Properties of layer V pyramidal neurons in the primary motor cortex that represent acquired motor skills.

Layer V neurons in primary motor cortex (M1) are required for motor skill learning. We analyzed training-induced plasticity using a whole-cell slice patch-clamp technique with a rotor rod task, and found that training induces diverse changes in intrinsic properties and synaptic plasticity in M1 layer V neurons. Although the causal relationship between specific cellular changes and motor performance is unclear, by linking individual motor performance to cellular/synaptic functions, we identified several cellular and synaptic parameters that represent acquired motor skills. With respect to cellular properties, motor performance was positively correlated with resting membrane potential and fast afterhyperpolarization, but not with the membrane resistance, capacitance, or threshold. With respect to synaptic function, the performance was positively correlated with AMPA receptor-mediated postsynaptic currents, but not with GABAA receptor-mediated postsynaptic currents. With respect to live imaging analysis in Thy1-YFP mice, we further demonstrated a cross-correlation between motor performance, spine head volume, and self-entropy per spine. In the present study, we identified several changes in M1 layer V pyramidal neurons after motor training that represent acquired motor skills. Furthermore, training increased extracellular acetylcholine levels known to promote synaptic plasticity, which is correlated with individual motor performance. These results suggest that systematic control of specific intracellular parameters and enhancement of synaptic plasticity in M1 layer V neurons may be useful for improving motor skills.

Learning Promotes Subfield-Specific Synaptic Diversity in Hippocampal CA1 Neurons.

The hippocampus is functionally heterogeneous between the dorsal and ventral subfields with left-right asymmetry. To determine the possible location of contextual memory, we performed an inhibitory avoidance task to analyze synaptic plasticity using slice patch-clamp technique. The training bilaterally increased the AMPA/NMDA ratio at dorsal CA3-CA1 synapses, whereas the training did not affect the ratio at ventral CA3-CA1 synapses regardless of the hemisphere. Moreover, sequential recording of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents and miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents from the same CA1 neuron clearly showed learning-induced synaptic plasticity. In dorsal CA1 neurons, the training dramatically strengthened both excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic responses in both hemispheres, whereas the training did not promote the plasticity in either hemisphere in ventral CA1 neurons. Nonstationary fluctuation analysis further revealed that the training bilaterally increased the number of AMPA or GABAA receptor channels at dorsal CA1 synapses, but not at ventral CA1 synapses, suggesting functional heterogeneity of learning-induced receptor mobility. Finally, the performance clearly impaired by the bilateral microinjection of plasticity blockers in dorsal, but not ventral CA1 subfields, suggesting a crucial role for contextual learning. The quantification of synaptic diversity in specified CA1 subfields may help us to diagnose and evaluate cognitive disorders at the information level.

Phasic synaptic incorporation of GluR2-lacking AMPA receptors at gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons is involved in the generation of the luteinizing hormone surge in female rats.

Reproductive success depends on a robust and appropriately timed preovulatory luteinizing hormone (LH) surge, which is induced by the activation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons in response to positive feedback from increasing estrogen levels. Here we document an increase in postsynaptic GluR2-lacking Ca2+ -permeable AMPA-type glutamate receptors (CP-AMPARs) at synapses on GnRH neurons on the day of proestrus in rats, coincident with the increase in estrogen levels. Functional blockade of CP-AMPARs depressed the synaptic responses only on the day of proestrus and concomitantly attenuated the LH surge. Thus, the phasic synaptic incorporation of postsynaptic CP-AMPARs on GnRH neurons is involved in the generation of the LH surge.

Effects of volatile anesthetics on the circadian rhythms of rat hippocampal acetylcholine release and locomotor activity.

General anesthesia is occasionally associated with postoperative complications such as sleep disorder, drowsiness, or mood alterations. Hippocampal acetylcholine (ACh), the extracellular level of which increases during the dark (active) phase and decreases during the light (rest) phase in rats, is thought to be associated with locomotor activity and be crucial for learning and memory. Propofol, an intravenous anesthetic, is known to shift the circadian rhythms of physiological parameters including locomotor activity and body temperature in both rodents and humans, while the effects of volatile anesthetics on the circadian rhythm largely remain unclear. The present study examined the effects of isoflurane anesthesia on the diurnal changes in hippocampal ACh release and locomotor activity in rats. Rats were divided into three groups: a light-phase anesthesia group (LA group), a dark-phase anesthesia group (DA group), and a control group. They were exposed to a 12-h light/12-h dark environment and anesthetized with 1.4% isoflurane for 4h during the middle of the light phase (LA group) and dark phase (DA group). Simultaneous measurement of hippocampal ACh by microdialysis and locomotor activity were done for 60h under free-moving conditions. Hippocampal ACh release and locomotor activity showed a clear circadian rhythm. In the DA group, but not in the LA group, the diurnal variation in ACh release was significantly disturbed and a more than 2-h phase-advance in locomotor activity was observed. There was a significant correlation between hippocampal ACh release and locomotor activity, and isoflurane anesthesia disrupted it even after anesthesia was discontinued. This study revealed that the levels and circadian rhythms of hippocampal ACh release and locomotor activity were more sensitive to isoflurane anesthesia when it was administered during the active phase. Our findings suggest that anesthesia exerts differential effects on the regulation of circadian rhythms depending on the circadian phase.

Activational and organisational effects of gonadal steroids on sex-specific acetylcholine release in the dorsal hippocampus.

Acetylcholine (ACh) release in the dorsal hippocampus increases during stress, exploration or learning, exhibiting sex-specific 24-h release profile. We review the role of gonadal steroids on the ACh release in the dorsal hippocampus. In our studies, we found that male rats showed higher extracellular ACh levels than females, but gonadectomy decreased ACh levels in both sexes of rats and subsequently eliminated the sex difference. To examine the sex difference under comparable gonadal steroid levels, we implanted steroid capsules after gonadectomy. Oestradiol supplementation maintained circulating oestradiol to the levels in proestrous female rats, whereas testosterone capsules maintained circulating testosterone to the levels similar to intact male rats. Under comparable gonadal steroids levels, ACh levels were sex-specific. Testosterone replacement in orchidectomised rats clearly restored ACh levels, which were greater than ovariectomised testosterone-primed rats. Similarly, oestradiol replacement in ovariectomised rats successfully restored ACh levels, which were higher than orchidectomised oestradiol-primed rats. These results suggest sex-specific activational effects of gonadal steroids on ACh release. To further examine the organisational effect, female pups were neonatally treated with oil, testosterone, oestradiol, or dihydrotestosterone. These rats were bilaterally ovariectomised and a testosterone capsule was implanted at postnatal week 8. Neonatal treatment of either testosterone or oestradiol clearly increased ACh levels, whereas neonatal dihydrotestosterone treatment failed to change levels. These results suggest that: (i) gonadal steroids maintain the sex-specific ACh release in the dorsal hippocampus and (ii) neonatal activation of oestrogen receptors is sufficient to mediate masculinisation of the septo-hippocampal cholinergic system.

Sex-specific 24-h acetylcholine release profile in the medial prefrontal cortex: simultaneous measurement of spontaneous locomotor activity in behaving rats.

The difference in visual object recognition by males and females suggests a sex-specific function in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). In the present study, we performed an in vivo microdialysis study in three groups of rats (males, diestrous females, and proestrous females) to examine the potential sex difference in acetylcholine (ACh) release in the mPFC. The dialysate was automatically collected from the mPFC every 20 min for 24 h under freely moving conditions and the spontaneous locomotor activity was simultaneously monitored. Although ACh release in the mPFC during the dark phase was significantly greater than during the light phase in both sexes, the female rats consistently exhibited a significantly greater mean ACh release than the males. Spontaneous locomotor activity during the dark phase was also significantly greater than during the light phase in both sexes, but the females exhibited significantly greater spontaneous locomotor activity than the males. In addition, both sexes of rats were found to have significant positive correlations between ACh release and spontaneous locomotor activity, but females were found to have significantly greater correlation coefficients than males. Stereological methods were used to examine the number of choline acetyltransferase immunoreactive cells in the nucleus basalis magnocellularis and the horizontal diagonal band of Broca. The number of choline acetyltransferase immunoreactive cells in the nucleus basalis magnocellularis was also greater in females than males, suggesting a contribution to the higher ACh release in females. In contrast, no sex difference in the choline acetyltransferase immunoreactive cells was observed in the horizontal diagonal band of Broca. This is the first report to show a sex difference in the 24-h ACh release profile in the mPFC of behaving rats.

