scholarly journals Silent Synapses in Developing Rat Nucleus Tractus Solitarii Have AMPA Receptors

2008 ◽  
Vol 28 (18) ◽  
pp. 4624-4634 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Balland ◽  
P. Lachamp ◽  
J.-P. Kessler ◽  
F. Tell
Keyword(s):  
Ampa Receptors ◽  
Nucleus Tractus Solitarii ◽  
Silent Synapses ◽  
Developing Rat

scholarly journals Silent synapses: what are they telling us about long-term potentiation?

2003 ◽  
Vol 358 (1432) ◽  
pp. 727-733 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitri M. Kullmann
Keyword(s):  
Ampa Receptors ◽  
Hippocampal Neurons ◽  
Glutamate Release ◽  
Postsynaptic Density ◽  
Long Term Potentiation ◽  
Silent Synapses ◽  
Term Potentiation ◽  
Silent Synapse ◽  
Cortical Synapses

At several cortical synapses glutamate release events can be mediated exclusively by NMDA receptors, with no detectable contribution from AMPA receptors. This observation was originally made by comparing the trial-to-trial variability of the two components of synaptic signals evoked in hippocampal neurons, and was subsequently confirmed by recording apparently pure NMDA receptor-mediated EPSCs with stimulation of small numbers of axons. It has come to be known as the ‘silent synapse’ phenomenon, and is widely assumed to be caused by the absence of functional AMPA receptors, which can, however, be recruited into the postsynaptic density by long-term potentiation (LTP) induction. Thus, it provides an important impetus for relating AMPA receptor trafficking mechanisms to the expression of LTP, a theme that is taken up elsewhere in this issue. This article draws attention to several findings that call for caution in identifying silent synapses exclusively with synapses without AMPA receptors. In addition, it attempts to identify several missing pieces of evidence that are required to show that unsilencing of such synapses is entirely accounted for by insertion of AMPA receptors into the postsynaptic density. Some aspects of the early stages of LTP expression remain open to alternative explanations.

scholarly journals Astrocytic modulation of glutamatergic synaptic transmission is reduced in NTS of rats submitted to short-term sustained hypoxia

2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (5) ◽  
pp. 1822-1830 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Accorsi-Mendonça ◽  
Leni G. H. Bonagamba ◽  
Benedito H. Machado
Keyword(s):  
Synaptic Transmission ◽  
Ampa Receptors ◽  
Nucleus Tractus Solitarii ◽  
Resting Membrane Potential ◽  
Density Control ◽  
Glutamatergic Synaptic Transmission ◽  
Nmda Current ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Sustained Hypoxia ◽  
Respiratory Responses

Sustained hypoxia (SH) activates chemoreceptors to produce cardiovascular and respiratory responses to bring the arterial partial pressure of O2 back to the physiological range. We evaluated the effect of SH (fraction of inspired O2 = 0.10, 24 h) on glutamatergic synaptic transmission and the interaction neuron-astrocyte in neurons of the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS). Tractus solitarius (TS) fiber stimulation induced glutamatergic currents in neurons and astrocytes. SH increased α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid/kainate (AMPA/kainate) [−183 ± 122 pA ( n = 10) vs. −353 ± 101 pA ( n = 10)] and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) current amplitude [61 ± 10 pA ( n = 7) vs. 102 ± 37 pA ( n = 10)]. To investigate the effects of SH, we used fluoroacetate (FAC), an astrocytic inhibitor, which revealed an excitatory modulation on AMPA/kainate current and an inhibitory modulation of NMDA current in control rats. SH blunted the astrocytic modulation of AMPA [artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF): −353 ± 101 pA vs. aCSF + FAC: −369 ± 76 pA ( n = 10)] and NMDA currents [aCSF: 102 ± 37 pA vs. aCSF + FAC: 108 ± 32 pA ( n = 10)]. SH increased AMPA current density [control: −6 ± 3.5 pA/pF ( n = 6) vs. SH: −20 ± 12 pA/pF ( n = 7)], suggesting changes in density, conductance, or affinity of AMPA receptors. SH produced no effect on astrocytic resting membrane potential, input resistance, and AMPA/kainate current. We conclude that SH decreased the neuron-astrocyte interaction at the NTS level, facilitating the glutamatergic transmission, which may contribute to the enhancement of cardiovascular and respiratory responses to baro- and chemoreflexes activation in SH rats. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Using an electrophysiological approach, we have shown that in nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) from control rats, astrocytes modulate the AMPA and NMDA currents in NTS neurons, changing their excitability. Sustained hypoxia (SH) increased both glutamatergic currents in NTS neurons due to 1) a reduction in the astrocytic modulation and 2) an increase in the density of AMPA receptors. These new findings show the importance of neuron-astrocyte modulation in the excitatory synaptic transmission in NTS of control and SH rats.

scholarly journals Silent synapses generate sparse and orthogonal action potential firing in adult-born hippocampal granule cells

eLife ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liyi Li ◽  
Sébastien Sultan ◽  
Stefanie Heigele ◽  
Charlotte Schmidt-Salzmann ◽  
Nicolas Toni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ampa Receptors ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Granule Cells ◽  
Action Potential Firing ◽  
Adult Mice ◽  
Silent Synapses ◽  
Afferent Fibers ◽  
Potential Firing ◽  
Sparse Connectivity ◽  
Early Developmental

In adult neurogenesis young neurons connect to the existing network via formation of thousands of new synapses. At early developmental stages, glutamatergic synapses are sparse, immature and functionally 'silent', expressing mainly NMDA receptors. Here we show in 2- to 3-week-old young neurons of adult mice, that brief-burst activity in glutamatergic fibers is sufficient to induce postsynaptic AP firing in the absence of AMPA receptors. The enhanced excitability of the young neurons lead to efficient temporal summation of small NMDA currents, dynamic unblocking of silent synapses and NMDA-receptor-dependent AP firing. Therefore, early synaptic inputs are powerfully converted into reliable spiking output. Furthermore, due to high synaptic gain, small dendritic trees and sparse connectivity, neighboring young neurons are activated by different distinct subsets of afferent fibers with minimal overlap. Taken together, synaptic recruitment of young neurons generates sparse and orthogonal AP firing, which may support sparse coding during hippocampal information processing.

