Abstract
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is involved in sensory, cognitive, and executive functions. Studies of synaptic transmission and plasticity in the ACC provide an understanding of basic cellular and molecular mechanisms for brain functions. Previous anatomic studies suggest complex local interactions among neurons within the ACC. However, there is a lack of functional studies of such synaptic connections between ACC neurons. In the present study, we characterized the neuronal connections in the superficial layers (I-III) of the mouse ACC using dual whole-cell patch clamp recording technique. Four types of synaptic connections were observed, which are from a pyramidal neuron to a pyramidal neuron, from a pyramidal neuron to an interneuron, from an interneuron to a pyramidal neuron and from an interneuron to an interneuron. These connections exist among neurons in layer II/III or between neurons located layer I and II/III, respectively. Moreover, reciprocal connections exist in all four types of paired neurons. Our results provide the first key evidence of functional excitatory and inhibitory connections in the ACC.
Highlights
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is the frontal part of the cingulate cortex, which forms a large region around the rostrum of the corpus callosum in the mammalian brain
We have found that pyramidal neurons and interneurons could be divided into several subtypes based on firing patterns [24] (Cao et al, unpublished data), we only classify these neurons into pyramidal neuron (Py) or interneuron (In) to simplify the possibilities of neuronal connections
All pyramidal neurons were recorded from layer II/III while interneurons were recorded from layer I or II/III as specified in the results
Summary
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is the frontal part of the cingulate cortex, which forms a large region around the rostrum of the corpus callosum in the mammalian brain. Studies from both animals and humans consistently demonstrate that the ACC plays a critical role in emotional and attentive responses to internal and external stimulation, such as pain, fear, anxiety, sexual arousal, learning and memory [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]. Neurons in layers II-III are mainly pyramidal cells, which receive sensory inputs from the medial thalamus and send projections to deep layers
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