title: Synaptic potentiation facilitates memory-like attractor dynamics in cultured in vitro hippocampal networks.
abstract: Collective rhythmic dynamics from neurons is vital for cognitive functions such as memory formation but how neurons self-organize to produce such activity is not well understood. Attractor-based computational models have been successfully implemented as a theoretical framework for memory storage in networks of neurons. Additionally, activity-dependent modification of synaptic transmission is thought to be the physiological basis of learning and memory. The goal of this study is to demonstrate that using a pharmacological treatment that has been shown to increase synaptic strength within in vitro networks of hippocampal neurons follows the dynamical postulates theorized by attractor models. We use a grid of extracellular electrodes to study changes in network activity after this perturbation and show that there is a persistent increase in overall spiking and bursting activity after treatment. This increase in activity appears to recruit more "errant" spikes into bursts. Phase plots indicate a conserved activity pattern suggesting that a synaptic potentiation perturbation to the attractor leaves it unchanged. Lastly, we construct a computational model to demonstrate that these synaptic perturbations can account for the dynamical changes seen within the network.
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niedringhaus
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Conant
authors.forename: Rhonda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dzakpasu
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000502:physiology; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000502:physiology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018091:Receptors, AMPA