Quantifying the Magnitude of Changes in Synaptic Level Parameters With Long-Term Potentiation

2006 ◽  
Vol 96 (3) ◽  
pp. 1478-1491 ◽  
Author(s):  
William R. Holmes ◽  
Lawrence M. Grover
Keyword(s):  
Ampa Receptors ◽  
Single Channel ◽  
Long Term Potentiation ◽  
Channel Conductance ◽  
Single Channel Conductance ◽  
Vesicle Release ◽  
Silent Synapses ◽  
Term Potentiation ◽  
Synaptic Level

Experimental evidence supports a number of mechanisms for the synaptic change that occurs with long-term potentiation (LTP) including insertion of AMPA receptors, an increase in AMPA receptor single channel conductance, unmasking silent synapses, and increases in vesicle release probability. Here we combine experimental and modeling studies to quantify the magnitude of the change needed at the synaptic level to explain LTP with these proposed mechanisms. Whole cell patch recordings were used to measure excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) amplitude in response to near minimal afferent stimulation before and after LTP induction in CA1 pyramidal cells. Detailed neuron and synapse level models were constructed to estimate quantitatively the changes needed to explain the experimental results. For cells in normal artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF), we found a 60% average increase in EPSP amplitude with LTP. This was explained in the models by a 63% increase in the number of activated synapses, a 64% increase in the AMPA receptor single channel conductance, or a 73% increase in the number of AMPA receptors per potentiated synapse. When the percentage LTP was above the average, the required increases through the proposed mechanisms became nonlinear, particularly for increases in the number of receptors. Given constraints from other experimental studies, our quantification suggests that neither unmasking silent synapses nor increasing the numbers of AMPA receptors at synapses is sufficient to explain the magnitude of LTP we observed, but increasing AMPA single channel conductance or vesicle release probability can be sufficient. Our results are most compatible with a combination of mechanisms producing LTP.

scholarly journals Sex specific effects of “junk-food” diet on calcium permeable AMPA receptors and silent synapses in the nucleus accumbens core

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanaira Alonso-Caraballo ◽  
Tracy L. Fetterly ◽  
Emily T. Jorgensen ◽  
Allison M. Nieto ◽  
Travis E. Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nucleus Accumbens ◽  
Ampa Receptors ◽  
Junk Food ◽  
Nucleus Accumbens Core ◽  
Silent Synapses ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
Accumbens Core

Silent Synapses in Developing Cerebellar Granule Neurons

2002 ◽  
Vol 87 (3) ◽  
pp. 1263-1270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriele Losi ◽  
Kate Prybylowski ◽  
ZhanYan Fu ◽  
Jian Hong Luo ◽  
Stefano Vicini
Keyword(s):  
Ampa Receptors ◽  
Granule Cells ◽  
Cerebellar Granule Cells ◽  
Glutamate Release ◽  
Long Term Potentiation ◽  
Patch Clamp Technique ◽  
Physiological Concentration ◽  
Cerebellar Granule ◽  
Silent Synapses ◽  
Term Potentiation

Silent synapses are excitatory synapses endowed exclusively with N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) responses that have been proposed to acquire α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) responses during development and after long-term potentiation (LTP). These synapses are functionally silent because of the Mg2+ block of NMDA receptors at resting potentials. Here we provide evidence for the presence of silent synapses in developing cerebellar granule cells. Using the patch-clamp technique in the whole-cell configuration, we recorded the spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) from rat cerebellar granule cells in culture and in slices at physiological concentration of Mg2+ (1 mM). A holding potential of +60 mV removes Mg2+ block of NMDA channels, allowing us to record NMDA-sEPSCs. We thus compared the frequency of AMPA-sEPSCs, recorded at −60 mV, with that of NMDA-sEPSCs, recorded at +60 mV. NMDA-sEPSCs occurred at higher frequency than the AMPA-sEPSCs in most cells recorded in slices from rats at postnatal day (P) <13 and in culture at 6–8 days after plating (DIV6–8). In a few cells from young rats (P6–9) and in most neurons in culture at DIV6 we recorded exclusively NMDA-sEPSCs, supporting the hypothesis of existence of functional synapses with NMDA and without AMPA receptors. Increasing glutamate release in the slice with cyclothiazide and temperature increased AMPA and NMDA-sEPSCs frequencies but failed to alter the relative ratio of frequency of occurrence. Frequency ratio of NMDA versus AMPA-sEPSCs in slices was correlated with the weighted time constant of decay (τ w ) of NMDA-sEPSCs and decreased with development along the reported decrease of τ w . We suggest that the prevalence of synaptic NR2A subunits that confer faster kinetics is paralleled by the disappearance of silent synapses early in cerebellar development.

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