Synaptic Plasticity and Excitation-Inhibition Balance in the Dentate Gyrus: Insights from In Vivo Recordings in Neuroligin-1, Neuroligin-2, and Collybistin Knockouts

Figure 2

The lack of neuroligin-1 (NL1) leads to impaired synaptic transmission at excitatory perforant path synapses. This was shown by impaired stimulus-response relationship for the slope of the field excitatory postsynaptic potential (fEPSP) in NL1 knockout (KO) mice. The fEPSP slope is a measure for the strength of synaptic transmission. Field potential responses were recorded in the hilus of the dentate gyrus. Slopes of fEPSPs were decreased in NL1 KO mice relative to their wild-type (WT) littermates. Top: representative recordings from one WT and one NL1 KO animal at 500 μA stimulus strength (adapted with permission from [42]).