Formation of synapses requires specific cellular interactions that organize pre- and postsynaptic compartments. The neuroligin-neurexin complex mediates heterophilic adhesion and can trigger assembly of glutamatergic and GABAergic synapses in cultured hippocampal neurons. Both neuroligins and neurexins are encoded by multiple genes. Alternative splicing generates large numbers of isoforms, whic...

BACKGROUND Acidosis impairs cognitions and behaviors presumably by acidification-induced changes in neuronal metabolism. Cortical GABAergic neurons are vulnerable to pathological factors and their injury leads to brain dysfunction. How acidosis induces GABAergic neuron injury remains elusive. As the glia cells and neurons interact each other, we intend to examine the role of the astrocytes in a...

Here I review the diversity of GABAergic neurons in the rodent basolateral amygdala (BLA). In spite of the recent identification of the role played by certain neurons of BLA in learning and memory of fear, the diversity of GABAergic neurons has not been fully explored. I describe analogies and differences between GABAergic neurons in BLA and cerebral cortex. Emphasis is given to a comprehensive...

In the present study, we investigated the effect of melatonin on the GABA-induced current (I(GABA) and GABAergic miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) in cultured rat hippocampal neurons using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. We found that melatonin rapidly and reversibly enhanced I(GABA) in a dose-dependent manner, with an EC50 of 949 μM. Melatonin markedly enhanced the peak...

Proper circuit function in the mammalian nervous system depends on the precise assembly and development of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic connections between neurons. Through a loss-of-function genetic screen in cultured hippocampal neurons, we previously identified the class 4 Semaphorin Sema4D as being required for proper GABAergic synapse development. Here we demonstrate that Sema4D is s...

Neurotransmission during development regulates synaptic maturation in neural circuits, but the contribution of different neurotransmitter systems is unclear. We investigated the role of GABAA receptor-mediated Cl- conductances in the development of synaptic responses in the Xenopus visual system. Intracellular Cl- concentration ([Cl-]i) was found to be high in immature tectal neurons and then f...

Early γ-aminobutyric acid mediated (GABAergic) synaptic transmission and correlated neuronal activity are fundamental to network formation; however, their regulation during early postnatal development is poorly understood. Nitric oxide (NO) is an important retrograde messenger at glutamatergic synapses, and it was recently shown to play an important role also at GABAergic synapses in the adult ...

beta-Amyloid peptide (A beta), the principal component of senile plaques in Alzheimer's disease, has been found to be neurotoxic. The role of A beta in the deficits of the GABAergic system in patients with Alzheimer's disease is unclear. It has been suggested that the cytotoxic activity of A beta is localized to amino acid residues 25-35 of this peptide, which contains a total of 42 amino acid ...

These electrophysiological experiments, in slices and intact animals, study the effects of in vivo chronic exposure to nicotine on functional 4 2* nAChRs in the nigrostriatal dopaminergic (DA) pathway. Recordings were made in wild-type and 4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunit knock-out mice. Chronic nicotine enhanced methyllycaconitine citrate hydrate-resistant, dihydroerythroidin...

Calcium-dependent protein for secretion 2 (CAPS2) is a dense-core vesicle associated protein that is involved in the secretion of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF has a pivotal role in neuronal survival and development, including the development of inhibitory neurons and their circuits. However, it is largely unknown how CAPS2 affects BDNF secretion and what its biological signifi...