Identification and Organization of a Postural Anti-Gravity Module in the Cerebellar Vermis.

The cerebellum is known to control the proper balance of isometric muscular contractions that maintain body posture. Current optogenetic manipulations of the cerebellar cortex output, however, have focused on ballistic body movements, examining movement initiation or perturbations. Here, by optogenetic stimulations of cerebellar Purkinje cells, which are the output of the cerebellar cortex, we evaluate body posture maintenance. By sequential analysis of body movement, we dissect the effect of optogenetic stimulation into a directly induced movement that is then followed by a compensatory reflex to regain body posture. We identify a module in the medial part of the anterior vermis which, through multiple muscle tone regulation, is involved in postural anti-gravity maintenance of the body. Moreover, we report an antero-posterior and medio-lateral functional segregation over the vermal lobules IV/V/VI. Taken together our results open new avenues for better understanding of the modular functional organization of the cerebellar cortex and its role in postural anti-gravity maintenance.

Sustained deep-tissue voltage recording using a fast indicator evolved for two-photon microscopy.

Genetically encoded voltage indicators are emerging tools for monitoring voltage dynamics with cell-type specificity. However, current indicators enable a narrow range of applications due to poor performance under two-photon microscopy, a method of choice for deep-tissue recording. To improve indicators, we developed a multiparameter high-throughput platform to optimize voltage indicators for two-photon microscopy. Using this system, we identified JEDI-2P, an indicator that is faster, brighter, and more sensitive and photostable than its predecessors. We demonstrate that JEDI-2P can report light-evoked responses in axonal termini of Drosophila interneurons and the dendrites and somata of amacrine cells of isolated mouse retina. JEDI-2P can also optically record the voltage dynamics of individual cortical neurons in awake behaving mice for more than 30 min using both resonant-scanning and ULoVE random-access microscopy. Finally, ULoVE recording of JEDI-2P can robustly detect spikes at depths exceeding 400 µm and report voltage correlations in pairs of neurons.

Fast optical recording of neuronal activity by three-dimensional custom-access serial holography.

Optical recording of neuronal activity in three-dimensional (3D) brain circuits at cellular and millisecond resolution in vivo is essential for probing information flow in the brain. While random-access multiphoton microscopy permits fast optical access to neuronal targets in three dimensions, the method is challenged by motion artifacts when recording from behaving animals. Therefore, we developed three-dimensional custom-access serial holography (3D-CASH). Built on a fast acousto-optic light modulator, 3D-CASH performs serial sampling at 40 kHz from neurons at freely selectable 3D locations. Motion artifacts are eliminated by targeting each neuron with a size-optimized pattern of excitation light covering the cell body and its anticipated displacement field. Spike rates inferred from GCaMP6f recordings in visual cortex of awake mice tracked the phase of a moving bar stimulus with higher spike correlation between intra compared to interlaminar neuron pairs. 3D-CASH offers access to the millisecond correlation structure of in vivo neuronal activity in 3D microcircuits.

Synaptic Mechanisms Underlying the Network State-Dependent Recruitment of VIP-Expressing Interneurons in the CA1 Hippocampus.

Disinhibition is a widespread circuit mechanism for information selection and transfer. In the hippocampus, disinhibition of principal cells is provided by the interneuron-specific interneurons that express the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP-IS) and innervate selectively inhibitory interneurons. By combining optophysiological experiments with computational models, we determined the impact of synaptic inputs onto the network state-dependent recruitment of VIP-IS cells. We found that VIP-IS cells fire spikes in response to both the Schaffer collateral and the temporoammonic pathway activation. Moreover, by integrating their intrinsic and synaptic properties into computational models, we predicted recruitment of these cells between the rising phase and peak of theta oscillation and during ripples. Two-photon Ca2+-imaging in awake mice supported in part the theoretical predictions, revealing a significant speed modulation of VIP-IS cells and their preferential albeit delayed recruitment during theta-run epochs, with estimated firing at the rising phase and peak of the theta cycle. However, it also uncovered that VIP-IS cells are not activated during ripples. Thus, given the preferential theta-modulated firing of VIP-IS cells in awake hippocampus, we postulate that these cells may be important for information gating during spatial navigation and memory encoding.

Ultrafast Two-Photon Imaging of a High-Gain Voltage Indicator in Awake Behaving Mice.

Optical interrogation of voltage in deep brain locations with cellular resolution would be immensely useful for understanding how neuronal circuits process information. Here, we report ASAP3, a genetically encoded voltage indicator with 51% fluorescence modulation by physiological voltages, submillisecond activation kinetics, and full responsivity under two-photon excitation. We also introduce an ultrafast local volume excitation (ULoVE) method for kilohertz-rate two-photon sampling in vivo with increased stability and sensitivity. Combining a soma-targeted ASAP3 variant and ULoVE, we show single-trial tracking of spikes and subthreshold events for minutes in deep locations, with subcellular resolution and with repeated sampling over days. In the visual cortex, we use soma-targeted ASAP3 to illustrate cell-type-dependent subthreshold modulation by locomotion. Thus, ASAP3 and ULoVE enable high-speed optical recording of electrical activity in genetically defined neurons at deep locations during awake behavior.

Calcium Dynamics in Dendrites of Hippocampal CA1 Interneurons in Awake Mice.

Hippocampal inhibitory interneurons exhibit a large diversity of dendritic Ca2+ mechanisms that are involved in the induction of Hebbian and anti-Hebbian synaptic plasticity. High resolution imaging techniques allowed examining somatic Ca2+ signals and, accordingly, the recruitment of hippocampal interneurons in awake behaving animals. However, little is still known about dendritic Ca2+ activity in interneurons during different behavioral states. Here, we used two-photon Ca2+ imaging in mouse hippocampal CA1 interneurons to reveal Ca2+ signal patterns in interneuron dendrites during animal locomotion and immobility. Despite overall variability in dendritic Ca2+ transients (CaTs) across different cells and dendritic branches, we report consistent behavior state-dependent organization of Ca2+ signaling in interneurons. As such, spreading regenerative CaTs dominated in dendrites during locomotion, whereas both spreading and localized Ca2+ signals were seen during immobility. Thus, these data indicate that while animal locomotion is associated with widespread Ca2+ elevations in interneuron dendrites that may reflect regenerative activity, local CaTs that may be related to synaptic activity become apparent during animal quiet state.

Internal representation of hippocampal neuronal population spans a time-distance continuum.

The hippocampus plays a critical role in episodic memory: the sequential representation of visited places and experienced events. This function is mirrored by hippocampal activity that self organizes into sequences of neuronal activation that integrate spatiotemporal information. What are the underlying mechanisms of such integration is still unknown. Single cell activity was recently shown to combine time and distance information; however, it remains unknown whether a degree of tuning between space and time can be defined at the network level. Here, combining daily calcium imaging of CA1 sequence dynamics in running head-fixed mice and network modeling, we show that CA1 network activity tends to represent a specific combination of space and time at any given moment, and that the degree of tuning can shift within a continuum from 1 day to the next. Our computational model shows that this shift in tuning can happen under the control of the external drive power. We propose that extrinsic global inputs shape the nature of spatiotemporal integration in the hippocampus at the population level depending on the task at hand, a hypothesis which may guide future experimental studies.

Connectivity and network state-dependent recruitment of long-range VIP-GABAergic neurons in the mouse hippocampus.

GABAergic interneurons in the hippocampus provide for local and long-distance coordination of neurons in functionally connected areas. Vasoactive intestinal peptide-expressing (VIP+) interneurons occupy a distinct niche in circuitry as many of them specialize in innervating GABAergic cells, thus providing network disinhibition. In the CA1 hippocampus, VIP+ interneuron-selective cells target local interneurons. Here, we discover a type of VIP+ neuron whose axon innervates CA1 and also projects to the subiculum (VIP-LRPs). VIP-LRPs show specific molecular properties and target interneurons within the CA1 area but both interneurons and pyramidal cells within subiculum. They are interconnected through gap junctions but demonstrate sparse spike coupling in vitro. In awake mice, VIP-LRPs decrease their activity during theta-run epochs and are more active during quiet wakefulness but not coupled to sharp-wave ripples. Together, the data provide evidence for VIP interneuron molecular diversity and functional specialization in controlling cell ensembles along the hippocampo-subicular axis.

Simple platform for chronic imaging of hippocampal activity during spontaneous behaviour in an awake mouse.

Chronic electrophysiological recordings of neuronal activity combined with two-photon Ca2+ imaging give access to high resolution and cellular specificity. In addition, awake drug-free experimentation is required for investigating the physiological mechanisms that operate in the brain. Here, we developed a simple head fixation platform, which allows simultaneous chronic imaging and electrophysiological recordings to be obtained from the hippocampus of awake mice. We performed quantitative analyses of spontaneous animal behaviour, the associated network states and the cellular activities in the dorsal hippocampus as well as estimated the brain stability limits to image dendritic processes and individual axonal boutons. Ca2+ imaging recordings revealed a relatively stereotyped hippocampal activity despite a high inter-animal and inter-day variability in the mouse behavior. In addition to quiet state and locomotion behavioural patterns, the platform allowed the reliable detection of walking steps and fine speed variations. The brain motion during locomotion was limited to ~1.8 µm, thus allowing for imaging of small sub-cellular structures to be performed in parallel with recordings of network and behavioural states. This simple device extends the drug-free experimentation in vivo, enabling high-stability optophysiological experiments with single-bouton resolution in the mouse awake brain.

