Subthreshold electric fields bidirectionally modulate neurotransmitter release through axon polarization.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Subthreshold electric fields modulate brain activity and show promise in several therapeutic applications. Although therapeutic electric fields are often uniform at the cellular level, they generate non-uniform membrane polarization within neurons due to their complex morphologies. Despite extensive modeling of neuronal membrane polarization by electric fields, subthreshold axonal polarization has not been measured and the resulting effects on neurotransmitter release are unknown.

Objective

To investigate the mechanisms by which subthreshold electric fields alter synaptic function using next-generation optogenetic indicators.

Methods

We combined noninvasive optogenetic indicators of voltage, glutamate, and calcium release to study the subcellular response t

SUBMITTER: Aberra AS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12949594 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan-Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature