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1.
bioRxiv ; 2024 Mar 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38496673

ABSTRACT

GABAergic inhibition is critical to the proper development of neocortical circuits. However, GABAergic interneurons are highly diverse and the developmental roles of distinct inhibitory subpopulations remain largely unclear. Dendrite-targeting, somatostatin-expressing interneurons (SST-INs) in the mature cortex regulate synaptic integration and plasticity in excitatory pyramidal neurons (PNs) and exhibit unique feature selectivity. Relatively little is known about early postnatal SST-IN activity or impact on surrounding local circuits. We examined juvenile SST-INs and PNs in mouse primary visual cortex. PNs exhibited stable visual responses and feature selectivity from eye opening onwards. In contrast, SST-INs developed visual responses and feature selectivity during the third postnatal week in parallel with a rapid increase in excitatory synaptic innervation. SST-INs largely exerted a multiplicative effect on nearby PN visual responses at all ages, but this impact increased over time. Our results identify a developmental window for the emergence of an inhibitory circuit mechanism for normalization.

2.
Cell Rep ; 42(9): 113088, 2023 09 26.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37682710

ABSTRACT

Cortical circuit function is regulated by extensively interconnected, diverse populations of GABAergic interneurons that may play key roles in shaping circuit operation according to behavioral context. A specialized population of interneurons that co-express vasoactive intestinal peptides (VIP-INs) are activated during arousal and innervate other INs and pyramidal neurons (PNs). Although state-dependent modulation of VIP-INs has been extensively studied, their role in regulating sensory processing is less well understood. We examined the impact of VIP-INs in the primary visual cortex of awake behaving mice. Loss of VIP-IN activity alters the behavioral state-dependent modulation of somatostatin-expressing INs (SST-INs) but not PNs. In contrast, reduced VIP-IN activity globally disrupts visual feature selectivity for stimulus size. Moreover, the impact of VIP-INs on perceptual behavior varies with context and is more acute for small than large visual cues. VIP-INs thus contribute to both state-dependent modulation of cortical activity and sensory context-dependent perceptual performance.


Subject(s)
Interneurons , Visual Perception , Mice , Animals , Interneurons/physiology , Pyramidal Cells/physiology
3.
BMJ Open ; 13(8): e067780, 2023 08 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37553196

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To assess key elements of the design for Meso-ORIGINS (Mesothelioma Observational study of RIsk prediction and Generation of paired benign-meso tissue samples, Including a Nested MRI Substudy), an ambitious, UK-wide, prospective study that will collect ≥63 matched benign-mesothelioma tissue pairs through longitudinal surveillance and repeat biopsy of patients with asbestos-associated pleural inflammation (AAPI). DESIGN: A multicentre, mixed-methods feasibility study, comprising a prospective observational element, evaluating recruitment feasibility, technical feasibility of repeat local anaesthetic thoracoscopy (LAT) and patient acceptability, and a retrospective cohort study focused on AAPI-mesothelioma evolution rate, informing sample size. SETTING: 4 UK pleural disease centres (February 2019-January 2020). PARTICIPANTS: Patients with AAPI (history or typical imaging plus appropriate pleural histology) were eligible for both elements. In August 2019, eligibility for the prospective element was broadened, including addition of radiological AAPI for technical feasibility and patient acceptability endpoints only. Retrospective cases required ≥2 years follow-up. OUTCOME MEASURES: A prospective recruitment target was set a priori at 27 histological AAPI cases (or 14 in any 6 months). Technical feasibility and patient acceptability were determined at 6-month follow-up by thoracic ultrasound surrogates and questionnaires, respectively. Retrospective malignant pleural mesothelioma evolution rate was defined by proportion (95% CI). Baseline predictors of evolution were identified using logistic regression. RESULTS: 296 patients with AAPI (39 prospective, 257 retrospective) were recruited/selected. 21/39 prospective recruits were histologically diagnosed (target n=27). Repeat LAT was technically feasible and acceptable in 13/28 (46%) and 24/36 (67%) cases with complete follow-up data. Mesothelioma evolution was confirmed histologically in 36/257 retrospective cases (14% (95% CI 10.3% to 18.8%)) and associated with malignant CT features (OR 4.78 (95% CI 2.36 to 9.86)) and age (OR 1.06 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.12)). CONCLUSIONS: Our initial eligibility criteria were too narrow. Meso-ORIGINS will recruit a broader cohort, including prevalent cases, any biopsy type and patients with malignant CT features. A range of rebiopsy techniques will be allowed, accounting for technical and patient factors. The sample size has been reduced to 500. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN12840870.


Subject(s)
Asbestos , Lung Neoplasms , Mesothelioma, Malignant , Mesothelioma , Pleural Neoplasms , Humans , Feasibility Studies , Prospective Studies , Retrospective Studies , Mesothelioma/pathology , Pleural Neoplasms/epidemiology , Lung Neoplasms/pathology
4.
bioRxiv ; 2023 Apr 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37162871

ABSTRACT

Local cortical circuit function is regulated by diverse populations of GABAergic interneurons with distinct properties and extensive interconnectivity. Inhibitory-to-inhibitory interactions between interneuron populations may play key roles in shaping circuit operation according to behavioral context. A specialized population of GABAergic interneurons that co-express vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP-INs) are activated during arousal and locomotion and innervate other local interneurons and pyramidal neurons. Although modulation of VIP-IN activity by behavioral state has been extensively studied, their role in regulating information processing and selectivity is less well understood. Using a combination of cellular imaging, short and long-term manipulation, and perceptual behavior, we examined the impact of VIP-INs on their synaptic target populations in the primary visual cortex of awake behaving mice. We find that loss of VIP-IN activity alters the behavioral state-dependent modulation of somatostatin-expressing interneurons (SST-INs) but not pyramidal neurons (PNs). In contrast, reduced VIP-IN activity disrupts visual feature selectivity for stimulus size in both populations. Inhibitory-to inhibitory interactions thus directly shape the selectivity of GABAergic interneurons for sensory stimuli. Moreover, the impact of VIP-IN activity on perceptual behavior varies with visual context and is more acute for small than large visual cues. VIP-INs thus contribute to both state-dependent modulation of cortical circuit activity and sensory context-dependent perceptual performance.

5.
J Public Health (Oxf) ; 44(Suppl 1): i40-i48, 2022 11 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36465048

ABSTRACT

From 1972 to 2001, membership of the Faculty of Public Health (FPH) was only open to medical practitioners with recognised specialist experience or training in public health. In 2001, the Faculty became multidisciplinary at the specialist level, a rare achievement in a medical specialty in the UK. 1 Specialists from backgrounds other than medicine were accepted as Members and Fellows of the Faculty provided they met the required standards. They were eligible for Consultant and Director of Public Health (DPH) posts, initially in England and Wales. A multidisciplinary higher specialist training scheme was established and, over time, rolled out systematically across the UK. These changes later led to limited developments for public health practitioners filling roles distinct from those in the specialist workforce. Reviewing this history reminds current and future generations of the struggles to reach the unique model we have today. The article teases out the key factors leading to the changes, summarises the somewhat bumpy journey over five decades and, in the shadow of the pandemic, reflects on the contemporary situation for the UK's public health workforce.


Subject(s)
Health Workforce , Public Health , Humans , Workforce , Faculty , Health Personnel
6.
Phys Ther ; 103(1)2022 12 30.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36193006

ABSTRACT

In looking back on 2020 and 2021, this Perspective reflects on the monumental impacts of the rollout of cystic fibrosis (CF) transmembrane conductance regulator highly effective modulator therapies and the COVID-19 pandemic on the management of CF. Advancements in the clinical management of people with CF have been both enormous and rapid, and physical therapists specializing in the care of people with CF have been at the forefront of driving this evolution in care. This year sees the 30th anniversary of the UK Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Cystic Fibrosis and, as is inevitable in reaching such milestones, thoughts have turned to origins, role, impacts, and the future. With the changing demographics of the population of people with CF after the introduction of highly effective modulator therapies, potentially with fewer secondary complications, the future role of the physical therapist who specializes in CF is in question. This Perspective reflects on and highlights the role of physical therapy within CF and provides insights into how physical therapists and respiratory therapists can evolve their roles to ensure relevance for the future.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Cystic Fibrosis , Physical Therapists , Humans , Cystic Fibrosis/therapy , Pandemics
7.
ERJ Open Res ; 8(3)2022 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35919861

ABSTRACT

There was a significant reduction in pleural infection incidence, by almost a third, in the year following the start of the #COVID19 pandemic. Public health measures enforced during this period are likely to have played a significant role. https://bit.ly/3QAPPR9.

9.
BMJ Open Respir Res ; 7(1)2020 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33148778

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has been characterised by significant in-hospital virus transmission and deaths among healthcare workers. Sources of in-hospital transmission are not fully understood, with special precautions currently reserved for procedures previously shown to generate aerosols (particles <5 µm). Pleural procedures are not currently considered AGPs (Aerosol Generating Procedures), reflecting a lack of data in this area. METHODS: An underwater seal chest drain bottle (R54500, Rocket Medical UK) was set up inside a 60-litre plastic box and connected via an airtight conduit to a medical air supply. A multichannel particle counter (TSI Aerotrak 9310 Aerosol Monitor) was placed inside the box, allowing measurement of particle count/cubic foot (pc/ft3) within six channel sizes: 0.3-0.5, 0.5-1, 1-3, 3-5, 5-10 and >10 µm. Stabilised particle counts at 1, 3 and 5 L/min were compared by Wilcoxon signed rank test; p values were Bonferroni-adjusted. Measurements were repeated with a simple anti-viral filter, designed using repurposed materials by the study team, attached to the drain bottle. The pressure within the bottle was measured to assess any effect of the filter on bottle function. RESULTS: Aerosol emissions increased with increasing air flow, with the largest increase observed in smaller particles (0.3-3 µm). Concentration of the smallest particles (0.3-0.5 µm) increased from background levels by 700, 1400 and 2500 pc/ft3 at 1, 3 and 5 L/min, respectively. However, dispersion of particles of all sizes was effectively prevented by use of the viral filter at all flow rates. Use of the filter was associated with a maximum pressure rise of 0.3 cm H2O after 24 hours of flow at 5 L/min, suggesting minimal impact on drain function. CONCLUSION: A bubbling chest drain is a source of aerosolised particles, but emission can be prevented using a simple anti-viral filter. These data should be considered when designing measures to reduce in-hospital spread of SARS-CoV-2.


Subject(s)
Betacoronavirus , Chest Tubes , Coronavirus Infections/transmission , Health Personnel , Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional/prevention & control , Occupational Exposure/prevention & control , Pneumonia, Viral/transmission , Aerosols , COVID-19 , Drainage , Filtration/instrumentation , Humans , Pandemics , Particle Size , Particulate Matter , SARS-CoV-2
10.
BMJ Case Rep ; 13(8)2020 Aug 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32747597

ABSTRACT

We describe a patient with COVID-19 who developed simultaneous pulmonary, intracardiac and peripheral arterial thrombosis. A 58-year-old man, without major comorbidity, was admitted with a 14-day history of breathlessness. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection was confirmed by laboratory testing. Initial imaging revealed COVID-19 pneumonia but no pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) on CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA). The patient subsequently developed respiratory failure and left foot ischaemia associated with a rising D-dimer. Repeat CTPA and lower limb CT angiography revealed simultaneous bilateral PTE, biventricular cardiac thrombi and bilateral lower limb arterial occlusions. This case highlights a broad range of vascular sequalae associated with COVID-19 and the fact that these can occur despite a combination of prophylactic and treatment dose anticoagulation.


Subject(s)
Coronavirus Infections , Enoxaparin/administration & dosage , Heart Diseases , Pandemics , Peripheral Arterial Disease , Pneumonia, Viral , Pulmonary Embolism , Thrombosis , Warfarin/administration & dosage , Anticoagulants/administration & dosage , Betacoronavirus/isolation & purification , Betacoronavirus/pathogenicity , COVID-19 , Clinical Deterioration , Computed Tomography Angiography/methods , Coronavirus Infections/complications , Coronavirus Infections/diagnosis , Coronavirus Infections/physiopathology , Coronavirus Infections/therapy , Heart Diseases/diagnosis , Heart Diseases/etiology , Heart Diseases/therapy , Heart Ventricles/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Peripheral Arterial Disease/diagnosis , Peripheral Arterial Disease/etiology , Peripheral Arterial Disease/therapy , Pneumonia, Viral/complications , Pneumonia, Viral/diagnosis , Pneumonia, Viral/diagnostic imaging , Pneumonia, Viral/etiology , Pneumonia, Viral/physiopathology , Pneumonia, Viral/therapy , Pulmonary Embolism/diagnosis , Pulmonary Embolism/etiology , Pulmonary Embolism/therapy , SARS-CoV-2 , Thrombosis/diagnosis , Thrombosis/etiology , Thrombosis/therapy , Treatment Outcome
11.
Nat Rev Neurosci ; 21(2): 80-92, 2020 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31911627

