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. 1995 Jun;115(3):527–533. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1995.tb16366.x

Induction of a novel form of hippocampal long-term depression by muscimol: involvement of GABAA but not glutamate receptors.

S Akhondzadeh 1, T W Stone 1
PMCID: PMC1908396  PMID: 7582468

Abstract

1. Unlike long-term potentiation, long-term depression (LTD) in the central nervous system remains poorly understood. The present study was undertaken to investigate the role of GABAA receptors in LTD and synaptic plasticity. 2. Extracellular recordings were made in the CA1 pyramidal cell layer of rat hippocampal slices following orthodromic stimulation of Schaffer collateral fibres in stratum radiatum (0.01 Hz). 3. Muscimol induced a time- and concentration-dependent LTD of the amplitude of orthodromic potentials. Increasing the stimulation frequency from 0.01 Hz to 1 Hz for 10 s reversed the LTD induced by muscimol. Muscimol also induced LTD in the absence of electrical stimulation. 4. Adenosine decreased the spike size in a concentration-dependent manner, but failed to induce LTD. 5. Alphaxalone and 5 alpha-pregnan-3 alpha-ol-20-one at concentrations that did not have any effect themselves on the population spike (0.5 and 1 microM), potentiated the inhibitory effect of muscimol on the population spike size, including concentrations which were not effective by themselves. Both steroids were able to potentiate the ability of muscimol to induce LTD. 6. Bicuculline, 5 microM, reversed the LTD induced by muscimol, 10 microM. 7. The NMDA receptor antagonist (+/-)-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (2-AP5), the NMDA/metabotropic antagonist 2-AP3 and selective metabotropic antagonist L-(+)-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid (L(+)-AP3) failed to modify the LTD. Similarly, quisqualic acid and (1S, 3R)-aminocyclopentane dicarboxylic acid (ACPD) a selective agonist at metabotropic receptors did not induce LTD or short-term depression, whereas kynurenic acid prevented the reversal of the LTD obtained at 1 Hz.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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Selected References

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