Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Visualizing Protein Kinase A Activity In Head-fixed Behaving Mice Using In Vivo Two-photon Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy
Published on: June 7, 2019
Beta-adrenergic receptor activation during distinct patterns of stimulation critically modulates the PKA-dependence
Jennifer N Gelinas1, Gustavo Tenorio, Neal Lemon
1Department of Physiology, University of Alberta School of Medicine, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7, Canada.
Abstract:
Activation of beta-adrenergic receptors (beta-ARs) enhances hippocampal memory consolidation and long-term potentiation (LTP), a likely mechanism for memory storage. One signaling pathway linked to beta-AR activation is the cAMP-PKA pathway. PKA is critical for the consolidation of hippocampal long-term memory and for the expression of some forms of long-lasting hippocampal LTP. How does beta-AR activation affect the PKA-dependence, and persistence, of LTP elicited by distinct stimulation frequencies? Here, we use in vitro electrophysiology to show that patterns of stimulation determine the temporal phase of LTP affected by beta-AR activation. In addition, only specific patterns of stimulation recruit PKA-dependent LTP following beta-AR activation. Impairments of PKA-dependent LTP maintenance generated by pharmacologic or genetic deficiency of PKA activity are also abolished by concurrent activation of beta-ARs. Taken together, our data show that, depending on patterns of synaptic stimulation, activation of beta-ARs can gate the PKA-dependence and persistence of synaptic plasticity. We suggest that this may allow neuromodulatory receptors to fine-tune neural information processing to meet the demands imposed by numerous synaptic activity profiles. This is a form of "metaplasticity" that could control the efficacy of consolidation of hippocampal long-term memories.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Long-term Potentiation
Hebbian LTP
LTP can occur when presynaptic neurons...
Long-term Potentiation
Adrenergic Receptors: β Subtype
Isoprenaline > Adrenaline > Noradrenaline
Neurotransmitter binding to these receptors causes activation of adenylyl cyclase resulting in increased concentrations of cAMP and modulation of calcium ion channels within the cell. They are further classified into β1, β2, and β3 subtypes.
β1-adrenoceptors: β1-adrenoceptors have equal affinities for...
GPCRs Regulate Adenylyl Cylase Activity
Two...
cAMP-dependent Protein Kinase Pathways
Adrenergic Receptors: ɑ Subtype
Adrenaline ≥ Noradrenaline >> Isoprenaline
α-adrenoceptors are further divided into α1 and α2-adrenoceptors.
α1-Adrenoceptors: These receptors are located postsynaptically on the effector organs and cause constriction of smooth muscle mediated by activation of phospholipase C—inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate...

