Maintenance of presynaptic function by AMPA receptor-mediated excitatory postsynaptic activity in adult brain

S Kakizawa, T Miyazaki… - Proceedings of the …, 2005 - National Acad Sciences
S Kakizawa, T Miyazaki, D Yanagihara, M Iino, M Watanabe, M Kano
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2005National Acad Sciences
Activity-dependent synaptic modification occurs in both developing and mature animals. For
reliable information transfer and storage, however, once established, synapses must be
maintained stably. We investigated how chronic blockade of neuronal activity or α-amino-3-
hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)-type glutamate receptors affects
excitatory climbing fiber (CF) to Purkinje cell (PC) synapses in adult mouse cerebellum. Both
treatments caused reduced glutamate concentration transient at the synaptic cleft …
Activity-dependent synaptic modification occurs in both developing and mature animals. For reliable information transfer and storage, however, once established, synapses must be maintained stably. We investigated how chronic blockade of neuronal activity or α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)-type glutamate receptors affects excitatory climbing fiber (CF) to Purkinje cell (PC) synapses in adult mouse cerebellum. Both treatments caused reduced glutamate concentration transient at the synaptic cleft, decreased frequency of quantal excitatory postsynaptic current, and diminished CF innervation of PC shaft dendrites but no change in CF's release probability. These results indicate that, in the mature cerebellum, AMPA receptor-mediated excitatory postsynaptic activity maintains CF's functional glutamate-release sites and its innervation of PC shaft dendrites.
National Acad Sciences