Synaptic connection rule between cortical parvalbumin-positive interneurons

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K16112
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 48010:Anatomy-related
• Research Institution: Juntendo University
• Principal Investigator: Okamoto Kazuki 順天堂大学, 医学部, 助教 (90865205)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: シナプス結合

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Neocortical GABAergic interneurons have an important role to maintain cortical balanced activities. Their synaptic connection patterns are highly complexed and most of the patterns remain to be elucidated. Here we aimed to reveal the connection features between parvalbumin-positive (PV) interneurons using both morphological and electrophysiological techniques. We performed double patch-clamp recodings in PV interneurons simultaneously and recorded inhibitory synaptic transmissions. Then, we post hoc visualized their axon arborization. Based on the morphological synaptic contact, we estimated the pattern of synaptic connections in inhibitory networks.

Free Research Field

神経生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

皮質のGABA作動性細胞は、高次機能発現や各種精神疾患との深い関連が指摘されている。形態学的解析と論理モデルの構築を通じて、その中でも最も数の多いPV細胞のシナプス結合様式と同期特性を解明した。PV細胞は、その活動が大脳皮質の脳波に反映されることから明らかなように、神経回路全体を支配する抑制機構である。この結果は、大脳新皮質の動作原理を解明する一助となると期待できる。