Journal: Brain Sciences
Article Title: Dopaminergic Inhibition of the Inwardly Rectifying Potassium Current in Direct Pathway Medium Spiny Neurons in Normal and Parkinsonian Striatum
doi: 10.3390/brainsci15090979
Figure Lengend Snippet: Integration of our present findings into the functional synaptic circuits of the cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical loop ( A ) that control motoric and cognitive behaviors. Striatal D1-MSNs (also known as dMSNs) selectively project to the GABAergic substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr), a key output nucleus of the basal ganglia ( A1 ). MSNs are so named because of their medium-sized cell body and numerous dendritic spines where synaptic inputs are received ( A2 ). Our present findings fill a key knowledge gap. D1Rs are highly and selectively expressed in dMSNs—these neurons project precisely to SNr. D1R agonism inhibits the tonically active inwardly rectifying K current (Kir) and thus increases D1-MSN intrinsic excitability, spike firing ( B , B1 ), and inhibitory synaptic GABA output, inhibiting GABA neurons in the SNr, disinhibiting the glutamatergic thalamus, and consequently promoting behavior ( C ); the 4 Pitx3Null male mice were treated with 10 mg/kg L-dopa and 5 mg/kg benserazide; 1 mg/kg D1 agonist SKF81297 had similar effects; similar motor stimulation was triggered in TH KO mice; no sex difference was observed). Not depicted here and not the topic of our paper, dopamine inhibits D2-MSNs, further stimulating behavior, i.e., D1 agonism and D2 agonism can stimulate behavior independently, but they normally work together synergistically . Additionally, D1R activation is established to stimulate G olf and then adenylyl cyclase (AC) and cAMP production. Our prior work using cAMP-producing Gs-GREADD also supports the mechanism depicted here . Our present work fills an important knowledge gap about the key ion channel mediating the profound DA/D1 behavior stimulation. D2R agonism also stimulates behavior (synergistically with D1R agonism , unpublished data of Zhou lab). AON, anterior olfactory nucleus; MOB, main olfactory bulb; Glu, glutamate; Hippo, hippocampus; IC, inferior colliculus; SC, superior colliculus; NAc, nucleus accumbens; ORB, orbital cortical area; OT, olfactory tubercle; SNc, substantia nigra pars compacta; SNr, substantia nigra pars reticulata; ZI, zona incerta.
Article Snippet: SKF81297 -HBr was purchased from Tocris (cat. # 1447).
Techniques: Functional Assay, Control, Activation Assay