Site‐specific inhibition of the thalamic reticular nucleus induces distinct modulations in sleep architecture

The thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) is crucial for the modulation of sleep‐related oscillations. The caudal and rostral subpopulations of the TRN exert diverse activities, which arise from their interconnectivity with all thalamic nuclei, as well as other brain regions. Despite the recent character...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The European journal of neuroscience 2024-02, Vol.59 (4), p.554-569
Main Authors: Visocky, Vladimir, Morris, Brian J., Dunlop, John, Brandon, Nick, Sakata, Shuzo, Pratt, Judith A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
EEG
Electrophysiological Phenomena
Electrophysiology
Genetics
Information processing
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Optics
optogenetics
Oscillations
Sleep
Sleep - physiology
Thalamic nuclei
Thalamic Nuclei - physiology
Thalamic reticular nucleus
Thalamus
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Summary:The thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) is crucial for the modulation of sleep‐related oscillations. The caudal and rostral subpopulations of the TRN exert diverse activities, which arise from their interconnectivity with all thalamic nuclei, as well as other brain regions. Despite the recent characterization of the functional and genetic heterogeneity of the TRN, the implications of this heterogeneity for sleep regulation have not been assessed. Here, using a combination of optogenetics and electrophysiology in C57BL/6 mice, we demonstrate that caudal and rostral TRN modulations are associated with changes in cortical alpha and delta oscillations and have distinct effects on sleep stability. Tonic silencing of the rostral TRN elongates sleep episodes, while tonic silencing of the caudal TRN fragments sleep. Overall, we show evidence of distinct roles exerted by the rostral and caudal TRN in sleep regulation and oscillatory activity. During sleep caudal and rostral subpopulations of the TRN exert diverse activities. Silencing of the rostral TRN elongates sleep episodes, while silencing of the caudal TRN fragments sleep. Silencing of both TRN areas is associated with changes in delta and alpha oscillations. Possibly, caudal TRN activity is prominent during sleep initiation and maintenance, while rostral TRN seems to be active during sleep termination.
ISSN:0953-816X
1460-9568
DOI:10.1111/ejn.15908