ABSTRACT

Cortical gain regulation allows neurons to respond adaptively to changing inputs. Neural gain is modulated by internal and external influences, including attentional and arousal states, motor activity and neuromodulatory input. These influences converge to a common set of mechanisms for gain modulation, including GABAergic inhibition, synaptically driven fluctuations in membrane potential, changes in cellular conductance and changes in other biophysical neural properties. Recent work has identified GABAergic interneurons as targets of neuromodulatory input and mediators of state-dependent gain modulation. Here, we review the engagement and effects of gain modulation in the cortex. We highlight key recent findings that link phenomenological observations of gain modulation to underlying cellular and circuit-level mechanisms. Finally, we place these cellular and circuit interactions in the larger context of their impact on perception and cognition.


Subject(s)
Cerebral Cortex/physiology , Neurons/physiology , Animals , Arousal/physiology , Attention/physiology , Humans , Learning/physiology , Perception/physiology
12.
Front Neural Circuits ; 13: 81, 2019.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32009908

ABSTRACT

Recent experimental literature has revealed that GABAergic interneurons exhibit increased activity prior to seizure onset, alongside additional evidence that such activity is synchronous and may arise abruptly. These findings have led some to hypothesize that this interneuronal activity may serve a causal role in driving the sudden change in brain activity that heralds seizure onset. However, the mechanisms predisposing an inhibitory network toward increased activity, specifically prior to ictogenesis, without a permanent change to inputs to the system remain unknown. We address this question by comparing simulated inhibitory networks containing control interneurons and networks containing hyperexcitable interneurons modeled to mimic treatment with 4-Aminopyridine (4-AP), an agent commonly used to model seizures in vivo and in vitro. Our in silico study demonstrates that model inhibitory networks with 4-AP interneurons are more prone than their control counterparts to exist in a bistable state in which asynchronously firing networks can abruptly transition into synchrony driven by a brief perturbation. This transition into synchrony brings about a corresponding increase in overall firing rate. We further show that perturbations driving this transition could arise in vivo from background excitatory synaptic activity in the cortex. Thus, we propose that bistability explains the increase in interneuron activity observed experimentally prior to seizure via a transition from incoherent to coherent dynamics. Moreover, bistability explains why inhibitory networks containing hyperexcitable interneurons are more vulnerable to this change in dynamics, and how such networks can undergo a transition without a permanent change in the drive. We note that while our comparisons are between networks of control and ictogenic neurons, the conclusions drawn specifically relate to the unusual dynamics that arise prior to seizure, and not seizure onset itself. However, providing a mechanistic explanation for this phenomenon specifically in a pro-ictogenic setting generates experimentally testable hypotheses regarding the role of inhibitory neurons in pre-ictal neural dynamics, and motivates further computational research into mechanisms underlying a newly hypothesized multi-step pathway to seizure initiated by inhibition.


Subject(s)
Computer Simulation , Interneurons/physiology , Nerve Net/physiology , Neural Inhibition/physiology , Seizures/physiopathology , Somatosensory Cortex/physiology , Animals , Interneurons/chemistry , Mice , Mice, Transgenic , Nerve Net/chemistry , Optogenetics/methods , Somatosensory Cortex/chemistry
13.
Neuron ; 95(4): 884-895.e9, 2017 Aug 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28817803

ABSTRACT

GABAergic interneurons play important roles in cortical circuit development. However, there are multiple populations of interneurons and their respective developmental contributions remain poorly explored. Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) and its interneuron-specific receptor ERBB4 are critical genes for interneuron maturation. Using a conditional ErbB4 deletion, we tested the role of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-expressing interneurons in the postnatal maturation of cortical circuits in vivo. ErbB4 removal from VIP interneurons during development leads to changes in their activity, along with severe dysregulation of cortical temporal organization and state dependence. These alterations emerge during adolescence, and mature animals in which VIP interneurons lack ErbB4 exhibit reduced cortical responses to sensory stimuli and impaired sensory learning. Our data support a key role for VIP interneurons in cortical circuit development and suggest a possible contribution to pathophysiology in neurodevelopmental disorders. These findings provide a new perspective on the role of GABAergic interneuron diversity in cortical development. VIDEO ABSTRACT.


