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Representing information in cell assemblies: persistent activity mediated by semilunar granule cells.

Phillip Larimer¹, Ben W Strowbridge

¹Department of Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

Nature Neuroscience

|December 29, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Stimulating rat hippocampus evoked synaptic barrages in dentate gyrus neurons, triggering persistent firing (hilar up-states). These up-states, originating from semilunar granule cells (SGCs), may form the cellular basis for working memory.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cellular Biology
Cognitive Science

Background:

The dentate gyrus plays a crucial role in hippocampal function, including memory formation.
Understanding the cellular mechanisms underlying information processing in the dentate gyrus is essential for elucidating cognitive processes like working memory.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the cellular and network dynamics in the dentate gyrus following perforant path stimulation.
To identify the neuronal populations and mechanisms responsible for generating persistent activity states in the hilar region.
To explore the functional consequences of these activity states on downstream neuronal populations and their potential role in working memory.

Main Methods:

Extracellular and intracellular recordings in rat hippocampal slices.
Perforant path stimulation to evoke synaptic inputs.
Pharmacological manipulations using MK801, nimodipine, and nickel.
Simultaneous triple and paired intracellular recordings to identify cell assemblies.

Main Results:

Perforant path stimulation induced long-lasting synaptic barrages in dentate gyrus mossy cells and hilar interneurons.
Synaptic barrages triggered persistent firing states (hilar up-states) in hilar neurons, originating from semilunar granule cells (SGCs).
SGCs exhibited long-duration plateau potentials, which were blocked by MK801, nimodipine, and nickel, as were the synaptic barrages.
Hilar up-states induced functional inhibition in granule cells lasting over 10 seconds.
Hilar cell assemblies were linked by persistent SGC firing, and population responses encoded stimulus identity.

Conclusions:

Stimulus-evoked up-states in the dentate gyrus, driven by SGCs, represent a novel cellular mechanism.
These persistent activity states may serve as a cellular basis for hippocampal working memory.
The findings highlight the role of SGCs and hilar interneurons in dentate gyrus information processing and memory functions.