Dynamics and plasticity in developing neuronal networks in vitro

Pelt, Jaap van; Vajda, Ildikó; Wolters, P.S.; Corner, M.A.; Ramakers, G.J.A.

doi:10.1016/s0079-6123(04)47013-7

Cited by 120 publications

(140 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…The developmental increase in spontaneous dynamics is consistent with previous studies that have observed increased activity using multiunit extracellular recordings (Echevarria and Albus, 2000;Uesaka et al, 2005;van Pelt et al, 2005). However, the potential mechanisms underlying these changes had not been previously addressed.…”

Section: Development and Mechanisms Underlying Spontaneous Activity Isupporting

confidence: 88%

Development and Plasticity of Spontaneous Activity and Up States in Cortical Organotypic Slices

Johnson

Buonomano²

2007

J. Neurosci.

111

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Cortical computations are an emergent property of neural dynamics. To understand how neural dynamics emerges within local cortical networks, we characterized the development and underlying mechanisms of spontaneous dynamics in cortical organotypic slices. We observed not only a quantitative increase in the levels of spontaneous dynamics, but a qualitative transition from brief bursts of activity to well defined Up states during the first 4 weeks in vitro. Analysis of cellular and synaptic properties indicates that these changes are driven by increasing excitatory drive accompanied by changes in the balance of excitation and inhibition. Examination of the structure of spontaneous dynamics revealed no evidence of precisely repeating patterns. Slices exposed to chronic patterned stimulation exhibited decreased levels of spontaneous activity, suggesting homeostatic control of the levels of network activity. Together, these results suggest that Up states reflect a fundamental mode of network dynamics that emerges through the orchestrated regulation of multiple cellular and synaptic properties in parallel.

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Section: Development and Mechanisms Underlying Spontaneous Activity Isupporting

confidence: 88%

Development and Plasticity of Spontaneous Activity and Up States in Cortical Organotypic Slices

Johnson

Buonomano²

2007

J. Neurosci.

111

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“…The brains were removed and placed in vials containing Golgi-Cox solution and stored in the dark for 30 d. Brains were rinsed in milli-Q water, dehydrated in ethanol, embedded in celloidine, and immersed in chloroform for a maximum of 16 h. Chloroform was discarded, and brains were subsequently immersed in 70% ethanol. Brains were sliced on a vibratome at a thickness of 100 m. Sections were stained using previously described procedures (van Pelt et al, 2005) and mounted on glass slides. Slides were allowed to dry for 2 weeks before initiating the image analysis.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Spine density was determined in two 20 M segments from the apical and one 20 M segment from the basal dendrite for each cell. Analyses were performed by individuals unaware of the animal's phenotype using a combination of Neurodraw and Image Pro software (van Pelt et al, 2005;Boekhoorn et al, 2006). Values obtained from each group of five cells/individuals were averaged, yielding a single value per animal for the statistical analysis of each measurement category.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal Care and Hippocampal Plasticity: Evidence for Experience-Dependent Structural Plasticity, Altered Synaptic Functioning, and Differential Responsiveness to Glucocorticoids and Stress

Champagne¹,

Bagot²,

Hasselt³

et al. 2008

Journal of Neuroscience

590

478

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Maternal licking and grooming (LG) in infancy influences stress responsiveness and cognitive performance in the offspring. We examined the effects of variation in the frequency of pup LG on morphological, electrophysiological, and behavioral aspects of hippocampal synaptic plasticity under basal and stress-like conditions. We found shorter dendritic branch length and lower spine density in CA1 cells from the adult offspring of low compared with high LG offspring. We also observed dramatic effects on long-term potentiation (LTP) depending on corticosterone treatment. Low LG offspring, in contrast to those of high LG mothers, displayed significantly impaired LTP under basal conditions but surprisingly a significantly enhanced LTP in response to high corticosterone in vitro. This enhanced plasticity under conditions that mimic those of a stressful event was apparent in vivo. Adult low LG offspring displayed enhanced memory relative to high LG offspring when tested in a hippocampal-dependent, contextual fear-conditioning paradigm. Hippocampal levels of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors were reduced in low compared with high LG offspring. Such effects, as well as the differences in dendritic morphology, likely contribute to LTP differences under resting conditions, as well as to the maternal effects on synaptic plasticity and behavior in response to elevated corticosterone levels. These results suggest that maternal effects may modulate optimal cognitive functioning in environments varying in demand in later life, with offspring of high and low LG mothers showing enhanced learning under contexts of low and high stress, respectively.

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“…By shifting the inhibitory/excitatory balance, either temporarily or permanently, dramatic changes in network behavior can be observed. These changes not only generate seizure like activity (McCormick and Contreras, 2001;Romo-Parra et al, 2003), but can also produce synchronized versus uncoordinated firing patterns within the network (Aradi and Maccaferri, 2004;Kudela et al, 2003;van Pelt et al, 2005). Synchronized neural activity is an effective way to provide information to individual synapses regarding the network behavior.…”

Section: Synaptic and Network Plasticitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Currently, commercially available multielectrode arrays with 64 points for stimulation and recording can function without direct physical coupling with neuronal membrane (Arnold et al, 2005;van Pelt et al, 2005). These devices are extremely useful for recording excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC) field potentials, and can stimulate groups of neurons situated above the electrode.…”

Section: The Transistor-neurons Interfacementioning

confidence: 99%

Neuronal networks and synaptic plasticity: understanding complex system dynamics by interfacing neurons with silicon technologies

Colicos

Syed

2006

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARY Information processing in the central nervous system is primarily mediated through synaptic connections between neurons. This connectivity in turn defines how large ensembles of neurons may coordinate network output to execute complex sensory and motor functions including learning and memory. The synaptic connectivity between any given pair of neurons is not hard-wired;rather it exhibits a high degree of plasticity, which in turn forms the basis for learning and memory. While there has been extensive research to define the cellular and molecular basis of synaptic plasticity, at the level of either pairs of neurons or smaller networks, analysis of larger neuronal ensembles has proved technically challenging. The ability to monitor the activities of larger neuronal networks simultaneously and non-invasively is a necessary prerequisite to understanding how neuronal networks function at the systems level. Here we describe recent breakthroughs in the area of various bionic hybrids whereby neuronal networks have been successfully interfaced with silicon devices to monitor the output of synaptically connected neurons. These technologies hold tremendous potential for future research not only in the area of synaptic plasticity but also for the development of strategies that will enable implantation of electronic devices in live animals during various memory tasks.

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Dynamics and plasticity in developing neuronal networks in vitro

Cited by 120 publications

References 28 publications

Development and Plasticity of Spontaneous Activity and Up States in Cortical Organotypic Slices

Development and Plasticity of Spontaneous Activity and Up States in Cortical Organotypic Slices

Maternal Care and Hippocampal Plasticity: Evidence for Experience-Dependent Structural Plasticity, Altered Synaptic Functioning, and Differential Responsiveness to Glucocorticoids and Stress

Neuronal networks and synaptic plasticity: understanding complex system dynamics by interfacing neurons with silicon technologies

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