Cited by 186Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchNeural dynamics and brain functionMemory and Neural Mechanisms

Thalamic Control of Cognition and Social Behavior Via Regulation of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acidergic Signaling and Excitation/Inhibition Balance in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex

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Ferguson, Brielle R., Gao, Wen-Jun·2018·Biological Psychiatry

Abstract

Background The mediodorsal thalamus plays a critical role in cognition through its extensive innervation of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), but how the two structures cooperate at the single-cell level to generate associated cognitive functions and other mPFC-dependent behaviors remains elusive. Maintaining the proper balance between excitation and inhibition (E/I balance) is of principal importance for organizing cortical activity. Furthermore, the PFC E/I balance has been implicated in successful execution of multiple PFC-dependent behaviors in both animal research and the context of human psychiatric disorders.Methods Here, we used a pharmacogenetic strategy to decrease mediodorsal thalamic activity in adult male rats and evaluated the consequences for E/I balance in PFC pyramidal neurons as well as cognition, social interaction, and anxiety.Results We found that dampening mediodorsal thalamic activity caused significant reductions in gamma-aminobutyric acidergic signaling and increased E/I balance in the mPFC and was concomitant with abnormalities in these behaviors. Furthermore, by selectively activating parvalbumin interneurons in the mPFC with a novel pharmacogenetic approach, we restored gamma-aminobutyric acidergic signaling and E/I balance as well as ameliorated all behavioral impairments.Conclusions These findings underscore the importance of thalamocortical activation of mPFC gamma-aminobutyric acidergic interneurons in a broad range of mPFC-dependent behaviors. Furthermore, they highlight this circuitry as a platform for therapeutic investigation in psychiatric diseases that involve impairments in PFC-dependent behaviors.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.11.033

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  • Dampening thalamic activity causes reductions of GABA signaling in mPFC and abnormalities in cognition and social interaction, ameliorated by activating mPFC PV+ interneurons.

    “Dampening thalamic activity causes significant reductions of GABA signaling in the mPFC and concomitant abnormalities in cognition and social interaction, which is ameliorated by selectively activating mPFC PV+ interneurons 34.”

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Authors
Ferguson, B. R., & Gao, W.-J.
Affiliations
Drexel University (US)
Corresponding author
Gao, Wen-Jun
Venue
Biological Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2018-04
Volume
83
Issue
8
Pages
657-669
ISSN
0006-3223 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2774489697
Cited by
186
References
59
Citations by year
2026: 24 · 2025: 26 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 5
FWCI
5.48
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Biological Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Mental Health (F31MH111361, R01MH085666, R21MH111609)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
Keywords
mediodorsal thalamus, medial prefrontal cortex, excitation-inhibition balance, GABAergic neurotransmission, parvalbumin interneurons, thalamocortical circuits, cognition, social behavior, anxiety, pyramidal neurons, mental illness
MeSH terms
Animals, Behavior, Animal, Cognition, gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, Interneurons, Male, Pharmacogenetics, Social Behavior, Signal Transduction, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Prefrontal Cortex, Patch-Clamp Techniques, GABA Agents, Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials, Mediodorsal Thalamic Nucleus, Rats, Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potentials, GABAergic Neurons

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