UCL Discovery
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery

Dopaminergic control of astrocytic calcium dynamics in situ and its potential effect on local synaptic activity

Jennings, AE; (2014) Dopaminergic control of astrocytic calcium dynamics in situ and its potential effect on local synaptic activity. Doctoral thesis , UCL (University College London). Green open access

[thumbnail of Alistair_Jennings_PhD_thesis.pdf.REDACTED.pdf]
Preview
PDF
Alistair_Jennings_PhD_thesis.pdf.REDACTED.pdf

Download (6MB)

Abstract

Astrocytes in culture display large cytosolic calcium increases upon stimulation with dopamine, however the mechanism and physiological significance of this calcium response is still unknown. In this thesis, I demonstrate that hippocampal astrocytes in situ respond to dopamine with similar large calcium transients. I also describe a novel astrocyte calcium decrease, which appears specific to dopaminergic stimulation. Dopamine is a potent neuromodulator of hippocampal synaptic activity, as are astrocytes. However, I found no evidence to suggest that dopamine-induced calcium transients in astrocytes affect excitatory synaptic transmission and its short-term plasticity in the hippocampal stratum radiatum. In perforant path - CA1 pyramidal synapses of stratum lacunosum-moleculare, astrocytes were found to lessen the inhibitory effect of dopamine on evoked PTP. This work shows for the first time that astrocytes in situ can robustly respond to dopamine with a complex Ca2+ signal thus may participate in dopaminergic signalling in the brain.

Type: Thesis (Doctoral)
Title: Dopaminergic control of astrocytic calcium dynamics in situ and its potential effect on local synaptic activity
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
Language: English
Additional information: Third party copyright material has been removed from ethesis.
UCL classification: UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices
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
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1451904
Downloads since deposit
602Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item