Homeostatic synapse-driven membrane plasticity in nucleus accumbens neurons

By Ishikawa,M.; Mu,P.; Moyer,J.T.; Wolf,J.A.; Quock,R.M.; Davies,N.M.; Hu,X.T.; Schluter,O.M.; Dong,Y.


Abstract:
- Homeostatic mechanisms balances the input-output/synapse-membrane interaction at nucleus accumbens neurons.
- Studies on nucleus accumbens (NAc) neurons revealed a novel form of synapse-to-membrane homeostatic regulation (hSMP), homeostatic synapse-driven membrane plasticity (hSMP).
- Through hSMP, NAc neurons adjusted their membrane excitability to functionally compensate for basal shifts in excitatory synaptic input.
- hSMP is triggered by synaptic NMDA receptors.

Introduction:- Homeostatic plasticity is an important cellular mechanism through which neurons use the neuroplasticity mechinery to maintain stable functional output in an ever-changing internal and external environment (Turrigiano and Nelson, 2004).
- The functional output of a neuron relies on dynamic integration of synaptic inputs and intrinsic membrane excitability.
- It has long been known that homeostatic plasticity can occur independently at either synapses (Turrigiano and Nelson, 2004) or the membrane excitability (Zhang and Linden, 2003).

Results:
- hSMP in NAc slice cultures: NAc mediam spiny neuron (MSNs) increased excitability in slice culture.
- NMDA receptor mediates hSMP. DCS (D-cycloserine).
- hSMP in acute brain slices.
- Synapse-specific hSMP.
- SK channels mediate the expression of hSMP.
- Implication of hSMP in cocaine -induced membrane adaptation.