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Cholinergic and GABAergic interneurons in the striatum
Y Kawaguchi1, T Aosaki, Y Kubota
1Bio-mimetic Control Research Center, Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN), Nagoya, Japan.
Nihon Shinkei Seishin Yakurigaku Zasshi = Japanese Journal of Psychopharmacology
|April 1, 1997
Summary
Neostriatal interneurons, including fast-spiking (FS) and low-threshold spiking (LTS) cells, are physiologically and chemically distinct. This research identifies three main interneuron classes in the striatum, crucial for understanding brain function.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Striatal interneurons are less understood than spiny projection cells.
- Characterizing interneuron diversity is key to understanding striatal circuitry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To classify neostriatal interneurons based on physiological, chemical, and morphological properties.
- To differentiate interneuron subtypes within the striatum.
Main Methods:
- Electrophysiological recordings to assess firing patterns.
- Immunohistochemistry for specific protein markers (parvalbumin, somatostatin, NOS, choline acetyltransferase, GAD67).
- Morphological analysis of axonal and dendritic fields.
Main Results:
- Identified three distinct interneuron classes: fast-spiking (FS), low-threshold spiking (LTS), and long-afterhyperpolarization (LA) cells.
- FS cells are parvalbumin-positive with highly collateralized axons.
- LTS cells are somatostatin/NOS-positive with large axonal fields; LA cells are cholinergic with long afterhyperpolarizations.
- GABAergic markers found in FS and LTS cells, but not LA cells.
- Substance P differentially excited LA and LTS cells, but not FS cells.
Conclusions:
- The striatum contains at least three types of interneurons: one cholinergic and two GABAergic.
- These interneurons exhibit significant differences in their physiological, chemical, and pharmacological profiles.
- This classification provides a framework for understanding functional roles of striatal interneurons.