Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Presynaptic long-term potentiation in corticothalamic synapses.

M A Castro-Alamancos1, M E Calcagnotto

  • 1Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A2B4, Canada.

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience
|October 12, 1999
PubMed
Summary

Researchers describe long-term potentiation (LTP) in corticothalamic fibers. This NMDA receptor-independent LTP is presynaptic, Ca(2+)-dependent, and involves protein kinase A, potentially enhancing brain communication.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Behavioral, Neurochemical and Brain Oscillation Abnormalities in an Experimental Model of Acute Liver Failure.

Neuroscience·2019
Same author

Guanosine Exerts Neuroprotective Effect in an Experimental Model of Acute Ammonia Intoxication.

Molecular neurobiology·2016
Same author

Neuroprotective effects of guanosine administration on behavioral, brain activity, neurochemical and redox parameters in a rat model of chronic hepatic encephalopathy.

Metabolic brain disease·2014
Same author

Postnatal transplantation of interneuronal precursor cells decreases anxiety-like behavior in adult mice.

Cell transplantation·2012
Same author

Modeling epileptogenesis and temporal lobe epilepsy in a non-human primate.

Epilepsy research·2011
Same author

Transplant of GABAergic precursors restores hippocampal inhibitory function in a mouse model of seizure susceptibility.

Cell transplantation·2010

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Synaptic Plasticity
  • Cortical and Thalamic Function

Background:

  • The thalamus and neocortex are critical, interconnected brain structures.
  • Corticothalamic fibers represent the primary synaptic input to the thalamus.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate long-term potentiation (LTP) in corticothalamic fibers.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms underlying corticothalamic LTP induction and expression.

Main Methods:

  • Experiments conducted on brain slices.
  • Analysis of synaptic plasticity in corticothalamic fibers contacting the ventrobasal thalamus.
  • Assessment of NMDA receptor independence, presynaptic mechanisms, Ca(2+) dependence, and involvement of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA).

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Corticothalamic LTP was found to be input-specific, NMDA receptor-independent, and reversible.
  • LTP induction was presynaptic and dependent on intracellular calcium (Ca(2+)).
  • LTP expression involved a decrease in paired-pulse facilitation (PPF) and was inhibited by PKA blockers; adenylyl cyclase activation mimicked LTP effects.

Conclusions:

  • Corticothalamic LTP is a presynaptic plasticity mechanism mediated by Ca(2+) and PKA.
  • This LTP may enhance cortico-cortical communication through the thalamus.
  • It could also underlie experience-dependent modifications of thalamocortical receptive fields.