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J Neurophysiol 94: 3836-3848, 2005. First published August 24, 2005; doi:10.1152/jn.00653.2005
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Dendritic Na+ Current Inactivation Can Increase Cell Excitability By Delaying a Somatic Depolarizing Afterpotential

Fernando R. Fernandez, W. Hamish Mehaffey and Ray W. Turner

Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Submitted 23 June 2005; accepted in final form 22 August 2005

Many central neurons support active dendritic spike backpropagation mediated by voltage-gated currents. Active spikes in dendrites have been shown capable of providing feedback to the soma to influence somatic excitability and firing dynamics through a depolarizing afterpotential (DAP). In pyramidal cells of the electrosensory lobe of weakly electric fish, Na+ spikes in dendrites undergo a frequency-dependent broadening that enhances the DAP to increase somatic firing frequency. We use a combination of dynamical analysis and electrophysiological recordings to demonstrate that spike broadening in dendrites is primarily caused by a cumulative inactivation of dendritic Na+ current. We further show that a reduction in dendritic Na+ current increases excitability by decreasing the interspike interval and promoting burst firing. This process arises when inactivation of dendritic Na+ current shifts the latency of the dendritic spike to delay the arrival of the DAP sufficiently to increase its impact on somatic membrane potential despite a reduction in dendritic excitability. Furthermore, the relationship between dendritic Na+ current density and somatic excitability is nonmonotonic, as intermediate levels of dendritic Na+ current exert the greatest excitatory influence. These results reveal that temporal shifts in dendritic spike firing provide a novel means for backpropagating spikes to influence the final output of a cell.

Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: R. W Turner, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr. N.W., Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada (E-mail: rwturner{at}ucalgary.ca)




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