scholarly journals A Role for Short-Term Synaptic Facilitation and Depression in the Processing of Intensity Information in the Auditory Brain Stem

2007 ◽  
Vol 97 (4) ◽  
pp. 2863-2874 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. M. MacLeod ◽  
T. K. Horiuchi ◽  
C. E. Carr
Keyword(s):  
Synaptic Plasticity ◽  
Brain Stem ◽  
Time Constant ◽  
Cochlear Nucleus ◽  
Auditory Nerve ◽  
Brain Slices ◽  
Fast Time ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Intensity Information

The nature of the synaptic connection from the auditory nerve onto the cochlear nucleus neurons has a profound impact on how sound information is transmitted. Short-term synaptic plasticity, by dynamically modulating synaptic strength, filters information contained in the firing patterns. In the sound-localization circuits of the brain stem, the synapses of the timing pathway are characterized by strong short-term depression. We investigated the short-term synaptic plasticity of the inputs to the bird's cochlear nucleus angularis (NA), which encodes intensity information, by using chick embryonic brain slices and trains of electrical stimulation. These excitatory inputs expressed a mixture of short-term facilitation and depression, unlike those in the timing nuclei that only depressed. Facilitation and depression at NA synapses were balanced such that postsynaptic response amplitude was often maintained throughout the train at high firing rates (>100 Hz). The steady-state input rate relationship of the balanced synapses linearly conveyed rate information and therefore transmits intensity information encoded as a rate code in the nerve. A quantitative model of synaptic transmission could account for the plasticity by including facilitation of release (with a time constant of ∼40 ms), and a two-step recovery from depression (with one slow time constant of ∼8 s, and one fast time constant of ∼20 ms). A simulation using the model fit to NA synapses and auditory nerve spike trains from recordings in vivo confirmed that these synapses can convey intensity information contained in natural train inputs.

Short-Term Plasticity at Inhibitory Synapses in Rat Striatum and Its Effects on Striatal Output

2001 ◽  
Vol 85 (5) ◽  
pp. 2088-2099 ◽  
Author(s):  
John S. Fitzpatrick ◽  
Garnik Akopian ◽  
John P. Walsh
Keyword(s):  
Action Potentials ◽  
Brain Slices ◽  
Current Injection ◽  
Inhibitory Synapses ◽  
Rat Striatum ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Short Term Plasticity ◽  
Adult Rat ◽  
Glutamate Receptor Antagonists

Two forms of short-term plasticity at inhibitory synapses were investigated in adult rat striatal brain slices using intracellular recordings. Intrastriatal stimulation in the presence of the ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonists 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (20 μM) andd,l-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (50 μM) produced an inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP) that reversed polarity at −76 ± 1 (SE) mV and was sensitive to bicuculline (30 μM). The IPSP rectified at hyperpolarized membrane potentials due in part to activation of K+ channels. The IPSP exhibited two forms of short-term plasticity, paired-pulse depression (PPD) and synaptic augmentation. PPD lasted for several seconds and was greatest at interstimulus intervals (ISIs) of several hundred milliseconds, reducing the IPSP to 80 ± 2% of its control amplitude at an ISI of 200 ms. Augmentation of the IPSP, elicited by a conditioning train of 15 stimuli applied at 20 Hz, was 119 ± 1% of control when sampled 2 s after the conditioning train. Augmentation decayed with a time constant of 10 s. We tested if PPD and augmentation modify the ability of the IPSP to prevent the generation of action potentials. A train of action potentials triggered by a depolarizing current injection of constant amplitude could be interrupted by stimulation of an IPSP. If this IPSP was the second in a pair of IPSPs, it was less effective in blocking spikes due to PPD. By contrast, augmented IPSPs were more effective in blocking spikes. The same results were achieved when action potentials were triggered by a depolarizing current injection of varying amplitude, a manipulation that produces nearly identical spike times from trial to trial and approximates the in vivo behavior of these neurons. These results demonstrate that short-term plasticity of inhibition can modify the output of the striatum and thus may be an important component of information processing during behaviors that involve the striatum.

scholarly journals Hyperoxia, reactive oxygen species, and hyperventilation: oxygen sensitivity of brain stem neurons

2004 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 784-791 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay B. Dean ◽  
Daniel K. Mulkey ◽  
Richard A. Henderson ◽  
Stephanie J. Potter ◽  
Robert W. Putnam
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Brain Stem ◽  
Brain Slices ◽  
Respiratory Control ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Direct Effects ◽  
Underlying Assumption

