Figure 2. Transient increase in the q of TC→CT synapses 1 day after NE.

(A, C) Average amplitude of light-evoked quantal EPSCs (Sr²⁺-mEPSCs) in CTs in response to L5–6 thalamocortical maximal photostimulation in 1d (A) and 7d (C), post SE (black) and NE (red) mice (1d SE: 7 cells/3 mice; 1d NE: 6 cells/3 mice; 7d SE: 5 cells/2 mice; 7d NE: 6 cells/2 mice). Asterisks indicate significant differences (*p<0.05, unpaired t-test).

(B, D) Representative Sr²⁺-mEPSCs traces (top left) and representative average traces of quantal Sr²⁺-mEPSCs traces (top right). Amplitude histogram of events before (background noise) and after stimulation from the same cell (bottom) in 1d (B) and 7d (D) after SE (black) and NE (red) mice. The arrowhead indicates the onset of light stimulus. The dotted line indicates 400ms time window before stimulus (pre-LED). The solid line represents a 400ms time window, which started 100 ms after the stimulus (post-LED) and was used to analyze the amplitude of Sr²⁺-mEPSCs (1d SE: 7 cells/3 mice; 1d NE: 6 cells/3 mice; 7d SE: 5 cells/2 mice; 7d NE: 6 cells/2 mice).

(E, G) Summary graph of the average CT EPSC amplitudes in response to L5–6 thalamocortical maximal photostimulation in 1d (D) and 7d (F) SE (black) and NE (red). (1d SE: 18 cells/6 mice; 1d NE: 26 cells/9 mice; 7d SE: 10 cells/6 mice; 7d NE: 10 cells/6 mice). Asterisks indicate significant differences (**p<0.01, Mann-Whitney test).

(F, H) Representative traces of L6 CT EPSCs in response to L5–6 thalamocortical maximal photostimulation in 1d SE (E, black line) and 1d NE (E, red line) and 7d SE (G, black line) and 7d NE (G, red line).

Detailed statistical values are listed in Table 1.