Properties of GABA(A) receptor-mediated unitary inhibitory postsynaptic currents (uIPSCs) in pyramidal (P) cells, evoked by fast spiking (FS) and low-threshold spike (LTS) subtypes of interneurons in layer V of rat visual cortex slices were examined using dual whole cell recordings. uIPSCs evoked by FS cells were larger and faster rising than those evoked by LTS cells, consistent with the known...

Synaptic hypothesis of schizophrenia suggests that alterations of synaptic transmission and neuronal connectivity might be core feature of schizophrenia. STON2 participates in synaptic vesicle protein recognition and neural endocytosis. To explore the association of STON2 with schizophrenia, 11 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were examined in 768 Chinese Han schizophrenia cases and 1347 ...

BACKGROUND Electron microscopy and biochemical studies indicate that developmental abnormalities in synaptic organization may be present in brains of schizophrenic patients. This study determined whether these synaptic abnormalities are reflected in differential or uniform alterations in the expression of various synaptic protein genes in the left superior temporal gyrus of schizophrenic patien...

The strength of an excitatory synapse depends on both the presynaptic release probability (p(r)) and the abundance of functional postsynaptic AMPA receptors. How these parameters are related or balanced at a single synapse remains unknown. By taking advantage of live fluorescence imaging in cultured hippocampal neurons where individual synapses are readily resolved, we estimate p(r) by labeling...

We have elucidated some of the mechanisms by which ethanol (EtOH) reduces synaptic efficacy at model glutamatergic synapses. The crayfish phasic and tonic neuromuscular junctions are superb models for directly assessing the effects of EtOH on pre-synaptic components of synaptic transmission. The ability to perform quantal analysis of synaptic transmission has allowed us to assess pre-synaptic a...

Loss of synapses and synaptic damage are the best correlates of cognitive decline identified in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and mitochondrial oxidative damage and synaptic pathology have been identified as early events in the progression of AD. The progressive accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ) in synapses and synaptic mitochondria are hypothesized to cause synaptic degeneration and ...

Francis AA, Mehta B, Zenisek D. Development of new peptide-based tools for studying synaptic ribbon function. J Neurophysiol 106: 1028–1037, 2011. First published June 8, 2011; doi:10.1152/jn.00255.2011.—Synaptic ribbons are proteinaceous specialized electron-dense presynaptic structures found in nonspiking sensory cells of the vertebrate nervous system. Understanding the function of these stru...

The fine structure of the "spoon" type synaptic endings of the chick tangential nucleus was studied with the electron microscope. These endings often measure -18 pu in length by -3-4 p in width. The axoplasm of the endings contains very few synaptic vesicles, a large number of neurofilaments oriented parallel to the long axis of the nerve fiber, and microtubules and numerous mitochondria. The s...

BACKGROUND Loss of neural function is a critical but unsolved issue after cerebral ischemia insult. Neuronal plasticity and remodeling are crucial for recovery of neural functions after brain injury. Buyang Huanwu decoction, which is a classic formula in traditional Chinese medicine, can positively alter synaptic plasticity. This study assessed the effects of Buyang Huanwu decoction in combinat...

Cinnamic acid analogs are natural phenolic compounds that have a wide range of biological and therapeutic activities. The present work aimed to predict, through in silico methodologies, the oral bioavailability pharmacokinetic toxicological analyzes for four cinnamic analogues (caffeic acid, ferulic p-coumaric synaptic acid). study revealed good bioavailability, favorable parameters. Virtual Sc...