<p>A Cooperative Mechanism Involving Ca-Permeable AMPA Receptors and Retrograde Activation of GABA Receptors in Interpeduncular Nucleus Plasticity</p>

<p>The medial habenula-interpeduncular nucleus (MHb-IPN) pathway, which connects the limbic forebrain to the midbrain, has recently been implicated in aversive behaviors. The MHb-IPN circuit is characterized by a unique topographical organization, an excitatory role of GABA, and a prominent co-release of neurotransmitters and neuropeptides. However, little is known about synaptic plasticity in this pathway. An application of a high-frequency stimulation resulted in a long-lasting potentiation of glutamate release in IPN neurons. Our experiments reveal that a Ca-permeable AMPA receptor (CPAR)-dependent release of GABA from IPN neurons and a retrograde activation of GABA receptors on MHb terminals result in a long-lasting enhancement of glutamate release. Strikingly, adolescent IPN neurons lacked CPARs and exhibited an inability to undergo plasticity. In addition, fear conditioning suppressed an activity-dependent potentiation of MHb-IPN synapses, whereas fear extinction reversed this plasticity deficit, suggesting a role of the MHb-IPN synaptic plasticity in the regulation of aversive behaviors.</p>

A Cooperative Mechanism Involving Ca-Permeable AMPA Receptors and Retrograde Activation of GABA Receptors in Interpeduncular Nucleus Plasticity
Article (Faculty180)