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Synapses on GABAergic neurons in the basolateral nucleus of the rat amygdala: Double‐labeling immunoelectron microscopy
Author(s) -
Li Ruixi,
Nishijo Hisao,
Ono Taketoshi,
Ohtani Yuko,
Ohtani Osamu
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
synapse
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.809
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1098-2396
pISSN - 0887-4476
DOI - 10.1002/syn.10017
Subject(s) - gabaergic , neuroscience , inhibitory postsynaptic potential , immunoelectron microscopy , axon , excitatory postsynaptic potential , basolateral amygdala , central nucleus of the amygdala , synapse , amygdala , biology , chemistry , immunohistochemistry , immunology
Although the basolateral nucleus (BL) of the amygdala is known to contain an abundance of γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neurons that regulate the amygdaloid projection neurons and influence storage and consolidation of memory, it remains to be determined what type of neuronal input controls GABAergic neurons in the BL. We examined the synapses that GABAergic neurons form with GABAergic and noradrenergic neurons and terminals with unknown transmitters by double‐labeling immunoelectron microscopy using anti‐GABA and dopamine‐β‐hydroxylase (DBH) antisera. The medium and small dendrites of the GABAergic neurons were shown to receive symmetric, inhibitory‐type synapses from GABAergic axon terminals and asymmetric, excitatory‐type synapses from noradrenergic axon terminals. Each segment of the GABAergic neurons from perikarya to dendritic spines received both symmetric and asymmetric synapses from unlabeled axon terminals of various forms and sizes. The incidence rates of the two types of synapses were almost identical. Our results suggest that GABAergic neurons in the BL of the rat amygdala might be affected by the excitatory influence of the noradrenergic system and the inhibitory influence of the GABAergic system. Furthermore, these neurons are also strongly influenced by both excitatory and inhibitory‐type synapses from neuronal systems other than the GABAergic and noradrenergic systems. Synapse 43:42–50, 2002. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.