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Two different forms of long‐term potentiation at CA1–subiculum synapses
Author(s) -
Wozny Christian,
Maier Nikolaus,
Schmitz Dietmar,
Behr Joachim
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1113/jphysiol.2007.149203
Subject(s) - subiculum , neuroscience , bursting , long term potentiation , postsynaptic potential , hippocampal formation , neocortex , synaptic plasticity , pyramidal cell , hippocampus , excitatory postsynaptic potential , biology , chemistry , inhibitory postsynaptic potential , dentate gyrus , receptor , biochemistry
Distinct functional roles in learning and memory are attributed to certain areas of the hippocampus and the parahippocampal region. The subiculum as a part of the hippocampal formation is the principal target of CA1 pyramidal cell axons and serves as an interface in the information processing between the hippocampus and the neocortex. Subicular pyramidal cells have been classified as bursting and regular firing cells. Here we report fundamental differences in long‐term potentiation (LTP) between both cell types. Prolonged high‐frequency stimulation induced NMDA receptor‐dependent LTP in both cell types. While LTP relied on postsynaptic calcium in regular firing neurons, no increase in postsynaptic calcium was required in bursting cells. Furthermore, paired‐pulse facilitation revealed that the site of LTP expression was postsynaptic in regular firing neurons, while presynaptic in burst firing neurons. Our findings on synaptic plasticity in the subiculum indicate that regular firing and bursting cells represent two functional units with distinct physiological roles in processing hippocampal output.