Toluene induces rapid and reversible rise of hippocampal glutamate and taurine neurotransmitter levels in mice.

Toluene, a widely used aromatic organic solvent, has been well characterized as a neurotoxic chemical. Although the neurobehavioral effects of toluene have been studied substantially, the mechanisms involved are not clearly understood. Hippocampus, which is one of the limbic areas of brain associated with neuronal plasticity, and learning and memory functions, may be a principal target of toluene. In the present study, to establish a mouse model for investigating the effects of acute toluene exposure on the amino acid neurotransmitter levels in the hippocampus, in vivo microdialysis study was performed in freely moving mice after a single intraperitoneal administration of toluene (150 and 300 mg/kg). Amino acid neurotransmitters in microdialysates were measured by a high performance liquid chromatography system. The extracellular levels of glutamate and taurine were rapidly and reversibly increased within 30 min after the toluene administration in a dose-dependent manner and returned to the basal level by 1h. Conversely, the extracellular level of glycine and GABA were stable, and no significant change was observed after the toluene administration. To further investigate the brain toluene level in the hippocampus of toluene-administered mice, we used a solid-phase microextraction (SPME) method and examined the time course changes of toluene in the hippocampus of living mice. The brain toluene level reached the peak at 30 min after injection and returned to the basal level after 2h. In the present study, we observed the relationship between brain toluene levels and amino acid neurotransmitter glutamate and taurine levels in the hippocampus. Therefore, we suggest that toluene may mediate its action through the glutamatergic and taurinergic neurotransmission in the hippocampus of freely moving mice.

Feeding with powdered diet after weaning affects sex difference in acetylcholine release in the hippocampus in rats.

We have reported in the past that female rats fed a powdered diet showed better spatial learning and memory functions than female rats a fed pelleted diet. In the present study, we examined the effects of feeding with powdered diet on acetylcholine release in the hippocampus in both sexes of rats. After weaning (3 weeks of age), rats were fed either standard pelleted diet or powdered diet, and after maturation (9-12 weeks of age), they were used in an in vivo microdialysis study, in which no eserine (a cholinesterase inhibitor) was added to the perfusate. The dialysate was collected from the dorsal hippocampus at 20-min intervals under freely moving conditions for more than 24 h. Acetylcholine in the dialysate was measured by high performance liquid chromatography. As we reported previously, the acetylcholine release showed a clear daily rhythm in both sexes, and males showed significantly greater acetylcholine release in the hippocampus than females in rats fed pelleted diet. Conversely, in rats fed powdered diet, no sex difference in the acetylcholine release was observed, since feeding with powdered diet significantly increased the acetylcholine release only in females. To further examine the number of cholinergic neurons in the medial septum and horizontal limb of the diagonal band of Broca, immunocytochemistry for choline acetyltransferase was performed in both sexes of rats fed either standard pelleted diet or powdered diet. However, neither sex nor feeding conditions affect the number of choline acetyltransferase immunoreactive cells in the areas. These results suggest that powdered diet after weaning enhances spontaneous acetylcholine release in the hippocampus in female rats without changes in the number of cholinergic neurons in the areas. It is possible that this effect of feeding contributes to improve the performance in spatial learning and memory functions in female rats fed powdered diet.

Sex and housing conditions affect the 24-h acetylcholine release profile in the hippocampus in rats.

To examine the sex difference in the 24-h profile of the acetylcholine (ACh) release in the hippocampus, in addition to the effects of housing conditions on this profile, we performed an in vivo microdialysis study in intact male and cycling female rats that had been living in large (diameter=35 cm) or small (diameter=19 cm) cylindrical cages. Each rat was individually housed in a cage for 4 days. On the day of the experiment, the dialysate was collected from the dorsal hippocampus at 20-min intervals and sequential blood samples were simultaneously obtained at 2-h intervals, under the freely moving condition for more than 24 h. ACh in the dialysates was measured by the high performance liquid chromatography system, while the corticosterone concentration in the serum was measured by radiostereoassay. Although the ACh release showed a clear daily rhythm in both sexes of rats, the amount of ACh released in female rats was significantly lower than that in males. Furthermore, the housing in the small cage significantly attenuated the ACh release during the dark phase in male rats, but not in female rats. Conversely, the serum corticosterone concentration showed a clear daily rhythm and the mean concentration of serum corticosterone in female rats was significantly higher than that in male rats. Housing in the small cage did not affect the corticosterone rhythm in either sex. These results reveal a sex difference in the 24-h profile of the ACh release, which suggests vulnerability of the cholinergic system in male rats depending on its housing conditions.

Sexual dimorphism of GABA release in the medial preoptic area and luteinizing hormone release in gonadectomized estrogen-primed rats.

We showed marked sex differences in the GABA outflow in the medial preoptic area of intact rats. To further determine the sexually dimorphic effects of estrogen on the GABA outflow, an in vivo microdialysis study was performed in gonadectomized rats 3-5 days after the estrogen- or cholesterol-priming. Dialysates and sequential blood samples (150 microl each) were simultaneously collected under freely moving conditions. Serum estradiol concentrations at 72 and 84 h after the estrogen capsule implantation were approximately 75 pg/ml in both sexes. Ovariectomized estrogen-primed (OVX+E(2)) rats showed high GABA outflow from the late night through the morning, which was significantly declined until the onset of surge like secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) in the afternoon (N=7). Ovariectomized cholesterol-primed (OVX+C) rats consistently showed low GABA outflow and high serum LH concentration (N=8). Conversely, orchidectomized estrogen-primed (ORX+E(2)) rats showed high and episodic GABA outflow without any daily changes (N=7), which was significantly greater than orchidectomized cholesterol-primed (ORX+C; N=8) and OVX+C rats. Only OVX+E(2) rats showed significant daily changes in the GABA outflow and serum LH concentration. Fitting with the double cosinor method demonstrated that the acrophase of the GABA outflow in OVX+E(2) rats occurs in the early morning, whereas the acrophases in OVX+C, ORX+C, and ORX+E(2) rats occur at various times of day. The present findings suggest that sex-specific effects of estrogen on the daily GABA release in the medial preoptic area may be involved in the sex difference of LH release in rats.

Bisphenol A increases progesterone receptor immunoreactivity in the hypothalamus in a dose-dependent manner and affects sexual behaviour in adult ovariectomized rats.

Recently, we reported that bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disrupter, increased progesterone receptor (PR) mRNA in the preoptic area (POA) in adult ovariectomized rats. In the present study, we examined whether BPA also induced expression of PR proteins in both the POA and the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH), and whether those proteins were involved in the induction of sexual behaviour. Two weeks after ovariectomy, rats received a subcutaneous (s.c.) injection of BPA, 17 beta-oestradiol or vehicle. Twenty-four hours after the injection, the rats were killed and their tissues were examined by immunocytochemistry. Some rats that received a s.c. injection of BPA, E2 or vehicle alone on the day before were injected with progesterone at 15.00 h and examined for sexual behaviour 5-7 h later. As expected, injection of 10 microg E2 significantly increased the number of PR immunoreactive cells in both the POA and the VMH compared to the number after injection of vehicle alone. In both the POA and the VMH, injection of BPA at a dose of 10 mg also significantly increased the number of PR immunoreactive cells compared to the number after injection of sesame oil alone. Furthermore, BPA induced a dose-dependent increase in the number of PR immunoreactive cells in both the POA and the VMH, demonstrating that the number of PR cells was significantly increased by as little as 100 microg of BPA. Ovariectomized (OVX) rats that were primed with 10 mg of BPA, followed by 1 mg of progesterone, displayed mainly rejection behaviour, but not lordosis as typically observed in OVX rats primed with E2 followed by progesterone. The present study suggests that BPA influences reproductive functions, including sexual behaviour even in adulthood, by altering the PR system in the hypothalamus.

GABA release in the medial preoptic area of cyclic female rats.

GABA is a potent regulator of gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons in the hypothalamus. To determine the profile of GABA release in the medial preoptic area where the gonadotropin surge generator resides, an in vivo microdialysis study was performed in cyclic female rats. The microdialysis samples were collected and sequential blood samples (150 microl each) were also obtained, at 1-h intervals. During estrus and diestrus 1, GABA release in the medial preoptic area was relatively low. A small increase in the GABA release began in the afternoon of diestrus 1 and attained its peak in the morning of diestrus 2, but declined in the afternoon of that day. The GABA release markedly increased from late in the night of diestrus 2 through the morning of proestrus, when it attained its peak, and thereafter it declined sharply until the critical period of proestrus. A distinct preovulatory luteinizing hormone surge was observed in the afternoon of proestrus in all proestrous rats. From these results we suggest that the preovulatory elevation of the GABA release from the night through to the morning of proestrus, followed by a sharp decline, is closely associated with the onset of the preovulatory luteinizing hormone surge in cyclic female rats. The present study is the first to report the 4-day profile of GABA release in the medial preoptic area during the estrous cycle.

Differential regulation of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide receptor variants in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide is densely distributed in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which functions as the circadian pacemaker. A receptor for pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide, denoted as PAC(1), exists in six variant forms. We used reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction to identify the PAC(1) variants that are expressed in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Dominant variant forms of PAC(1) in the suprachiasmatic nucleus were PAC(1)short, PAC(1)hip, and PAC(1)hop1. By in situ hybridization, we examined 24-h profiles of mRNAs for the identified receptor variants in the suprachiasmatic nucleus in constant darkness and during the light-dark cycle. In constant darkness there were clear circadian rhythms in PAC(1)short mRNA with a peak at circadian time 4 but no rhythmicity was observed in PAC(1)hip mRNA or PAC(1)hop1 mRNA. In light-dark cycles, on the other hand, PAC(1)hip mRNA displayed a bimodal rhythm with troughs at zeitgeber time 4 and 16 but PAC(1)hop1 mRNA stayed constant during the day. These results suggest that PAC(1) splice variants are differentially regulated in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus.

Circadian and photic regulation of cryptochrome mRNAs in the rat pineal gland.

Expressions of Cry1 and Cry2 mRNA in the rat pineal gland were examined by Northern blot. The levels of Cry1 and Cry2 transcript had a marked circadian rhythm with peaks at circadian time (CT) 20 in constant darkness. But the amplitude of the Cry1 rhythm was higher than that of the Cry2 rhythm. Furthermore, a significant increase in Cry1 mRNA levels was caused by light pulse given at CT 16 but not at CT 4, but the expression of Cry2 was not significantly induced by light pulses given at either CT 4 or CT 16. These results suggest that Cry1 in the pineal gland is regulated by photic and circadian information but Cry2 is only regulated by circadian information.

Increase in the number of detectable preoptic glutamic acid decarboxylase 67-immunoreactive cells in immature male rats.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons are mainly located in the anterior preoptic area (aPOA) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is known as a potent regulator of the GnRH neurons. To examine the development of the GABAergic system in the aPOA, immunocytochemistry of glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (GAD(67)) was performed in immature (postnatal d16, d25 and d30) and mature (postnatal 10 weeks) male rats. All immunocytochemical procedures were simultaneously performed. In the lateral part of the aPOA, the detectable number of GAD(67)-immunoreactive cells was small in the d16 group, but significantly increased in the d25, d30 and mature groups, up to 2.7, 4.8 and 5.7 times the number in the d16 group, respectively. In the diagonal band of Broca (DBB), the number was also small in the d16 group, and significantly increased in the d25, d30 and mature groups upto 1.8, 2.2 and 2.8 times the number in the d16 group, respectively. However, in the cingulate cortex, no significant developmental change was observed. These results suggest that the development of the GABAergic system in the lateral aPOA and the DBB occurs before sexual maturation of male rats.

Impairment of maze learning in rats by restricting environmental space.

We previously reported that the restriction of environmental space attenuates spontaneous locomotor activity and hippocampal acetylcholine release. To examine the effect of the restriction of environmental space on spatial learning function, male rats were individually housed in a cylindrical large cage (diameter=35 cm) or small cage (diameter=19 cm) for 5 days. Eight-arm radial maze performance was examined to evaluate spatial learning and memory functions. The task was performed once a day between 21:00 and 22:00 h in the dark phase. Although all rats learned and performed the task, those in the small cage had lower scores and took more trial time than those in the large cage. These results suggest that the restriction of environmental space impairs spatial learning in the dark phase in rats.

Effects of 5alpha-androst-16-en-3alpha-ol on the pulsatile secretion of luteinizing hormone in human females.

We examined the effects of 5alpha-androst-16-en-3alpha-ol (3alpha-androstenol) on pulsatile luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion in human females. The frequency of the LH pulse in the follicular phase was decreased by exposing the women to 3alpha-androstenol.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone exhibits circadian rhythm in phase with arginine-vasopressin in co-cultures of the female rat preoptic area and suprachiasmatic nucleus.

To determine whether the suprachiasmatic nucleus can drive a circadian release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in the preoptic area, we measured the release of GnRH, arginine-vasopressin and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in cocultures of the preoptic area and the suprachiasmatic nucleus at 2-h intervals over a period of 120 h. The release of GnRH in cocultures exhibited a significant circadian rhythm in the presence of oestrogen but not in the absence of oestrogen. The period of the GnRH circadian rhythm was the same as that of the arginine-vasopressin circadian rhythm, and different from the VIP circadian rhythm in each coculture. Furthermore, the peak phase of the GnRH rhythm occurred at the time same as that of the arginine-vasopressin rhythm in each coculture. However, the peak phase of the GnRH rhythm was not always the same as that of the VIP rhythm. Administration of arginine-vasopressin significantly increased GnRH release in single preoptic area cultures in the presence of oestrogen, but VIP did not. The result suggests that, in cocultures of the suprachiasmatic nucleus and the preoptic area, arginine-vasopressin neurones drive the circadian release of GnRH in the presence of oestrogen. We suggest that arginine-vasopressin neurones in the suprachiasmatic nucleus mediate the clock information to GnRH neurones in vivo as well.

Estrogen increases arginine-vasopressin V1a receptor mRNA in the preoptic area of young but not of middle-aged female rats.

We determined whether estrogen regulates the expression of arginine-vasopressin (AVP) receptor mRNA in the preoptic area (POA) of female rats. By reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we found that all three types of the AVP receptor mRNA, V1a, V1b and V2, were expressed in the POA, though the amount of PCR products was apparently different among them. In situ hybridization indicated that AVP V1a receptor mRNA was densely expressed in the POA, especially in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus of the POA; in contrast, AVP V1b and V2 receptor mRNAs were not abundant in this area. Finally, we demonstrated by Northern blot that estrogen significantly increased the expression of AVP V1a receptor mRNA in the POA of young ovariectomized rats. However, this regulation by estrogen was lost in middle-aged rats, indicating an age-related impairment in the regulation of AVP V1a receptor mRNA by estrogen in the POA.

Effects of irradiation on the sensitivity of melatonin release to norepinephrine in cultured pineal bodies of rats.

We measured levels of basal and norepinephrine (NE) -induced melatonin release in cultured pineal bodies of rats just after and 2 days after irradiation (20 or 200 Gy) or sham-irradiation. On the day of irradiation, basal and NE-induced melatonin release were not affected by irradiation. Two days after irradiation, basal melatonin levels in both irradiated groups were significantly lower than those in control group, whereas NE-induced melatonin levels in the irradiated groups were higher than those in the control group. These results suggested that irradiation decreases basal melatonin synthesis in pineal glands but that melatonin response to NE is increased after irradiation.