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Long‐lasting potentiation of hippocampal synaptic transmission by direct cortical input is mediated via endocannabinoids
Author(s) -
Xu JianYi,
Zhang Jian,
Chen Chu
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.2011.223511
Subject(s) - long term potentiation , neuroscience , hippocampal formation , neurotransmission , endocannabinoid system , transmission (telecommunications) , synaptic augmentation , chemistry , biology , computer science , receptor , biochemistry , telecommunications
Key points • Hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons receive dual sensory inputs from the cortex directly through the perforant path (PP) and indirectly through the Schaffer collaterals (SC). • Direct cortical inputs to CA1 pyramidal neurons through the PP are important for synaptic plasticity and memory formation. • In this study, we show that long‐lasting potentiation of glutamatergic synaptic transmission at SC synapses by pairing of PP–SC inputs was suppressed by pharmacological and genetic inhibition of CB1 receptors. • Inhibition of the enzyme synthesizing the endocannabinoid 2‐arachidonoylglycerol (2‐AG) prevented the pairing‐induced potentiation, while inhibition of the enzyme hydrolysing 2‐AG facilitated the potentiation. • Our results indicate that 2‐AG functions as a signalling mediator tuning synaptic efficacy at the proximal synapses of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons while direct and indirect cortical inputs to the same neurons are spatiotemporally primed, suggesting that endocannabinoids are involved in the information processing and storage in the hippocampus.