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Effects of method and MRI slice thickness on entorhinal cortex volumetry.

We assessed the effect of the method of analysis and the MRI slice thickness on entorhinal cortex volumetry. A T1 gradient echo 3D volumetric acquisition was reformatted into different slice thickness and analyzed by edge-tracing. We performed two different forms of analysis of images with 3 mm slice thickness: edge-tracing and pixel by pixel. There was difference among the volumes obtained from different slice thickness (p < 0.001), and also difference between the two different methods of analysis (p < 0.05). The use of thick slices is time saving, but volumes are linearly increased; different methods of segmentation also yields different values. The form of volumetric analysis of the entorhinal cortex should be evaluated in advance to prevent false estimates in longitudinal studies.

Adult↗

Fine gating properties of channels responsible for persistent sodium current generation in entorhinal cortex neurons.

The gating properties of channels responsible for the generation of persistent Na(+) current (I(NaP)) in entorhinal cortex layer II principal neurons were investigated by performing cell-attached, patch-clamp experiments in acutely isolated cells. Voltage-gated Na(+)-channel activity was routinely elicited by applying 500-ms depolarizing test pulses positive to -60 mV from a holding potential of -100 mV. The channel activity underlying I(NaP) consisted of prolonged and frequently delayed bursts during which repetitive openings were separated by short closings. The mean duration of openings within bursts was strongly voltage dependent, and increased by e times per every approximately 12 mV of depolarization. On the other hand, intraburst closed times showed no major voltage dependence. The mean duration of burst events was also relatively voltage insensitive. The analysis of burst-duration frequency distribution returned two major, relatively voltage-independent time constants of approximately 28 and approximately 190 ms. The probability of burst openings to occur also appeared largely voltage independent. Because of the above "persistent" Na(+)-channel properties, the voltage dependence of the conductance underlying whole-cell I(NaP) turned out to be largely the consequence of the pronounced voltage dependence of intraburst open times. On the other hand, some kinetic properties of the macroscopic I(NaP), and in particular the fast and intermediate I(NaP)-decay components observed during step depolarizations, were found to largely reflect mean burst duration of the underlying channel openings. A further I(NaP) decay process, namely slow inactivation, was paralleled instead by a progressive increase of interburst closed times during the application of long-lasting (i.e., 20 s) depolarizing pulses. In addition, long-lasting depolarizations also promoted a channel gating modality characterized by shorter burst durations than normally seen using 500-ms test pulses, with a predominant burst-duration time constant of approximately 5-6 ms. The above data, therefore, provide a detailed picture of the single-channel bases of I(NaP) voltage-dependent and kinetic properties in entorhinal cortex layer II neurons.

Animals↗

Amnesia by post-training infusion of glutamate receptor antagonists into the amygdala, hippocampus, and entorhinal cortex.

The blockers of glutamate receptors, aminophosphonovaleric acid (AP5) (5.0 micrograms) and cyano-nitroquinoxaline-dione (CNQX) (0.5 microgram), were infused bilaterally into the amygdala, dorsal hippocampus, or entorhinal cortex of rats through indwelling cannulae 0, 90, 180, or 360 min after step-down inhibitory avoidance training. Animals were tested for retention 24 h after training. In the amygdala or hippocampus, AP5 was amnestic when given 0 min after training and CNQX was amnestic when given 0, 90, or 180 min after training. In the entorhinal cortex, AP5 was amnestic when given 90 or 180 min after training and CNQX had no effect. The results suggest that a phenomenon sensitive first to AP5 and then to CNQX in the amygdala and hippocampus, probably long-term potentiation (LTP), is crucial to post-training memory processing. LTP in these two structures could underlie their role in memory consolidation and could explain the late involvement of the entorhinal cortex in post-training memory processing.

Amnesia, Retrograde↗

Spread of low Mg2+ induced epileptiform activity from the rat entorhinal cortex to the hippocampus after kindling studied in vitro.

Extracellular recordings were performed in in vitro combined hippocampal-entorhinal cortex (HC-EC) slices obtained from control and amygdala kindled rats to investigate the spread of epileptiform activity from the entorhinal cortex (EC) to the hippocampus (HC). Epileptiform activity was induced by lowering extracellular Mg2+ concentration. In control slices epileptiform activity was in most slices characterized by intericatal discharges and short recurrent discharges in areas CA1 and CA3 and by early seizure like events and late recurrent discharges in the EC and the subiculum. In spite of well preserved anatomical pathways in the combined HC-EC slice in which most of the fibre connectivity between the EC and the dentate gyrus (DG) is intact, seizure like events and late recurrent discharges generated in the EC had only moderate effects on the epileptiform activity in areas CA3 and CA1. In contrast in HC-EC slices obtained from kindled rats epileptiform activity generated in the EC spread to the DG and the areas CA3 and CA1. Kindling facilitates the propagation of seizure like events and late recurrent discharges through the HC-EC slice and appears to alter the filtering function of the DG.

Amygdala↗

Protein synthesis in entorhinal cortex and long-term potentiation in dentate gyrus.

Despite the concentration of effort in recent years, the mechanisms underlying the expression of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus remain elusive, but amidst the uncertainty and sometimes controversy, one consistent finding is emerging; this is that late-phase LTP requires synthesis of proteins. This hypothesis was first proposed by a number of groups who reported that the more persistent components of LTP were blocked by protein synthesis inhibitors, and was supported by a significant literature which indicated that morphological changes accompanied LTP. Recent evidence indicated that the increase in protein synthesis may be cAMP-dependent and that subsequent activation of the transcription factor, CREB, represented one step in the cascade of events leading to protein synthesis. Whether protein synthesis occurs in presynaptic or postsynaptic neurons, or both, is still a subject of debate. Here we present evidence which suggests that LTP in perforant path-granule cell synapses is accompanied by protein synthesis, specifically synthesis of synaptic vesicle proteins, in the entorhinal cortex. We also show that protein synthesis is decreased in the entorhinal cortex of aged rats and a strain of rat which is genetically hypertensive, both of which exhibited impaired LTP. We propose that that the observed increase in protein synthesis in the entorhinal cortex, which accompanied LTP in the dentate gyrus, contributes to the reported changes in morphology in the presynaptic terminal.

Aging↗

Slow periodic events and their transition to gamma oscillations in the entorhinal cortex of the isolated Guinea pig brain.

Slow (<1 Hz) periodic activity is a distinctive discharge pattern observed in different cortical and sub-cortical structures during sleep and anesthesia. By performing field and cellular recordings, we demonstrated that slow periodic events (0.02-0.4 Hz) are spontaneously generated in the entorhinal cortex of the in vitro isolated whole brain of the guinea pig. These events were characterized by gradually developing runs of low-amplitude (50-300 microV), high-frequency (25-70 Hz) oscillations superimposed on a slow potential that lasted 1-3 s. Both slow and fast components showed a phase reversal in the superficial layers. In layer II-III entorhinal neurons, the slow periodic events correlated to a slowly developing depolarizing envelope capped by subthreshold membrane potential oscillations and action potential discharge. Slow periodic field events propagated tangentially across the entorhinal cortex and could be triggered by stimulation of superficial associative fibers, suggesting that they were generated by and propagated via network interactions in the superficial layers. Slow periodic events were reversibly abolished by muscarinic excitation elicited by carbachol (50 microM) that promoted intracellular membrane potential depolarization associated with continuous fast oscillatory activity in the gamma frequency range. These results suggest that, as proposed in vivo, activity changes in the entorhinal cortex of the in vitro isolated guinea-pig brain reflect different activation states that are under cholinergic control.

Acetylcholine↗

Raphe grafts in the hippocampus, but not in the entorhinal cortex, reverse hippocampal hyperexcitability of serotonin-depleted rats and restore their responsiveness to fenfluramine.

We compared the effects of embryonic raphe grafted into either the hippocampus or the entorhinal cortex, on the responsiveness of dentate granule cells to stimulation of the perforant path. Raphe grafts in the hippocampus reversed the hyperexcitability of granule cells, resulting from depletion of the serotonergic innervation. Such grafts also restored the responsiveness of the granule cells to application of a serotonin releasing drug, fenfluramine (FFA). In contrast, hyperexcitability was not reversed when the graft was placed in the entorhinal cortex. Furthermore, although some increase in population spike size was observed in these rats after application of FFA, this increase had a response profile which was different from that of control and of lesioned rats that were grafted in the hippocampus. These results suggest that the serotonergic innervation, within the hippocampus and not in the entorhinal cortex, modulates granule cells excitability.

Animals↗

Effects of subcortical ischemic vascular dementia and AD on entorhinal cortex and hippocampus.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of subcortical ischemic vascular dementia (SIVD) and AD on entorhinal cortex (ERC) and hippocampus. METHODS: Thirty-eight cognitively normal subjects, 18 patients with SIVD, and 22 patients with AD were included. Volumes of ERC and hippocampus were manually measured based on MRI. Global cerebral changes of cortical gray matter, subcortical gray matter, white matter, sulcal CSF, ventricular CSF (vCSF), and white matter signal hyperintensities (WMSH) were assessed. RESULTS: Patients with SIVD had 21.7% (p < 0.01) smaller ERC and 18.2% (p < 0.01) smaller hippocampi than cognitively normal subjects and 24.4% (p < 0.01) larger ERC and 11.1% (p < 0.05) larger hippocampi than patients with AD. In addition, patients with SIVD had less cortical gray matter and white matter and more vCSF and WMSH (all p < 0.01) than cognitively normal subjects and more vCSF and WMSH (p < 0.01) than patients with AD. The volumes of ERC and hippocampus were positively correlated to similar extents (p < 0.01) in SIVD and AD. Cortical gray matter loss was positively correlated (p < 0.01) with hippocampal atrophy, but not with ERC atrophy, in SIVD and AD. Hippocampal volume alone could classify 82% of patients with SIVD from cognitively normal subjects and 63% of patients with SIVD from subjects with AD. Adding global cerebral changes to hippocampus substantially improved the classification to 96% between patients with SIVD and cognitively normal subjects and 83% between subjects with SIVD and those with AD, whereas adding ERC change to hippocampus did not significantly improve the discrimination. CONCLUSIONS: The entorhinal cortex and hippocampus are less affected by subcortical ischemic vascular dementia than by AD.

Aged↗

Nucleus accumbens, entorhinal cortex and latent inhibition: a neural network model.

A neural network model of classical conditioning (Schmajuk, Lam, and Gray, J. Exp. Psychol.: Anim. Behav. Process, 22, 1996, 321-349) is applied to the description of the neural substrates of latent inhibition. Experimental data suggest that latent inhibition might be controlled by a circuit that involves the hippocampus, the entorhinal cortex, the nucleus accumbens, and the mesolimbic dopaminergic projection from the ventral tegmental area to the accumbens. By mapping different nodes and connections in the model onto this brain circuit, computer simulations demonstrate that, in most cases, the model provides a good quantitative description of: (1) the impairment of latent inhibition by lesions of the shell of the nucleus accumbens; (2) the restoration of latent inhibition by haloperidol following lesions of the shell; (3) the preservation of latent inhibition by lesions of the core of the nucleus accumbens; (4) the facilitation of latent inhibition by combined shell core lesions and by core lesions with extended conditioning; (5) the impairment of latent inhibition following lesions of the entorhinal cortex or the hippocampus; and (6) the restoration of latent inhibition by haloperidol following lesions of the entorhinal cortex and ventral subiculum. In addition, the model is able to describe neural activity in the nucleus accumbens.

Animals↗

Interictal high-frequency oscillations (80-500 Hz) in the human epileptic brain: entorhinal cortex.

Unique high-frequency oscillations of 250 to 500 Hz, termed fast ripples, have been identified in seizure-generating limbic areas in rats made epileptic by intrahippocampal injection of kainic acid, and in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. In the rat, fast ripples clearly are generated by a different neuronal population than normally occurring endogenous ripple oscillations (100-200 Hz), but this distinction has not been previously evaluated in humans. The characteristics of oscillations in the ripple and fast ripple frequency bands were compared in the entorhinal cortex of patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy using local field potential and unit recordings from chronically implanted bundles of eight microelectrodes with tips spaced 500 microm apart. The results showed that ripple oscillations possessed different voltage versus depth profiles compared with fast ripple oscillations. Fast ripple oscillations usually demonstrated a reversal of polarity in the middle layers of entorhinal cortex, whereas ripple oscillations rarely showed reversals across entorhinal cortex layers. There was no significant difference in the amplitude distributions of ripple and fast ripple oscillations. Furthermore, multiunit synchronization was significantly increased during fast ripple oscillations compared with ripple oscillations (p < 0.001). These data recorded from the mesial temporal lobe of epileptic patients suggest that the cellular networks underlying fast ripple generation are more localized than those involved in the generation of normally occurring ripple oscillations. Results from this study are consistent with previous studies in the intrahippocampal kainic acid rat model of chronic epilepsy that provide evidence supporting the view that fast ripples in the human brain reflect localized pathological events related to epileptogenesis.

Electrodes, Implanted↗

A quantitative study of neurofibrillary tangles, senile plaques and astrocytes in the hippocampal subdivisions and entorhinal cortex in Alzheimer's disease, normal controls and non-Alzheimer neuropsychiatric diseases.

The present quantitative study was performed in order to discriminate pathological substrates for dementia from Alzheimer changes in normal controls (NC) and non-Alzheimer neuropsychiatric diseases (NAND). Regional densities of senile plaques (SP), neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) and astrocytes in the cornu ammonis (CA), subiculum and entorhinal cortex were measured and differences in these densities among Alzheimer's disease (AD), NAND and NC were statistically compared. Densities of NFT in the CA and subiculum were significantly higher in AD than in NAND, and densities of SP in all regions were significantly higher in AD than in NAND. Similarly, NFT density in the subiculum and SP density in all regions were higher in AD than in NC. Regional densities of astrocytes in most regions were closely correlated with those of Alzheimer changes. In conclusion, the attribution of the Alzheimer changes, particularly of NFT, to dementia is neglected when they are confined to the entorhinal cortex. However, the attribution of the Alzheimer changes to dementia should be appreciated when they spread from the entorhinal cortex to the subiculum and/or CA.

Adult↗

Cortical efferents of the entorhinal cortex and the adjacent parahippocampal region in the monkey (Macaca fascicularis).

Entorhinal cortex (EC) relays information from the hippocampus to the cerebral cortex. The origin of this entorhino-cortical pathway was studied semiquantitatively and topographically with the use of 23 retrograde tracer injections in cortical areas of the frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes of the monkey. To assess possible alternative, parallel pathways, the parahippocampal region, comprised of temporal pole (TP), perirhinal (PRC), and posterior parahippocampal cortices (PPH), was included in the study. The majority of the cortical areas receive convergent projections from EC and the parahippocampal region. Strong EC layer V output is directed to temporal pole, medial frontal and orbitofrontal cortices, and the rostral part of the polysensory area of the superior temporal sulcus (sts). Moderate EC output is directed to the caudal superior temporal gyrus, area TE, and parietal cortex, and little to none to the lateral frontal cortex. With the exception of the projection to the medial frontal cortex, output from TP, PRC, and PPH surpassed that from EC, although with regional differences. TP layers II-III, V-VI project strongly to all areas injected except parietal cortex and caudal superior temporal gyrus, while PRC layers III/V-VI send strong projections to rostral parts of area TE and sts. PPH layers III/V-VI project heavily to parietal cortex and caudal superior temporal gyrus. These results suggest that the medial temporal output is primarily organized hierarchically, but at the same time, it has multiple exits of information. These parallel, alternative routes may influence local circuitry in the cerebral cortex and participate in the consolidation of declarative memory.

Animals↗

Calretinin in the entorhinal cortex of the rat: distribution, morphology, ultrastructure of neurons, and co-localization with gamma-aminobutyric acid and parvalbumin.

Calretinin is a marker that differentially labels neurons in the central nervous system. We used this marker to distinguish subtypes of neurons within the general population of neurons in the entorhinal cortex of the rat. The distribution, morphology, and ultrastructure of calretinin-immunopositive neurons in this cortical area were documented. We further analyzed the co-localization of the marker with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and studied whether calretinin-positive neurons project to the hippocampal formation. Methods used included single-label immunocytochemistry at the light and electron microscopic level, retrograde tracing combined with immunocytochemistry, and double-label confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The entorhinal cortex contained calretinin-positive cells in a scattered fashion, in all layers except layer IV (lamina dissecans). Bipolar and multipolar dendritic configurations were present, displaying smooth dendrites. Bipolar cells had a uniform morphology whereas the multipolar calretinin cell population consisted of large neurons, cells with long ascending dendrites, horizontally oriented neurons, and small spherical cells. Retrograde tracing combined with immunocytochemistry showed that calretinin is not present in cells projecting to the hippocampus. Few synapic contacts between calretinin-positive axon terminals and immunopositive cell bodies and dendrites were seen. Most axon terminals of calretinin fibers formed asymmetrical synapses, and immunopositive axons were always unmyelinated. Results obtained in the CLSM indicate that calretinin co-exists in only 18-20% of the GABAergic cell population (mostly small spherical and bipolar cells). Thus, the entorhinal cortex contains two classes of calretinin interneurons: GABA positive and GABA negative. The first class is presumably a classical, GABAergic inhibitory interneuron. The finding of calretinin-immunoreactive axon terminals with asymmetrical synapses suggests that the second class of calretinin neuron is a novel type of a (presumably excitatory) interneuron.

Animals↗

Elevated phosphocholine and phosphatidylcholine following rat entorhinal cortex lesions.

At early stages of Alzheimer's disease, phosphomonoesters (PMEs) including phosphocholine (P-choline) are present at elevated levels. PMEs also are elevated in the developing brain during the period of neurite extension. To determine if the elevation of PMEs in AD could reflect neuritic sprouting, 31P-NMR was used to examine phospholipid metabolites and membrane phospholipids at various times following unilateral lesions of the entorhinal cortex, a well-defined model of neuritic sprouting. Two to 7 days postlesion, P-choline levels were elevated 48% in the hippocampus ipsilateral to the entorhinal cortex lesion, but not in the contralateral hippocampus or cerebral cortex. P-choline levels declined by day 15, and reached control levels 45 days following the lesion. The lesion-induced elevation in P-choline could result from increased P-choline synthesis via choline kinase, decreased activity of CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase, or breakdown of phosphatidylcholine (PC). To distinguish between these possibilities, the membrane phospholipids PC and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) were measured. Both phospholipids were maintained at or above control levels at each of the postlesion time points, arguing against membrane breakdown or decreased PC synthesis contributing to the elevation of P-choline levels. Other alterations included a widespread elevation in inositol phosphate 2 days postlesion, but not at later time points. The alterations in phospholipid metabolites observed in the rat hippocampus following entorhinal cortex lesions closely resemble those observed in the human brain in the early stages of AD.

Animals↗

[Anatomico-functional approach to the mechanisms of memory: analysis by deoxyglucose of the limbic activation induced by electric stimulation of the mouse entorhinal cortex].

Previous behavioral studies using post-training electrical stimulation of the brain have suggested that the lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC) is involved in mnemonic processes. In an attempt to characterize in vivo the neural pathways activated by LEC stimulation, regional patterns of uptake of 14C-2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) were assessed in BALB/c mouse brain. The animals were implanted with a bipolar electrode in the LEC and a catheter in the jugular vein. In addition, four animals received an electrolytic lesion of the perforant path (PP) in order to disconnect the LEC from the hippocampus. The LEC was stimulated at subconvulsive intensity for 5 min. before and 30 min. after an injection of 2-DG. Stimulation of the LEC produced significant increases in 2-DG radioactivity in the hippocampus (dentate gyrus, CA3, CA1), subiculum and pre-subiculum. Demonstrable labelling was found in brain areas, beyond the hippocampal formation: piriform cortex, amygdala, cingulate cortex, Diagonal Band of Broca, the medial and lateral septal nuclei and the medial forebrain bundle. After PP lesion, the metabolic activity disappeared ipsilaterally in subiculum, dorsal part of the hippocampus, in some thalamic nuclei and in mammillary bodies, but all other extra-hippocampal labelling was unchanged. These data considered along with our previous behavioral results, suggest that LEC stimulation may act on mnemonic processes by the recruitment of cortical and subcortical extra-hippocampal structures (e.g. amygdala and cingulate cortex) directly or indirectly connected to the entorhinal cortex.

Animals↗

Entorhinal cortex grid cells can map to hippocampal place cells by competitive learning.

'Grid cells' in the dorsocaudal medial entorhinal cortex (dMEC) are activated when a rat is located at any of the vertices of a grid of equilateral triangles covering the environment. dMEC grid cells have different frequencies and phase offsets. However, cells in the dentate gyrus (DG) and hippocampal area CA3 of the rodent typically display place fields, where individual cells are active over only a single portion of the space. In a model of the hippocampus, we have shown that the connectivity from the entorhinal cortex to the dentate granule cells could allow the dentate granule cells to operate as a competitive network to recode their inputs to produce sparse orthogonal representations, and this includes spatial pattern separation. In this paper we show that the same computational hypothesis can account for the mapping of EC grid cells to dentate place cells. We show that the learning in the competitive network is an important part of the way in which the mapping can be achieved. We further show that incorporation of a short term memory trace into the associative learning can help to produce the relatively broad place fields found in the hippocampus.

Action Potentials↗

Hippocampal Cajal-Retzius cells project to the entorhinal cortex: retrograde tracing and intracellular labelling studies.

Cajal-Retzius (CR) cells are characteristic horizontally orientated, early-generated transient neurons in the marginal zones of the neocortex and hippocampus that synthesize the extracellular matrix protein reelin. They have been implicated in the pathfinding of entorhino-hippocampal axons, but their role in this process remained unclear. Here we have studied the axonal projection of hippocampal CR cells. Following injection of the carbocyanine dye DiI into the entorhinal cortex of aldehyde-fixed rat embryos and young postnatal rats, neurons in the outer molecular layer of the dentate gyrus and stratum lacunosum-moleculare of the hippocampus proper with morphological characteristics of CR cells were retrogradely labelled. In a time course analysis, the first retrogradely labelled CR cells were observed on embryonic day 17. This projection of hippocampal CR cells to the entorhinal cortex was confirmed by retrograde tracing with Fast Blue in new-born rats and by intracellular biocytin filling of CR cells in acute slices from young postnatal rat hippocampus/entorhinal cortex and in entorhino-hippocampal slice cocultures using infrared videomicroscopy in combination with the patch-clamp technique. In double-labelling experiments CR cells were identified by their immunocytochemical staining for reelin or calretinin, and their interaction with entorhino-hippocampal axons labelled by anterograde tracers was analysed. Future studies need to investigate whether this early transient projection of hippocampal CR cells to the entorhinal cortex is used as a template by the entorhinal axons growing to their target layers in the hippocampus.

Amidines↗

Infusion of (+) -MK-801 and memantine -- contrasting effects on radial maze learning in rats with entorhinal cortex lesion.

(+)-5-Methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzocyclohepten-5,10-imine maleate ((+)-MK-801) and 1-amino-3,5-dimethyladamantane (memantine), two uncompetitive antagonists of the NMDA receptor were tested in an allocentric version of the radial maze test (with four out of eight arms reinforced) both in normal rats and after quinolinic acid-induced entorhinal cortex lesions. Both agents were infused s.c. using Alzet osmotic minipumps in order to assure steady state drug levels in the serum and brain during the experiment. In non-lesioned rats, (+)-MK-801 (0.312 mg/kg per day) produced disturbances in learning of spatial information dependent on reference memory but not that involving working memory. In contrast, memantine (20 mg/kg per day) had no effect in normal rats. In rats with entorhinal cortex lesions, (+)-MK-801 enhanced the lesion-induced deficit in reference memory. In contrast, memantine reversed the lesion-induced increase in reference memory errors. The divergent effects of those two uncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonists could, at least partially, be due to the differences reported in their channel blocking kinetics and voltage dependence. The results indicate that under conditions of pathological impairment of brain structures such as entorhinal cortex lesion, memantine might produce beneficial effects on cognitive functions.

Animals↗