Neurogliaform cells dynamically decouple neuronal synchrony between brain areas

Science. 2022 Jul 15;377(6603):324-328. doi: 10.1126/science.abo3355. Epub 2022 Jul 14.

Abstract

Effective communication across brain areas requires distributed neuronal networks to dynamically synchronize or decouple their ongoing activity. GABAergic interneurons lock ensembles to network oscillations, but there remain questions regarding how synchrony is actively disengaged to allow for new communication partners. We recorded the activity of identified interneurons in the CA1 hippocampus of awake mice. Neurogliaform cells (NGFCs)-which provide GABAergic inhibition to distal dendrites of pyramidal cells-strongly coupled their firing to those gamma oscillations synchronizing local networks with cortical inputs. Rather than strengthening such synchrony, action potentials of NGFCs decoupled pyramidal cell activity from cortical gamma oscillations but did not reduce their firing nor affect local oscillations. Thus, NGFCs regulate information transfer by temporarily disengaging the synchrony without decreasing the activity of communicating networks.

MeSH terms

  • Action Potentials / physiology
  • Animals
  • CA1 Region, Hippocampal* / cytology
  • CA1 Region, Hippocampal* / physiology
  • Cerebral Cortex* / cytology
  • Cerebral Cortex* / physiology
  • GABAergic Neurons / physiology
  • Interneurons* / physiology
  • Mice
  • Nerve Net
  • Neural Inhibition*
  • Neuroglia* / physiology
  • Pyramidal Cells* / physiology
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid* / physiology

Substances

  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid