A new form of cerebellar long-term potentiation is postsynaptic and depends on nitric oxide but not cAMP

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002 Jun 11;99(12):8389-93. doi: 10.1073/pnas.122206399. Epub 2002 Jun 4.

Abstract

Long-term depression (LTD) at cerebellar parallel fiber (PF)-Purkinje cell synapses must be balanced by long-term potentiation (LTP) to prevent saturation and allow reversal of motor learning. The only previously analyzed form of cerebellar LTP is induced by 4-8 Hz PF stimulation and requires cAMP but not nitric oxide. It is a poor candidate to reverse LTD because it is presynaptically expressed whereas LTD is postsynaptic. We now characterize a new form of LTP induced by 1 Hz PF stimulation for at least 300 s. This LTP is postsynaptically expressed, enhanced by chelating postsynaptic Ca(2+), and depends on nitric oxide but not cAMP or cGMP, making it a plausible anti-Hebbian counterpart to Hebbian LTD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cerebellum / drug effects
  • Cerebellum / physiology*
  • Cyclic AMP / physiology*
  • Egtazic Acid / analogs & derivatives*
  • Egtazic Acid / pharmacology
  • Electric Stimulation
  • Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / drug effects
  • Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / physiology*
  • Long-Term Potentiation / drug effects
  • Long-Term Potentiation / physiology*
  • Nitric Oxide / physiology*
  • Nitroarginine / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Synapses / physiology

Substances

  • Nitroarginine
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Egtazic Acid
  • Cyclic AMP
  • 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid