Research article summary (published 13 Jul 2009):

Differential dopaminergic modulation of neostriatal synaptic connections of striatopallidal axon collaterals.

Full Abstract

Recent studies have demonstrated that GABAergic synaptic transmission among neostriatal spiny projection neurons (SPNs) is strongly modulated by dopamine with individual connections exhibiting either D(1) receptor (D(1)R)-mediated facilitation or D(2) receptor (D(2)R)-mediated inhibition and, at least in some preparations, a subset of connections exhibiting both of these effects. In light of the cell type-specific expression of D(1a)R in striatonigral and D(2)R in striatopallidal neurons and the differential expression of the other D(1) and D(2) family dopamine receptors, we hypothesize that the nature of the dopaminergic modulation is specific to the types of SPNs that participate in the connection. Here the biophysical properties and dopaminergic modulation of intrastriatal connections formed by striatopallidal neurons were examined. Contrary to previous expectation, synapses formed by striatopallidal neurons were biophysically and pharmacologically heterogeneous. Two distinct types of axon collateral connections could be distinguished among striatopallidal neurons. The more common, small-amplitude connections (80%) exhibited mean IPSC amplitudes several times smaller than their less frequent large-amplitude counterparts, principally because of a smaller number of release sites involved. The two types of connections were also differentially regulated by dopamine. Small-amplitude connections exhibited strong and exclusively D(2)R-mediated presynaptic inhibition, whereas large-amplitude connections were unresponsive to dopamine. Synaptic connections from striatopallidal to striatonigral neurons exhibited exclusively D(2)R-mediated presynaptic inhibition that was similar to the regulation of small-amplitude connections between pairs of striatopallidal cells. Together, these findings demonstrate a previously unrecognized complexity in the organization and dopaminergic control of synaptic communication among SPNs.

Author information

Author/s: Tecuapetla, Fatuel (F); Koós, Tibor (T); Tepper, James M (JM); Kabbani, Nadine (N); Yeckel, Mark F (MF);

Affiliation: Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey 07102, USA.

Grants: NS034865 (Agency:NINDS NIH HHS) ; NS052370 (Agency:NINDS NIH HHS) ; P50-MH068789 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS) ; R01-MH067830 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: In Vitro; Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience (J Neurosci), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Jul; vol 29 (issue 28) : pp 8977-90

Dates: Created 2009/07/16; Completed 2009/08/03;

PMID: 19605635, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 8/21/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Animals Axons - physiology Biophysical Phenomena - drug effects; genetics Biophysics Dopamine - metabolism; pharmacology Dopamine Agents - pharmacology Electric Stimulation - methods Female Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects; genetics Globus Pallidus - cytology Green Fluorescent Proteins - genetics Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potentials - drug effects; genetics

Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potentials - drug effects; genetics Male Mice Mice, Transgenic Neostriatum - cytology Nerve Tissue Proteins - genetics; metabolism Neural Pathways - physiology Neurons - classification; cytology Patch-Clamp Techniques - methods Receptors, Dopamine D2 - genetics Statistics, Nonparametric Synapses - physiology

Associated Chemicals: Dopamine Agents (0) ; Nerve Tissue Proteins (0) ; Receptors, Dopamine D2 (0) ; enhanced green fluorescent protein (0) ; Green Fluorescent Proteins (147336-22-9)

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