Hippocampal synaptic and membrane function in the DBA/2J-mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Dystrophin deficiency is associated with alterations in cell physiology. The functional consequences of dystrophin deficiency are particularly severe for muscle physiology, as observed in Duchenne muscle dystrophy (DMD). DMD is caused by the absence of a 427 kDa isoform of dystrophin. However, in addition to muscular dystrophy symptoms, DMD is frequently associated with memory and attention deficits and epilepsy. While this may be associated with a role for dystrophin in neuronal physiology, it is not clear what neuronal alterations are linked with DMD. Our work shows that CA1 pyramidal neurons from DBA/2J-mdx mice have increased afterhyperpolarization compared to WT controls. All the other electrotonic and electrogenic membrane properties were unaffected by this genotype. Finally, basal synaptic transmission, short-term and long-term synaptic plasticity at Schaffer collateral to CA1 glutamatergic synapses were unchanged between mdx and WT controls. These data show that the excitatory component of hippocampal activity is largely preserved in DBA/2J-mdx mice. Further studies, extending the investigation to the inhibitory GABAergic function, may provide a more complete picture of the functional, network alterations underlying impaired cognition in DMD. In addition, the investigation of changes in neuronal single conductance biophysical properties associated with this genotype, is required to identify the functional alterations associated with dystrophin deficiency and clarify its role in neuronal function.