Thalamic Control of Cognition and Social Behavior Via Regulation of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acidergic Signaling and Excitation/Inhibition Balance in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The mediodorsal thalamus plays a critical role in cognition through its extensive innervation of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), but how the two structures cooperate at the single-cell level to generate associated cognitive functions and other mPFC-dependent behaviors remains elusive. Maintaining the proper balance between excitation and inhibition (E/I balance) is of principal importance for organizing cortical activity. Furthermore, the PFC E/I balance has been implicated in successful execution of multiple PFC-dependent behaviors in both animal research and the context of human psychiatric disorders.

Methods

Here, we used a pharmacogenetic strategy to decrease mediodorsal thalamic activity in adult male rats and evaluated the consequences for E/I balance i

SUBMITTER: Ferguson BR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5862785 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature