Monosynaptic transmission during epileptiform activity induced by penicillin in hippocampal slices in vitro

1981 ◽  
Vol 113 (3) ◽  
pp. 355-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. GJERSTAD ◽  
I. A. LANGMOEN ◽  
P. ANDERSEN
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larissa Kraus ◽  
Florian Hetsch ◽  
Ulf C. Schneider ◽  
Helena Radbruch ◽  
Martin Holtkamp ◽  
...  

2002 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marom Bikson ◽  
Scott C. Baraban ◽  
Dominique M. Durand

Nonsynaptic mechanisms exert a powerful influence on seizure threshold. It is well-established that nonsynaptic epileptiform activity can be induced in hippocampal slices by reducing extracellular Ca2+ concentration. We show here that nonsynaptic epileptiform activity can be readily induced in vitro in normal (2 mM) Ca2+ levels. Those conditions sufficient for nonsynaptic epileptogenesis in the CA1 region were determined by pharmacologically mimicking the effects of Ca2+ reduction in normal Ca2+ levels. Increasing neuronal excitability, by removing extracellular Mg2+ and increasing extracellular K+ (6–15 mM), induced epileptiform activity that was suppressed by postsynaptic receptor antagonists [d-(−)-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid, picrotoxin, and 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione] and was therefore synaptic in nature. Similarly, epileptiform activity induced when neuronal excitability was increased in the presence of KCaantagonists (verruculogen, charybdotoxin, norepinephrine, tetraethylammonium salt, and Ba2+) was found to be synaptic in nature. Decreases in osmolarity also failed to induce nonsynaptic epileptiform activity in the CA1 region. However, increasing neuronal excitability (by removing extracellular Mg2+ and increasing extracellular K+) in the presence of Cd2+, a nonselective Ca2+channel antagonist, or veratridine, a persistent sodium conductance enhancer, induced spontaneous nonsynaptic epileptiform activity in vitro. Both novel models were characterized using intracellular and ion-selective electrodes. The results of this study suggest that reducing extracellular Ca2+ facilitates bursting by increasing neuronal excitability and inhibiting Ca2+ influx, which might, in turn, enhance a persistent sodium conductance. Furthermore, these data show that nonsynaptic mechanisms can contribute to epileptiform activity in normal Ca2+ levels.


2003 ◽  
Vol 90 (4) ◽  
pp. 2746-2751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshikazu Isomura ◽  
Yoko Fujiwara-Tsukamoto ◽  
Masahiko Takada

Previous investigations have suggested that GABA may act actively as an excitatory mediator in the generation of seizure-like (ictal) or interictal epileptiform activity in several experimental models of temporal lobe epilepsy. However, it remains to be known whether or not such GABAergic excitation may participate in seizure propagation into neighboring cortical regions. In our in vitro study using mature rat hippocampal slices, we examined the cellular mechanism underlying synchronous propagation of seizure-like afterdischarge in the CA1 region, which is driven by depolarizing GABAergic transmission, into the adjacent subiculum region. Tetanically induced seizure-like afterdischarge was always preceded by a GABAergic, slow posttetanic depolarization in the pyramidal cells of the original seizure-generating region. In contrast, the slow posttetanic depolarization was no longer observed in the subicular pyramidal cells when the afterdischarge was induced in the CA1 region. Surgical cutting of axonal pathways through the stratum oriens and the alveus between the CA1 and the subiculum region abolished the CA1-generated afterdischarge in the subicular pyramidal cells. Intracellular loading of fluoride ions, a GABAA receptor blocker, into single subicular pyramidal cells had no inhibitory effect on the CA1-generated afterdischarge in the pyramidal cells. Furthermore, the CA1-generated afterdischarge in the subicular pyramidal cells was largely depressed by local application of glutamate receptor antagonists to the subiculum region during afterdischarge generation. The present results indicate that the excitatory GABAergic generation of seizure-like activity seems to be restricted to epileptogenic foci of origin in the seizure-like epilepsy model in vitro.


2000 ◽  
Vol 83 (2) ◽  
pp. 723-734 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melisa W. Y. Ho ◽  
Annette G. Beck-Sickinger ◽  
William F. Colmers

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) potently inhibits excitatory synaptic transmission in the hippocampus, acting predominantly via a presynaptic Y2 receptor. Recent reports that the Y5 receptor may mediate the anticonvulsant actions of NPY in vivo prompted us to test the hypothesis that Y5receptors inhibit synaptic excitation in the hippocampal slice and, furthermore, that they are effective in an in vitro model of anticonvulsant action. Two putative Y5 receptor–preferring agonists inhibited excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) evoked by stimulation of stratum radiatum in pyramidal cells. We recorded initially from area CA1 pyramidal cells, but subsequently switched to cells from the subiculum, where a much greater frequency of response was observed to Y5 agonist application. Bothd-Trp32NPY (1 μM) and [ahx8–20]Pro34NPY (3 μM), a centrally truncated, Y1/Y5 agonist we synthesized, inhibited stimulus-evoked EPSCs in subicular pyramidal cells by 44.0 ± 5.7% and 51.3 ± 3.5% (mean ± SE), in 37 and 58% of cells, respectively. By contrast, the less selective centrally truncated agonist, [ahx8–20] NPY (1 μM), was more potent (66.4 ± 4.1% inhibition) and more widely effective, suppressing the EPSC in 86% of subicular neurons. The site of action of all NPY agonists tested was most probably presynaptic, because agonist application caused no changes in postsynaptic membrane properties. The selective Y1 antagonist, BIBP3226 (1 μM), did not reduce the effect of either more selective agonist, indicating that they activated presynaptic Y5 receptors. Y5 receptor–mediated synaptic inhibition was more frequently observed in slices from younger animals, whereas the nonselective agonist appeared equally effective at all ages tested. Because of the similarity with the previously reported actions of Y2 receptors, we tested the ability of Y5receptor agonists to suppress stimulus train-induced bursting (STIB), an in vitro model of ictaform activity, in both area CA3 and the subiculum. Neither [ahx8–20]Pro34NPY nord-Trp32NPY were significantly effective in suppressing or shortening STIB-induced afterdischarge, with <20% of slices responding to these agonists in recordings from CA3 and none in subiculum. By contrast, 1 μM each of [ahx8–20]NPY, the Y2 agonist, [ahx5–24]NPY, and particularly NPY itself suppressed the afterdischarge in area CA3 and the subiculum, as reported earlier. We conclude that Y5receptors appear to regulate excitability to some degree in the subiculum of young rats, but their contribution is relatively small compared with those of Y2 receptors, declines with age, and is insufficient to block or significantly attenuate STIB-induced afterdischarges.


1991 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 771-785 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Perreault ◽  
M. Avoli

1. Conventional intracellular and extracellular recording techniques were used to investigate the physiology and pharmacology of epileptiform bursts induced by 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, 50 microM) in the CA3 area of rat hippocampal slices maintained in vitro. 2. 4-AP-induced epileptiform bursts, consisting of a 25-to 80-ms depolarizing shift of the neuronal membrane associated with three to six fast action potentials, occurred at the frequency of 0.61 +/- 0.29 (SD)/s. The bursts were generated synchronously by CA3 neurons and were triggered by giant excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs). A second type of spontaneous activity consisting of a slow depolarization also occurred but at a lower rate (0.04 +/- 0.2/s). 3. The effects of 4-AP on EPSPs and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) evoked by mossy fiber stimulation were studied on neurons impaled with a mixture of K acetate and 2(triethyl-amino)-N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl) acetamide (QX-314)-filled microelectrodes. After the addition of 4-AP, the EPSP became potentiated and was followed by the appearance of a giant EPSP. This giant EPSP completely obscured the early IPSP recorded under control conditions and inverted at -32 +/- 3.9 mV (n = 4), suggesting that both inhibitory and excitatory conductances were involved in its generation. IPSPs evoked by Schaffer collateral stimulation increased in amplitude and duration after 4-AP application. 4. The spontaneous field bursts and the stimulus-induced giant EPSP induced by 4-AP were not affected by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists 3-3 (2-carboxy piperazine-4-yl) propyl-1-phosphonate (CPP) and DL-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (APV) but were blocked by quisqualate/kainate receptor antagonists 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) and 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (DNQX). CNQX also abolished the presence of small spontaneously occurring EPSPs, thereby disclosing the presence of bicuculline-sensitive (BMI, 20 microM) IPSPs. 5. Small, nonsynchronous EPSPs played an important role in the generation of 4-AP-induced epileptiform activity. 1) After the addition of 4-AP, small EPSPs appeared randomly on the baseline and then became clustered to produce a depolarizing envelope of irregular shape that progressively formed an epileptiform burst, 2) These small EPSPs were more numerous in the 100 ms period that preceded burst onset. 3) The frequency of occurrence of small EPSPs was positively correlated with the frequency of occurrence of synchronous bursts. 4) Small EPSPs and bursts were similarly decreased after the addition of different concentrations of CNQX (IC50 in both cases of approximately 1.2 microM).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


1996 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 124-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Pan ◽  
J. L. Stringer

1. Hippocampal slices bathed in 8 mM potassium and 0-added calcium exhibited spontaneous epileptiform activity in the dentate gyrus. Extracellular recording revealed recurrent prolonged bursts of population spikes and an associated negative DC shift. These episodes were very similar to the in vivo phenomenon termed maximal dentate activation (MDA). Therefore this in vitro activity will be referred to as MDA-like activity or events. 2. During the MDA-like activity, the individual granule cells exhibited a sustained depolarization that matched the duration of the negative extracellular DC shift. At the beginning of the MDA-like activity, there was a burst of action potentials. After the burst, most granule cells either continued to fire action potentials regularly or in bursts. Some cells exhibited this initial burst of activity and then a dramatic reduction in firing rate. This reduction in rate was followed by a gradual increase in the amplitude and frequency of the epileptiform activity recorded during the remainder of the MDA-like event. 3. Before and between MDA-like events, spontaneous cellular activity consisted of single action potentials and bursts of action potentials on a depolarizing envelope. In addition, depolarizing potentials, up to 13 mV, were recorded. There were no extracellular field potentials associated with these intracellularly recorded potentials. 4. In the 8 mM potassium, 0-added calcium test solution, the membrane potential threshold for burst production was significantly lower than in normal potassium and calcium medium. 5. The effect of depolarizing and hyperpolarizing current injections on the amplitude and frequency of the epileptiform activity was tested. Current injection had no effect on the frequency of the epileptiform activity recorded during the MDA-like events. However, the frequency of the cellular bursts between MDA-like events was very sensitive to current injection. Depolarizing current increased the frequency, and hyperpolarizing current decreased the frequency of the spontaneous activity. 6. This study has shown that in 8 mM potassium and 0-added calcium the granule cells of the dentate gyrus are capable of generating spontaneous bursts that appear to be mediated by endogenous mechanisms. In addition, synchronized epileptiform discharges were recorded from the granule cells at regular intervals that appear were recorded from the granule cells at regular intervals that appear to be mediated by exogenous nonsynaptic mechanisms.


1984 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 1011-1027 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. Hablitz

Picrotoxin-(PTX) induced epileptiform activity was studied in guinea pig hippocampal slices maintained in vitro, using intra- and extracellular recording techniques. The observed pattern of spontaneous and evoked epileptiform activity was quite complex. Spontaneous epileptiform events originated in the CA3 region and subsequently spread or propagated to CA1. Activation of CA1 could then reactivate CA3. This reverberation of activity was seen also following stimulation of the mossy fiber afferents from the dentate gyrus to CA3. Stimulation of fibers in the stratum radiatum of the CA1 region could trigger, at short latency, epileptiform activity that either was localized in CA1 or also occurred in CA3, with a late secondary discharge in CA1. This is attributed to a backfiring of the Schaffer collaterals and illustrates the ability of a variety of CA3 inputs to trigger epileptiform activity. Bath-applied PTX, at concentrations of 50-200 microM, had no apparent effect on the resting membrane potential or input resistance of the CA3 cells tested. Depolarizing current pulses elicited characteristic endogenous-burst responses that were not altered by PTX. Synaptic activity evoked by mossy fiber stimulation was altered markedly by PTX. The pattern of observed changes indicated that PTX reduced inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP) amplitudes, resulting in the appearance of repetitive (presumably recurrent) excitatory inputs. Paroxysmal depolarizing shifts ( PDSs ) were generated by the coalescence of these excitatory inputs. Two types of spontaneous bursting were observed after PTX application. The first type was nonepileptiform , all or none in nature, and its frequency was voltage dependent. The second type of spontaneous burst was the PDS. It was epileptiform in character because it was associated with the synchronous discharge of many neurons. It was graded in nature, and its frequency was voltage independent. The graded nature of the PDS was demonstrated by varying the duration and intensity of the orthodromic stimulation. Trains of stimulation could produce PDSs that lasted 500-800 ms. A refractory period was observed following a PDS. By varying the strength of the orthodromic stimulation, it was possible to demonstrate that for the intervals tested this was a relative, not absolute, refractory period. Intracellular recordings in CA3 neurons indicated that each spontaneous PDS was followed by an afterhyperpolarization (AHP).


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