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Serotonin inhibits low‐threshold spike interneurons in the striatum
Author(s) -
Cains Sarah,
Blomeley Craig P.,
Bracci Enrico
Publication year - 2012
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.2011.219469
Subject(s) - striatum , neuroscience , basal ganglia , serotonin , interneuron , chemistry , nitric oxide , 5 ht receptor , biology , dopamine , inhibitory postsynaptic potential , central nervous system , receptor , endocrinology , biochemistry
Key points • The striatum is the largest nucleus of the basal ganglia, a brain structure crucially involved in motor control. Recent results show that nitric oxide plays an important role in striatal pathophysiology. • The activity of the striatum is modulated by extrinsic neurotransmitters such as serotonin, produced by specialised neurons located in the brainstem. • This modulation is exerted through control of striatal interneurons. However, nitric oxide‐producing interneurons (NOS interneurons) have been difficult to investigate due to their rarity. • Using transgenic mice in which NOS interneurons express green fluorescent protein, we found that NOS interneurons are strongly inhibited by serotonin. • This inhibition is mediated by a specific class of serotonin receptors (5‐HT 2C ) causing an increase in a specific potassium conductance (KCNQ). • These results cast light on the role of serotonin in the striatum, revealing that it tightly controls the activity of the only neuronal type that releases nitric oxide.