Hyperoxia is a popular model of oxidative stress. However, hyperoxic gas mixtures are routinely used for chemical denervation of peripheral O2 receptors in in vivo studies of respiratory control. The underlying assumption whenever using hyperoxia is that there are no direct effects of molecular O2 and reactive O2 species (ROS) on brain stem function. In addition, control superfusates used routinely for in vitro studies of neurons in brain slices are, in fact, hyperoxic. Again, the assumption is that there are no direct effects of O2 and ROS on neuronal activity. Research contradicts this assumption by demonstrating that O2 has central effects on the brain stem respiratory centers and several effects on neurons in respiratory control areas; these need to be considered whenever hyperoxia is used. This mini-review summarizes the long-recognized, but seldom acknowledged, paradox of respiratory control known as hyperoxic hyperventilation. Several proposed mechanisms are discussed, including the recent hypothesis that hyperoxic hyperventilation is initiated by increased production of ROS during hyperoxia, which directly stimulates central CO2 chemoreceptors in the solitary complex. Hyperoxic hyperventilation may provide clues into the fundamental role of redox signaling and ROS in central control of breathing; moreover, oxidative stress may play a role in respiratory control dysfunction. The practical implications of brain stem O2 and ROS sensitivity are also considered relative to the present uses of hyperoxia in respiratory control research in humans, animals, and brain stem tissues. Recommendations for future research are also proposed.

Modeling the short-term dynamics of in vivo excitatory spike transmission

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abed Ghanbari ◽  
Naixin Ren ◽  
Christian Keine ◽  
Carl Stoelzel ◽  
Bernhard Englitz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Synaptic Plasticity ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Auditory Brainstem ◽  
Postsynaptic Neuron ◽  
Intracellular Recordings ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Functional Connection ◽  
Synaptic Dynamics ◽  
Synaptic Effects

AbstractInformation transmission in neural networks is influenced by both short-term synaptic plasticity (STP) as well as non-synaptic factors, such as after-hyperpolarization currents and changes in excitability. Although these effects have been widely characterized in vitro using intracellular recordings, how they interact in vivo is unclear. Here we develop a statistical model of the short-term dynamics of spike transmission that aims to disentangle the contributions of synaptic and non-synaptic effects based only on observed pre- and postsynaptic spiking. The model includes a dynamic functional connection with short-term plasticity as well as effects due to the recent history of postsynaptic spiking and slow changes in postsynaptic excitability. Using paired spike recordings, we find that the model accurately describes the short-term dynamics of in vivo spike transmission at a diverse set of identified and putative excitatory synapses, including a thalamothalamic connection in mouse, a thalamocortical connection in a female rabbit, and an auditory brainstem synapse in a female gerbil. We illustrate the utility of this modeling approach by showing how the spike transmission patterns captured by the model may be sufficient to account for stimulus-dependent differences in spike transmission in the auditory brainstem (endbulb of Held). Finally, we apply this model to large-scale multi-electrode recordings to illustrate how such an approach has the potential to reveal cell-type specific differences in spike transmission in vivo. Although short-term synaptic plasticity parameters estimated from ongoing pre- and postsynaptic spiking are highly uncertain, our results are partially consistent with previous intracellular observations in these synapses.Significance StatementAlthough synaptic dynamics have been extensively studied and modeled using intracellular recordings of post-synaptic currents and potentials, inferring synaptic effects from extracellular spiking is challenging. Whether or not a synaptic current contributes to postsynaptic spiking depends not only on the amplitude of the current, but also on many other factors, including the activity of other, typically unobserved, synapses, the overall excitability of the postsynaptic neuron, and how recently the postsynaptic neuron has spiked. Here we developed a model that, using only observations of pre- and postsynaptic spiking, aims to describe the dynamics of in vivo spike transmission by modeling both short-term synaptic plasticity and non-synaptic effects. This approach may provide a novel description of fast, structured changes in spike transmission.

scholarly journals Factors Influencing Short-term Synaptic Plasticity in the Avian Cochlear Nucleus Magnocellularis

2015 ◽  
Vol 9s2 ◽  
pp. JEN.S25472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason Tait Sanchez Quinones ◽  
Quinones Karla ◽  
Otto-Meyer Sebastian
Keyword(s):  
Synaptic Plasticity ◽  
Cochlear Nucleus ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Synaptic Depression ◽  
Auditory Brainstem ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Nucleus Magnocellularis ◽  
Developmental Shift ◽  
Acid Type ◽  
Synaptic Dynamics

Defined as reduced neural responses during high rates of activity, synaptic depression is a form of short-term plasticity important for the temporal filtering of sound. In the avian cochlear nucleus magnocellularis (NM), an auditory brainstem structure, mechanisms regulating short-term synaptic depression include pre-, post-, and extrasynaptic factors. Using varied paired-pulse stimulus intervals, we found that the time course of synaptic depression lasts up to four seconds at late-developing NM synapses. Synaptic depression was largely reliant on exogenous Ca2+-dependent probability of presynaptic neurotransmitter release, and to a lesser extent, on the desensitization of postsynaptic α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid-type glutamate receptor (AMPA-R). Interestingly, although extrasynaptic glutamate clearance did not play a significant role in regulating synaptic depression, blocking glutamate clearance at early-developing synapses altered synaptic dynamics, changing responses from depression to facilitation. These results suggest a developmental shift in the relative reliance on pre-, post-, and extrasynaptic factors in regulating short-term synaptic plasticity in NM.

