RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Neocortical Long-Term Potentiation and Long-Term Depression: Site of Expression Investigated by Infrared-Guided Laser Stimulation
JF The Journal of Neuroscience
JO J. Neurosci.
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP 7558
OP 7568
DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.22-17-07558.2002
VO 22
IS 17
A1 Matthias Eder
A1 Walter Zieglgänsberger
A1 Hans-Ulrich Dodt
YR 2002
UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/22/17/7558.abstract
AB The synaptic site of expression of long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) is still a matter of debate. To address the question of presynaptic versus postsynaptic expression of neocortical LTP and LTD in a direct approach, we measured the glutamate sensitivity of apical dendrites of layer 5 pyramidal neurons during LTP and LTD. We used infrared-guided laser stimulation to release glutamate from its “caged” form with high spatial and temporal resolution. Responses to photolytically released glutamate and synaptically evoked EPSPs were recorded with patch-clamp pipettes from the neuronal somata. LTP and LTD could be induced by electrical stimulation at the same synapses in succession. The NMDA receptor-dependent LTD was accompanied by a decrease in the dendritic glutamate sensitivity, suggesting a postsynaptic expression of neocortical LTD. In contrast, LTP was never accompanied by a change in the dendritic glutamate sensitivity. A possible explanation for this finding is a presynaptic expression of neocortical LTP. Another set of experiments corroborated these results: Photolytic application of glutamate with a frequency of 5 Hz caused a long-lasting Ca2+ and NMDA receptor-dependent decrease in the dendritic glutamate sensitivity. In contrast, LTP of dendritic glutamate sensitivity was never induced by photostimulation, despite several experimental modifications to prevent washout of the induction mechanism and to induce a stronger postsynaptic Ca2+ influx. In conclusion, our findings provide strong evidence for a postsynaptic expression of neocortical LTD and favor a primarily presynaptic locus of neocortical LTP.