Aberrant Serotonergic Signaling Contributes to the Hyperexcitability of CA1 Pyramidal Neurons in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease

Summary: Hyperactivity of pyramidal neurons (PNs) in CA1 is an early event in Alzheimer’s disease. However, factors accounting for the hyperactivity of CA1 PNs remain to be completely investigated. In the present study, we report that the serotonergic signaling is abnormal in the hippocampus of hAPP-J20 mice. Interestingly, chemogenetic activation of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) neurons in the median raphe nucleus (MRN) attenuates the activity of CA1 PNs in hAPP-J20 mice by regulating the intrinsic properties or inhibitory synaptic transmission of CA1 PNs through 5-HT3aR and/or 5-HT1aR. Furthermore, activating MRN 5-HT neurons improves memory in hAPP-J20 mice, and this effect is mediated by 5-HT3aR and 5-HT1aR. Direct activation of 5-HT3aR and 5-HT1aR with their selective agonists also improves the memory of hAPP-J20 mice. Together, we identify the impaired 5-HT/5-HT3aR and/or 5-HT/5-HT1aR signaling as pathways contributing to the hyperexcitability of CA1 PNs and the impaired cognition in hAPP-J20 mice.