Impairments in hippocampal oscillations accompany the loss of LTP induced by GIRK activity blockade

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Abstract

Learning and memory occurrence requires of hippocampal long-term synaptic plasticity and precise neural activity orchestrated by brain network oscillations, both processes reciprocally influencing each other. As G-protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels rule synaptic plasticity that supports hippocampal-dependent memory, here we assessed their unknown role in hippocampal oscillatory activity in relation to synaptic plasticity induction. In alert male mice, pharmacological GIRK modulation did not alter neural oscillations before long-term potentiation (LTP) induction. However, after an LTP generating protocol, both gain- and loss-of basal GIRK activity transformed LTP into long-term depression, but only specific suppression of constitutive GIRK activity caused a disruption of network synchronization (δ, α, γ bands), even leading to long-lasting ripples and fast ripples pathological oscillations. Together, our data showed that constitutive GIRK activity plays a key role in the tuning mechanism of hippocampal oscillatory activity during long-term synaptic plasticity processes that underlies hippocampal-dependent cognitive functions.