GABAergic Microcircuits in Alzheimer's Disease Models.

BACKGROUND: The early phase of Alzheimer`s disease (AD) involves the disruption of finely tuned neuronal circuitry in brain regions associated with learning and memory. This tuning is obtained from the delicate balance of excitatory and inhibitory inputs which regulate cortical network function. This homeostatic plasticity provides a dynamic basis for appropriate information transfer in the brain. Excitatory synaptic transmission is driven mainly by glutamatergic synapses whereas inhibitory synaptic transmission involves GABAergic and glycinergic signaling. GABAergic cells, responsible for inhibitory transmission in adult brain, have recently become the subject of study in AD research. The discovery that GABAergic interneurons are targets of the amyloid-beta (Aß) peptide suggest that deregulation of the excitatory/inhibitory balance contributes to changes in cortical regulation, possibly with consequences for the development of the pathology. Thus, understanding the molecular details involved in GABAergic alterations may provide insight into the pathogenesis of AD. OBJECTIVE: Here, we review recent discoveries illustrating the concept of early alterations to the inhibitory circuits in AD and consider their functional implications for GABAergic components at membrane, cellular and microcircuit levels. CONCLUSION: We look at approaches that may lead to new hypotheses, animal models and therapeutic strategies based on GABAergic cells in AD with particular interest in microcircuits.

Awake hippocampal reactivations project onto orthogonal neuronal assemblies.

The chained activation of neuronal assemblies is thought to support major cognitive processes, including memory. In the hippocampus, this is observed during population bursts often associated with sharp-wave ripples, in the form of an ordered reactivation of neurons. However, the organization and lifetime of these assemblies remain unknown. We used calcium imaging to map patterns of synchronous neuronal activation in the CA1 region of awake mice during runs on a treadmill. The patterns were composed of the recurring activation of anatomically intermingled, but functionally orthogonal, assemblies. These assemblies reactivated discrete temporal segments of neuronal sequences observed during runs and could be stable across consecutive days. A binding of these assemblies into longer chains revealed temporally ordered replay. These modules may represent the default building blocks for encoding or retrieving experience.

Development of early-born γ-Aminobutyric acid hub neurons in mouse hippocampus from embryogenesis to adulthood.

Early-born γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons (EBGNs) are major components of the hippocampal circuit because at early postnatal stages they form a subpopulation of "hub cells" transiently supporting CA3 network synchronization (Picardo et al. [2011] Neuron 71:695-709). It is therefore essential to determine when these cells acquire the remarkable morphofunctional attributes supporting their network function and whether they develop into a specific subtype of interneuron into adulthood. Inducible genetic fate mapping conveniently allows for the labeling of EBGNs throughout their life. EBGNs were first analyzed during the perinatal week. We observed that EBGNs acquired mature characteristics at the time when the first synapse-driven synchronous activities appeared in the form of giant depolarizing potentials. The fate of EBGNs was next analyzed in the adult hippocampus by using anatomical characterization. Adult EBGNs included a significant proportion of cells projecting selectively to the septum; in turn, EBGNs were targeted by septal and entorhinal inputs. In addition, most EBGNs were strongly targeted by cholinergic and monoaminergic terminals, suggesting significant subcortical innervation. Finally, we found that some EBGNs located in the septum or the entorhinal cortex also displayed a long-range projection that we traced to the hippocampus. Therefore, this study shows that the maturation of the morphophysiological properties of EBGNs mirrors the evolution of early network dynamics, suggesting that both phenomena may be causally linked. We propose that a subpopulation of EBGNs forms into adulthood a scaffold of GABAergic projection neurons linking the hippocampus to distant structures. J. Comp. Neurol. 524:2440-2461, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Internally Recurring Hippocampal Sequences as a Population Template of Spatiotemporal Information.

The hippocampus is essential for spatiotemporal cognition. Sequences of neuronal activation provide a substrate for this fundamental function. At the behavioral timescale, these sequences have been shown to occur either in the presence of successive external landmarks or through internal mechanisms within an episodic memory task. In both cases, activity is externally constrained by the organization of the task and by the size of the environment explored. Therefore, it remains unknown whether hippocampal activity can self-organize into a default mode in the absence of any external memory demand or spatiotemporal boundary. Here we show that, in the presence of self-motion cues, a population code integrating distance naturally emerges in the hippocampus in the form of recurring sequences. These internal dynamics clamp spontaneous travel since run distance distributes into integer multiples of the span of these sequences. These sequences may thus guide navigation when external landmarks are reduced.

GABAergic inhibition shapes interictal dynamics in awake epileptic mice.

