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Authors & Affiliations
Xiaomin Zhang, Jules Auguste Lubetzki, Peter Jonas, Fritjof Helmchen
Abstract
Episodic memory enables us to recall specific events from daily life, pinpointing when and where they occurred. However, newly encoded episodic memories are typically fragile due to constant interference with ongoing experiences and require consolidation to form long-lasting memories. This consolidation process involves the replay of neuronal ensembles encoding recent experiences during sharp-wave ripples (SWRs) in the hippocampus. While substantial evidence supports the functional significance of neuronal replay during SWRs for memory consolidation, the cellular mechanisms determining which neurons are recruited to replay remain elusive. To address this question, we train mice to run head-fixed for water rewards on a linear treadmill decorated with three distinct textured cues. Once the mice achieve a consistent running performance during this spatial navigation task, we record membrane potentials of individual CA1 pyramidal cells using in vivo whole-cell recording, combined with local field potential recording in the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cell layer, where SWRs are most abundant. Our preliminary findings suggest a varying degree of participation by CA1 pyramidal cells in SWRs, ranging from infrequent involvement to activation in 70% of SWRs. This heterogeneity is influenced by differences in intrinsic excitability indicated by input resistance. Additionally, our preliminary data suggest that place cells, encoding the animal's position on the linear treadmill, are more likely to be recruited for replay during SWRs. These initial results suggest that both intrinsic biophysical properties as well as spatial tuning properties in a given environment are joint determinants of priming and recruiting neurons for replay during SWRs.