Characterization of neuronal intrinsic properties and synaptic transmission in layer I of anterior cingulate cortex from adult mice

Mol Pain. 2012 Jul 20:8:53. doi: 10.1186/1744-8069-8-53.

Abstract

The neurons in neocortex layer I (LI) provide inhibition to the cortical networks. Despite increasing use of mice for the study of brain functions, few studies were reported about mouse LI neurons. In the present study, we characterized intrinsic properties of LI neurons of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a key cortical area for sensory and cognitive functions, by using whole-cell patch clamp recording approach. Seventy one neurons in LI and 12 pyramidal neurons in LII/III were recorded. Although all of the LI neurons expressed continuous adapting firing characteristics, the unsupervised clustering results revealed five groups in the ACC, including: Spontaneous firing neurons; Delay-sAHP neurons, Delay-fAHP neurons, and two groups of neurons with ADP, named ADP1 and ADP2, respectively. Using pharmacological approaches, we found that LI neurons received both excitatory (mediated by AMPA, kainate and NMDA receptors), and inhibitory inputs (which were mediated by GABA(A) receptors). Our studies provide the first report characterizing the electrophysiological properties of neurons in LI of the ACC from adult mice.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Action Potentials / physiology
  • Aging / physiology*
  • Animals
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / physiology
  • Gyrus Cinguli / physiology*
  • Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potentials / physiology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Neurons / cytology
  • Neurons / physiology*
  • Patch-Clamp Techniques
  • Receptors, AMPA / metabolism
  • Receptors, GABA-A
  • Receptors, Kainic Acid / metabolism
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / metabolism
  • Synaptic Transmission / physiology*

Substances

  • Receptors, AMPA
  • Receptors, GABA-A
  • Receptors, Kainic Acid
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate