High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation regulates neural oscillations of the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex in mice by modulating endocannabinoid signalling

Abstract

Background: Neural oscillations play a role in the antidepressant effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). However, the effects of high-frequency rTMS on the neural oscillations of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus (HPC) and its molecular mechanism have not been fully clarified.

Methods: The depressive-like behaviours, local field potentials (LFPs) of the ventral HPC (vHPC)-mPFC, and alternations of endocannabinoid system (ECS) in the HPC and mPFC were observed after rTMS treatment. Meanwhile, depressive-like behaviours and LFPs were also observed after cannabinoid type-1 receptor (CB1R) antagonist AM281 or monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitor JZL184 injection. Moreover, the antidepressant effect of rTMS was further assessed in glutamatergic-CB1R and gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA)-ergic -CB1R knockout mice.

Results: Alternations of endocannabinoids and energy value and synchronisation of mPFC-vHPC, especially the decrease of theta oscillation induced by CUMS, were alleviated by rTMS. JZL184 has similar effects to rTMS and AM281 blocked the effects of rTMS. GABAergic-CB1R deletion inhibited CUMS-induced depressive-like behaviours whereas Glutaminergic-CB1R deletion dampened the antidepressant effects of rTMS.

Limitations: The immediate effect of rTMS on field-potential regulation was not observed. Moreover, the role of region-specific regulation of the ECS in the antidepressant effect of rTMS was unclear and the effects of cell-specific CB1R knockout on neuronal oscillations of the mPFC and vHPC should be further investigated.

Conclusion: Endocannabinoid system mediated the antidepressant effects and was involved in the regulation of LFP in the vHPC-mPFC of high-frequency rTMS.

Keywords: Endocannabinoid system; Neural oscillation; hippocampus; mPFC; rTMS.