Work

Persistent Firing Supported by an Intrinsic Cellular Mechanism in a Component of the Head Direction System

Year: 2009

Type: article

Abstract: The rat postsubiculum has head direction cells that fire persistently when the rat's head is oriented in particular directions. This persistent firing is maintained even if the rat is motionless, when spatial cues are removed from the environment and in the dark, but the mechanism that supports persistent firing of the head direction cells is still unclear. Here, using in vitro whole-cell patch recording, we found that a short-triggering stimulus (as few as five induced spikes) can initiate persistent firing in cells of the postsubiculum. Pharmacological results indicated that this persistent firing is driven by a calcium-sensitive nonselective cation current. The distribution of cells with persistent firing in superficial and deep layers in the postsubiculum was similar to that of head direction cells. These results suggest that persistent firing of head direction cells in the postsubiculum could be supported by an intrinsic mechanism.

Source: Journal of Neuroscience

DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.5154-08.2009

Authors: Motoharu Yoshida, Michael E. Hasselmo

Institution: Boston University

Language: English

Topic: Memory and Neural Mechanisms

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, National Institute of Mental Health

Awards: Glutamatergic Dysfunction and Schizophrenia, G2003792905, Neuromodulation and Cortical Memory Function, Mechanisms of Entorhinal Cortex Function, Functional Circuitry of the Hippocampus