Synaptic inputs to GABAA and GABAB receptors originate from discrete afferent neurons

Clonazepam prevents the development of sensitization to methamphetamine

The GABA-benzodiazepine neurotransmission has been implicated in various forms of plasticity such as kindling and learning. The present study examined the effects of clonazepam (CZP), a GABA-benzodiazepine agonist, on the development of behavioral sensitization to methamphetamine (MA). Rats treated with MA (1 mg/kg, S.C.) for 10 days displayed significantly enhanced motor activity when tested with MA (1 mg/kg) after a 7-8-day withdrawal, indicating the development of behavioral sensitization. Pretreatment with CZP (0.5 and 2.0 mg/kg) prior to MA administration prevented the development of the phenomenon. Rats treated with CZP alone showed no difference in the motor activity compared to those treated with saline. These results suggest that stimulation of GABA-benzodiazepine receptors plays a role in the development of behavioral sensitization.

Organization of intra-amygdaloid circuitries in the rat: an emerging framework for understanding functions of the amygdala

The amygdala is located in the medial aspects of the temporal lobe. In spite of the fact that the amygdala has been implicated in a variety of functions, ranging from attention to memory to emotion, it has not attracted neuroscientists to the same extent as its laminated neighbours, in particular the hippocampus and surrounding cortex. However, recently, principles of information processing within the amygdala, particularly in the rat, have begun to emerge from anatomical, physiological and behavioral studies. These findings suggest that after the stimulus enters the amygdala, the highly organized intra-amygdaloid circuitries provide a pathway by which the representation of a stimulus becomes distributed in parallel to various amygdaloid nuclei. As a consequence, the stimulus representation may become modulated by different functional systems, such as those mediating memories from past experience or knowledge about ongoing homeostatic states. The amygdaloid output nuclei, especially the central nucleus, receive convergent information from several other amygdaloid regions and generate behavioral responses that presumably reflect the sum of neuronal activity produced by different amygdaloid nuclei.

Functional dynamics of GABAergic inhibition in the thalamus

The inhibitory gamma-aminobutyric acid-containing (GABAergic) neurons of the thalamic reticular and perigeniculate nuclei are involved in the generation of normal and abnormal synchronized activity in thalamocortical networks. An important factor controlling the generation of activity in this system is the amplitude and duration of inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) in thalamocortical cells, which depend on the pattern of activity generated in thalamic reticular and perigeniculate cells. Activation of single ferret perigeniculate neurons generated three distinct patterns of GABAergic IPSPs in thalamocortical neurons of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus: Low-frequency tonic discharge resulted in small-amplitude IPSPs mediated by GABAA receptors, burst firing resulted in large-amplitude GABAA IPSPs, and prolonged burst firing activated IPSPs mediated by GABAA and GABAB receptors. These functional properties of GABAergic inhibition can reconfigure the operations of thalamocortical networks into patterns of activity associated with waking, slow-wave sleep, and generalized seizures.

GABA-ergic transmission in deep cerebellar nuclei

gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the inhibitory transmitter released at Purkinje cell axon terminals in deep cerebellar nuclei (DCN). Neurons in DCN also receive excitatory glutamatergic inputs from the inferior olive. The output of DCN neurons, which depends on the balance between excitation and inhibition on these cells, is involved in cerebellar control of motor coordination. Plasticity of synaptic transmission observed in other areas of the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) has received wide attention. If GABA-ergic and/or glutamatergic synapses in DCN also undergo plasticity, it would have major implications for cerebellar function. In this review, literature evidence for GABA-ergic synaptic transmission in DCN as well as its plasticity are discussed. Studies indicate that fast inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) and currents (IPSCs) in neurons of DCN are mediated by GABAA receptors. While GABAB receptors are present in DCN, they do not appear to be activated by Purkinje cell axons. The IPSPs undergo paired-pulse, as well as frequency-dependent, depressions. In addition, tetanic stimulation of inputs can induce a long-term depression (LTD) of the IPSPs and IPSCs. Excitatory synapses do not appear to undergo long-term potentiation or LTD. The LTD of the IPSP is not input-specific, as it can be induced heterosynaptically and is associated with a reduced response of DCN neurons to a GABAA receptor agonist. Postsynaptic Ca2+ and protein phosphatases appear to contribute to the LTD. The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-gated, as well as the voltage-gated Ca2+ channels are proposed to be sources of the Ca2+. It is suggested that LTD of GABA-ergic transmission, by regulating DCN output, can modulate cerebellar function.

