Work

Pauses in cholinergic interneuron firing exert an inhibitory control on striatal output in vivo

Year: 2018

Type: article

Abstract: The cholinergic interneurons (CINs) of the striatum are crucial for normal motor and behavioral functions of the basal ganglia. Striatal CINs exhibit tonic firing punctuated by distinct pauses. Pauses occur in response to motivationally significant events, but their function is unknown. Here we investigated the effects of pauses in CIN firing on spiny projection neurons (SPNs) - the output neurons of the striatum - using in vivo whole cell and juxtacellular recordings in mice. We found that optogenetically-induced pauses in CIN firing inhibited subthreshold membrane potential activity and decreased firing of SPNs. During pauses, SPN membrane potential fluctuations became more hyperpolarized and UP state durations became shorter. In addition, short-term plasticity of corticostriatal inputs was decreased during pauses. Our results indicate that, in vivo, the net effect of the pause in CIN firing on SPNs activity is inhibition and provide a novel mechanism for cholinergic control of striatal output.

Source: eLife

DOI: 10.7554/elife.32510

Authors: Stefano Zucca, Aya Zucca, Takashi Nakano, Sho Aoki, Jeffery Wickens

Institutions: Harvard University, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University

Language: English

Topic: Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research

Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,500

Funders: Human Frontier Science Program, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science