Interaction between brain temperature and neuronal excitability

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Physiological brain temperature is an important determinant for neuronal functions, and it is well established that changes in temperature have dynamic influences on hippocampal neuronal activities. I previously revealed that a thermo-sensor TRPV4 (activated above 34°C) is activated by physiological brain temperature in hippocampal neurons and thereby controls their excitability in vitro. Therefore, it is considered that the thermo-sensor TRPV4 can convert temperature information to electrical excitability in mammalian brains. I examined whether TRPV4 regulated neuronal excitability through its activation by brain temperature in vivo. I recorded electroencephalogram (EEG) from wild type and TRPV4KO mice under free moving condition, and the EEG data revealed that hippocampal activities in TRPV4KO mice was significantly reduced compared with those in WT mice. Consistent with the EEG data, TRPV4KO hippocampal neurons exhibited abnormal excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSP) at physiological temperature. Taken together, we, for the first time, revealed that TRPV4 is an important translator from brain temperature to neuronal excitability in mammals.