Dopaminergic Transmission Rapidly and Persistently Enhances Excitability of D1 Receptor-Expressing Striatal Projection Neurons.

ABSTRACT: Substantia nigra dopamine neurons have been implicated in the initiation and invigoration of movement, presumably through their modulation of striatal projection neuron (SPN) activity. However, the impact of native dopaminergic transmission on SPN excitability has not been directly demonstrated. Using perforated patch-clamp recording, we found that optogenetic stimulation of nigrostriatal dopamine axons rapidly and persistently elevated the excitability of D1 receptor-expressing SPNs (D1-SPNs). The evoked firing of D1-SPNs increased within hundreds of milliseconds of stimulation and remained elevated for ≥ 10 min. Consistent with the negative modulation of depolarization- and Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ currents, dopaminergic transmission accelerated subthreshold depolarization

SUBMITTER: Lahiri AK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7182485 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature