Activity-Dependent Long-Term Depression of Electrical Synapses
Activity-Dependent Long-Term Depression of Electrical Synapses
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DOI：
10.1126/science.1207502
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发表时间：
2011-10-21
期刊：
影响因子：
56.9
通讯作者：
Landisman, Carole E.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Haas, Julie S.;Zavala, Baltazar;Landisman, Carole E.
化学突触具有依赖于使用的突触可塑性形式，但电突触的自然活性和强度之间的关系仍然难以捉摸。丘脑网状核(TRN)是一个富含缝隙连接(电)突触的大脑区域，它调节皮质对感觉周围环境的注意，并参与觉醒状态之间的转换；电突触的可塑性可能是这些过程的关键机制。我们观察到，在成对的TRN神经元中，协调的爆发式放电导致了长期的抑郁。缝隙连接通讯的变化是不对称的，表明连通性的调节取决于使用方向。由耦合神经元的活动引起的电突触的修饰很可能是电耦合神经元网络动态重组的一种广泛而强大的机制。
Use-dependent forms of synaptic plasticity have been extensively characterized at chemical synapses, but a relationship between natural activity and strength at electrical synapses remains elusive. The thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN), a brain area rich in gap-junctional (electrical) synapses, regulates cortical attention to the sensory surround and participates in shifts between arousal states; plasticity of electrical synapses may be a key mechanism underlying these processes. We observed long-term depression resulting from coordinated burst firing in pairs of coupled TRN neurons. Changes in gap-junctional communication were asymmetrical, indicating that regulation of connectivity depends on the direction of use. Modification of electrical synapses resulting from activity in coupled neurons is likely to be a widespread and powerful mechanism for dynamic reorganization of electrically coupled neuronal networks.