STDP and BDNF in CA1 spines (Solinas et al. 2019)

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Accession:244412
Storing memory traces in the brain is essential for learning and memory formation. Memory traces are created by joint electrical activity in neurons that are interconnected by synapses and allow transferring electrical activity from a sending (presynaptic) to a receiving (postsynaptic) neuron. During learning, neurons that are co-active can tune synapses to become more effective. This process is called synaptic plasticity or long-term potentiation (LTP). Timing-dependent LTP (t-LTP) is a physiologically relevant type of synaptic plasticity that results from repeated sequential firing of action potentials (APs) in pre- and postsynaptic neurons. T-LTP is observed during learning in vivo and is a cellular correlate of memory formation. T-LTP can be elicited by different rhythms of synaptic activity that recruit distinct synaptic growth processes underlying t-LTP. The protein brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is released at synapses and mediates synaptic growth in response to specific rhythms of t-LTP stimulation, while other rhythms mediate BDNF-independent t-LTP. Here, we developed a realistic computational model that accounts for our previously published experimental results of BDNF-independent 1:1 t-LTP (pairing of 1 presynaptic with 1 postsynaptic AP) and BDNF-dependent 1:4 t-LTP (pairing of 1 presynaptic with 4 postsynaptic APs). The model explains the magnitude and time course of both t-LTP forms and allows predicting t-LTP properties that result from altered BDNF turnover. Since BDNF levels are decreased in demented patients, understanding the function of BDNF in memory processes is of utmost importance to counteract Alzheimer’s disease.
Reference:
1 . Solinas SMG, Edelmann E, Leßmann V, Migliore M (2019) A kinetic model for Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor mediated spike timing-dependent LTP. PLoS Comput Biol 15:e1006975 [PubMed]
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Model Information (Click on a link to find other models with that property)
Model Type: Neuron or other electrically excitable cell; Synapse; Dendrite;
Brain Region(s)/Organism: Hippocampus;
Cell Type(s): Hippocampus CA1 pyramidal GLU cell;
Channel(s): I Na,t; I_KD; I K; I h; I A; I Calcium;
Gap Junctions:
Receptor(s): AMPA; NMDA;
Gene(s):
Transmitter(s): Glutamate;
Simulation Environment: NEURON;
Model Concept(s): Facilitation; Long-term Synaptic Plasticity; Short-term Synaptic Plasticity; STDP;
Implementer(s): Solinas, Sergio [solinas at unipv.it]; Migliore, Michele [Michele.Migliore at Yale.edu];
Search NeuronDB for information about:  Hippocampus CA1 pyramidal GLU cell; AMPA; NMDA; I Na,t; I A; I K; I h; I Calcium; I_KD; Glutamate;
# import ipdb
from neuron import h,gui
import struct_tools as st
import numpy as np

class cell(object):

    def __init__(self, Vrest, Rm, Ra, Cm, records=[], check = False, use_channels = True):
        self.Name = 'pyr2005'
        # Load the neuron structure from .swc converted to .hoc geometry
        if use_channels:
            h.load_file('bdnf.hoc')
        else:
            h.load_file('bdnf_passive.hoc')

        models = st.get_cell_list()

        # select the brach apic[93] and insert it in a new sectionlist
        self.soma_sl = h.SectionList()
        self.branch_sl = h.SectionList()
        self.branch37_sl = h.SectionList()
        self.branch8_sl = h.SectionList()
        self.branch16_sl = h.SectionList()
        self.apical_sl = h.SectionList()
        self.basal_sl = h.SectionList()
        self.user5_sl = h.SectionList()
        self.axon_sl = h.SectionList()
        for m in models:
            cell = st.get_section_list(m)
            for sec in cell:
                sec.push()
                if 'apical_dendrite[38]' in sec.name():
                    self.branch_sl.subtree()
                    self.branch_base = sec
                if 'apical_dendrite[37]' in sec.name():
                    self.branch37_sl.subtree()
                    self.branch37_base = sec
                if 'apical_dendrite[8]' in sec.name():
                    self.branch8_sl.subtree()
                    self.branch8_base = sec
                if 'apical_dendrite[16]' in sec.name():
                    self.branch16_sl.subtree()
                    self.branch16_base = sec
                if 'soma' in sec.name():
                    self.soma = sec
                    self.soma_sl.append()
                if 'apical_dendrite' in sec.name():
                    self.apical_sl.append()
                if 'dendrite' in sec.name():
                    self.basal_sl.append()
                if 'user5' in sec.name():
                    self.user5_sl.append()
                h.pop_section()


            if check:
                print('List of kept sections:')
                print((cell.printnames()))
                print(('Apical',apical_sl.printnames()))
                print(('Basal',basal_sl.printnames()))
                print(('Axon',axon_sl.printnames()))
                print(('User',user5_sl.printnames()))

        special_sections = {
            'soma':self.soma,
            'branch_base':self.branch_base}
            
        if check:
            print((self.branch_sl.printnames()))

        # Put sections into a dictionary
        self.branch38 = {}
        for sec in self.branch_sl:
            self.branch38[sec.name()] = sec

        self.branch37 = {}
        for sec in self.branch37_sl:
            self.branch37[sec.name()] = sec
        self.branch8 = {}
        for sec in self.branch8_sl:
            self.branch8[sec.name()] = sec
        self.branch16 = {}
        for sec in self.branch16_sl:
            self.branch16[sec.name()] = sec

        # # print self.branch93['apic[95]'].diam

        # # access main branch
        # self.soma.push()
        # self.branch_base = self.branch93['apic[93]']
        # # set origin for distance
        # h.distance(0,0.5)

        # # Adjust the nseg
        # st.geom_nseg(self.branch_sl, check = check)

        # Increase the number of segments to at least 10 per section
        # in the branch to have enough segments for the spines
        for br in [self.branch_sl,self.branch37_sl,self.branch8_sl,self.branch16_sl]:
            for sec in br:
                sec.nseg = max(30,sec.nseg)
            
        # # Set biophysical properties
        # Rm = 26000    # Ohm/cm2
        # print "Imput resistance Rm = ", Rm," Ohm/cm2"
        # Cm = 1.41
        # Ra = 150
        # RaAx = 50

        # self.segments = [['%s_%g'%(sec.name(),seg.x),seg] for sec in self.branch_sl for seg in sec]

        # # The "apic" rad Sectionlists
        # # should insert the following channels
        # apic_channels = ['pas','hd','na3','kdr','kad','kap','cacum','cal','can','cat','cagk']
        # basal_channels = ['hd','na3','kdr','kap','cacum','cal','can','cat','cagk']
        # soma_channels = ['hd','na3','kdr','kap','km','kd','cacum','cal','can','cat','cagk']
        # axon_channels = ['na3','kdr','kap','km']

        # gna = 0.07
        # gkdr = 0.06
        # gkap = 0.0015
        # gkad  =  0.001
        # ghd=5.5e-7

        # gkm=0.0001
        # gkd = 0.0001

        # sh = 5
        # nash = 8
        # kash = 12
        # kdrsh = sh
        # kmsh = 12
        # kdsh = 0
        # hdsh = 0

        # gc = 1.e-5
        # gcal=gc
        # gcan=gc
        # gcat=gc
        # gKc = 3e-05

        # for sec in self.apical_sl:
        #     for ch in channels:
        #         sec.insert(ch)
        #     # sec.tau_cacum = 200
        #     # sec.depth_cacum = sec.diam/2
        #     sec.e_pas = Vrest
        #     sec.g_pas = 1.0/Rm
        #     sec.Ra = Ra
        #     sec.cm = Cm

        #     sec.ghdbar_hd = ghd
        #     sec.vhalfl_hd = -73
        #     sec.sh_hd = hdsh
        #     sec.ehd_hd=-30

        #     sec.gbar_na3=gna
        #     sec.sh_na3=nash
        #     sec.gkdrbar_kdr=gkdr
        #     sec.sh_kdr=kdrsh
        #     sec.gkabar_kap=0

        #     sec.sh_kap=kash	
        #     sec.gkabar_kad=0
        #     sec.sh_kad=kash
        #     sec.gcalbar_cal=gc
        #     sec.gcanbar_can=gc
        #     sec.gcatbar_cat=gc
    	#     sec.gbar_cagk= gKc 


        # Store data
        self.records = {}
        # Time
        self.records['time'] = {'val':h.Vector(),'unit':'ms'}
        self.records['time']['val'].record(h._ref_t, sec = self.branch_base)
        # Spikes
        self.record_spikes()
        # Records set from paramenters.py
        for r in records:
            section = special_sections[r['section']]
            self.records['%s'%r['section']] = {
                '%s_%g'%(r['variable'],r['location']):{
                    'unit':r['unit']}}
            print((self.records))
            local_rec = self.records['%s'%r['section']]['%s_%g'%(r['variable'],r['location'])]
             # self.records['%s_%g'%(r['variable'],r['location'])]
            if 'point_process' in list(r.keys()):
                local_rec['val'] = self.record_variable(section,
                                                        r['variable'],
                                                           location=r['location'],
                                                           point_process = r['point_process'])
            else:
                local_rec['val'] = self.record_variable(section,
                                                        r['variable'],
                                                           location=r['location'])

