Differential response dynamics of corticothalamic glutamatergic synapses in the lateral geniculate nucleus and thalamic reticular nucleus. 2006

G M Alexander, and T L Fisher, and D W Godwin
The Neuroscience Program, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.

The corticothalamic feedback pathway provides excitatory synaptic input to both the thalamic reticular nucleus and the lateral geniculate nucleus. We studied excitatory postsynaptic currents elicited from corticothalamic stimulation in the visual sector of the thalamic reticular nucleus and the lateral geniculate nucleus to compare the response of these neurons to stimulation of their common input pathway. Using whole cell patch clamp recordings in ferret thalamic slices, we compared single excitatory postsynaptic current decay kinetics, presynaptic glutamate release dynamics through paired pulse facilitation and responses to corticothalamic train stimulation. We found that single thalamic reticular nucleus excitatory postsynaptic currents were significantly sharper than lateral geniculate nucleus responses. The mean thalamic reticular nucleus excitatory postsynaptic current decay constant (tau) was 4.9+/-0.5 ms, while the mean lateral geniculate nucleus excitatory postsynaptic current tau value was 11.8+/-0.8 ms. Presynaptic release dynamics as measured by responses to paired stimuli were conserved between the thalamic reticular nucleus and lateral geniculate nucleus. However, facilitating responses to train stimulation were markedly different between nuclei. Lateral geniculate nucleus responses showed proportionately larger facilitation (reaching 842.9 +/- 76.4% of excitatory postsynaptic current 1 amplitude) than thalamic reticular nucleus responses (reaching 223.1 +/- 44.0% of excitatory postsynaptic current 1 amplitude). These data indicate that while the corticothalamic pathway produces excitatory postsynaptic currents in both the thalamic reticular nucleus and lateral geniculate nucleus, other factors uniquely affect the functional integration of the inputs in each nucleus.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D009434 Neural Pathways Neural tracts connecting one part of the nervous system with another. Neural Interconnections,Interconnection, Neural,Interconnections, Neural,Neural Interconnection,Neural Pathway,Pathway, Neural,Pathways, Neural
D009435 Synaptic Transmission The communication from a NEURON to a target (neuron, muscle, or secretory cell) across a SYNAPSE. In chemical synaptic transmission, the presynaptic neuron releases a NEUROTRANSMITTER that diffuses across the synaptic cleft and binds to specific synaptic receptors, activating them. The activated receptors modulate specific ion channels and/or second-messenger systems in the postsynaptic cell. In electrical synaptic transmission, electrical signals are communicated as an ionic current flow across ELECTRICAL SYNAPSES. Neural Transmission,Neurotransmission,Transmission, Neural,Transmission, Synaptic
D009924 Organ Culture Techniques A technique for maintenance or growth of animal organs in vitro. It refers to three-dimensional cultures of undisaggregated tissue retaining some or all of the histological features of the tissue in vivo. (Freshney, Culture of Animal Cells, 3d ed, p1) Organ Culture,Culture Technique, Organ,Culture Techniques, Organ,Organ Culture Technique,Organ Cultures
D011930 Reaction Time The time from the onset of a stimulus until a response is observed. Response Latency,Response Speed,Response Time,Latency, Response,Reaction Times,Response Latencies,Response Times,Speed, Response,Speeds, Response
D004558 Electric Stimulation Use of electric potential or currents to elicit biological responses. Stimulation, Electric,Electrical Stimulation,Electric Stimulations,Electrical Stimulations,Stimulation, Electrical,Stimulations, Electric,Stimulations, Electrical
D005289 Ferrets Semidomesticated variety of European polecat much used for hunting RODENTS and/or RABBITS and as a laboratory animal. It is in the subfamily Mustelinae, family MUSTELIDAE. Domestic Polecat,Domestic Polecats,European Polecat,European Polecats,Ferret,Mustela putorius,Mustela putorius furo,Polecat, Domestic,Polecat, European,Polecats, Domestic,Polecats, European
D005829 Geniculate Bodies Part of the DIENCEPHALON inferior to the caudal end of the dorsal THALAMUS. Includes the lateral geniculate body which relays visual impulses from the OPTIC TRACT to the calcarine cortex, and the medial geniculate body which relays auditory impulses from the lateral lemniscus to the AUDITORY CORTEX. Lateral Geniculate Body,Medial Geniculate Body,Metathalamus,Corpus Geniculatum Mediale,Geniculate Nucleus,Lateral Geniculate Nucleus,Medial Geniculate Complex,Medial Geniculate Nucleus,Nucleus Geniculatus Lateralis Dorsalis,Nucleus Geniculatus Lateralis Pars Dorsalis,Bodies, Geniculate,Complex, Medial Geniculate,Complices, Medial Geniculate,Corpus Geniculatum Mediales,Geniculate Bodies, Lateral,Geniculate Bodies, Medial,Geniculate Body,Geniculate Body, Lateral,Geniculate Body, Medial,Geniculate Complex, Medial,Geniculate Complices, Medial,Geniculate Nucleus, Lateral,Geniculate Nucleus, Medial,Geniculatum Mediale, Corpus,Geniculatum Mediales, Corpus,Lateral Geniculate Bodies,Medial Geniculate Bodies,Medial Geniculate Complices,Mediale, Corpus Geniculatum,Mediales, Corpus Geniculatum,Nucleus, Geniculate,Nucleus, Lateral Geniculate,Nucleus, Medial Geniculate
D000200 Action Potentials Abrupt changes in the membrane potential that sweep along the CELL MEMBRANE of excitable cells in response to excitation stimuli. Spike Potentials,Nerve Impulses,Action Potential,Impulse, Nerve,Impulses, Nerve,Nerve Impulse,Potential, Action,Potential, Spike,Potentials, Action,Potentials, Spike,Spike Potential
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia

Related Publications

G M Alexander, and T L Fisher, and D W Godwin
February 2004, Journal of neurophysiology,
G M Alexander, and T L Fisher, and D W Godwin
May 2009, Neuroscience research,
G M Alexander, and T L Fisher, and D W Godwin
February 2002, The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience,
G M Alexander, and T L Fisher, and D W Godwin
January 2018, Journal of neuroscience research,
G M Alexander, and T L Fisher, and D W Godwin
August 2020, Journal of neurophysiology,
G M Alexander, and T L Fisher, and D W Godwin
June 1965, Neurology,
G M Alexander, and T L Fisher, and D W Godwin
March 2003, The Journal of comparative neurology,
G M Alexander, and T L Fisher, and D W Godwin
November 1999, The Journal of comparative neurology,
Copied contents to your clipboard!