Cell Reports
Volume 36, Issue 1, 6 July 2021, 109324
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Article
A neurogenic microenvironment defined by excitatory-inhibitory neuronal circuits in adult dentate gyrus

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109324Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • Neurogenesis and place cells are anatomically associated in the adult dentate gyrus

  • Neurogenesis and interneurons are anatomically dissociated in the adult dentate gyrus

  • A subset of interneurons receives synaptic activation from excitatory neurons nearby

  • Brief optogenetic activation of excitatory neurons stimulates adult neurogenesis

Summary

Adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus plays a role in adaptive brain functions such as memory formation. Adding new neurons to a specific locus of a neural circuit with functional needs is an efficient way to achieve such an adaptive function. However, it is unknown whether neurogenesis is linked to local functional demands potentially specified by the activity of neuronal circuits. By examining the distribution of neurogenesis and different types of neuronal activity in the dentate gyrus of freely moving adult rats, we find that neurogenesis is positionally associated with active excitatory neurons, some of which show place-cell activity, but is positionally dissociated from a type of interneuron with high-burst tendency. Our finding suggests that the behaviorally relevant activity of excitatory-inhibitory neuronal circuits can define a microenvironment stimulating/inhibiting neurogenesis. Such local regulation of neurogenesis may contribute to strategic recruitment of new neurons to modify functionally relevant neural circuits.

Keywords

hippocampus
granule cells
mossy cells
parvalbumin
lateral inhibition

Cited by (0)

3

These authors contributed equally

4

Present address: Department of Biology, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata, Osaka 573-1010, Japan

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Lead contact