Schulz JM Knoflach F Hernandez MC Bischofberger J 2018 Dendrite-targeting GABAergic interneurons powerfully control postsynaptic integration, synaptic plasticity, and learning. However, the mechanisms underlying the efficient GABAergic control of dendritic electrogenesis are not well understood. Using subtype-selective blockers for GABAA receptors, we show that dendrite-targeting somatostatin interneurons and NO-synthase-positive neurogliaform cells preferentially activate α5-subunit- containing GABAA receptors (α5-GABAARs), generating slow inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells. By contrast, only negligible contribution of these receptors could be found in perisomatic IPSCs, generated by fast-spiking parvalbumin interneurons. Remarkably, α5-GABAAR-mediated IPSCs were strongly outward-rectifying generating 4-fold larger conductances above -50 mV than at rest. Experiments and modeling show that synaptic activation of these receptors can very effectively control voltage-dependent NMDA-receptor activation as well as Schaffer-collateral evoked burst firing in pyramidal cells. Taken together, nonlinear-rectifying α5-GABAARs with slow kinetics match functional NMDA-receptor properties and thereby mediate powerful control of dendritic postsynaptic integration and action potential firing by dendrite-targeting interneurons. https://sonar.ch/global/documents/232395 eng info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1038/s41467-018-06004-8 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/pmid/30177704 Nature communications. - 2018 Action Potentials Animals CA1 Region, Hippocampal Dendrites Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potentials Interneurons Mice Mice, Transgenic Parvalbumins Patch-Clamp Techniques Pyramidal Cells Receptors, GABA-A Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Synapses Synaptic Transmission Dendrite-targeting interneurons control synaptic NMDA-receptor activation via nonlinear α5-GABAA receptors. http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501