Faculty Bibliography

1. Presynaptic or simultaneous pre- and postsynaptic voltage-clamp protocols were implemented in the squid giant synapse in order to determine the magnitude and time course of the presynaptic calcium current (ICa) and its relation to transmitter release before and after presynaptic injection of proteins. These included several forms of synapsin I, calcium-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM kinase II) and avidin. 2. The quantities and location of these proteins were monitored by fluorescence video-enhanced microscopy during the electrophysiological measurements. 3. Presynaptic injection of dephosphorylated synapsin I inhibited synaptic transmission with a time course consistent with diffusion of the protein through the terminal and action at the active release zone. A mathematical model relating the diffusion of synapsin I into the terminal with transmitter release was developed to aid in the interpretation of these results. 4. Synapsin I inhibition of transmitter release was reversible. 5. The action of synapsin I was highly specific, as phosphorylation of the tail region only or head and tail regions prevented synapsin I from inhibiting release. 6. Injections of heat-treated synapsin I or of avidin, a protein with a size and isoelectric point similar to those of synapsin I, had no effect on transmitter release. 7. CaM kinase II injected presynaptically was found to facilitate transmitter release. This facilitation, which could be as large as 700% of the control response, was related to the level of penetration of the enzyme along the length of the preterminal A mathematical model of this facilitation indicates a reasonable fit between the distribution of CaM kinase II within the terminal and the degree of facilitation. 8. The overall shape of the postsynaptic response was not modified by either synapsin I or CaM kinase II injection. 9. The data suggest that, in addition to releasing transmitter, calcium also penetrates the presynaptic cytosol and activates CaM kinase II. When activated, CaM kinase II phosphorylates synapsin I, which reduces its binding to vesicles and/or cytoskeletal structures, enabling more vesicles to be released during a presynaptic depolarization. The amplitude of the postsynaptic response will then be both directly and indirectly regulated by depolarization induced Ca2+ influx. This model provides a molecular mechanism for synaptic potentiation

A 14-channel cryogenic magnetometer system (BTi) was used to record the magnetic fields over the left hemisphere of 3 human subjects in order to locate the sources of responses to tactile stimulation of the index, the thumb and the little finger of the right hand. The locations of the active dipole sources determined using the spherical model were then projected onto the magnetic resonance image (MRI) of the individual subjects providing an anatomical localization. The MRI slices were also used to construct a 3-dimensional image to enhance visualization of the area of the calculated sources. The locations of the dipole sources from the 3 fingers were distinct from one another in all subjects. An analysis of variance ('ANOVA') showed the most significant (P less than 0.05) difference in source location between the little finger and the thumb with the former being superior to the sources of the other 2 fingers in all of the subjects. In all cases, the sources were found to be located on the postcentral gyrus. The strength of the equivalent dipole sources and the amplitudes of the responses to stimulation for all 3 fingers showed a consistent trend among all of the 3 subjects, with the thumb having the largest response. In general, no signs of habituation were found

We report here the presence of fast subthreshold oscillatory potentials recorded in vitro from neurons within layer 4 of the guinea pig frontal cortex. Two types of oscillatory neurons were recorded: (i) One type exhibited subthreshold oscillations whose frequency increased with membrane depolarization and encompassed a range of 10-45 Hz. Action potentials in this type of neuron demonstrated clear after-hyperpolarizations. (ii) The second type of neuron was characterized by narrow-frequency oscillations near 35-50 Hz. These oscillations often outlasted the initiating depolarizing stimulus. No calcium component could be identified in their action potential. In both types of cell the subthreshold oscillations were tetrodotoxin-sensitive, indicating that the depolarizing phase of the oscillation was generated by a voltage-dependent sodium conductance. The initial depolarizing phase was followed by a potassium conductance responsible for the falling phase of the oscillatory wave. In both types of cell, the subthreshold oscillation could trigger spikes at the oscillatory frequency, if the membrane was sufficiently depolarized. Combining intracellular recordings with Lucifer yellow staining showed that the narrow-frequency oscillatory activity was produced by a sparsely spinous interneuron located in layer 4 of the cortex. This neuron has extensive local axonal collaterals that ramify in layers 3 and 4 such that they may contribute to the columnar synchronization of activity in the 40- to 50-Hz range. Cortical activity in this frequency range has been proposed as the basis for the 'conjunctive properties' of central nervous system networks

Following a set of studies concerning the intrinsic electrophysiology of mammalian central neurons in relation to global brain function, we reach the following conclusions: (i) the main difference between wakefulness and paradoxical sleep lies in the weight given to sensory afferents in cognitive images; (ii) otherwise, wakefulness and paradoxical sleep are fundamentally equivalent brain states probably subserved by an intrinsic thalamo-cortical loop. From this assumption, we conclude that wakefulness is an intrinsic functional realm, modulated by sensory parameters. In support of this hypothesis, we review morphological studies of the thalamocortical system, which indicate that only a minor part of its connectivity is devoted to the transfer of direct sensory input. Rather, most of the connectivity is geared to the generation of internal functional modes, which may, in principle, operate in the presence or absence of sensory activation. These considerations lead us to challenge the traditional Jamesian view of brain function according to which consciousness is generated as an exclusive by-product of sensory input. Instead, we argue that consciousness is fundamentally a closed-loop property, in which the ability of cells to be intrinsically active plays a central role. We further discuss the importance of spatial and temporal mapping in the elaboration of cognitive and perceptual constructs