Subject(s)
Cerebral Cortex/pathology , Developmental Disabilities/genetics , Developmental Disabilities/pathology , Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental/genetics , Interneurons/pathology , Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide/metabolism , Action Potentials/physiology , Animals , Animals, Newborn , Calcium/metabolism , Disease Models, Animal , Homeodomain Proteins/genetics , Homeodomain Proteins/metabolism , In Vitro Techniques , Interneurons/metabolism , Mice , Mice, Transgenic , Patch-Clamp Techniques , Photic Stimulation , Receptor, ErbB-4/genetics , Receptor, ErbB-4/metabolism , Signal Detection, Psychological/physiology , Somatostatin/genetics , Somatostatin/metabolism , Spectrum Analysis , Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide/genetics , Visual Pathways/growth & development , Visual Pathways/pathology
14.
eNeuro ; 4(4)2017.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28791333

ABSTRACT

Scientists have observed local field potential theta rhythms (3-12 Hz) in the hippocampus for decades, but understanding the mechanisms underlying their generation is complicated by their diversity in pharmacological and frequency profiles. In addition, interactions with other brain structures and oscillatory drives to the hippocampus during distinct brain states has made it difficult to identify hippocampus-specific properties directly involved in theta generation. To overcome this, we develop cellular-based network models using a whole hippocampus in vitro preparation that spontaneously generates theta rhythms. Building on theoretical and computational analyses, we find that spike frequency adaptation and postinhibitory rebound constitute a basis for theta generation in large, minimally connected CA1 pyramidal (PYR) cell network models with fast-firing parvalbumin-positive (PV+) inhibitory cells. Sparse firing of PYR cells and large excitatory currents onto PV+ cells are present as in experiments. The particular theta frequency is more controlled by PYR-to-PV+ cell interactions rather than PV+-to-PYR cell interactions. We identify two scenarios by which theta rhythms can emerge, and they can be differentiated by the ratio of excitatory to inhibitory currents to PV+ cells, but not to PYR cells. Only one of the scenarios is consistent with data from the whole hippocampus preparation, which leads to the prediction that the connection probability from PV+ to PYR cells needs to be larger than from PYR to PV+ cells. Our models can serve as a platform on which to build and develop an understanding of in vivo theta generation.


Subject(s)
Hippocampus/physiology , Models, Neurological , Theta Rhythm/physiology , Tissue Culture Techniques , Action Potentials , Animals , Computer Simulation , Neural Inhibition/physiology , Neurons/physiology , Parvalbumins/metabolism
15.
BMJ Case Rep ; 20162016 Nov 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27803011

ABSTRACT

A 46-year-old man of Iranian origin presented with a 4-day history of colicky abdominal pain and absolute constipation on a background of several weeks of irritability and malaise. He had smoked 10 g of opium per week for a year and a half. On examination, he had diffuse abdominal tenderness and faecal loading. This was cleared, but the abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting persisted. He had extravascular haemolytic anaemia with punctate basophilic stippling on blood film. The patient's serum lead concentration was substantially elevated and he perhaps demonstrated Burton's line. The patient underwent chelation therapy and has recovered clinically and biochemically. Public health experts were notified and conducted an assessment of the risk to the patient and others; their lead exposure questionnaire was subsequently amended. This is an important case report of a UK resident describing lead toxicity secondary to the inhalation of opium.


Subject(s)
Lead Poisoning/etiology , Opioid-Related Disorders/complications , Opium/adverse effects , Chelating Agents/therapeutic use , Chelation Therapy , Chronic Disease , Drug Contamination , Humans , Lead Poisoning/blood , Lead Poisoning/diagnosis , Male , Middle Aged , Opioid-Related Disorders/blood
16.
eNeuro ; 3(5)2016.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27844056

