Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 18, 2026
10:24
Electrophysiological and Morphological Characterization of Neuronal Microcircuits in Acute Brain Slices Using Paired Patch-Clamp Recordings
Published on: January 10, 2015
17.8K
Presynaptic and postsynaptic determinants of claustro-cortical connectivity
Roberto de la Torre-Martínez1, Zach Chia2, Joseph Baxendale1
1Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden.
Current Biology : CB
|September 8, 2025
Summary
The claustrum (CLA) influences brain activity through complex connections to the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). This study reveals specific CLA neuron pathways that precisely control excitation and inhibition in the ACC, impacting cognitive functions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Synaptic organization
- Cortical circuits
Background:
- The claustrum (CLA) is a brain structure implicated in various behaviors due to its extensive cortical connections.
- CLA projection neurons are glutamatergic, yet CLA exerts inhibitory effects on cortical targets, suggesting interneuron involvement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To dissect the synaptic organization of CLA projections to the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in mice.
- To understand the specific roles of different CLA neuron populations in modulating ACC activity.
Main Methods:
- In vivo and ex vivo electrophysiology
- Optogenetics in mice
- Targeted stimulation of CLA neurons (CaMKIIa+, VGLUT2+) and CLA-ACC axons
Main Results:
- Optogenetic stimulation evoked distinct excitatory and inhibitory responses in the ACC, varying by CLA neuron type and ACC layer.
- CLA-ACC axons activated pyramidal neurons and four types of interneurons via monosynaptic connections.
- Synaptic responses showed high specificity based on presynaptic CLA type, recipient cortical layer, and postsynaptic neuron type.
Conclusions:
- The CLA-ACC pathway exhibits intricate synaptic organization, with interneurons showing the highest response specificity.
- This complex connectivity explains the diverse and nuanced influence of the CLA on cortical activity and cognitive functions.
Keywords:
5-HT3ANPYPVSOManterior cingulate cortexclaustrumfeedforward inhibitionin vivomicrocircuitmouseoptogeneticsMore Related Videos
08:06Preparation of Synaptic Plasma Membrane and Postsynaptic Density Proteins Using a Discontinuous Sucrose Gradient
Published on: September 3, 2014
32.0K
08:27Single Synapse Indicators of Glutamate Release and Uptake in Acute Brain Slices from Normal and Huntington Mice
Published on: March 11, 2020
6.6K
Related Concept Videos
01:26Chemical Synapses
11.3K
Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
11.3K
01:26Chemical Synapses
4.4K
Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
4.4K
01:03Long-term Depression
3.1K
Long-term depression, or LTD, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTD is the process of synaptic weakening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic weakening of LTD works in opposition to synaptic strengthening by long-term potentiation (LTP) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
Calcium Ion Concentration Mechanism
If over...
Calcium Ion Concentration Mechanism
If over...
3.1K
01:05Long-term Depression
33.2K
Long-term depression, or LTD, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTD is the process of synaptic weakening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic weakening of LTD works in opposition to synaptic strengthening by long-term potentiation (LTP) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
33.2K
01:29Excitatory and Inhibitory Effects of Neurotransmitters
12.7K
When an action potential reaches the presynaptic axon terminal, it releases neurotransmitters from the neuron into the synaptic cleft at a chemical synapse. The released neurotransmitter can be excitatory or inhibitory. The critical criteria commonly used to determine whether a molecule is a neurotransmitter at a chemical synapse are the molecule's presence in the presynaptic neuron. Second, its release is in response to strong presynaptic depolarization. And lastly, the presence of...
12.7K
02:47The Synapse
132.8K
Neurons communicate with one another by passing on their electrical signals to other neurons. A synapse is the location where two neurons meet to exchange signals. At the synapse, the neuron that sends the signal is called the presynaptic cell, while the neuron that receives the message is called the postsynaptic cell. Note that most neurons can be both presynaptic and postsynaptic, as they both transmit and receive information.
132.8K