PMID: 9169535Jun 15, 1997Paper

Local release of GABAergic inhibition in the motor cortex induces immediate-early gene expression in indirect pathway neurons of the striatum

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience
S BerrettaA M Graybiel

Abstract

The neocortex is thought to exert a powerful influence over the functions of the basal ganglia via its projection to the striatum. It is not known, however, whether corticostriatal effects are similar across different types of striatal projection neurons and interneurons or are unique for cells having different functions within striatal networks. To examine this question, we developed a method for focal synchronous activation of the primary motor cortex (MI) of freely moving rats by local release of GABAergic inhibition. With this method, we monitored cortically evoked activation of two immediate-early gene protein products, c-Fos and JunB, in phenotypically identified striatal neurons. We further studied the influence of glutamate receptor antagonists on the stimulated expression of c-Fos, JunB, FosB, and NGFI-A. Local disinhibition of MI elicited remarkably selective induction of c-Fos and JunB in enkephalinergic projection neurons. These indirect pathway neurons, through their projections to the globus pallidus, can inhibit thalamocortical motor circuits. The dynorphin-containing projection neurons of the direct pathway, with opposite effects on the thalamocortical circuits, showed very little induction of c-Fos or JunB. The...Continue Reading

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Basal Ganglia

Basal Ganglia are a group of subcortical nuclei in the brain associated with control of voluntary motor movements, procedural and habit learning, emotion, and cognition. Here is the latest research.