Mapping hippocampal microcircuits

October 25, 2015

The CA1 stratum pyramidale of the dorsal hippocampus can be differentiated into deep and superficial sub-layers on the basis of cell density, gene and protein expression, shape and function of pyramidal cells and how are they innervated by local circuit interneurons. Such a deep-superficial subcircuit structure should have profound impact in hippocampal function.

Hippocampal operation has been traditionally viewed from the tri-synaptic microcircuit perspective. Following our recent discovery of a functional regionalization of CA1 pyramidal cell activity during hippocampal ripples in deep and superficial CA1 sublayers (Valero et al. Nat Neu 2015), we aim to understand the neurophysiological basis and cognitive implications. We are now embarked in better understading how deep and superficial sublayers operate and what different role they play in cognition.