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Dendritic coincidence detection of EPSPs and action potentials

Nature Neuroscience volume 4, pages 63–71 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

We describe a mechanism for coincidence detection mediated by the interaction between backpropagating action potentials and EPSPs in neocortical pyramidal neurons. At distal dendritic locations, appropriately timed EPSPs or oscillations could increase the amplitude of backpropagating action potentials by three- to fourfold. This amplification was greatest when action potentials occurred at the peak of EPSPs or dendritic oscillations and could lead to somatic burst firing. The increase in amplitude required sodium channel activation but not potassium channel inactivation. The temporal characteristics of this amplification are similar to those required for changes in synaptic strength, suggesting that this mechanism may be involved in the induction of synaptic plasticity.

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Figure 1: Amplification of backpropagating action potentials by EPSPs.
Figure 2: Effect of amplification of backpropagating action potentials on the soma.
Figure 3: Effect of EPSP timing and amplitude on action potential amplification.
Figure 4: Modulation of action potential amplification by dendritic membrane potential.
Figure 5: Involvement of dendritic voltage-activated sodium channels in action potential amplification.
Figure 6: Testing the involvement of potassium channels in action potential amplification.
Figure 7: Effect of EPSPs on activation of potassium channels by backpropagating action potentials.
Figure 8: Modeling action potential amplification by EPSPs.
Figure 9: Specificity and spatial localization of action potential amplification.

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Acknowledgements

We thank John Bekkers for help with the nucleated patch experiments, Stephen Williams, Angus Silver, Mark Farrant and Beverley Clark for their comments on earlier versions of the manuscript, and The Wellcome Trust for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neuroscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, 0200, ACT, Australia

    Greg J. Stuart

  2. Department of Physiology, University College London, Gower Street, London, 6BT, WC1E, UK

    Michael Häusser

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Correspondence to Greg J. Stuart.

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Stuart, G., Häusser, M. Dendritic coincidence detection of EPSPs and action potentials. Nat Neurosci 4, 63–71 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/82910

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