QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

The Journal of Neuroscience, March 1, 2006, 26(9):2474-2486; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3607-05.2006

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplemental data Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (16) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Blethyn, K. L. Articles by Crunelli, V. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Blethyn, K. L. Articles by Crunelli, V.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Behavioral/Systems/Cognitive
Neuronal Basis of the Slow (<1 Hz) Oscillation in Neurons of the Nucleus Reticularis Thalami In Vitro

Kate L. Blethyn, Stuart W. Hughes, Tibor I. Tóth, David W. Cope, and Vincenzo Crunelli

School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3US, United Kingdom

Correspondence should be addressed to S. W. Hughes, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3US, UK. Email: HughesSW{at}Cardiff.ac.uk

During deep sleep and anesthesia, the EEG of humans and animals exhibits a distinctive slow (<1 Hz) rhythm. In inhibitory neurons of the nucleus reticularis thalami (NRT), this rhythm is reflected as a slow (<1 Hz) oscillation of the membrane potential comprising stereotypical, recurring "up" and "down" states. Here we show that reducing the leak current through the activation of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) with either trans-ACPD [(+/–)-1-aminocyclopentane-trans-1,3-dicarboxylic acid] (50–100 µM) or DHPG [(S)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine] (100 µM) instates an intrinsic slow oscillation in NRT neurons in vitro that is qualitatively equivalent to that observed in vivo. A slow oscillation could also be evoked by synaptically activating mGluRs on NRT neurons via the tetanic stimulation of corticothalamic fibers. Through a combination of experiments and computational modeling we show that the up state of the slow oscillation is predominantly generated by the "window" component of the T-type Ca²⁺ current, with an additional supportive role for a Ca²⁺-activated nonselective cation current. The slow oscillation is also fundamentally reliant on an I_h current and is extensively shaped by both Ca²⁺- and Na⁺-activated K⁺ currents. In combination with previous work in thalamocortical neurons, this study suggests that the thalamus plays an important and active role in shaping the slow (<1 Hz) rhythm during deep sleep.

Key words: sleep; EEG; rhythm; thalamus; calcium current; T-type; mGluR; CAN current

---

Received Aug. 25, 2005; revised Jan. 13, 2006; accepted Jan. 16, 2006.

Correspondence should be addressed to S. W. Hughes, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3US, UK. Email: HughesSW{at}Cardiff.ac.uk

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. W. Sleigh, J. A. Vizuete, L. Voss, A. Steyn-Ross, M. Steyn-Ross, C. J. Marcuccilli, and A. G. Hudetz The Electrocortical Effects of Enflurane: Experiment and Theory Anesth. Analg., October 1, 2009; 109(4): 1253 - 1262. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. G. Sheroziya, O. von Bohlen und Halbach, K. Unsicker, and A. V. Egorov Spontaneous Bursting Activity in the Developing Entorhinal Cortex J. Neurosci., September 30, 2009; 29(39): 12131 - 12144. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. T. Dang-Vu, M. Schabus, M. Desseilles, G. Albouy, M. Boly, A. Darsaud, S. Gais, G. Rauchs, V. Sterpenich, G. Vandewalle, et al. Spontaneous neural activity during human slow wave sleep PNAS, September 30, 2008; 105(39): 15160 - 15165. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. L. Lorincz, V. Crunelli, and S. W. Hughes Cellular Dynamics of Cholinergically Induced {alpha} (8 13 Hz) Rhythms in Sensory Thalamic Nuclei In Vitro J. Neurosci., January 16, 2008; 28(3): 660 - 671. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Maret, S. Dorsaz, L. Gurcel, S. Pradervand, B. Petit, C. Pfister, O. Hagenbuchle, B. F. O'Hara, P. Franken, and M. Tafti Homer1a is a core brain molecular correlate of sleep loss PNAS, December 11, 2007; 104(50): 20090 - 20095. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help