Rules and Roles of Dendritic Spikes in CA1 Pyramidal Cells: A Computational Study

Author(s):  
José M. Ibarz ◽  
Ioulia Makarova ◽  
Iria R. Cepeda ◽  
Oscar Herreras
2005 ◽  
Vol 94 (6) ◽  
pp. 4145-4155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Migliore ◽  
Michele Ferrante ◽  
Giorgio A. Ascoli

The electrophysiological properties of the oblique branches of CA1 pyramidal neurons are largely unknown and very difficult to investigate experimentally. These relatively thin dendrites make up the majority of the apical tree surface area and constitute the main target of Schaffer collateral axons from CA3. Their electrogenic properties might have an important role in defining the computational functions of CA1 neurons. It is thus important to determine if and to what extent the back- and forward propagation of action potentials (AP) in these dendrites could be modulated by local properties such as morphology or active conductances. In the first detailed study of signal propagation in the full extent of CA1 oblique dendrites, we used 27 reconstructed three-dimensional morphologies and different distributions of the A-type K+ conductance ( KA), to investigate their electrophysiological properties by computational modeling. We found that the local KA distribution had a major role in modulating action potential back propagation, whereas the forward propagation of dendritic spikes originating in the obliques was mainly affected by local morphological properties. In both cases, signal processing in any given oblique was effectively independent of the rest of the neuron and, by and large, of the distance from the soma. Moreover, the density of KA in oblique dendrites affected spike conduction in the main shaft. Thus the anatomical variability of CA1 pyramidal cells and their local distribution of voltage-gated channels may suit a powerful functional compartmentalization of the apical tree.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen A Bell ◽  
Rayne Delong ◽  
Priyodarshan Goswamee ◽  
A Rory McQuiston

Abstract The entorhinal cortex alvear pathway is a major excitatory input to hippocampal CA1, yet nothing is known about its physiological impact. We investigated the alvear pathway projection and innervation of neurons in CA1 using optogenetics and whole cell patch clamp methods in transgenic mouse brain slices. Using this approach, we show that the medial entorhinal cortical alvear inputs onto CA1 pyramidal cells (PCs) and interneurons with cell bodies located in stratum oriens were monosynaptic, had low release probability, and were mediated by glutamate receptors. Optogenetic theta burst stimulation was unable to elicit suprathreshold activation of CA1 PCs but was capable of activating CA1 interneurons. However, different subtypes of interneurons were not equally affected. Higher burst action potential frequencies were observed in parvalbumin-expressing interneurons relative to vasoactive-intestinal peptide-expressing or a subset of oriens lacunosum-moleculare (O-LM) interneurons. Furthermore, alvear excitatory synaptic responses were observed in greater than 70% of PV and VIP interneurons and less than 20% of O-LM cells. Finally, greater than 50% of theta burst-driven inhibitory postsynaptic current amplitudes in CA1 PCs were inhibited by optogenetic suppression of PV interneurons. Therefore, our data suggest that the alvear pathway primarily affects hippocampal CA1 function through feedforward inhibition of select interneuron subtypes.


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