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Balanced cholinergic modulation of spinal locomotor circuits via M2 and M3 muscarinic receptors

Nascimento, F; Spindler, LRB; Miles, GB; (2019) Balanced cholinergic modulation of spinal locomotor circuits via M2 and M3 muscarinic receptors. Scientific Reports , 9 (1) , Article 14051. 10.1038/s41598-019-50452-1. Green open access

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Abstract

Neuromodulation ensures that neural circuits produce output that is fexible whilst remaining within an optimal operational range. The neuromodulator acetylcholine is released during locomotion to regulate spinal motor circuits. However, the range of receptors and downstream mechanisms by which acetylcholine acts have yet to be fully elucidated. We therefore investigated metabotropic acetylcholine receptor-mediated modulation by using isolated spinal cord preparations from neonatal mice in which locomotor-related output can be induced pharmacologically. We report that M2 receptor blockade decreases the frequency and amplitude of locomotor-related activity, whilst reducing its variability. In contrast, M3 receptor blockade destabilizes locomotor-related bursting. Motoneuron recordings from spinal cord slices revealed that activation of M2 receptors induces an outward current, decreases rheobase, reduces the medium afterhyperpolarization, shortens spike duration and decreases synaptic inputs. In contrast, M3 receptor activation elicits an inward current, increases rheobase, extends action potential duration and increases synaptic inputs. Analysis of miniature postsynaptic currents support that M2 and M3 receptors modulate synaptic transmission via diferent mechanisms. In summary, we demonstrate that M2 and M3 receptors have opposing modulatory actions on locomotor circuit output, likely refecting contrasting cellular mechanisms of action. Thus, intraspinal cholinergic systems mediate balanced, multimodal control of spinal motor output.

Type: Article
Title: Balanced cholinergic modulation of spinal locomotor circuits via M2 and M3 muscarinic receptors
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50452-1
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-50452-1
Language: English
Additional information: © The Author(s) 2019. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology > Department of Neuromuscular Diseases
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10082750
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