RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 D1 Receptor Modulation of Action Potential Firing in a Subpopulation of Layer 5 Pyramidal Neurons in the Prefrontal Cortex JF The Journal of Neuroscience JO J. Neurosci. FD Society for Neuroscience SP 10516 OP 10521 DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1367-12.2012 VO 32 IS 31 A1 Hannah J. Seong A1 Adam G. Carter YR 2012 UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/32/31/10516.abstract AB Dopamine modulation in the prefrontal cortex is important for cognitive processing and disrupted in diverse neuropsychiatric diseases. Activation of D1 receptors is thought to enable working memory by enhancing the firing properties of pyramidal neurons. However, these receptors are only sparsely expressed in the prefrontal cortex, and how they impact individual neurons remains unknown. Here we study D1 receptor modulation of layer 5 pyramidal neurons in acute slices of the mouse prefrontal cortex. Using whole-cell recordings and two-photon microscopy, we show that neurons expressing D1 receptors have unique morphological and physiological properties. We then demonstrate that activation of these receptors selectively enhances the firing of these neurons by signaling via the protein kinase A pathway. This finding of robust D1 receptor modulation in only a subpopulation of neurons has important implications for cognitive function and disease.