Presynaptic GABA(B) receptors regulate experience-dependent development of inhibitory short-term plasticity

• Published in: The Journal of neuroscience Vol. 30; no. 7; pp. 2716 - 2727
• Main Authors: Takesian, Anne E, Kotak, Vibhakar C, Sanes, Dan H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 17.02.2010
• Subjects: Age Factors; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Auditory Cortex - cytology; Auditory Cortex - growth & development; Auditory Pathways - physiology; Baclofen - pharmacology; Biophysics; Disease Models, Animal; Electric Stimulation - methods; GABA Agonists - pharmacology; GABA-B Receptor Antagonists; Gerbillinae; Hearing Loss, Conductive - pathology; Hearing Loss, Conductive - physiopathology; In Vitro Techniques; Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potentials - physiology; Morpholines - pharmacology; Neural Inhibition - drug effects; Neural Inhibition - physiology; Neuronal Plasticity - physiology; Patch-Clamp Techniques - methods; Presynaptic Terminals - drug effects; Presynaptic Terminals - physiology; Pyramidal Cells - drug effects; Pyramidal Cells - physiology; Receptors, GABA-B - metabolism
• ISSN: 1529-2401
• DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3903-09.2010

Short-term changes in synaptic gain support information processing throughout the CNS, yet we know little about the developmental regulation of such plasticity. Here we report that auditory experience is necessary for the normal maturation of synaptic inhibitory short-term plasticity (iSTP) in the auditory cortex, and that presynaptic GABA(B) receptors regulate this development. Moderate or severe hearing loss was induced in gerbils, and iSTP was characterized by measuring inhibitory synaptic current amplitudes in response to repetitive stimuli. We reveal a profound developmental shift of iSTP from depressing to facilitating after the onset of hearing. Even moderate hearing loss prevented this shift. This iSTP change was mediated by a specific class of inhibitory interneurons, the low-threshold spiking cells. Further, using paired recordings, we reveal that presynaptic GABA(B) receptors at interneuron-pyramidal connections regulate iSTP in an experience-dependent manner. This novel synaptic mechanism may support the emergence of mature temporal processing in the auditory cortex.