Short-term synaptic plasticity in the rat geniculo-cortical pathway during development in vivo

2006 ◽  
Vol 398 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 73-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fan Jia ◽  
Haiyang Wei ◽  
Xiangrui Li ◽  
Xiaoqiao Xie ◽  
Yifeng Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Synaptic Plasticity ◽  
Short Term

scholarly journals Synaptic plasticity of inhibitory synapses onto medial olivocochlear efferent neurons

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lester Torres Cadenas ◽  
Hui Cheng ◽  
Catherine J.C. Weisz
Keyword(s):  
Brain Slices ◽  
Synaptic Depression ◽  
Extracellular Calcium ◽  
Outer Hair Cells ◽  
Inhibitory Synapses ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Sound Stimulation ◽  
Efferent Neurons ◽  
Medial Olivocochlear

The descending auditory system modulates the ascending system at every level. The final descending, or efferent stage, is comprised of lateral olivocochlear (LOC) and medial olivocochlear (MOC) neurons. MOC somata in the ventral brainstem project axons to the cochlea to synapse onto outer hair cells (OHC), inhibiting OHC-mediated cochlear amplification. MOC suppression of OHC function is implicated in cochlear gain control with changing sound intensity, detection of salient stimuli, attention, and protection against acoustic trauma. Thus, sound excites MOC neurons to provide negative feedback of the cochlea. Sound also inhibits MOC neurons via medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) neurons. However, MNTB-MOC synapses exhibit short-term depression, suggesting reduced MNTB-MOC inhibition during sustained stimuli. Further, due to high rates of both baseline and sound-evoked activity in MNTB neurons in vivo, MNTB-MOC synapses may be tonically depressed. To probe this, we characterized short-term plasticity of MNTB-MOC synapses in mouse brain slices. We mimicked in vivo-like temperature and extracellular calcium conditions, and in vivo-like activity patterns of fast synaptic activation rates, sustained activation, and prior tonic activity. Synaptic depression was sensitive to extracellular calcium concentration and temperature. During rapid MNTB axon stimulation, post-synaptic currents (PSCs) in MOC neurons summated but with concurrent depression, resulting in smaller, sustained currents, suggesting tonic inhibition of MOC neurons during rapid circuit activity. Low levels of baseline MNTB activity did not significantly reduce responses to subsequent rapid activity that mimics sound stimulation, indicating that, in vivo, MNTB inhibition of MOC neurons persists despite tonic synaptic depression.

An in vivo investigation of inferior colliculus single neuron responses to cochlear nucleus pulse train stimulation

2012 ◽  
Vol 108 (11) ◽  
pp. 2999-3008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan J. Mauger ◽  
Mohit N. Shivdasani ◽  
Graeme D. Rathbone ◽  
Antonio G. Paolini
Keyword(s):  
Speech Perception ◽  
Brain Stem ◽  
Inferior Colliculus ◽  
Cochlear Nucleus ◽  
Acoustic Stimulation ◽  
Neural Firing ◽  
Response Properties ◽  
Stimulus Rate ◽  
Auditory Brain Stem

The auditory brain stem implant (ABI) is being used clinically to restore hearing to patients unable to benefit from a cochlear implant (CI). Speech perception outcomes for ABI users are typically poor compared with most CI users. The ABI is implanted either on the surface of or penetrating through the cochlear nucleus in the auditory brain stem and uses stimulation strategies developed for auditory nerve stimulation with a CI. Although the stimulus rate may affect speech perception outcomes with current stimulation strategies, no studies have systematically investigated the effect of stimulus rate electrophysiologically or clinically. We therefore investigated rate response properties and temporal response properties of single inferior colliculus (IC) neurons from penetrating ABI stimulation using stimulus rates ranging from 100 to 1,600 pulses/s in the rat. We found that the stimulus rate affected the proportion of response types, thresholds, and dynamic ranges of IC activation. The stimulus rate was also found to affect the temporal properties of IC responses, with higher rates providing more temporally similar responses to acoustic stimulation. Suppression of neural firing and inhibition in IC neurons was also found, with response properties varying with the stimulus rate. This study demonstrated that changes in the ABI stimulus rate results in significant differences in IC neuron response properties. Due to electrophysiological differences, the stimulus rate may also change perceptual properties. We suggest that clinical evaluation of the ABI stimulus rate should be performed.

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