Epilepsy is characterized by recurrent seizures and brief, synchronous bursts called interictal spikes that are present in-between seizures and observed as transient events in EEG signals. While GABAergic transmission is known to play an important role in shaping healthy brain activity, the role of inhibition in these pathological epileptic dynamics remains unclear. Examining the microcircuits that participate in interictal spikes is thus an important first step towards addressing this issue, as the function of these transient synchronizations in either promoting or prohibiting seizures is currently under debate. To identify the microcircuits recruited in spontaneous interictal spikes in the absence of any proconvulsive drug or anaesthetic agent, we combine a chronic model of epilepsy with in vivo two-photon calcium imaging and multiunit extracellular recordings to map cellular recruitment within large populations of CA1 neurons in mice free to run on a self-paced treadmill. We show that GABAergic neurons, as opposed to their glutamatergic counterparts, are preferentially recruited during spontaneous interictal activity in the CA1 region of the epileptic mouse hippocampus. Although the specific cellular dynamics of interictal spikes are found to be highly variable, they are consistently associated with the activation of GABAergic neurons, resulting in a perisomatic inhibitory restraint that reduces neuronal spiking in the principal cell layer. Given the role of GABAergic neurons in shaping brain activity during normal cognitive function, their aberrant unbalanced recruitment during these transient events could have important downstream effects with clinical implications.

Selective impairment of some forms of synaptic plasticity by oligomeric amyloid-ß peptide in the mouse hippocampus: implication of extrasynaptic NMDA receptors.

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the loss of memory and synaptic damage. Evidence is accumulating for a causal role of soluble oligomeric species of amyloid-ß peptide (Aßo) in the impairment of synaptic plasticity and cognition but the precise mechanisms underlying these effects are still not clear. Synaptic plasticity such as long-term potentiation is thought to underlie learning and memory. While the effect of Aß on long-term potentiation is well documented, a more general understanding of Aß action on various aspects of plasticity involving synaptic and extrasynaptic receptors and the nature of the mechanisms involved in its effects are lacking. Using a combination of electrophysiological and biochemical techniques in mouse hippocampal slices, we show here that Aßo drastically affects synaptic plasticities induced by high stimulation frequencies through the involvement of extrasynaptic glutamate receptors. Experiments on hippocampal slices as well as on cultured cortical neurons show that Aßo potentiates extrasynaptic NMDA receptors-mediated responses. Pharmacological characterization indicates that GluN2B-containing NMDARs are involved in these responses. When synaptic and extrasynaptic glutamate receptor-mediated effects are dissociated using cortical neurons in culture, it appears that Aßo has differential effects on these two receptors types. We conclude that the pool of extrasynaptic GluN2B-containing NMDARs is a major target of Aßo in the hippocampus. During high frequency stimulation, Aßo dramatically impairs long-term neuronal responses.

A new neuronal target for ß-amyloid peptide in the rat hippocampus.

In Alzheimer's disease, amyloid beta peptide (Aß) accumulation is associated with hippocampal network dysfunction. Intrahippocampal injections of Aß induce aberrant inhibitory septohippocampal (SH) network activity in vivo and impairment of memory processing. In the present study, we observed, after hippocampal Aß treatment, a selective loss of neurons projecting to the medial septum (MS) and containing calbindin (CB) and/or somatostatin (SOM). Other GABAergic neuronal subpopulations were not altered. Thus, the present study identifies hippocamposeptal neuron populations as specific targets for Aß deposits. We observed that in Aß-treated rats but not in controls, glutamate agonist application induced rhythmic bursting in 55% of the slow-firing neurons in the medial septum. This suggests that hippocampal Aß can trigger modifications of the septohippocampal pathway via the alteration of a specific neuronal population. Long-range hippocamposeptal GABA/calbindin neurons, targets of hippocampal amyloid deposits, are implicated in supporting network synchronization. By identifying this target, we contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms underlying deleterious effects of Aß, one of the main agents of dementia in Alzheimer's disease.

Decreased rhythmic GABAergic septal activity and memory-associated theta oscillations after hippocampal amyloid-beta pathology in the rat.

The memory deficits associated with Alzheimer's disease result to a great extent from hippocampal network dysfunction. The coordination of this network relies on theta (symbol) oscillations generated in the medial septum. Here, we investigated in rats the impact of hippocampal amyloid beta (Abeta) injections on the physiological and cognitive functions that depend on the septohippocampal system. Hippocampal Abeta injections progressively impaired behavioral performances, the associated hippocampal theta power, and theta frequency response in a visuospatial recognition test. These alterations were associated with a specific reduction in the firing of the identified rhythmic bursting GABAergic neurons responsible for the propagation of the theta rhythm to the hippocampus, but without loss of medial septal neurons. Such results indicate that hippocampal Abeta treatment leads to a specific functional depression of inhibitory projection neurons of the medial septum, resulting in the functional impairment of the temporal network.