Synapses on GABAergic neurons in the basolateral nucleus of the rat amygdala: Double-labeling immunoelectron microscopy

Although the basolateral nucleus (BL) of the amygdala is known to contain an abundance of γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neurons that regulate the amygdaloid projection neurons and influence storage and consolidation of memory, it remains to be determined what type of neuronal input controls GABAer...

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Published in:Synapse (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2002-01, Vol.43 (1), p.42-50
Main Authors: Li, Ruixi, Nishijo, Hisao, Ono, Taketoshi, Ohtani, Yuko, Ohtani, Osamu
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
amygdala
Amygdala - metabolism
Amygdala - ultrastructure
Animals
Dendrites - metabolism
Dendrites - ultrastructure
double immunostaining
GABAergic neuron
gamma-Aminobutyric Acid - metabolism
Immunohistochemistry
Male
Microscopy, Electron
Neural Inhibition - physiology
Neural Pathways - metabolism
Neural Pathways - ultrastructure
Neurons - metabolism
Neurons - ultrastructure
noradrenergic termainal
Norepinephrine - metabolism
Presynaptic Terminals - metabolism
Presynaptic Terminals - ultrastructure
Rats
Rats, Wistar
synapse
Synapses - metabolism
Synapses - ultrastructure
Synaptic Transmission - physiology
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Summary:Although the basolateral nucleus (BL) of the amygdala is known to contain an abundance of γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neurons that regulate the amygdaloid projection neurons and influence storage and consolidation of memory, it remains to be determined what type of neuronal input controls GABAergic neurons in the BL. We examined the synapses that GABAergic neurons form with GABAergic and noradrenergic neurons and terminals with unknown transmitters by double‐labeling immunoelectron microscopy using anti‐GABA and dopamine‐β‐hydroxylase (DBH) antisera. The medium and small dendrites of the GABAergic neurons were shown to receive symmetric, inhibitory‐type synapses from GABAergic axon terminals and asymmetric, excitatory‐type synapses from noradrenergic axon terminals. Each segment of the GABAergic neurons from perikarya to dendritic spines received both symmetric and asymmetric synapses from unlabeled axon terminals of various forms and sizes. The incidence rates of the two types of synapses were almost identical. Our results suggest that GABAergic neurons in the BL of the rat amygdala might be affected by the excitatory influence of the noradrenergic system and the inhibitory influence of the GABAergic system. Furthermore, these neurons are also strongly influenced by both excitatory and inhibitory‐type synapses from neuronal systems other than the GABAergic and noradrenergic systems. Synapse 43:42–50, 2002. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ISSN:0887-4476
1098-2396
DOI:10.1002/syn.10017