title: Long-term modulation of electrical synapses in the mammalian thalamus.
abstract: Electrical synapses are common between inhibitory neurons in the mammalian thalamus and neocortex. Synaptic modulation, which allows flexibility of communication between neurons, has been studied extensively at chemical synapses, but modulation of electrical synapses in the mammalian brain has barely been examined. We found that the activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors, via endogenous neurotransmitter or by agonist, causes long-term reduction of electrical synapse strength between the inhibitory neurons of the rat thalamic reticular nucleus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA. Carole_Landisman@hms.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Carole E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Landisman
authors.forename: Barry W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Connors
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D003515:Cycloleucine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000502:physiology*; D005998:Glycine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D020646:Intralaminar Thalamic Nuclei / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D019579:Neocortex / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate; C474696:methyl-(4-carboxyphenyl)glycine; D003515:Cycloleucine; C036361:1-amino-1,3-dicarboxycyclopentane; D005998:Glycine