title: State-, timing-, and pattern-dependent neuromodulation of synaptic strength by a serotonergic interneuron.
abstract: Here we report that a serotonergic neuron evokes two distinct neuromodulatory actions with different state, timing, and firing pattern dependencies. These neuromodulatory actions may have important behavioral functions. In the mollusc, Tritonia diomedea, EPSCs evoked by ventral swim interneuron B (VSI) exhibited intrinsic plasticity; after a spike train, EPSC amplitude increased from a basal state to a potentiated state, which usually lasted >10 min. While the synapse was in a potentiated state, stimulation of a serotonergic dorsal swim interneuron (DSI) decreased VSI synaptic strength, returning it to a basal state. The extent of the DSI-evoked decrement was strongly correlated with the magnitude of the homosynaptic potentiation. This synaptic reset, or depotentiation, by DSI was blocked by the serotonin receptor antagonist methysergide and mimicked by a serotonin puff. In contrast to this state-dependent neuromodulatory action, we found that a previously described DSI-evoked transient enhancement of VSI synaptic strength was state-independent, producing the same multiplicative increase in EPSC amplitude regardless of whether the synapse was in a potentiated or basal state. These two actions also differed in their dependencies on the firing pattern of DSI and VSI action potentials. Results suggest that state-independent synaptic enhancement by DSI may play a short-term role during a swim motor pattern, whereas state-dependent actions may have longer-lasting consequences, resetting VSI synaptic strength after a swim bout. Thus, differences in two neuromodulatory actions at one synapse may allow a serotonergic neuron to play distinct roles at different stages of a motor pattern.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30302-5030, USA. akira@gsu.edu
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sakurai
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Katz
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001703:Biophysics; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007395:Interneurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D049871:Tritonia Sea Slug
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin