NMDA-Dependent Coplasticity in VIP Interneuron-Driven Inhibitory Circuits

<p> <br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:&#39;calibri&#39; , &#39;sans-serif&#39;">Inhibitory plasticity is emerging as a key regulator of excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance, a fundamental determinant of brain network dynamics.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:&#39;calibri&#39; , &#39;sans-serif&#39;">Herein, we investigated the properties and plasticity of inhibitory inputs from vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) interneurons onto <em>stratum oriens </em>interneurons (<em>so</em>INs) in the hippocampal CA1 region. Using optogenetics, patch-clamp electrophysiology, and morphological reconstructions, we characterized the kinetics, short-term plasticity, and NMDA receptor-dependent long-term plasticity at VIP </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:&#39;calibri&#39; , &#39;sans-serif&#39;">→ </span><em><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:&#39;calibri&#39; , &#39;sans-serif&#39;">so</span></em><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:&#39;calibri&#39; , &#39;sans-serif&#39;">IN synapses in two distinct <em>so</em>IN subtypes: fast-spiking (FS) and <em>oriens-lacunosum moleculare </em>(OLM)/bistratified interneurons.</span></p> <p><br /></p>