Journal article
Protons are a neurotransmitter that regulates synaptic plasticity in the lateral amygdala
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS, Vol.111(24), pp.8961-8966
06/17/2014
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1407018111
PMCID: PMC4066526
PMID: 24889629
Abstract
Synaptic transmission involves the release of neurotransmitters that activate receptors on postsynaptic cells. The results reveal that protons fulfill the criteria for a neurotransmitter and that they activate postsynaptic acid-sensing ion channels. This activity facilitates synaptic plasticity, a requirement for learning and memory in the amygdala.
Stimulating presynaptic terminals can increase the proton concentration in synapses. Potential receptors for protons are acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs), Na
+
- and Ca
2+
-permeable channels that are activated by extracellular acidosis. Those observations suggest that protons might be a neurotransmitter. We found that presynaptic stimulation transiently reduced extracellular pH in the amygdala. The protons activated ASICs in lateral amygdala pyramidal neurons, generating excitatory postsynaptic currents. Moreover, both protons and ASICs were required for synaptic plasticity in lateral amygdala neurons. The results identify protons as a neurotransmitter, and they establish ASICs as the postsynaptic receptor. They also indicate that protons and ASICs are a neurotransmitter/receptor pair critical for amygdala-dependent learning and memory.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Protons are a neurotransmitter that regulates synaptic plasticity in the lateral amygdala
- Creators
- Jianyang Du - Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of MedicineLeah R Reznikov - Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of MedicineMargaret P Price - Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of MedicineXiang-ming Zha - University of South Alabama College of MedicineYuan Lu - Department of PsychiatryThomas O Moninger - Central Microscopy Research FacilityJohn A Wemmie - Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of MedicineMichael J Welsh - Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS, Vol.111(24), pp.8961-8966
- DOI
- 10.1073/pnas.1407018111
- PMID
- 24889629
- PMCID
- PMC4066526
- NLM abbreviation
- Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
- ISSN
- 0027-8424
- eISSN
- 1091-6490
- Publisher
- National Academy of Sciences
- Alternative title
- Protons are neurotransmitters in the amygdala
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/17/2014
- Academic Unit
- Neurology; Molecular Physiology and Biophysics; Psychiatry; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Neurosurgery; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984003486302771
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