understanding the role of glutamatergic septal neurons for hippocampal function

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For the last 50 years, the medial septum has been tought to be of critical importance for learning and memory because of its proposed role in generating hippocampal theta oscillations. The prevalent model in this field is that cholinergic and GABAergic neurons located in the medial septum project to the hippocampus and provide a pacemaker for hippocampal neurons. However, we have described in 2003 a third type of neuron in the medial septum that uses glutamate as a neurotransmitter and that project to the hippocampus. Despite the potential important role these "new" neurons may have in learning and memory, very little is know about these neurons. Our first objectives is to determine what the targets in hippocampus of these septal glutamate neurons. Second, using a transgenic mouse, we will determine the firoing ability of these neurons in contrast to other