Interaction between hippocampal-prefrontal plasticity and thalamic-prefrontal activity

Author(s)

Bueno-Junior, Lezio S. ^[1] ; Peixoto-Santos, Jose E. ^[1] ; Ruggiero, Rafael N. ^[1] ; Avila, Milton A. V. ^[1] ; Marques, Danilo B. ^[1] ; Lopes-Aguiar, Cleiton ^[2] ; Leite, Joao P. ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto Med Sch, Dept Neurosci & Behav Sci, BR-14049900 Ribeirao Preto - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Inst Biol Sci, Dept Physiol & Biophys, Nucleo Neurociencias, BR-31270901 Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS; v. 8, JAN 22 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 4

Abstract

The prefrontal cortex integrates a variety of cognition-related inputs, either unidirectional, e.g., from the hippocampal formation, or bidirectional, e.g., with the limbic thalamus. While the former is usually implicated in synaptic plasticity, the latter is better known for regulating ongoing activity. Interactions between these processes via prefrontal neurons are possibly important for linking mnemonic and executive functions. Our work further elucidates such dynamics using in vivo electrophysiology in rats. First, we report that electrical pulses into CA1/subiculum trigger late-onset (>400 ms) firing responses in the medial prefrontal cortex, which are increased after induction of long-term potentiation. Then, we show these responses to be attenuated by optogenetic control of the paraventricular/mediodorsal thalamic area. This suggests that recruitment and plasticity of the hippocampal-prefrontal pathway is partially related to the thalamic-prefrontal loop. When dysfunctional, this interaction may contribute to cognitive deficits, psychotic symptoms, and seizure generalization, which should motivate future studies combining behavioural paradigms and long-range circuit assessment. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/17882-4 - Drug-resistant epilepsies: diagnostic challenges, associated comorbidities and new experimental approaches
• Grantee: João Pereira Leite
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 15/20840-9 - Histopathological correlates of magnetic resonance imaging in patients with drug-resistant epilepsies
• Grantee: José Eduardo Peixoto Santos
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 14/18211-0 - Characterization and optogenetic control of the hippocampus-medial prefrontal cortex interplay during the post-learning sleep in an experimental model of early-life seizures
• Grantee: Cleiton Lopes Aguiar
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 12/06123-4 - Hippocampal-prefrontal synaptic plasticity in awake rats: effects of thalamic stimulation during natural sleep and implications for memory consolidation
• Grantee: Lézio Soares Bueno Júnior
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 12/23918-0 - Synaptic plasticity of the hippocampus-prefrontal cortex pathway and its relations with behavioral and molecular changes in rats submitted to febrile seizures during development
• Grantee: Rafael Naime Ruggiero
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate