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Frequency-dependent synchrony in locus ceruleus: Role of electrotonic coupling
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Frequency-dependent synchrony in locus ceruleus: Role of electrotonic coupling

Veronica A. Alvarez, Carson C. Chow, Elisabeth J. Van Bockstaele and John T. Williams
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS, v 99(6), pp 4032-4036
19 Mar 2002
PMID: 11904447
url
https://europepmc.org/articles/pmc122643View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)Open Access (License Unspecified) Open

Abstract

Biological Sciences
Electrotonic coupling synchronizes the spontaneous firing of locus ceruleus (LC) neurons in the neonatal rat brain, whereas in adults, synchronous activity is rare. This report examines the role of action potential frequency on synchronous activity in the adult LC. Decreasing the firing frequency in slices from adult animals facilitated the appearance of subthreshold oscillations and increased the correlation of the membrane potential between pairs of neurons. Conversely, increasing the firing frequency decreased the amplitude and synchrony of the oscillations among pairs. The frequency-dependent synchrony was not observed in slices from neonatal rats, where synchrony was observed at all frequencies, suggesting a developmental change in the properties of the LC network. A mathematical model confirmed that a reduction of the coupling strength among a pair of coupled neurons could generate frequency-dependent synchrony. In slices from adult animals, the combination of electrotonic coupling and firing frequency are the key elements that regulate synchronous firing in this nucleus.

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Domestic collaboration
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Neurosciences
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