Vesicular Glutamate Transporter Expression Ensures High-Fidelity Synaptic Transmission at the Calyx of Held Synapses

Recycling of synaptic vesicles (SVs) at presynaptic terminals is required for sustained neurotransmitter release. Although SV endocytosis is a rate-limiting step for synaptic transmission, it is unclear whether the rate of the subsequent SV refilling with neurotransmitter also influences synaptic transmission. By analyzing vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (VGLUT1)-deficient calyx of Held synapses, in which both VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 are co-expressed in wild-type situation, we found that VGLUT1 loss causes a drastic reduction in SV refilling rate down to ∼25% of wild-type values, with only subtle changes in basic synaptic parameters. Strikingly, VGLUT1-deficient synapses exhibited abnormal synaptic failures within a few seconds during high-frequency repetitive firing, which was recapitulated by manipulating presynaptic Cl^- concentrations to retard SV refilling. Our data show that the speed of SV refilling can be rate limiting for synaptic transmission under certain conditions that entail reduced VGLUT levels during development as well as various neuropathological processes.

Modulation of NMDA Receptors by G-protein-coupled receptors: Role in Synaptic Transmission, Plasticity and Beyond

NMDA receptors (NMDARs) play a critical role in excitatory synaptic transmission, plasticity and in several forms of learning and memory. In addition, NMDAR dysfunction is believed to underlie a number of neuropsychiatric conditions. Growing evidence has demonstrated that NMDARs are tightly regulated by several G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Ligands that bind to GPCRs, such as neurotransmitters and neuromodulators, activate intracellular pathways that modulate NMDAR expression, subcellular localization and/or functional properties in a short- or a long-term manner across many synapses throughout the central nervous system. In this review article we summarize current knowledge on the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying NMDAR modulation by GPCRs, and we discuss the implications of this modulation spanning from synaptic transmission and plasticity to circuit function and brain disease.

Evolving Mechanistic Concepts of Epileptiform Synchronization and their Relevance in Curing Focal Epileptic Disorders

The synchronized activity of neuronal networks under physiological conditions is mirrored by specific oscillatory patterns of the EEG that are associated with different behavioral states and cognitive functions. Excessive synchronization can, however, lead to focal epileptiform activity characterized by interictal and ictal discharges in epileptic patients and animal models. This review focusses on studies that have addressed epileptiform synchronization in temporal lobe regions by employing in vitro and in vivo recording techniques. First, we consider the role of ionotropic and metabotropic excitatory glutamatergic transmission in seizure generation as well as the paradoxical role of GABAA signaling in initiating and perhaps maintaining focal seizure activity. Second, we address non-synaptic mechanisms (which include voltage-gated ionic currents and gap junctions) in the generation of epileptiform synchronization. For each mechanism, we discuss the actions of antiepileptic drugs that are presumably modulating excitatory or inhibitory signaling and voltage-gated currents to prevent seizures in epileptic patients. These findings provide insights into the mechanisms of seizure initiation and maintenance, thus leading to the development of specific pharmacological treatments for focal epileptic disorders.

The Protracted Maturation of Associative Layer IIIC Pyramidal Neurons in the Human Prefrontal Cortex During Childhood: A Major Role in Cognitive Development and Selective Alteration in Autism

The human specific cognitive shift starts around the age of 2 years with the onset of self-awareness, and continues with extraordinary increase in cognitive capacities during early childhood. Diffuse changes in functional connectivity in children aged 2-6 years indicate an increase in the capacity of cortical network. Interestingly, structural network complexity does not increase during this time and, thus, it is likely to be induced by selective maturation of a specific neuronal subclass. Here, we provide an overview of a subclass of cortico-cortical neurons, the associative layer IIIC pyramids of the human prefrontal cortex. Their local axonal collaterals are in control of the prefrontal cortico-cortical output, while their long projections modulate inter-areal processing. In this way, layer IIIC pyramids are the major integrative element of cortical processing, and changes in their connectivity patterns will affect global cortical functioning. Layer IIIC neurons have a unique pattern of dendritic maturation. In contrast to other classes of principal neurons, they undergo an additional phase of extensive dendritic growth during early childhood, and show characteristic molecular changes. Taken together, circuits associated with layer IIIC neurons have the most protracted period of developmental plasticity. This unique feature is advanced but also provides a window of opportunity for pathological events to disrupt normal formation of cognitive circuits involving layer IIIC neurons. In this manuscript, we discuss how disrupted dendritic and axonal maturation of layer IIIC neurons may lead into global cortical disconnectivity, affecting development of complex communication and social abilities. We also propose a model that developmentally dictated incorporation of layer IIIC neurons into maturing cortico-cortical circuits between 2 to 6 years will reveal a previous (perinatal) lesion affecting other classes of principal neurons. This "disclosure" of pre-existing functionally silent lesions of other neuronal classes induced by development of layer IIIC associative neurons, or their direct alteration, could be found in different forms of autism spectrum disorders. Understanding the gene-environment interaction in shaping cognitive microcircuitries may be fundamental for developing rehabilitation and prevention strategies in autism spectrum and other cognitive disorders.

GPR30 disrupts the balance of GABAergic and glutamatergic transmission in the spinal cord driving to the development of bone cancer pain

Cancer induced bone pain is a very complicated clinical pain states that has proven difficult to be treated effectively due to poorly understand of underlying mechanism, but bone cancer pain (BCP) seems to be enhanced by a state of spinal sensitization. In the present study, we showed that carcinoma tibia implantation induced notable pain sensitization and up-regulation of G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPR30) in the spinal cord of rats which was reversed by GPR30 knockdown. Further studies indicated that upregulation of GPR30 induced by cancer implantation resulted in a select loss of γ-aminobutyric acid-ergic (GABAergic) neurons and functionally diminished the inhibitory transmission due to reduce expression of the vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT). GPR30 contributed to spinal cord disinhibition by diminishing the inhibitory transmission via upregulation of α1 subunit and downregulation of γ2 subunits. GPR30 also facilitated excitatory transmission by promoting functional up-regulation of the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II α (CaMKII α) in glutamatergic neurons and increasing the clustering of the glutamate receptor subunit 1 (GluR1) subunit to excitatory synapse.

Taken together, GPR30 contributed to the development of BCP by both facilitating excitatory transmission and inhibiting inhibitory transmission in the spinal cord. Our findings provide the new spinal disinhibition and sensitivity mechanisms underlying the development of bone cancer pain.

Impaired GABAB-mediated presynaptic inhibition increases excitatory strength and alters short-term plasticity in synapsin knockout mice

Synapsins are a family of synaptic vesicle phosphoproteins regulating synaptic transmission and plasticity. SYN1/2 genes are major epilepsy susceptibility genes in humans. Consistently, synapsin I/II/III triple knockout (TKO) mice are epileptic and exhibit severe impairments in phasic and tonic GABAergic inhibition that precede the appearance of the epileptic phenotype. These changes are associated with an increased strength of excitatory transmission that has never been mechanistically investigated. Here, we observed that an identical effect in excitatory transmission could be induced in wild-type (WT) Schaffer collateral-CA1 pyramidal cell synapses by blockade of GABA_B receptors (GABA_BRs). The same treatment was virtually ineffective in TKO slices, suggesting that the increased strength of the excitatory transmission results from an impairment of GABA_B presynaptic inhibition. Exogenous stimulation of GABA_BRs in excitatory autaptic neurons, where GABA spillover is negligible, demonstrated that GABA_BRs were effective in inhibiting excitatory transmission in both WT and TKO neurons. These results demonstrate that the decreased GABA release and spillover, previously observed in TKO hippocampal slices, removes the tonic brake of presynaptic GABA_BRs on glutamate transmission, making the excitation/inhibition imbalance stronger.

Loss of Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 8 Alters Synapse Composition and Function, Resulting in Behavioral Defects

Diverse molecular mechanisms regulate synaptic composition and function in the mammalian nervous system. The multifunctional protein arginine methyltransferase 8 (PRMT8) possesses both methyltransferase and phospholipase activities. Here we examine the role of this neuron-specific protein in hippocampal plasticity and cognitive function. PRMT8 protein localizes to synaptic sites, and conditional whole-brain Prmt8 deletion results in altered levels of multiple synaptic proteins in the hippocampus, using both male and female mice. Interestingly, these altered protein levels are due to post-transcriptional mechanisms as the corresponding mRNA levels are unaffected. Strikingly, electrophysiological recordings from hippocampal slices of mice lacking PRMT8 reveal multiple defects in excitatory synaptic function and plasticity. Furthermore, behavioral analyses show that PRMT8 conditional knock-out mice exhibit impaired hippocampal-dependent fear learning. Together, these findings establish PRMT8 as an important component of the molecular machinery required for hippocampal neuronal function.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Numerous molecular processes are critically required for normal brain function. Here we use mice lacking protein arginine methyltransferase 8 (PRMT8) in the brain to examine how loss of this protein affects the structure and function of neurons in the hippocampus. We find that PRMT8 localizes to the sites of communication between neurons. Hippocampal neurons from mice lacking PRMT8 have no detectable structural differences compared with controls; however, multiple aspects of their function are altered. Consistently, we find that mice lacking PRMT8 also exhibit reduced hippocampus-dependent memory. Together, our findings establish important roles for PRMT8 in regulating neuron function and cognition in the mammalian brain.

Differential Contribution of Ca2+-Dependent Mechanisms to Hyperexcitability in Layer V Neurons of the Medial Entorhinal Cortex

Temporal lobe epilepsy is characterized by recurrent seizures in one or both temporal lobes of the brain; some in vitro models show that epileptiform discharges initiate in entorhinal layer V neurons and then spread into other areas of the temporal lobe. We previously found that, in the presence of GABA_A receptor antagonists, stimulation of afferent fibers, terminating both at proximal and distal dendritic locations, initiated hyperexcitable bursts in layer V medial entorhinal neurons. We investigated the differential contribution of Ca²⁺-dependent mechanisms to the plateaus underlying these bursts at proximal and distal synapses. We found that the NMDA glutamatergic antagonist D,L-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (APV; 50 μM) reduced both the area and duration of the bursts at both proximal and distal synapses by about half. The L-type Ca²⁺ channel blocker nimodipine (10 μM) and the R- and T-type Ca²⁺ channel blocker NiCl₂ (200 μM) decreased the area of the bursts to a lesser extent; none of these effects appeared to be location-dependent. Remarkably, the perfusion of flufenamic acid (FFA; 100 μM), to block Ca²⁺-activated non-selective cation currents (I_CAN) mediated by transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, had a location-dependent effect, by abolishing burst firing and switching the suprathreshold response to a single action potential (AP) for proximal stimulation, but only minimally affecting the bursts evoked by distal stimulation. A similar outcome was found when FFA was pressure-applied locally around the proximal dendrite of the recorded neurons and in the presence of a selective blocker of melastatin TRP (TRPM) channels, 9-phenanthrol (100 μM), whereas a selective blocker of canonical TRP (TRPC) channels, SKF 96365, did not affect the bursts. These results indicate that different mechanisms might contribute to the initiation of hyperexcitability in layer V neurons at proximal and distal synapses and could shed light on the initiation of epileptiform activity in the entorhinal cortex.

1,8- and 1,4-cineole enhance spontaneous excitatory transmission by activating different types of transient receptor potential channels in the rat spinal substantia gelatinosa

Although transient receptor potential (TRP) channels expressed in the spinal substantia gelatinosa play a role in modulating nociceptive transmission, their properties have not been fully examined yet. In order to address this issue, the effects of 1,8-cineole and its stereoisomer 1,4-cineole on excitatory transmission were examined by applying the whole-cell patch-clamp technique to substantia gelatinosa neurons in adult rat spinal cord slices. Miniature excitatory postsynaptic current frequency was increased by 1,8- and 1,4-cineole. The cineole activities were repeated and resistant to voltage-gated Na⁺ -channel blocker tetrodotoxin. The 1,8-cineole activity was inhibited by TRP ankyrin-1 (TRPA1) antagonists (HC-030031 and mecamylamine) but not TRP vanilloid-1 (TRPV1) antagonists (capsazepine and SB-366791), whereas the 1,4-cineole activity was depressed by the TRPV1 but not TRPA1 antagonists. Although 1,8- and 1,4-cineole reportedly activate TRP melastatin-8 (TRPM8) channels, their activities were unaffected by TRPM8 antagonist 4-(3-chloro-2-pyridinyl)-N-[4-(1,1-dimethylethyl)phenyl]-1-piperazinecarboxamide. Monosynaptically evoked C-fiber, but not Aδ-fiber excitatory postsynaptic current amplitude, was reduced by 1,8- and 1,4-cineole. These results indicate that 1,8- and 1,4-cineole increase spontaneous l-glutamate release from nerve terminals by activating TRPA1 and TRPV1 channels, respectively, while inhibiting C-fiber but not Aδ-fiber evoked l-glutamate release. This difference between 1,8- and 1,4-cineole may serve to know the properties of TRP channels located in the central terminals of primary-afferent neurons. The spinal dorsal horn lamina II (substantia gelatinosa; SG) plays a pivotal role in regulating nociceptive transmission from the periphery. We found out in the SG that 1,4- and 1,8-cineole activate TRPV1 and TRPA1 channels, respectively, located in primary-afferent, possibly C-fiber, central terminals. This difference may serve to know the properties of TRP channels expressed in the central terminals.

α(2A)-adrenergic receptors filter parabrachial inputs to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis

α2-adrenergic receptors (AR) within the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) reduce stress-reward interactions in rodent models. In addition to their roles as autoreceptors, BNST α(2A)-ARs suppress glutamatergic transmission. One prominent glutamatergic input to the BNST originates from the parabrachial nucleus (PBN) and consists of asymmetric axosomatic synapses containing calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and vGluT2. Here we provide immunoelectron microscopic data showing that many asymmetric axosomatic synapses in the BNST contain α(2A)-ARs. Further, we examined optically evoked glutamate release ex vivo in BNST from mice with virally delivered channelrhodopsin2 (ChR2) expression in PBN. In BNST from these animals, ChR2 partially colocalized with CGRP, and activation generated EPSCs in dorsal anterolateral BNST neurons that elicited two cell-type-specific outcomes: (1) feedforward inhibition or (2) an EPSP that elicited firing. We found that the α(2A)-AR agonist guanfacine selectively inhibited this PBN input to the BNST, preferentially reducing the excitatory response in ex vivo mouse brain slices. To begin to assess the overall impact of α(2A)-AR control of this PBN input on BNST excitatory transmission, we used a Thy1-COP4 mouse line with little postsynaptic ChR2 expression nor colocalization of ChR2 with CGRP in the BNST. In slices from these mice, we found that guanfacine enhanced, rather than suppressed, optogenetically initiated excitatory drive in BNST. Thus, our study reveals distinct actions of PBN afferents within the BNST and suggests that α(2A)-AR agonists may filter excitatory transmission in the BNST by inhibiting a component of the PBN input while enhancing the actions of other inputs.

Loss of mTOR repressors Tsc1 or Pten has divergent effects on excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission in single hippocampal neuron cultures

The Pten and Tsc1 genes both encode proteins that repress mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling. Disruption of either gene in the brain results in epilepsy and autism-like symptoms in humans and mouse models, therefore it is important to understand the molecular and physiological events that lead from gene disruption to disease phenotypes. Given the similar roles these two molecules play in the regulation of cellular growth and the overlap in the phenotypes that result from their loss, we predicted that the deletion of either the Pten or Tsc1 gene from autaptic hippocampal neurons would have similar effects on neuronal morphology and synaptic transmission. Accordingly, we found that loss of either Pten or Tsc1 caused comparable increases in soma size, dendrite length and action potential properties. However, the effects of Pten and Tsc1 loss on synaptic transmission were different. Loss of Pten lead to an increase in both excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission, while loss of Tsc1 did not affect excitatory neurotransmission and reduced inhibitory transmission by decreasing mIPSC amplitude. Although the loss of Pten or Tsc1 both increased downstream mTORC1 signaling, phosphorylation of Akt was increased in Pten-ko and decreased in Tsc1-ko neurons, potentially accounting for the different effects on synaptic transmission. Despite the different effects at the synaptic level, our data suggest that loss of Pten or Tsc1 may both lead to an increase in the ratio of excitation to inhibition at the network level, an effect that has been proposed to underlie both epilepsy and autism.

Knockdown of BNST GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors mimics the actions of ketamine on novelty-induced hypophagia

Administration of a single low dose of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist ketamine has been demonstrated to elicit long-lasting antidepressant effects in humans with depression, as well as in rodent models of depression. Although pharmacological studies have implicated the GluN2B subunit of the NMDA receptor in these effects, drugs targeting this subunit have off-target actions, and systemic administration of these compounds does not allow for delineation of specific brain regions involved. In this study, we assessed the role of GluN2B in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) in novelty-induced hypophagia (NIH) in mice. First, we verified that ketamine, as well as the GluN2B antagonist Ro25-6981, decreased the latency to consume food in a novel environment in a version of the NIH test. We then hypothesized that GluN2B-containing receptors within the BNST may be a target of systemic ketamine and contribute to behavioral effects. Through the combination of a GluN2B-floxed mouse line and stereotaxic delivery of lentiviral Cre recombinase, we found that targeted knockdown of this subunit within the BNST mimicked the reduction in affective behavior observed with systemic ketamine or Ro25-6981 in the NIH test. These data suggest a role for GluN2B-containing NMDARs within the BNST in the affective effects of systemic ketamine.

Functional properties and short-term dynamics of unidirectional and reciprocal synaptic connections between layer 2/3 pyramidal cells and fast-spiking interneurons in juvenile rat prefrontal cortex

The interactions between inhibitory fast-spiking (FS) interneurons and excitatory pyramidal neurons contribute to the fundamental properties of cortical networks. An important role for FS interneurons in mediating rapid inhibition in local sensory and motor cortex microcircuits and processing thalamic inputs to the cortex has been shown in multiple reports; however, studies in the prefrontal cortex, a key neocortical region supporting working memory, are less numerous. In the present work, connections between layer 2/3 pyramidal cells and FS interneurons were studied with paired whole-cell recordings in acute neocortical slices of the medial prefrontal cortex from juvenile rats. The connection rate between FS interneurons and pyramidal neurons was about 40% in each direction with 16% of pairs connected reciprocally. Excitatory and inhibitory connections had a high efficacy and a low neurotransmission failure rate. Sustained presynaptic activity decreased the amplitude of responses and increased the failure rate more in excitatory connections than in inhibitory connections. In the reciprocal connections between the FS and pyramidal neurons, inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmission was more efficient and had a lower failure rate than in the unidirectional connections; the differences increased during the train stimulation. These results suggest the presence of distinct preferential subnetworks between FS interneurons and pyramidal cells in the rat prefrontal cortex that might be specific for this cortical area.

Zingerone enhances glutamatergic spontaneous excitatory transmission by activating TRPA1 but not TRPV1 channels in the adult rat substantia gelatinosa

Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are thought to play a role in regulating nociceptive transmission to spinal substantia gelatinosa (SG) neurons. It remains to be unveiled whether the TRP channels in the central nervous system are different in property from those involved in receiving nociceptive stimuli in the peripheral nervous system. We examined the effect of the vanilloid compound zingerone, which activates TRPV1 channels in the cell body of a primary afferent neuron, on glutamatergic excitatory transmission in the SG neurons of adult rat spinal cord slices by using the whole cell patch-clamp technique. Bath-applied zingerone reversibly and concentration-dependently increased spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC) frequency. This effect was accompanied by an inward current at -70 mV that was resistant to glutamate receptor antagonists. These zingerone effects were repeated and persisted in Na(+)-channel blocker tetrodotoxin-, La(3+)-, or IP3-induced Ca(2+)-release inhibitor 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate-containing or Ca(2+)-free Krebs solution. Zingerone activity was resistant to the selective TRPV1 antagonist capsazepine but sensitive to the nonselective TRP antagonist ruthenium red, the TRPA1 antagonist HC-030031, and the Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+)-release inhibitor dantrolene. TRPA1 agonist allyl isothiocyanate but not capsaicin inhibited the facilitatory effect of zingerone. On the other hand, zingerone reduced monosynaptically evoked EPSC amplitudes, as did TRPA1 agonists. Like allyl isothiocyanate, zingerone enhanced GABAergic spontaneous inhibitory transmission in a manner sensitive to tetrodotoxin. We conclude that zingerone presynaptically facilitates spontaneous excitatory transmission, probably through Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+)-release mechanisms, and produces a membrane depolarization in SG neurons by activating TRPA1 but not TRPV1 channels.

