INTERNEURONAL MICROCIRCUITRY OF THE RAT NEOSTRIATUM

描述（改编自申请人摘要）：基底神经节是 关键参与运动行为和感觉运动的组织 一体化 人体内这一系统的故障有助于 神经精神障碍如精神分裂症的病理生理学， 强迫症，以及神经系统疾病， 亨廷顿舞蹈症和帕金森氏症。 了解信息 在该系统中的机械处理要求 了解的生理特性和解剖组织的 构成原子核的微电路 新纹状体，最大的 基底神经节的核在控制 基底神经节的功能，因此，了解 这个核心的内在运作对于理解 基底神经节的信息处理 近日有 越来越多地认识到， 新纹状体的GABA能中间神经元可能在脑缺血中起关键作用。 组织主要细胞的群体活动。 然而，在这方面， 直到最近引入视觉引导的全细胞记录这些 神经元不能用于生理研究。 在 这项强大的技术将结合使用， 细胞内染色以及光镜和电镜分析， 分析这些中间神经元在控制神经元活动中的作用。 它们的主要突触后靶点，即中型多刺神经元。 同时 将从中间神经元和中等多刺细胞获得成对记录 并将神经元染色以用于进一步的解剖学研究。 的 将讨论以下具体问题。 第一，是什么性质 两种主要的抑制性突触之间的相互作用 中间神经元和中间棘神经元？ 第二，什么是生理 和对中棘的抑制性输入的解剖学特化 不同类型的中间神经元？ 第三，什么是模式 中间神经元和中型棘神经元群体之间的连接 (i.e.收敛和发散）。 最后，什么是生理 中间神经元之间的电耦合特性，一种潜在的 影响这些细胞群体活性的重要机制， 以及中型多刺神经元 这些数据将有助于了解 这些中间神经元对组织活动的贡献， 新纹状体

DESCRIPTION (Adapted from applicant's abstract): The basal ganglia are critically involved in the organization of motor behavior and sensorimotor integration. Malfunctions of this system in humans contribute to the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and obsessive compulsive disorder, as well as to neurological diseases such as Huntington's and Parkinson's disease. Understanding the information processing within this system in mechanistic terms requires the understanding of the physiological properties and anatomical organization of the microcircuitry of its constituent nuclei. The neostriatum, the largest nucleus of the basal ganglia has a central role in controlling the functioning of the basal ganglia and therefore, an understanding of the intrinsic operations of this nucleus is critical to understanding information processing in the basal ganglia. Recently, it has been increasingly recognized that the quantitatively minor population of GABAergic interneurons of the neostriatum may play a critical role in the organization of the population activity of the principal cells. However, until the recent introduction of visually guided whole cell recording these neurons were not accessible for physiological investigation. In the proposed study, this powerful technology will be used in combination with intracellular staining and light and electron microscopic analysis to analyze the role of these interneurons in the control of the activity of their principal postsynaptic targets, the medium spiny neuron. Simultaneous paired recordings will be obtained from interneurons and medium spiny cells and the neurons will be stained for further anatomical investigation. The following specific questions will be addressed. First, what is the nature of the synaptic interaction between the two major types of inhibitory inteneurons and the medium spiny neuron? Second, what are the physiological and anatomical specializations of the inhibitory inputs to the medium spiny neuron from different types of interneurons? Third, what is the pattern of connectivity among the populations of interneurons and medium spiny neurons (i.e. convergence and divergence)? Finally, what are the physiological properties of electrical coupling between interneurons, a potentially significant mechanism affecting the population activity of these cells, as well as, the medium spiny neurons? This data will help in understanding the contribution of these interneurons to the organization of activity in the neostriatum.