title: Burst-timing-dependent plasticity of NMDA receptor-mediated transmission in midbrain dopamine neurons.
abstract: Bursts of spikes triggered by sensory stimuli in midbrain dopamine neurons evoke phasic release of dopamine in target brain areas, driving reward-based reinforcement learning and goal-directed behavior. NMDA-type glutamate receptors (NMDARs) play a critical role in the generation of these bursts. Here we report LTP of NMDAR-mediated excitatory transmission onto dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra. Induction of LTP requires burst-evoked Ca2+ signals amplified by preceding metabotropic neurotransmitter inputs in addition to the activation of NMDARs themselves. PKA activity gates LTP induction by regulating the magnitude of Ca2+ signal amplification. This form of plasticity is associative, input specific, reversible, and depends on the relative timing of synaptic input and postsynaptic bursting in a manner analogous to the timing rule for cue-reward learning paradigms in behaving animals. NMDAR plasticity might thus represent a potential neural substrate for conditioned dopamine neuron burst responses to environmental stimuli acquired during reward-based learning.
authors: Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors: Mark T
authors: MT
authors: Harnett
authors: Brian E
authors: BE
authors: Bernier
authors: Kee-Chan
authors: KC
authors: Ahn
authors: Hitoshi
authors: H
authors: Morikawa
mesh_terms: D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001703:Biophysics; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015544:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000166:cytology*; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; C061868:inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 1-(2-nitrophenyl)ethyl ester; C069889:protein kinase inhibitor peptide (6-24); D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate; D015544:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate; D002118:Calcium; C010117:3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol; D004298:Dopamine