Selective Pharmacological Modulation of Pyramidal Neurons and Interneurons in the CA1 Region of the Rat Hippocampus

The hippocampus is a complex network tightly regulated by interactions between excitatory and inhibitory neurons. In neurodegenerative disorders where cognitive functions such as learning and memory are impaired this excitation-inhibition balance may be altered. Interestingly, the uncompetitive N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist memantine, currently in clinical use for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, may alter the excitation-inhibition balance in the hippocampus. However, the specific mechanism by which memantine exerts this action is not clear. To better elucidate the effect of memantine on hippocampal circuitry, we studied its pharmacology on NMDAR currents in both pyramidal cells (PCs) and interneurons (Ints) in the CA1 region of the hippocampus. Applying whole-cell patch-clamp methodology to acute rat hippocampal slices, we report that memantine antagonism is more robust in PCs than in Ints. Using specific NMDAR subunit antagonists, we determined that this selective antagonism of memantine is attributable to specific differences in the molecular make-up of the NMDARs in excitatory and inhibitory neurons. These findings offer new insight into the mechanism of action and therapeutic potential of NMDA receptor pharmacology in modulating hippocampal excitability.

Emerging role for corticotropin releasing factor signaling in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis at the intersection of stress and reward

Stress and anxiety play an important role in the development and maintenance of drug and alcohol addiction. The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), a brain region involved in the production of long-term stress-related behaviors, plays an important role in animal models of relapse, such as reinstatement to previously extinguished drug-seeking behaviors. While a number of neurotransmitter systems have been suggested to play a role in these behaviors, recent evidence points to the neuropeptide corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) as being critically important in BNST-mediated reinstatement behaviors. Although numerous studies indicate that the BNST is a complex brain region with multiple afferent and efferent systems and a variety of cell types, there has only been limited work to determine how CRF modulates this complex neuronal system at the circuit level. Recent work from our lab and others have begun to unravel these BNST neurocircuits and explore their roles in CRF-related reinstatement behaviors. This review will examine the role of CRF signaling in drug addiction and reinstatement with an emphasis on critical neurocircuitry within the BNST that may offer new insights into treatments for addiction.

GluN2B subunit deletion reveals key role in acute and chronic ethanol sensitivity of glutamate synapses in bed nucleus of the stria terminalis

The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a critical region for alcohol/drug-induced negative affect and stress-induced reinstatement. NMDA receptor (NMDAR)-dependent plasticity, such as long-term potentiation (LTP), has been postulated to play key roles in alcohol and drug addiction; yet, to date, little is understood regarding the mechanisms underlying LTP of the BNST, or its regulation by ethanol. Acute and chronic exposure to ethanol modulates glutamate transmission via actions on NMDARs. Despite intense investigation, tests of subunit specificity of ethanol actions on NMDARs using pharmacological approaches have produced mixed results. Thus, we use a conditional GluN2B KO mouse line to assess both basal and ethanol-dependent function of this subunit at glutamate synapses in the BNST. Deletion of GluN2B eliminated LTP, as well as actions of ethanol on NMDAR function. Further, we show that chronic ethanol exposure enhances LTP formation in the BNST. Using KO-validated pharmacological approaches with Ro25-6981 and memantine, we provide evidence suggesting that chronic ethanol exposure enhances LTP in the BNST via paradoxical extrasynaptic NMDAR involvement. These findings demonstrate that GluN2B is a key point of regulation for ethanol's actions and suggest a unique role of extrasynaptic GluN2B-containing receptors in facilitating LTP.