This is an historical archive of the activities of the MRC Anatomical Neuropharmacology Unit (MRC ANU) that operated at the University of Oxford from 1985 until March 2015. The MRC ANU established a reputation for world-leading research on the brain, for training new generations of scientists, and for engaging the general public in neuroscience. The successes of the MRC ANU are now built upon at the MRC Brain Network Dynamics Unit at the University of Oxford.

Temporal dynamics of parvalbumin-expressing axo-axonic and basket cells in the rat medial prefrontal cortex in vivo.

J. Neurosci. 2012;32(46):16496-502. 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3475-12.2012

Temporal dynamics of parvalbumin-expressing axo-axonic and basket cells in the rat medial prefrontal cortex in vivo.

Massi L, Lagler M, Hartwich K, Borhegyi Z, Somogyi P, Klausberger T
Abstract:
Axo-axonic interneurons, innervating exclusively axon initial segments, and parvalbumin-expressing basket interneurons, targeting somata, dendrites, and spines of pyramidal cells, have been proposed to control neuronal activity in prefrontal circuits. We recorded the spike-timing of identified neurons in the prelimbic cortex of anesthetized rats, and show that axo-axonic cells increase their firing during tail pinch-induced brain state-activation. In addition, axo-axonic cells differ from other GABAergic parvalbumin-expressing cells in their spike timing during DOWN- to UP-state transitions of slow oscillations and in their coupling to gamma and spindle oscillations. The distinct firing dynamics and synaptic targets of axo-axonic and other parvalbumin-expressing cells provide differential contributions to the temporal organization of prefrontal networks.