title: Balanced synaptic impact via distance-dependent synapse distribution and complementary expression of AMPARs and NMDARs in hippocampal dendrites.
abstract: Neuronal computation involves the integration of synaptic inputs that are often distributed over expansive dendritic trees, suggesting the need for compensatory mechanisms that enable spatially disparate synapses to influence neuronal output. In hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons, such mechanisms have indeed been reported, which normalize either the ability of distributed synapses to drive action potential initiation in the axon or their ability to drive dendritic spiking locally. Here we report that these mechanisms can coexist, through an elegant combination of distance-dependent regulation of synapse number and synaptic expression of AMPA and NMDA receptors. Together, these complementary gradients allow individual dendrites in both the apical and basal dendritic trees of hippocampal neurons to operate as facile computational subunits capable of supporting both global integration in the soma/axon and local integration in the dendrite.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Department of Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98103, USA.
authors.forename: Vilas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Menon
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Timothy F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Musial
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Department of Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
authors.forename: William L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Kath
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Farm Research Campus, Ashburn, VA 20147. Electronic address: sprustonn@janelia.hhmi.org.
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Spruston
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. Electronic address: dan_nicholson@rush.edu.
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Nicholson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D056547:CA1 Region, Hippocampal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D008959:Models, Neurological; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate