PHYSIOLOGY OF INHIBITORY SYNAPSES IN THE VISUAL CORTEX

该提案的长期目标是分析功能 GABA介导的突触连接的特性和调节 大鼠视觉皮层和相关的抑制作用，这些属性 大脑皮层处理信息的能力 我们将使用双记录从 成对的突触连接的神经元， 用于将激动剂快速施加到 切除的补丁，研究两个主要的具体目标：1。单一抑制 GABA能突触配对记录将用于估计 视觉皮层中抑制性突触传递的可靠性。 第二个目标是评估单个抑制性神经元的影响 突触后靶点的活动。 第三个目标是 研究不同神经元产生的突触反应的差异， 抑制性神经元的种类。 我们会研究突触后反应 由轴-轴、轴-体和轴-树突的激活产生 GABA能神经元。 2.微型IPSC的GABAA受体记录 同时将GABA快速应用于切除的由外向外的斑块 将用于研究GABAA受体的功能特性， 不同类型的锥体和非锥体神经元。 第二个目标 是要找出是否有功能的差异，GABAA受体， 不同的神经元区室 我们将研究 树突状、体细胞和轴突外向型贴片，以快速应用 的GABA。

The long-term goal of this proposal is to analyze the functional properties and modulation of GABA-mediated synaptic connections in the rat visual cortex and relate these properties to the role of inhibition in cortical processing of information. We will use dual recording from pairs of synaptically connected neurons together with recordings of miniature IPSCs and techniques for rapid application of agonist onto excised patches to study two main specific aims: 1. Unitary Inhibitory GABAergic Synapses Paired recording will be used to estimate the reliability of inhibitory synaptic transmission in the visual cortex. The second goal is to assess the impact of individual inhibitory neurons on the activity of their postsynaptic targets. The third goal is to study the differences of the synaptic responses generated by different classes of inhibitory neurons. We would study the postsynaptic response generated by activation of axo-axonic axo-somatic and axo-dendritic GABAergic neurons. 2. GABAA receptors Recording of miniature IPSCs together with rapid application of GABA to excised outside-out patches will be used to study the functional properties of GABAA receptors in different types of pyramidal and nonpyramidal neurons. The second goal is to find if there are functional differences among GABAA receptors at different neuronal compartments. We will study the response of dendritic, somatic and axonal outside-out patches to rapid application of GABA.