ePoster

Plasticity of functional connectivity maps at granule cell to Purkinje cell synapses in mice cerebellum

Jérôme Wandhammer, Ludovic Spaeth, Théo Rossi, Théo Gagneux, Antoine M. Valera, Frédéric Doussau, Philippe Isope
FENS Forum 2024(2024)
Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center, Vienna, Austria

Conference

FENS Forum 2024

Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center, Vienna, Austria

Resources

Authors & Affiliations

Jérôme Wandhammer, Ludovic Spaeth, Théo Rossi, Théo Gagneux, Antoine M. Valera, Frédéric Doussau, Philippe Isope

Abstract

The cerebellum is involved in motor coordination and is divided into anatomo-functional modules processing sensorimotor information from a given body part. This information is conveyed by mossy fibers to granule cells (GC) contacting Purkinje cells (PC) belonging to different modules via their long axons, the parallel fibers (PFs). PFs underlie inter-modular communication, which may be at the core of motor coordination. Therefore, the main goal of our research is to understand how intermodular communication in the cerebellar cortex underlies motor adaptation.Using patterned light photostimulation combined with patch-clamp recordings in acute cerebellar slices, we showed that synaptic connectivity maps at the GC-PC and GC-interneuron synapses are conserved across mice in lobules III, IV and V of the cerebellar cortex. However, using graph network analysis we demonstrated that behavioral features are encoded by specific synaptic connectivity maps in individuals. These results suggest that connectivity maps encode internal models of the cerebellum and underlie specific motor adaptation. Our goal is now to understand how connectivity maps can be modified, the molecular mechanisms involved in these synaptic mechanisms, and how they are involved in motor adaptation. We show that connectivity maps can be modified by activity-dependent mechanisms. In particular, using electrical or optogenetic stimulation combined with patch-clamp recordings in acute slices, we identified protocols that can awaken silent GC-PC synapses. Moreover, the application of mGluR1 receptor antagonist impaired awakening. These results show an involvement of mGluR1-dependent plasticity in intermodular processing of information in the cerebellar cortex.

Unique ID: fens-24/plasticity-functional-connectivity-baf76068