Modeling mGluR1 Mediated Synaptic Depression in Cerebellar Purkinje Cells

In our previous study, we have successfully simulated mGluR1 mediated sEPSP based on experimental and is associated with parallel fiber – Purkinje cell LTD [1, 2, 3]. Recent studies have shown that the mGluR1 mediated sEPSP is generated by calcium signaling through the TRPC channel which is crucial in cerebellar LTD induction [4]. Behavior study using mutant mice that lack this type of LTD has shown no motor learning impairment [5]. We hypothesize that cerebellar TRPC mediated synaptic depression shifts the excitatory and inhibitory balance to down regulate ongoing simple-spike activity. To test our hypothesis we modified our previous model of a Purkinje cell [6, 7] to have TRPC channel current signal linked to the AMPA channel conductance through Kinetikit [8].