Endocannabinoid Modulation of Stimulus-Specific Adaptation in Inferior Colliculus Neurons of the Rat

Sci Rep. 2017 Aug 1;7(1):6997. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-07460-w.

Abstract

Cannabinoid receptors (CBRs) are widely distributed in the brain, including the inferior colliculus (IC). Here, we aim to study whether endocannabinoids influence a specific type of neuronal adaptation, namely, stimulus-specific adaptation (SSA) found in some IC neurons. SSA is important because it has been found as early as the level of the midbrain and therefore it may be a neuronal correlate of early indices of deviance detection. Furthermore, recent studies have demonstrated a direct link between SSA and MMN, that is widely used as an outcome measure in a variety of human neurodegenerative disorders. SSA is considered a form of short-term plasticity, and CBRs have been shown to play a role in short-term neural plasticity. Therefore, it is reasonable to hypothesize that endocannabinoids may play a role in the generation or modulation of SSA. We recorded single units in the IC under an oddball paradigm stimulation. The results demonstrate that cannabinoid agonists lead to a reduction in the neuronal adaptation. This change is due to a differential increase of the neuronal firing rate to the standard tone alone. Furthermore, we show that the effect is mediated by the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CBR1). Thus, cannabinoid agonists down-modulate SSA in IC neurons.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acoustic Stimulation
  • Adaptation, Physiological*
  • Animals
  • Electroencephalography
  • Endocannabinoids / metabolism*
  • Inferior Colliculi / drug effects*
  • Inferior Colliculi / physiology*
  • Neuronal Plasticity
  • Neurons / drug effects*
  • Neurons / physiology*
  • Rats
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / metabolism

Substances

  • Cnr1 protein, rat
  • Endocannabinoids
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1