Figure 1.

Excitability and synaptic responses in freshly mechanically isolated BLA neurons. A, Schematic representation of the location of the BLA in a coronal brain slice (left). A typical freshly mechanically isolated BLA neuron is shown on the right [image acquired using differential interference contrast optics on an Olympus (Tokyo, Japan) IX-71 inverted microscope, with a 60× 1.45 numerical aperture objective, a Qimaging (Barnaby, British Columbia, Canada) Retiga EXi 1394 camera, and Improvision (Lexington, MA) Openlab software]. B, Top, Traces recorded with KMeSO₄-based internal solution; injection of positive current produced action potential firing, whereas negative current injection led to a hyperpolarization sag. C, Top, Spontaneous inward currents, recorded with KMeSO₄-based internal solution in the presence of bicuculline, were abolished by AP-5/NBQX (bottom). C, Inset, Single sEPSC trace (average of 75 events).All traces were recorded in the presence of 50μM cyclothiazide. D, Traces recorded with CsCl-based internal solution from an isolated BLA neuron, illustrating spontaneous GABAergic currents that are reversibly suppressed by the GABA_A antagonist bicuculline (20 μM). D, Expanded traces recorded before and during bicuculline application are shown in the middle and bottom traces.