Neonatal hypofunction of NMDA receptors alters perforant path synaptic
plasticity, filtering and impairs dentate gyrus-mediated spatial
discrimination
Abstract
Background and Purpose: Transient hypofunction of NMDARs represents a
convergence point for the onset and further development of psychiatric
disorders, including schizophrenia. Although the cumulative evidence
indicates dysregulation of the hippocampal formation in schizophrenia,
the integrity of the synaptic transmission and plasticity conveyed by
the somatosensorial inputs to the dentate gyrus, the perforant path
synapses, have barely been explored in this pathological condition.
Experimental Approach: We identified a series of synaptic alterations of
the lateral and medial perforant paths, in animals neonatally treated
with the NMDAR antagonist MK-801. The dysregulation here reported
suggests decreased cognitive performance, for which the dentate gyrus is
critical. Key Results: We identified alterations in the synaptic
properties of the lateral and medial perforant paths to the dentate
gyrus synapses in MK-801-treated animals. Altered glutamate release and
decreased synaptic strength precede an impairment in the induction and
expression of LTP and cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1R)-mediated LTD.
Remarkably, by inhibiting the degradation of 2-arachidonoylglycerol, the
endogenous ligand of the CB1R, we restored the LTD in animals treated
with MK-801. Additionally, we show for the first time that spatial
discrimination, a cognitive task that requires dentate gyrus integrity,
is impaired in animals exposed to transient hypofunction of NMDARs.
Conclusion and Implications: Descriptive and mechanistic evidence
showing the dysregulation of glutamatergic transmission and synaptic
plasticity from the entorhinal cortex to the dentate gyrus is presented.
These findings may explain the cellular dysregulations underlying the
altered cognitive processing in the dentate gyrus associated with
schizophrenia.