            
    def balance_currents(self, Vrest, check = False):
        # Arguments: $1 Vrest
        h.v_init = Vrest
        h.init()
        if check:
            print(("Balancing all currents to %g mV "%Vrest))
        h.finitialize(Vrest)
        for sec in self.branch_sl:
            for seg in sec:
                if check:
                    e_pas = seg.e_pas
                seg.e_pas = Vrest
                if h.ismembrane("na_ion"):
                    seg.e_pas = seg.e_pas + (seg.ina + seg.ik) / seg.g_pas
                if h.ismembrane("hd"):
                    seg.e_pas = seg.e_pas + seg.i_hd/seg.g_pas
                if h.ismembrane("ca_ion"):
                    seg.e_pas = seg.e_pas + seg.ica/seg.g_pas
                if check:
                    print((e_pas, seg.e_pas))
                    # print (seg.ina+seg.ik+seg.ica+seg.i_hd)/seg.g_pas + Vrest
                    
    def record(self, to_record):
        self.records = {}
        if 'vm' in to_record:
            self.records['vms'] = {}
            for sec in self.branch_sl:
                secs = self.records['vms'][sec.name] = {}
                for seg in sec:
                    secs[seg.x] = h.Vector()
                    secs[seg.x].record(seg._ref_v)
        if 'spikes' in to_record:
            self.records['spikes'] = h.Vector()
            self.nc_spike = h.NetCon(self.branch93['apic[93]'](0.5)._ref_v, None,-20,0,1, sec = self.branch93['apic[93]'])
            self.nc_spike.record(self.records['spikes'])

    def record_spikes(self, threshold=-30):
        self.spiketimes = h.Vector()
        self.spikecount = h.APCount(0.5, sec=self.branch_base)
        self.spikecount.thresh = threshold
        self.spikecount.record(self.spiketimes)

    def record_variable(self, section, variable, location=0.5, point_process=None):
        v = h.Vector()
        if point_process is not None:
            eval('v.record(getattr(section,"%s")._ref_%s, sec = section)'%(point_process,variable))
        else:
            eval('v.record(section(%g)._ref_%s, sec = section)'%(location,variable))
        return v

    def save_records(self, store, index = None, write_datasets = True):
        if index is not None:
            g = store.create_group('%s_%g'%(self.Name, index))
        else:
            g = store.create_group(self.Name)

        # Loop over sections
        for r_n,r in list(self.records.items()):
            print((r_n,list(r.keys())))
            r_g = g.create_group(r_n)
            # Write section time
            if r_n is 'time':
                r_u = r_g.create_dataset('Unit', data = np.string_(r['unit']))
                if write_datasets:
                    data = np.array(r['val'])
                    data_length = data.shape[0]
                    r_v = r_g.create_dataset('Data',
                                             data = data,
                                             compression="gzip",
                                             compression_opts=9,
                                             chunks=(min(100,data_length),)
                                             )
                else:
                    r_v = r_g.create_dataset('Data',
                                             (1e5,),
                                             dtype = 'float',
                                             compression="gzip")#,
                                             #compression_opts=9)
                                             #chunks=(100,))
            else:
               # Loop over variables in sections
                for v_n,v in list(r.items()):
                    v_g = r_g.create_group(v_n)
                    v_u = v_g.create_dataset('Unit', data = np.string_(v['unit']))
                    if write_datasets:
                        data = np.array(v['val'])
                        data_length = data.shape[0]
                        v_v = v_g.create_dataset('Data',
                                                 data = data,
                                                 compression="gzip",
                                                 compression_opts=9,
                                                 chunks=(min(100,data_length),)
                                                 )
                    else:
                        v_v = v_g.create_dataset('Data',
                                                 (1e5,),
                                                 dtype = 'float',
                                                 compression="gzip")#,
                                                 #compression_opts=9)
                                                 #chunks=(100,))

    # def store_records(self, section_group, index = None):
    #     # dset = section_group['%s_%g'%(self.Name, index)]['Data']
    #     if index is not None:
    #         dgroup = section_group['%s_%g'%(self.Name, index)]
    #     else:
    #         dgroup = section_group[self.Name]

    #     print dgroup.keys()
    #     for r_n,r in self.records.iteritems():
    #         print dgroup[r_n]['Data']
    #         data = np.array(r['val'])
    #         print data.shape
    #         # dgroup[r_n]['Data'][:] = 
    #         # dgroup[r_n]['Data'].resize((500,))
    #         # print dgroup[r_n]['Data']
            
if __name__ == '__main__':
    Vrest = -70 # mV
    Rm = 26000
    RmDend = Rm
    RaAll= 150
    CmDend = 1.4
    b = cell(Vrest, RmDend, RaAll, CmDend)