These influences converge to a common set of mechanisms for gain modulation, including GABAergic inhibition, synaptically driven fluctuations in membrane potential, changes in cellular conductance and changes in other biophysical neural properties. Recent work has identified GABAergic interneurons as targets of neuromodulatory input and mediators of state-dependent gain modulation. Here, we review the engagement and effects of gain modulation in the cortex. We highlight key recent findings that link phenomenological observations of gain modulation to underlying cellular and circuit-level mechanisms. Finally, we place these cellular and circuit interactions in the larger context of their impact on perception and cognition.
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19
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Siucinska E. Γ-Aminobutyric acid in adult brain: an update. Behav Brain Res 2019; 376:112224. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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20
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Brna AP, Brown RC, Connolly PM, Simons SB, Shimizu RE, Aguilar-Simon M. Uncertainty-based modulation for lifelong learning. Neural Netw 2019; 120:129-42. [PMID: 31708227 DOI: 10.1016/j.neunet.2019.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Revised: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The creation of machine learning algorithms for intelligent agents capable of continuous, lifelong learning is a critical objective for algorithms being deployed on real-life systems in dynamic environments. Here we present an algorithm inspired by neuromodulatory mechanisms in the human brain that integrates and expands upon Stephen Grossberg's ground-breaking Adaptive Resonance Theory proposals. Specifically, it builds on the concept of uncertainty, and employs a series of "neuromodulatory" mechanisms to enable continuous learning, including self-supervised and one-shot learning. Algorithm components were evaluated in a series of benchmark experiments that demonstrate stable learning without catastrophic forgetting. We also demonstrate the critical role of developing these systems in a closed-loop manner where the environment and the agent's behaviors constrain and guide the learning process. To this end, we integrated the algorithm into an embodied simulated drone agent. The experiments show that the algorithm is capable of continuous learning of new tasks and under changed conditions with high classification accuracy (>94%) in a virtual environment, without catastrophic forgetting. The algorithm accepts high dimensional inputs from any state-of-the-art detection and feature extraction algorithms, making it a flexible addition to existing systems. We also describe future development efforts focused on imbuing the algorithm with mechanisms to seek out new knowledge as well as employ a broader range of neuromodulatory processes.
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21
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Colangelo C, Shichkova P, Keller D, Markram H, Ramaswamy S. Cellular, Synaptic and Network Effects of Acetylcholine in the Neocortex. Front Neural Circuits 2019; 13:24. [PMID: 31031601 PMCID: PMC6473068 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2019.00024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The neocortex is densely innervated by basal forebrain (BF) cholinergic neurons. Long-range axons of cholinergic neurons regulate higher-order cognitive function and dysfunction in the neocortex by releasing acetylcholine (ACh). ACh release dynamically reconfigures neocortical microcircuitry through differential spatiotemporal actions on cell-types and their synaptic connections. At the cellular level, ACh release controls neuronal excitability and firing rate, by hyperpolarizing or depolarizing target neurons. At the synaptic level, ACh impacts transmission dynamics not only by altering the presynaptic probability of release, but also the magnitude of the postsynaptic response. Despite the crucial role of ACh release in physiology and pathophysiology, a comprehensive understanding of the way it regulates the activity of diverse neocortical cell-types and synaptic connections has remained elusive. This review aims to summarize the state-of-the-art anatomical and physiological data to develop a functional map of the cellular, synaptic and microcircuit effects of ACh in the neocortex of rodents and non-human primates, and to serve as a quantitative reference for those intending to build data-driven computational models on the role of ACh in governing brain states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Colangelo
- Blue Brain Project, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | - Srikanth Ramaswamy
- Blue Brain Project, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva, Switzerland
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22
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Yang D, Günter R, Qi G, Radnikow G, Feldmeyer D. Muscarinic and Nicotinic Modulation of Neocortical Layer 6A Synaptic Microcircuits Is Cooperative and Cell-Specific. Cereb Cortex 2019; 30:3528-3542. [PMID: 32026946 PMCID: PMC7233001 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [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: 10/16/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Acetylcholine (ACh) is known to regulate cortical activity during different behavioral states, for example, wakefulness and attention. Here we show a differential expression of muscarinic ACh receptors (mAChRs) and nicotinic ACh receptors (nAChRs) in different layer 6A (L6A) pyramidal cell (PC) types of somatosensory cortex. At low concentrations, ACh induced a persistent hyperpolarization in corticocortical (CC) but a depolarization in corticothalamic (CT) L6A PCs via M 4 and M1 mAChRs, respectively. At ~ 1 mM, ACh depolarized exclusively CT PCs via α4β2 subunit-containing nAChRs without affecting CC PCs. Miniature EPSC frequency in CC PCs was decreased by ACh but increased in CT PCs. In synaptic connections with a presynaptic CC PC, glutamate release was suppressed via M4 mAChR activation but enhanced by nAChRs via α4β2 nAChRs when the presynaptic neuron was a CT PC. Thus, in L6A, the interaction of mAChRs and nAChRs results in an altered excitability and synaptic release, effectively strengthening CT output while weakening CC synaptic signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danqing Yang
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-10), Function of Neuronal Microcircuits, Research Centre Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Robert Günter
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-10), Function of Neuronal Microcircuits, Research Centre Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Guanxiao Qi
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-10), Function of Neuronal Microcircuits, Research Centre Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Gabriele Radnikow
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-10), Function of Neuronal Microcircuits, Research Centre Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Dirk Feldmeyer
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-10), Function of Neuronal Microcircuits, Research Centre Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, D-52074 Aachen, Germany.,Jülich Aachen Research Alliance, Translational Brain Medicine (JARA Brain), D-52074 Aachen, Germany
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23
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Abstract
