Abstract
A possible mechanism is proposed for the enhancement/weakening of those cortical signals in the cortex-basal ganglia-thalamus-cortex neural network which induce/do not induce opening of NMDA channels in the spiny neurons of the striatum and which can be regarded as “strong”/“weak” in terms of this measure. The mechanism is based on the modulatory influences of dopamine on changes in the efficiency of corticostriatal inputs. In the absence of dopamine, relative increases in the intensity of “strong” (“weak”) cortical signals can lead to the induction of long-term potentiation (depression) of corticostriatal synapses. In this case, because of the differently directed influences on thalamic cells of signals passing via strionigral and striopallidal cells, “strong” signals at the output of the thalamus are weakened, while “weak” signals are strengthened. Activation of dopamine D1 (D2) receptors on strionigral (striopallidal) neurons may facilitate increases in the extent of long-term potentiation/depression (decreases in the extent of long-term potentiation/depression or induction of long-term potentiation/depression). The consequence of this is that “strong” signals at the output of the thalamus can be strengthened synergistically, while “weak” signals cab be weakened synergistically. Background cortical signals evoking tonic release of dopamine in the striatum can decrease strengthening because of weakening of the modulatory influence of dopamine on the modification of corticostriatal synapses.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
G. B. Murzina and I. G. Sil'kis, “Studies of long-term potentiation and depression of inhibitory transmission using mathematical modeling of postsynaptic processes,” Zh. Vyssh. Nerv. Deyat., 46, No. 5, 917–928 (1996).
I. G. Sil'kis, “General principles of synaptic plasticity in the neocortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum,” Zh. Vyssh. Nerv. Deyat., 47, No. 2, 374–392 (1997).
I. G. Sil'kis, “Interconnected processes in striatal neurons induced by activation of excitatory, inhibitory, and dopamine inputs,” Ros. Fiziol. Zh. im. I. M. Sechenova, 86, No. 5, 507–518 (2000).
I. G. Sil'kis, “A unifying mechanism for plasticity in the striatum, neocortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum,” Ros. Fiziol. Zh. im. I. M. Sechenova, 86, No. 5, 519–531 (2000).
I. G. Sil'kis, “A possible mechanism for the dopamine-evoked synergistic disinhibition of thalamic neurons via the 'direct' and 'indirect' pathways in the basal ganglia,” Zh. Vyssh. Nerv. Deyat., 50, No. 6, 899–912 (2000).
N. F. Suvorov, “General questions of the functioning of the basal ganglia,” Ros. Fiziol. Zh. im. I. M. Sechenova, 80, No. 1, 3–8 (1994).
K. B. Shapovalova, “Activation of the cholinergic system of the striatum improves attention to conditioned reflex stimuli,” Ros. Fiziol. Zh. im. I. M. Sechenova, 84, No. 7, 589–602 (1998).
V. T. Shuvaev, “The basal ganglia and behavior,” Ros. Fiziol. Zh. im. I. M. Sechenova, 85, No. 9-10, 1216–1229 (1999).
G. E. Alexander and M. D. Crutcher, “Functional architecture of basal ganglia circuits: neural substrates of parallel processing,” Trends Neurol., 13, No. 7, 266–271 (1990).
P. Calabresi, P. Gubellini, D. Centonze, G. Sancesario, M. Morello, M. Giorgi, A. Pisani, and G. Bernardi, “A critical role of the nitric oxide/cGMP pathway in corticostriatal long-term depression,” J. Neurosci., 19, No. 7, 2489–2499 (1999).
P. Calabresi, R. Maj, N. B. Mercuri, and G. Bernardi, “Coactivation of D1 and D2 dopamine receptors is required for long-term synaptic depression in the striatum,” Neurosci. Lett., 142, No. 1, 95–99 (1992).
P. Calabresi, A. Saiardi, A. Pisani, J. H. Baik, D. Centonze, N. B. Mercuri, G. Bernardi, and E. Borrelli, “Abnormal synaptic plasticity in the since the striatum of mice lacking dopamine D2 receptors,” J. Neurosci., 17, No. 12, 2536–4544 (1997).
C. Cepeda, C. S. Colwell, J. N. Itri, S. H. Chandler, and M. S. Levine, “Dopaminergic modulation of NMDA-induced whole cell currents in neostriatal slices: contribution of calcium conductances,” J. Neurophysiol. 79, No. 1, 82–94 (1998).
C. Cepeda, C. S. Colwell, J. N. Itri, E. Gruen, and M. S. Levene, “Dopaminergic modulation of early signs of excitotoxicity in visualized rat neostriatal neurons,” Eur. J. Neurosci., 10, No. 11, 3491–3497 (1998).
C. Cepeda and M. S. Levine, “Dopamine and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor interactions in the neostriatum,” Dev. Neurosci., 20, No. 1, 1–18 (1998).
S. Charpier and J. M. Deniau, “In vivo activity-dependent plasticity at cortico-striatal connections: evidence for physiological long-term potentiation,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 94, No. 13, 7036–7040 (1997).
P. Greengard, P. B. Allen, and A. C. Nairn, “Beyond the dopamine receptor: the DARPP-32/protein phosphatase-1 cascade,” Neuron, 23, No. 3, 435–447 (1999).
L. G. Harsing, Jr. and M. J. Zigmond, “Influence of dopamine on GABA release in striatum: evidence for D1-D2 interactions and nonsynaptic influences,” Neurosci., 77, No. 2, 419–429 (1997).
A. Hernandes-Lopez, J. Bargas, D. J. Surmeier, A. Reyes, and E. Gallabraga, “D1 receptor activation enhances evoked discharge in neostriatal medium spiny neurons by modulating an L-type Ca2+-conductance,” J. Neurophysiol., 17, No. 39, 3334–3342 (1997).
C. J. Price, P. Kim, and L. A. Raymond, “D1 dopamine receptorinduced cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation and potentiation of striatal glutamate receptors,” J. Neurochem. (USA), 73, No. 6, 2441–2446 (1999).
A. N. Schoffelmeer, L. J. Vanderschuren, T. J. De Vries, F. Hogenboom, G. Wardeh, and A. H. Mulder, “Synergistically interacting dopamine D1 and NMDA receptors mediate nonvesicular transporter-dependent GABA release from rat striatal medium spiny neurons,” J. Neurosci., 20, No. 9, 3496–3502 (2000).
I. G. Silkis, “The unitary modification rules for neural networks with excitatory and inhibitory synaptic plasticity,” Biosystems, 48, No. 1-3, 205–213 (1998).
I. G. Silkis, “synaptic plasticity in the cortico-basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuit. I. Modification rules for excitatory and inhibitory synapses in the striatum,” Biosystems, 57, No. 3, 187–196 (2000).
I. G. Silkis, “The cortico-basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuit with synaptic plasticity. II. Synergistic modulation of thalamic activity via the direct and indirect pathways through the basal ganglia,” Biosystems (in press) (2001).
Y. Smith, M. D. Bevan, E. Shink, and J. P. Bolam, “Microcircuitry of the direct and indirect pathways of the basal ganglia,” Neurosci., 86, No. 2, 353–387 (1998).
W. Timmerman, F. Westerhof, T. I. van-der-Wal, and B. H. Westerink, “Striatal dopamine-glutamate interactions reflected in substantia nigra reticulata firing,” Neuroreport, 9, No. 17, 3829–3836 (1998).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sil'kis, I.G. The Involvement of Dopamine in Strengthening Cortical Signals Activating NMDA Receptors in the Striatum (a hypothetical mechanism). Neurosci Behav Physiol 33, 379–386 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022803825498
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022803825498