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Identification of a direct GABA ergic pallidocortical pathway in rodents
Author(s) -
Chen Michael C.,
Ferrari Loris,
Sacchet Matthew D.,
FolandRoss Lara C.,
Qiu MeiHong,
Gotlib Ian H.,
Fuller Patrick M.,
Arrigoni Elda,
Lu Jun
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
european journal of neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.346
H-Index - 206
eISSN - 1460-9568
pISSN - 0953-816X
DOI - 10.1111/ejn.12822
Subject(s) - neuroscience , basal ganglia , globus pallidus , anterograde tracing , thalamus , striatum , optogenetics , infralimbic cortex , biology , direct pathway of movement , cortex (anatomy) , indirect pathway of movement , inhibitory postsynaptic potential , central nervous system , prefrontal cortex , dopamine , cognition
Interaction between the basal ganglia and the cortex plays a critical role in a range of behaviors. Output from the basal ganglia to the cortex is thought to be relayed through the thalamus, but an intriguing alternative is that the basal ganglia may directly project to and communicate with the cortex. We explored an efferent projection from the globus pallidus externa ( GP e), a key hub in the basal ganglia system, to the cortex of rats and mice. Anterograde and retrograde tracing revealed projections to the frontal premotor cortex, especially the deep projecting layers, originating from GP e neurons that receive axonal inputs from the dorsal striatum. Cre‐dependent anterograde tracing in Vgat‐ires‐cre mice confirmed that the pallidocortical projection is GABA ergic, and in vitro optogenetic stimulation in the cortex of these projections produced a fast inhibitory postsynaptic current in targeted cells that was abolished by bicuculline. The pallidocortical projections targeted GABA ergic interneurons and, to a lesser extent, pyramidal neurons. This GABA ergic pallidocortical pathway directly links the basal ganglia and cortex, and may play a key role in behavior and cognition in normal and disease states.