TY - JOUR
T1 - Frequency-dependent synchrony in locus ceruleus
T2 - Role of electrotonic coupling
AU - Alvarez, Veronica A.
AU - Chow, Carson C.
AU - Van Bockstaele, Elisabeth J.
AU - Williams, John T.
PY - 2002/3/19
Y1 - 2002/3/19
N2 - Electrotonic coupling synchronizes the spontaneous firing of locus ceruleus (LC) neurons in the neonatal rat brain, whereas in adults, synchronous activity is rare. This report examines the role of action potential frequency on synchronous activity in the adult LC. Decreasing the firing frequency in slices from adult animals facilitated the appearance of subthreshold oscillations and increased the correlation of the membrane potential between pairs of neurons. Conversely, increasing the firing frequency decreased the amplitude and synchrony of the oscillations among pairs. The frequency-dependent synchrony was not observed in slices from neonatal rats, where synchrony was observed at all frequencies, suggesting a developmental change in the properties of the LC network. A mathematical model confirmed that a reduction of the coupling strength among a pair of coupled neurons could generate frequency-dependent synchrony. In slices from adult animals, the combination of electrotonic coupling and firing frequency are the key elements that regulate synchronous firing in this nucleus.
AB - Electrotonic coupling synchronizes the spontaneous firing of locus ceruleus (LC) neurons in the neonatal rat brain, whereas in adults, synchronous activity is rare. This report examines the role of action potential frequency on synchronous activity in the adult LC. Decreasing the firing frequency in slices from adult animals facilitated the appearance of subthreshold oscillations and increased the correlation of the membrane potential between pairs of neurons. Conversely, increasing the firing frequency decreased the amplitude and synchrony of the oscillations among pairs. The frequency-dependent synchrony was not observed in slices from neonatal rats, where synchrony was observed at all frequencies, suggesting a developmental change in the properties of the LC network. A mathematical model confirmed that a reduction of the coupling strength among a pair of coupled neurons could generate frequency-dependent synchrony. In slices from adult animals, the combination of electrotonic coupling and firing frequency are the key elements that regulate synchronous firing in this nucleus.
KW - Mathematical model
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U2 - 10.1073/pnas.062716299
DO - 10.1073/pnas.062716299
M3 - Article
C2 - 11904447
AN - SCOPUS:0037133621
SN - 0027-8424
VL - 99
SP - 4032
EP - 4036
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
IS - 6
ER -