Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-4-2025
Abstract
Cortical Layer 1 (L1) acts as a critical relay for processing long-range inputs. GABAergic inhibitory interneurons (INs) in this layer (Layer 1 interneurons [L1INs]) function as inhibitory gates, regulating these inputs and modulating the activity of deeper cortical layers. However, their characteristics and circuits in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) remain poorly understood. Using biocytin labeling, we identified three distinct morphological types of mPFC L1INs: neurogliaform cells (NGCs), elongated NGCs (eNGCs), and single-bouquet cell-like (SBC-like) cells. Whole-cell recordings revealed distinct firing patterns across these subtypes: NGCs and eNGCs predominantly exhibited late-spiking (LS) patterns, and SBC-like cells displayed a higher prevalence of non-LS (NLS) patterns. We observed both electrical and chemical connections among mPFC L1INs. Optogenetic activation of NDNF+ L1INs demonstrated broad inhibitory effects on deeper layer neurons. The strength of inhibition on pyramidal neurons (PyNs) and INs displayed layer-specific preference. These findings highlight the functional diversity of L1INs in modulating mPFC circuits and suggest their potential role in supporting higher order cognitive functions.
Keywords
electrophysiology, GABAergic inhibition, layer 1 interneurons (L1iNs), medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), neurogliaform cells (NGCs), neuron-derived neurotrophic factor (NDNF), optogenetics
Language
English
Publication Title
Journal of Comparative Neurology
Rights
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an Open Access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Shen, C., Cui, W., Xiong, W.-C. and Mei, L. (2025), Heterogeneity of Layer 1 Interneurons in the Mouse Medial Prefrontal Cortex. J Comp Neurol, 533: e70030. https://doi.org/10.1002/cne.70030
Manuscript Version
Final Publisher Version