Speaker Biography

John A Sullivan

Touro College, USA

Title: Zinc enhances hippocampal long-term potentiation at CA1 synapses through NR2B containing NMDA receptors

John A Sullivan
Biography:

Dr. Sullivan is an Assistant Professor at Touro College Physician Program in New York.  He received a Medical degree with a focus in neurology and a Doctor of Philosophy degree for work in neurophysiology at New York Medical College. He is currently teaching medical, PT and PA students in neurology, cardiology and physiology. His research interests include treatments for chronic trauamatic encephalopathy, patient compliance, and metal dysregulation

Abstract:

The role of zinc (Zn2+), a modulator of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, in regulating long-term synaptic plasticity at hippocampal CA1 synapses is poorly understood. The effects of exogenous application of Zn2+ and of chelation of endogenous Zn2+ were examined on long-term potentiation (LTP) of stimulus-evoked synaptic transmission at Schaffer collateral (SCH) synapses in field CA1 of mouse hippocampal slices using whole-cell patch clamp and field recordings. Low micromolar concentrations of exogenous Zn2+ enhanced the induction of LTP, and this effect required activation of NMDA receptors containing NR2B subunits. Zn2+ elicited a selective increase in NMDA/NR2B fEPSPs, and removal of endogenous Zn2+ with high-affinity Zn2+ chelators robustly reduced the magnitude of stimulusevoked LTP. Taken together, our data show that Zn2+ at physiological concentrations enhances activation of NMDA receptors containing NR2B subunits, and that this effect enhances the magnitude of LTP.