Single excitatory axons form clustered synapses onto CA1 pyramidal cell dendrites

Nat Neurosci. 2018 Mar;21(3):353-363. doi: 10.1038/s41593-018-0084-6. Epub 2018 Feb 19.

Abstract

CA1 pyramidal neurons are a major output of the hippocampus and encode features of experience that constitute episodic memories. Feature-selective firing of these neurons results from the dendritic integration of inputs from multiple brain regions. While it is known that synchronous activation of spatially clustered inputs can contribute to firing through the generation of dendritic spikes, there is no established mechanism for spatiotemporal synaptic clustering. Here we show that single presynaptic axons form multiple, spatially clustered inputs onto the distal, but not proximal, dendrites of CA1 pyramidal neurons. These compound connections exhibit ultrastructural features indicative of strong synapses and occur much more commonly in entorhinal than in thalamic afferents. Computational simulations revealed that compound connections depolarize dendrites in a biophysically efficient manner, owing to their inherent spatiotemporal clustering. Our results suggest that distinct afferent projections use different connectivity motifs that differentially contribute to dendritic integration.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Axons / physiology*
  • Axons / ultrastructure
  • CA1 Region, Hippocampal / physiology*
  • CA1 Region, Hippocampal / ultrastructure
  • Computer Simulation
  • Dendrites / physiology*
  • Dendrites / ultrastructure
  • Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Neurons, Afferent / physiology
  • Neurons, Afferent / ultrastructure
  • Presynaptic Terminals / physiology
  • Presynaptic Terminals / ultrastructure
  • Pyramidal Cells / pathology*
  • Pyramidal Cells / ultrastructure
  • Synapses / physiology*
  • Synapses / ultrastructure
  • Thalamus / cytology
  • Thalamus / physiology