title: Gliogenic LTP spreads widely in nociceptive pathways.
abstract: Learning and memory formation involve long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic strength. A fundamental feature of LTP induction in the brain is the need for coincident pre- and postsynaptic activity. This restricts LTP expression to activated synapses only (homosynaptic LTP) and leads to its input specificity. In the spinal cord, we discovered a fundamentally different form of LTP that is induced by glial cell activation and mediated by diffusible, extracellular messengers, including d-serine and tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and that travel long distances via the cerebrospinal fluid, thereby affecting susceptible synapses at remote sites. The properties of this gliogenic LTP resolve unexplained findings of memory traces in nociceptive pathways and may underlie forms of widespread pain hypersensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 4, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Kronschläger
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 4, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Drdla-Schutting
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 4, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gassner
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 4, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Honsek
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 4, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Teuchmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 4, 1090 Vienna, Austria. juergen.sandkuehler@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sandkühler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D059225:Nociception / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D058486:Receptors, Purinergic P2X7 / Q000378:metabolism; D012694:Serine / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D058486:Receptors, Purinergic P2X7; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D012694:Serine