Calcium imaging reveals glial involvement in transcranial direct current stimulation-induced plasticity in mouse brain.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 27000523.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/ncomms11100 and PMC identifier 4804173.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Transcranical direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a treatment known to ameliorate various neurological conditions and enhance memory and cognition in humans. tDCS has gained traction for its potential therapeutic value; however, little is known about its mechanism of action. Using a transgenic mouse expressing G-CaMP7 in astrocytes and a subpopulation of excitatory neurons, we find that tDCS induces large-amplitude astrocytic Ca(2+) surges across the entire cortex with no obvious changes in the local field potential. Moreover, sensory evoked cortical responses are enhanced after tDCS. These enhancements are dependent on the alpha-1 adrenergic receptor and are not observed in IP3R2 (inositol trisphosphate receptor type 2) knockout mice, in which astrocytic Ca(2+) surges are absent. Together, we propose that tDCS changes the metaplasticity of the cortex through astrocytic Ca(2+)/IP3 signalling.
Medical subject headings
- Astrocytes
- Calcium
- Calcium Signaling
- Cerebral Cortex
- Evoked Potentials
- Neuronal Plasticity
- Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation