Editor’s Pick: Eye movements contribute to memory

Reviewing Editor Arvind Kumar, Ph.D. selected this paper and explains why they consider it noteworthy.

Dopaminergic neurons release dopamine in tonic and bursting modes and the release is firing frequency dependent. For instance, during burst firing dopamine release is facilitated. The mechanism underlying such frequency-dependent facilitation of dopamine release has not been fully understood.

Now, in this paper, authors provide an important insight into this. They show that the presynaptic Ca2+ sensor synaptotagmin-7 (SYT7) plays an important role in short-term plasticity dopamine release during phasic bursts. When SYT17 is knocked out dopamine release during phasic bursts is reduced in both somatodendritic and terminal compartments. This work adds to the growing body of work which is revealing the role of synaptotagmins in controlling different properties of dopamine release.

Read the full article:

Synaptotagmin-7 counteracts short-term depression during phasic dopamine release
Joseph J. Lebowitz, Sarah A. Kissiwaa, Kim A. Engeln, Anna M. Bowman, John T. Williams, and Skyler L. Jackman