Hippocampal Interneurons Express a Novel Form of Synaptic Plasticity

摘要: Individual GABAergic interneurons in hippocampus can powerfully inhibit more than a thousand excitatory pyramidal neurons. Therefore, control of interneuron excitability provides over hippocampal networks. We have identified novel mechanism that weakens synapses onto interneurons. Following stimulation elicits long-term potentiation at neighboring cells, inhibitory undergo synaptic depression (interneuron LTD; iLTD). Unlike most other forms plasticity, iLTD is not synapse specific: an afferent pathway triggers only activated but also inactive the same interneuron. These results suggest high frequency activity increases through dual mechanism, simultaneously potentiating neurons and depressing