Serotonin Differentially Regulates L5 Pyramidal Cell Classes of the Medial Prefrontal Cortex in Rats and Mice
Mary C Elliott1, Peter M Tanaka1, Ryan W Schwark1
1Department of Pharmacology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI.
Eneuro
|February 16, 2018
Summary
Serotonin differentially regulates rat and mouse prefrontal cortex neurons. In rats, it aids subcortical output, while in mice, it inhibits corticofugal cells, with developmental changes observed in mice.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neuropharmacology
- Cellular Electrophysiology
Background:
- The prefrontal cortex (PFC) has dense serotonergic innervation crucial for its regulation.
- Understanding how serotonin (5-HT) impacts distinct pyramidal and interneuron cell classes in the PFC is incomplete.
- Previous studies in rats showed differential regulation of layer 5 pyramidal cells by serotonin.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the specific roles of serotonin in regulating distinct PFC layer 5 pyramidal cell classes.
- To compare the effects of serotonin on PFC neurons in rats and mice.
- To investigate the developmental changes in cortical serotonin responsiveness in mice.
Main Methods:
- Electrophysiological recordings
- Retrograde labeling
- Morphological reconstruction
Main Results:
- In rats, serotonin excites long-range corticofugal neurons via 5-HT2A receptors and modulates intratelencephalic neurons via co-activation of 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors.
- In mice, serotonin predominantly inhibits long-range corticofugal neurons through 5-HT1A receptors, opposite to rat effects.
- In developing mice, serotonin initially causes depolarization, with inhibitory 5-HT1A responses emerging by the second postnatal week.
Conclusions:
- Serotonin differentially modulates PFC output pathways in rats, facilitating subcortical and subtly altering cortico-cortical/striatal pathways.
- Opposite effects of serotonin on long-range corticofugal neurons in rats and mice highlight species-specific regulation.
- Developmental plasticity in mouse PFC reveals a shift in serotonin receptor function during early postnatal life.
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