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The Journal of Neuroscience, April 19, 2006, 26(16):4155-4165; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0175-06.2006

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Development/Plasticity/Repair
Synaptic Basis for Whisker Deprivation-Induced Synaptic Depression in Rat Somatosensory Cortex

Kevin J. Bender,^1 * Cara B. Allen,^2 * Vanessa A. Bender,² and Daniel E. Feldman^1,2

¹Division of Biological Sciences and ²Neuroscience Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0357

Correspondence should be addressed to Kevin J. Bender, Division of Biology, University of California San Diego, 3228 Pacific Hall, 0357, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0357. Email: kbender{at}ucsd.edu

Whisker deprivation weakens excitatory layer 4 (L4) inputs to L2/3 pyramidal cells in rat primary somatosensory (S1) cortex, which is likely to contribute to whisker map plasticity. This weakening has been proposed to represent long-term depression (LTD) induced by sensory deprivation in vivo. Here, we studied the synaptic expression mechanisms for deprivation-induced weakening of L4-L2/3 inputs and assessed its similarity to LTD, which is known to be expressed presynaptically at L4-L2/3 synapses. Whisker deprivation increased the paired pulse ratio at L4-L2/3 synapses and slowed the use-dependent block of NMDA receptor currents by MK-801 [(5S,10R)-(+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine maleate], indicating that deprivation reduced transmitter release probability at these synapses. In contrast, deprivation did not alter either miniature EPSC amplitude in L2/3 neurons or the amplitude of quantal L4-L2/3 synaptic responses measured in strontium, indicating that postsynaptic responsiveness was unchanged. In young postnatal day 12 (P12) rats, at least 4 d of deprivation were required to significantly weaken L4-L2/3 synapses. Similar weakening occurred when deprivation began at older ages (P20), when synapses are mostly mature, indicating that weakening is unlikely to represent a failure of synaptic maturation but instead represents a reduction in the strength of existing synapses. Thus, whisker deprivation weakens L4-L2/3 synapses by decreasing presynaptic function, similar to known LTD mechanisms at this synapse.

Key words: experience-dependent plasticity; barrel; map plasticity; LTD; release probability; short-term plasticity

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Received Jan. 13, 2006; revised March 6, 2006; accepted March 7, 2006.

Correspondence should be addressed to Kevin J. Bender, Division of Biology, University of California San Diego, 3228 Pacific Hall, 0357, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0357. Email: kbender{at}ucsd.edu

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