Intrinsic plasticity of Purkinje cell serves homeostatic regulation of fear memory

Abstract

Two forms of plasticity, synaptic and intrinsic, are neural substrates for learning and memory. Abnormalities in homeostatic plasticity cause severe neuropsychiatric diseases, such as schizophrenia and autism. This suggests that the balance between synaptic transmission and intrinsic excitability is important for physiological function in the brain. Despite the established role of synaptic plasticity between parallel fiber (PF) and Purkinje cell (PC) in fear memory, its relationship with intrinsic plasticity is not well understood. Here, patch clamp recording revealed depression of intrinsic excitability in PC following auditory fear conditioning (AFC). Depressed excitability balanced long-term potentiation of PF-PC synapse to serve homeostatic regulation of PF-evoked PC firing. We then optogenetically manipulated PC excitability during the early consolidation period resulting in bidirectional regulation of fear memory. Fear conditioning-induced synaptic plasticity was also regulated following optogenetic manipulation. These results propose intrinsic plasticity in PC as a novel mechanism of fear memory and elucidate that decreased intrinsic excitability in PC counterbalances PF-PC synaptic potentiation to maintain fear memory in a normal range.