ABSTRACT

An important contribution to neural circuit oscillatory dynamics is the ongoing activation and inactivation of hyperpolarization-activated currents (Ih). Network synchrony dynamics play an important role in the initial processing of odor signals by the main olfactory bulb (MOB) and accessory olfactory bulb (AOB). In the mouse olfactory bulb, we show that Ih is present in granule cells (GCs), the most prominent inhibitory neuron in the olfactory bulb, and that Ih underlies subthreshold resonance in GCs. In accord with the properties of Ih, the currents exhibited sensitivity to changes in extracellular K+ concentration and ZD7288 (4-ethylphenylamino-1,2-dimethyl-6-methylaminopyrimidin chloride), a blocker of Ih. ZD7288 also caused GCs to hyperpolarize and increase their input resistance, suggesting that Ih is active at rest in GCs. The inclusion of cAMP in the intracellular solution shifted the activation of Ih to less negative potentials in the MOB, but not in the AOB, suggesting that channels with different subunit composition mediate Ih in these regions. Furthermore, we show that mature GCs exhibit Ih-dependent subthreshold resonance in the theta frequency range (4-12 Hz). Another inhibitory subtype in the MOB, the periglomerular cells, exhibited Ih-dependent subthreshold resonance in the delta range (1-4 Hz), while principal neurons, the mitral cells, do not exhibit Ih-dependent subthreshold resonance. Importantly, Ih size, as well as the strength and frequency of resonance in GCs, exhibited a postnatal developmental progression, suggesting that this development of Ih in GCs may differentially contribute to their integration of sensory input and contribution to oscillatory circuit dynamics.


Subject(s)
Membrane Potentials/physiology , Neurons/physiology , Olfactory Bulb/growth & development , Olfactory Bulb/physiology , Animals , Cations, Monovalent/metabolism , Cyclic AMP/metabolism , Electroporation , Green Fluorescent Proteins/genetics , Green Fluorescent Proteins/metabolism , Membrane Potentials/drug effects , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Neural Inhibition/drug effects , Neural Inhibition/physiology , Neural Pathways/cytology , Neural Pathways/drug effects , Neural Pathways/growth & development , Neural Pathways/physiology , Neurons/cytology , Neurons/drug effects , Neurotransmitter Agents/pharmacology , Olfactory Bulb/cytology , Olfactory Bulb/drug effects , Patch-Clamp Techniques , Potassium/metabolism , Pyrimidines/pharmacology , Theta Rhythm , Tissue Culture Techniques
17.
J Neurosci ; 36(25): 6605-22, 2016 06 22.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27335395

ABSTRACT

UNLABELLED: Theta oscillations are essential for learning and memory, and their generation requires GABAergic interneurons. To better understand how theta is generated, we explored how parvalbumin (PV) and somatostatin (SOM) interneurons in CA1 stratum oriens/alveus fire during hippocampal theta and investigated synaptic mechanisms underlying their behavior. Combining the use of transgenic mice to visually identify PV and SOM interneurons and the intact hippocampal preparation that can generate theta oscillations in vitro without cholinergic agonists, we performed simultaneous field and whole-cell recordings. We found that PV interneurons uniformly fire strongly phase-locked to theta, whereas SOM neurons are more heterogeneous with only a proportion of cells displaying tight phase-locking. Differences in phase-locking strength could be explained by disparity in excitatory inputs received; PV neurons received significantly larger EPSCs compared with SOM neurons, and the degree of phase-locking in SOM neurons was significantly correlated with the size of EPSCs. In contrast, IPSC amplitude did not differ between cell types. We determined that the local CA1 rhythm plays a more dominant role in driving CA1 interneuron firing than afferent inputs from the CA3. Last, we show that PV and strongly phase-locked SOM neurons fire near the peak of CA1 theta, under the tight control of excitatory inputs that arise at a specific phase of each theta cycle. These results reveal a fundamental mechanism of neuronal phase-locking and highlight an important role of excitation from the local network in governing firing behavior during rhythmic network states. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Rhythmic activity in the theta range (3-12 Hz) is important for proper functioning of the hippocampus, a brain area essential for learning and memory. To understand how theta rhythm is generated, we investigated how two types of inhibitory neurons, those that express parvalbumin and somatostatin, fire action potentials during theta in an in vitro preparation of the mouse hippocampus. We found that the amount of excitatory input they receive from the local network determines how closely their spikes follow the network theta rhythm. Our findings reveal an important role of local excitatory input in driving inhibitory neuron firing during rhythmic states and may have implications for diseases, such as epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease, which affect the hippocampus and related areas.


