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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

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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
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