Cortical neurons process information on a background of spontaneous, ongoing activity with distinct spatiotemporal profiles defining different cortical states. During wakefulness, cortical states alter constantly in relation to behavioral context, attentional level or general motor activity. In this review article, we will discuss our current understanding of cortical states in awake rodents, how they are controlled, their impact on sensory processing, and highlight areas for future research. A common observation in awake rodents is the rapid change in spontaneous cortical activity from high-amplitude, low-frequency (LF) fluctuations, when animals are quiet, to faster and smaller fluctuations when animals are active. This transition is typically thought of as a change in global brain state but recent work has shown variation in cortical states across regions, indicating the presence of a fine spatial scale control system. In sensory areas, the cortical state change is mediated by at least two convergent inputs, one from the thalamus and the other from cholinergic inputs in the basal forebrain. Cortical states have a major impact on the balance of activity between specific subtypes of neurons, on the synchronization between nearby neurons, as well as the functional coupling between distant cortical areas. This reorganization of the activity of cortical networks strongly affects sensory processing. Thus cortical states provide a dynamic control system for the moment-by-moment regulation of cortical processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- James F. A. Poulet
- Neural Circuits and Behaviour, Department of Neuroscience, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- Neuroscience Research Center and Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sylvain Crochet
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, INSERM U1028/CNRS UMR5292, University Lyon 1, Lyon, France
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24
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Meir I, Katz Y, Lampl I. Membrane Potential Correlates of Network Decorrelation and Improved SNR by Cholinergic Activation in the Somatosensory Cortex. J Neurosci 2018; 38:10692-708. [PMID: 30373769 DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1159-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Revised: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The nucleus basalis (NB) projects cholinergic axons to the cortex, where they play a major role in arousal, attention, and learning. Cholinergic inputs shift cortical dynamics from synchronous to asynchronous and improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of sensory responses. However, the underlying mechanisms of these changes remain unclear. Using simultaneous extracellular and whole-cell patch recordings in layer 4 of the mouse barrel cortex, we show that electrical or optogenetic activation of the cholinergic system has a differential effect on ongoing and sensory evoked activities. Cholinergic activation profoundly reduced the large spontaneous fluctuations in membrane potential and decorrelated ongoing activity. However, NB stimulation had no effect on the response to whisker stimulation or on signal correlations. These effects of cholinergic activation provide a unified explanation for the increased SNR of sensory response and for the reduction in noise correlations and explain the shift into the desynchronized cortical state, which are the hallmarks of arousal and attention.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Attention increases the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of cortical sensory response, which may reflect either reduction in background firing rate or increased sensory response. Extracellular recordings showed that attention also reduces the correlation in network activity. These effects are partially mediated by cholinergic axons from the nucleus basalis projecting to the entire cortex. To reveal the cellular and synaptic correlates of these cholinergic effects, we performed simultaneous intracellular and LFP recordings in the somatosensory cortex. Global or local cholinergic activation increased the SNR of sensory response mainly by reducing the rate and amplitude of background synaptic activity and also reduced network correlations. Therefore, coding of sensory information is enhanced by the cholinergic system mainly due to a reduction in spontaneous activity.
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25
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Ramaswamy S, Colangelo C, Markram H. Data-Driven Modeling of Cholinergic Modulation of Neural Microcircuits: Bridging Neurons, Synapses and Network Activity. Front Neural Circuits 2018; 12:77. [PMID: 30356701 PMCID: PMC6189313 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2018.00077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [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: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuromodulators, such as acetylcholine (ACh), control information processing in neural microcircuits by regulating neuronal and synaptic physiology. Computational models and simulations enable predictions on the potential role of ACh in reconfiguring network activity. As a prelude into investigating how the cellular and synaptic effects of ACh collectively influence emergent network dynamics, we developed a data-driven framework incorporating phenomenological models of the physiology of cholinergic modulation of neocortical cells and synapses. The first-draft models were integrated into a biologically detailed tissue model of neocortical microcircuitry to investigate the effects of levels of ACh on diverse neuron types and synapses, and consequently on emergent network activity. Preliminary simulations from the framework, which was not tuned to reproduce any specific ACh-induced network effects, not only corroborate the long-standing notion that ACh desynchronizes spontaneous network activity, but also predict that a dose-dependent activation of ACh gives rise to a spectrum of neocortical network activity. We show that low levels of ACh, such as during non-rapid eye movement (nREM) sleep, drive microcircuit activity into slow oscillations and network synchrony, whereas high ACh concentrations, such as during wakefulness and REM sleep, govern fast oscillations and network asynchrony. In addition, spontaneous network activity modulated by ACh levels shape spike-time cross-correlations across distinct neuronal populations in strikingly different ways. These effects are likely due to the regulation of neurons and synapses caused by increasing levels of ACh, which enhances cellular excitability and decreases the efficacy of local synaptic transmission. We conclude by discussing future directions to refine the biological accuracy of the framework, which will extend its utility and foster the development of hypotheses to investigate the role of neuromodulators in neural information processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srikanth Ramaswamy
- Blue Brain Project (BBP), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Biotech Campus, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Cristina Colangelo
- Blue Brain Project (BBP), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Biotech Campus, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Henry Markram
- Blue Brain Project (BBP), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Biotech Campus, Geneva, Switzerland
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