Subject(s)
Action Potentials/physiology , CA1 Region, Hippocampal/cytology , CA1 Region, Hippocampal/physiology , Interneurons/physiology , Parvalbumins/metabolism , Somatostatin/metabolism , Theta Rhythm/physiology , Action Potentials/genetics , Animals , CA1 Region, Hippocampal/metabolism , Electric Stimulation , Female , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Transgenic , Parvalbumins/genetics , Patch-Clamp Techniques , Pyramidal Cells/physiology , Somatostatin/genetics , Statistics, Nonparametric , Synaptic Potentials/genetics , Synaptic Potentials/physiology
18.
Front Syst Neurosci ; 9: 110, 2015.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26300744

ABSTRACT

Hippocampal theta is a 4-12 Hz rhythm associated with episodic memory, and although it has been studied extensively, the cellular mechanisms underlying its generation are unclear. The complex interactions between different interneuron types, such as those between oriens-lacunosum-moleculare (OLM) interneurons and bistratified cells (BiCs), make their contribution to network rhythms difficult to determine experimentally. We created network models that are tied to experimental work at both cellular and network levels to explore how these interneuron interactions affect the power of local oscillations. Our cellular models were constrained with properties from patch clamp recordings in the CA1 region of an intact hippocampus preparation in vitro. Our network models are composed of three different types of interneurons: parvalbumin-positive (PV+) basket and axo-axonic cells (BC/AACs), PV+ BiCs, and somatostatin-positive OLM cells. Also included is a spatially extended pyramidal cell model to allow for a simplified local field potential representation, as well as experimentally-constrained, theta frequency synaptic inputs to the interneurons. The network size, connectivity, and synaptic properties were constrained with experimental data. To determine how the interactions between OLM cells and BiCs could affect local theta power, we explored how the number of OLM-BiC connections and connection strength affected local theta power. We found that our models operate in regimes that could be distinguished by whether OLM cells minimally or strongly affected the power of network theta oscillations due to balances that, respectively, allow compensatory effects or not. Inactivation of OLM cells could result in no change or even an increase in theta power. We predict that the dis-inhibitory effect of OLM cells to BiCs to pyramidal cell interactions plays a critical role in the resulting power of network theta oscillations. Overall, our network models reveal a dynamic interplay between different classes of interneurons in influencing local theta power.

19.
F1000Res ; 3: 104, 2014.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25383182

ABSTRACT

The hippocampus is a heavily studied brain structure due to its involvement in learning and memory. Detailed models of excitatory, pyramidal cells in hippocampus have been developed using a range of experimental data. These models have been used to help us understand, for example, the effects of synaptic integration and voltage gated channel densities and distributions on cellular responses. However, these cellular outputs need to be considered from the perspective of the networks in which they are embedded. Using modeling approaches, if cellular representations are too detailed, it quickly becomes computationally unwieldy to explore large network simulations. Thus, simple models are preferable, but at the same time they need to have a clear, experimental basis so as to allow physiologically based understandings to emerge. In this article, we describe the development of simple models of CA1 pyramidal cells, as derived in a well-defined experimental context of an intact, whole hippocampus preparation expressing population oscillations. These models are based on the intrinsic properties and frequency-current profiles of CA1 pyramidal cells, and can be used to build, fully examine, and analyze large networks.

20.
Front Comput Neurosci ; 7: 144, 2013.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24155715

ABSTRACT

The coupling of high frequency oscillations (HFOs; >100 Hz) and theta oscillations (3-12 Hz) in the CA1 region of rats increases during REM sleep, indicating that it may play a role in memory processing. However, it is unclear whether the CA1 region itself is capable of providing major contributions to the generation of HFOs, or if they are strictly driven through input projections. Parvalbumin-positive (PV+) interneurons may play an essential role in these oscillations due to their extensive connections with neighboring pyramidal cells, and their characteristic fast-spiking. Thus, we created mathematical network models to investigate the conditions under which networks of CA1 fast-spiking PV+ interneurons are capable of producing high frequency population rhythms. We used whole-cell patch clamp recordings of fast-spiking, PV+ cells in the CA1 region of an intact hippocampal preparation in vitro to derive cellular properties, from which we constrained an Izhikevich-type model. Novel, biologically constrained network models were constructed with these individual cell models, and we investigated networks across a range of experimentally determined excitatory inputs and inhibitory synaptic strengths. For each network, we determined network frequency and coherence. Network simulations produce coherent firing at high frequencies (>90 Hz) for parameter ranges in which PV-PV inhibitory synaptic conductances are necessarily small and external excitatory inputs are relatively large. Interestingly, our networks produce sharp transitions between random and coherent firing, and this sharpness is lost when connectivity is increased beyond biological estimates. Our work suggests that CA1 networks may be designed with mechanisms for quickly gating in and out of high frequency coherent population rhythms, which may be essential in the generation of nested theta/high frequency rhythms.

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