Activity-dependent long-term depression of electrical synapses.
Use-dependent forms of synaptic plasticity have been extensively characterized at chemical synapses, but a relationship between natural activity and strength at electrical synapses remains elusive. The thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN), a brain area rich in gap-junctional (electrical) synapses, regulates cortical attention to the sensory surround and participates in shifts between arousal states; plasticity of electrical synapses may be a key mechanism underlying these processes. We observed long-term depression resulting from coordinated burst firing in pairs of coupled TRN neurons. Changes in gap-junctional communication were asymmetrical, indicating that regulation of connectivity depends on the direction of use. Modification of electrical synapses resulting from activity in coupled neurons is likely to be a widespread and powerful mechanism for dynamic reorganization of electrically coupled neuronal networks.
Children's Hospital, Department of Neurology, Harvard University, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. julie.haas@gmail.com
Julie S
JS
Haas
Baltazar
B
Zavala
Carole E
CE
Landisman
D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D054351:Electrical Synapses / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D020646:Intralaminar Thalamic Nuclei / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D036881:Long-Term Synaptic Depression; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology
D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D012964:Sodium