A role for MCH neuron firing in modulating hippocampal plasticity threshold

Julia J Harris; Denis Burdakov

doi:10.1016/j.peptides.2023.171128

A role for MCH neuron firing in modulating hippocampal plasticity threshold

Peptides. 2024 Feb:172:171128. doi: 10.1016/j.peptides.2023.171128. Epub 2023 Dec 7.

Authors

Julia J Harris¹, Denis Burdakov²

Affiliations

¹ Sensory Circuits and Neurotechnology Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK; Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK; System Neuroscience and Energy Control Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK. Electronic address: julia.harris@crick.ac.uk.
² System Neuroscience and Energy Control Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK; Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, 8603 Schwerzenbach, Switzerland; Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, 8603 Schwerzenbach, Switzerland; Institute of Food Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, 8603 Schwerzenbach, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland. Electronic address: denis.burdakov@hest.ethz.ch.

PMID: 38070684
DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2023.171128

Abstract

It has been revealed that hypothalamic neurons containing the peptide, melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) can influence learning [1] and memory formation [2], but the cellular mechanisms by which they perform this function are not well understood. Here, we examine the role of MCH neural input to the hippocampus, and show in vitro that optogenetically increasing MCH axon activity facilitates hippocampal plasticity by lowering the threshold for synaptic potentiation. These results align with increasing evidence that MCH neurons play a regulatory role in learning, and reveal that this could be achieved by modulating plasticity thresholds in the hippocampus.

Keywords: Hippocampus; MCH; Melanin-concentrating hormone; Optogenetics; Synaptic plasticity.

MeSH terms

Hippocampus / metabolism
Hypothalamic Hormones* / metabolism
Melanins
Neurons / metabolism
Pituitary Hormones

Substances

melanin-concentrating hormone
Hypothalamic Hormones
Pituitary Hormones
Melanins