Network mechanisms of spindle-burst oscillations in the neonatal rat barrel cortex in vivo.
Early in development, cortical networks generate particular patterns of activity that participate in cortical development. The dominant pattern of electrical activity in the neonatal rat neocortex in vivo is a spatially confined spindle-burst. Here, we studied network mechanisms of generation of spindle-bursts in the barrel cortex of neonatal rats using a superfused cortex preparation in vivo. Both spontaneous and sensory-evoked spindle-bursts were present in the superfused barrel cortex. Pharmacological analysis revealed that spindle-bursts are driven by glutamatergic synapses with a major contribution of AMPA/kainate receptors, but slight participation of NMDA receptors and gap junctions. Although GABAergic synapses contributed minimally to the pacing the rhythm of spindle-burst oscillations, surround GABAergic inhibition appeared to be crucial for their compartmentalization. We propose that local spindle-burst oscillations, driven by glutamatergic synapses and spatially confined by GABAergic synapses, contribute to the development of barrel cortex during the critical period of developmental plasticity.
Minlebaev
Marat
M
The Mediterranean Institute of Neurobiology/INSERM U29, 163 Avenue de Luminy, B.P. 13, 13273 Marseille, France.
Ben-Ari
Yehezkel
Y
Khazipov
Rustem
R
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D018756:GABA Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D058787:GABA-A Receptor Antagonists; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D007395:Interneurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000378:metabolism; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000378:metabolism; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014276:Trigeminal Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D014738:Vibrissae / Q000502:physiology*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D018756:GABA Antagonists; D058787:GABA-A Receptor Antagonists; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid