scholarly journals Motor Learning Drives Dynamic Patterns of Intermittent Myelination on Behaviorally-Activated Axons

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clara M. Bacmeister ◽  
Rongchen Huang ◽  
Michael A. Thornton ◽  
Lauren Conant ◽  
Anthony R. Chavez ◽  
...  

Myelin plasticity occurs when newly-formed and pre-existing oligodendrocytes remodel existing myelination. Recent studies show these processes occur in response to changes in neuronal activity and are required for learning and memory. However, the link between behaviorally-relevant neuronal activity and circuit-specific changes in myelination remains unknown. Using longitudinal, in vivo two-photon imaging and targeted labeling of behaviorally-activated neurons, we explore how the pattern of intermittent myelination is altered on individual cortical axons during learning of a dexterous reach task. We show that learning-induced plasticity is targeted to behaviorally-activated axons and occurs in a staged response across cortical layers. During learning, myelin sheaths retract, lengthening nodes of Ranvier. Following learning, addition of new sheaths increases the number of continuous stretches of myelination. Computational modeling suggests these changes initially slow and subsequently increase conduction speed. Thus, behaviorally-activated, circuit-specific changes to myelination may fundamentally alter how information is transferred in neural circuits during learning.

eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Orthmann-Murphy ◽  
Cody L Call ◽  
Gian C Molina-Castro ◽  
Yu Chen Hsieh ◽  
Matthew N Rasband ◽  
...  

Destruction of oligodendrocytes and myelin sheaths in cortical gray matter profoundly alters neural activity and is associated with cognitive disability in multiple sclerosis (MS). Myelin can be restored by regenerating oligodendrocytes from resident progenitors; however, it is not known whether regeneration restores the complex myelination patterns in cortical circuits. Here, we performed time lapse in vivo two photon imaging in somatosensory cortex of adult mice to define the kinetics and specificity of myelin regeneration after acute oligodendrocyte ablation. These longitudinal studies revealed that the pattern of myelination in cortex changed dramatically after regeneration, as new oligodendrocytes were formed in different locations and new sheaths were often established along axon segments previously lacking myelin. Despite the dramatic increase in axonal territory available, oligodendrogenesis was persistently impaired in deeper cortical layers that experienced higher gliosis. Repeated reorganization of myelin patterns in MS may alter circuit function and contribute to cognitive decline.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Orthmann-Murphy ◽  
Cody L. Call ◽  
Gian Carlo Molina-Castro ◽  
Yu Chen Hsieh ◽  
Matthew N. Rasband ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTDestruction of oligodendrocytes and myelin sheaths in cortical gray matter profoundly alters neural activity and is associated with cognitive disability in multiple sclerosis (MS). Myelin can be restored by regenerating oligodendrocytes from resident progenitors; however, it is not known whether regeneration restores the complex myelination patterns in cortical circuits. Here we performed time lapse in vivo two photon imaging in somatosensory cortex of adult mice to define the kinetics and specificity of myelin regeneration after acute oligodendrocyte ablation. These longitudinal studies revealed that the pattern of myelination in cortex changed dramatically after regeneration, as new oligodendrocytes were formed in different locations and new sheaths were often established along axon segments previously lacking myelin. Despite the dramatic increase in axonal territory available, oligodendrogenesis was persistently impaired in deeper cortical layers that experienced higher gliosis. The repeated reorganization of myelin patterns in MS may alter circuit function and contribute to cognitive decline.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix C. Nebeling ◽  
Stefanie Poll ◽  
Lena C. Schmid ◽  
Manuel Mittag ◽  
Julia Steffen ◽  
...  

AbstractMicroglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, play a complex role in health and disease. They actively survey the brain parenchyma by physically interacting with other cells and structurally shaping the brain. Yet, the mechanisms underlying microglia motility and their significance for synapse stability, especially during adulthood, remain widely unresolved. Here we investigated the impact of neuronal activity on microglia motility and its implication for synapse formation and survival. We used repetitive two-photon in vivo imaging in the hippocampus of awake mice to simultaneously study microglia motility and their interaction with synapses. We found that microglia process motility depended on neuronal activity. Simultaneously, more dendritic spines emerged in awake compared to anesthetized mice. Interestingly, microglia contact rates with individual dendritic spines were associated with their stability. These results suggest that microglia are not only sensing neuronal activity, but participate in synaptic rewiring of the hippocampus during adulthood, which has profound relevance for learning and memory processes.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuting Han ◽  
Weijian Yang ◽  
Rafael Yuste

To capture the emergent properties of neural circuits, high-speed volumetric imaging of neural activity at cellular resolution is desirable. But while conventional two-photon calcium imaging is a powerful tool to study population activity in vivo, it is restrained to two-dimensional planes. Expanding it to 3D while maintaining high spatiotemporal resolution appears necessary. Here, we developed a two-photon microscope with dual-color laser excitation that can image neural activity in a 3D volume. We imaged the neuronal activity of primary visual cortex from awake mice, spanning from L2 to L5 with 10 planes, at a rate of 10 vol/sec, and demonstrated volumetric imaging of L1 long-range PFC projections and L2/3 somatas. Using this method, we map visually-evoked neuronal ensembles in 3D, finding a lack of columnar structure in orientation responses and revealing functional correlations between cortical layers which differ from trial to trial and are missed in sequential imaging. We also reveal functional interactions between presynaptic L1 axons and postsynaptic L2/3 neurons. Volumetric two-photon imaging appears an ideal method for functional connectomics of neural circuits.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lloyd E. Russell ◽  
Henry W.P. Dalgleish ◽  
Rebecca Nutbrown ◽  
Oliver Gauld ◽  
Dustin Herrmann ◽  
...  

Recent advances combining two-photon calcium imaging and two-photon optogenetics with digital holography now allow us to read and write neural activity in vivo at cellular resolution with millisecond temporal precision. Such 'all-optical' techniques enable experimenters to probe the impact of functionally defined neurons on neural circuit function and behavioural output with new levels of precision. This protocol describes the experimental strategy and workflow for successful completion of typical all-optical interrogation experiments in awake, behaving head-fixed mice. We describe modular procedures for the setup and calibration of an all-optical system, the preparation of an indicator and opsin-expressing and task-performing animal, the characterization of functional and photostimulation responses and the design and implementation of an all-optical experiment. We discuss optimizations for efficiently selecting and targeting neuronal ensembles for photostimulation sequences, as well as generating photostimulation response maps from the imaging data that can be used to examine the impact of photostimulation on the local circuit. We demonstrate the utility of this strategy using all-optical experiments in three different brain areas - barrel cortex, visual cortex and hippocampus - using different experimental setups. This approach can in principle be adapted to any brain area for all-optical interrogation experiments to probe functional connectivity in neural circuits and for investigating the relationship between neural circuit activity and behaviour.


2009 ◽  
Vol 102 (2) ◽  
pp. 1310-1314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas H. Chia ◽  
Michael J. Levene

Cortical slices allow for simultaneous imaging of multiple cortical layers. However, slices lack native physiological inputs and outputs. Although in vivo, two-photon imaging preserves the native context, it is typically limited to a depth of <500 μm. In addition, simultaneous imaging of multiple cortical layers is difficult due to the stratified organization of the cortex. We demonstrate the use of 1-mm microprisms for in vivo, two-photon neocortical imaging. These prisms enable simultaneous imaging of multiple cortical layers, including layer V, at an angle typical of slice preparations. Images were collected from the mouse motor and somatosensory cortex and show a nearly 900-μm-wide field of view. At high-magnification imaging using an objective with 1-mm of coverglass correction, resolution is sufficient to resolve dendritic spines on layer V neurons. Images collected using the microprism are comparable to images collected from a traditional slice preparation. Functional imaging of blood flow at various neocortical depths is also presented, allowing for quantification of red blood cell flux and velocity. H&E staining shows the surrounding tissue remains in its native, stratified organization. Estimation of neuronal damage using propidium iodide and a fluorescent Nissl stain reveals cell damage is limited to <100 μm from the tissue–glass interface. Microprisms are a straightforward tool offering numerous advantages for INTO NEOCORTICAL STISSUE.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Henrique Ledo ◽  
Estefania P. Azevedo ◽  
Lucian Medrihan ◽  
Jia Cheng ◽  
Hernandez M. Silva ◽  
...  

SummaryMicroglia, the macrophages of the brain, are increasingly recognized to play a key role in synaptic plasticity and function; however, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Presenilin 1 (PS1) is an essential protein involved in learning and memory, through neuronal mechanisms. Loss of Presenilin function in neurons impairs synapse plasticity and causes cognitive deficits in mice. Surprisingly, here we show memory enhancement in mice by deleting PS1 selectively in microglia. We further demonstrate increased synapse transmission and in vivo neuronal activity in mice by depleting PS1 during microglial development, but not after microglial maturation. Remarkably, conditional deletion of PS1 in microglia during development increased memory retention in adulthood and was dependent on the NMDA receptor subunit GluN2B. In vivo calcium imaging of freely behaving mice revealed increased amplitude of neuronal Ca2+ transients in the CA1 hippocampus of PS1 cKO mice compared to control mice, suggesting a greater CA1 engagement during novel object exploration. Finally, loss of PS1 in microglia mitigated synaptic and cognitive deficits in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. Together our results reveal a novel mechanism and function of PS1 in microglia in which modulation can enhance neuronal activity, learning and memory in mice.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolò Accanto ◽  
I-Wen Chen ◽  
Emiliano Ronzitti ◽  
Clément Molinier ◽  
Christophe Tourain ◽  
...  

AbstractIn the past 10 years, the use of light has become irreplaceable for the optogenetic study and control of neurons and neural circuits. Optical techniques are however limited by scattering and can only see through a depth of few hundreds µm in living tissues. GRIN lens based micro-endoscopes represent a powerful solution to reach deeper regions. In this work we demonstrate that cutting edge optical methods for the precise photostimulation of multiple neurons in three dimensions can be performed through a GRIN lens. By spatio-temporally shaping a laser beam in the two-photon regime we project several tens of targets, spatially confined to the size of a single cell, in a volume of 150×150×400 μm3. We then apply such concept to the optogenetic stimulation of multiple neurons simultaneously in vivo in mice. Our work paves the way for an all-optical investigation of neural circuits at previously unattainable depths.


eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Han L Tan ◽  
Richard H Roth ◽  
Austin R Graves ◽  
Robert H Cudmore ◽  
Richard L Huganir

Regulation of AMPA receptor (AMPAR) expression is central to synaptic plasticity and brain function, but how these changes occur in vivo remains elusive. Here, we developed a method to longitudinally monitor the expression of synaptic AMPARs across multiple cortical layers in awake mice using two-photon imaging. We observed that baseline AMPAR expression in individual spines is highly dynamic with more dynamics in primary visual cortex (V1) layer 2/3 (L2/3) neurons than V1 L5 neurons. Visual deprivation through binocular enucleation induces a synapse-specific and depth-dependent change of synaptic AMPARs in V1 L2/3 neurons, wherein deep synapses are potentiated more than superficial synapses. The increase is specific to L2/3 neurons and absent on apical dendrites of L5 neurons, and is dependent on expression of the AMPAR-binding protein GRIP1. Our study demonstrates that specific neuronal connections, across cortical layers and even within individual neurons, respond uniquely to changes in sensory experience.


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