Dizocilpine (MK-801) increases not only dopamine but also serotonin and norepinephrine transmissions in the nucleus accumbens as measured by microdialysis in freely moving rats

The extracellular concentrations of dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), and serotonin (5-HT) in the nucleus accumbens (NACC) of freely moving rats were monitored simultaneously via intracerebral microdialysis. Local infusion of the non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist MK-801 (dizocilpine) (5-250 microM) produced significant increases in extracellular levels of DA, NE and 5-HT in a concentration-dependent fashion. Perfusion with tetrodotoxin (TTX, 1 microM) blocked the ability of focal MK-801 (50 microM) to increase DA, NE and 5-HT in the dialysate. Systemic administration of MK-801 (0.3 mg/kg, i.p.) also produced small, but statistically significant, increases in extracellular concentrations of DA, NE and 5-HT in the NACC. Our microdialysis results are consistent with the hypothesis that, in addition to dopaminergic, serotonergic and noradrenergic neurotransmissions in the NACC are involved in the mechanism by which MK-801 alters behavior in rats. Also, the present study gives further support to the concept that NMDA receptors within the NACC do not regulate DA release through direct excitatory control.

NMDA receptors in nucleus accumbens modulate stress-induced dopamine release in nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area

Converging evidence suggests that dopamine (DA) transmission in nucleus accumbens (NAcc) is modulated locally by an excitatory amino acid (EAA)-containing input possibly originating in medial prefrontal cortex (PFC). In the present study, we examined the effects of intra-NAcc administration of EAA receptor antagonists on stress-induced increases of NAcc DA levels and of dendritically released DA in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Local injection of the NMDA receptor antagonist-AP-5 (0.05, 0.5, and 5.0 nmoles)-dose-dependently potentiated increases in NAcc DA levels elicited by 15 min of restraint stress. In contrast, local application of equivalent doses of the kainate/AMPA receptor antagonist-DNQX-failed to alter the NAcc DA stress response reliably. In a separate experiment, we found that intra-NAcc injection of AP-5 also potentiated stress-induced increases in VTA DA levels. These results indicate that EAAs acting at NMDA receptors in NAcc can modulate stress-induced DA release in this region. Our data indicate, however, that this action exerts an inhibitory influence on the NAcc DA stress response, suggesting that the relevant population of NMDA receptors are not located on NAcc DA terminals. The fact that intra-NAcc AP-5 injections also potentiated the DA stress response in VTA suggests instead an action mediated by NMDA receptors located on NAcc neurons that feedback, directly or indirectly, to cell bodies of the mesocorticolimbic DA system.

Recruitment of GABAergic inhibition and synchronization of inhibitory interneurons in rat neocortex

Intracellular recordings were obtained from pyramidal and interneuronal cells in rat neocortical slices to examine the recruitment of GABAergic inhibition and inhibitory interneurons. In the presence of the convulsant agent 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), after excitatory amino acid (EAA) ionotropic transmission was blocked, large-amplitude triphasic inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) occurred rhythmically (every 10-40 s) and synchronously in pyramidal neurons. After exposure to the gamma-aminobutyric acid-A (GABA(A)) receptor antagonist picrotoxin, large-amplitude monophasic slow IPSPs persisted in these cells. In the presence of 4-AP and EAA blockers, interneurons showed periodic spike firing. Although some spikes rode on an underlying synaptic depolarization, much of the rhythmic firing consisted of spikes having highly variable amplitudes, arising abruptly from baseline, even during hyperpolarization. The spike firing and depolarizing synaptic potentials were completely suppressed by picrotoxin exposure, although monophasic slow IPSPs persisted in interneurons. This suggests that this subset of interneurons may participate in generating fast GABA(A) IPSPs, but not slow GABA(B) IPSPs. Cell morphology was confirmed by intracellular injection of neurobiotin or the fluorescent dye Lucifer yellow CH. Dye injection into interneurons often (>70%) resulted in the labeling of two to six cells (dye coupling). These findings suggest that GABA(A)ergic neurons may be synchronized via recurrent collaterals through the depolarizing action of synaptically activated GABA(A) receptors and a mechanism involving electrotonic coupling. Although inhibitory neurons mediating GABA(B) IPSPs may be entrained by the excitatory GABA(A) mechanism, they appear to be a separate subset of GABAergic neurons capable of functioning independently with autonomous pacing.

Lateral nucleus of the rat amygdala is reciprocally connected with basal and accessory basal nuclei: a light and electron microscopic study

Information flow within the intra-amygdaloid circuitry has been generally believed to be unidirectional rather than reciprocal, in which case sensory inputs entering the amygdala via the lateral nucleus would not be modulated by inputs from other amygdaloid regions. In the present study we extend our earlier findings which indicated that the lateral nucleus of the rat amygdala is reciprocally connected with the basal and accessory basal nuclei. The type of synaptic contacts made by these connections is also characterized at the ultrastructural level. An anterograde tracer, Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin, was injected into the basal (n=22) or accessory basal nuclei (n=12) of the rat amygdala. The results demonstrate that the ventrolateral division of the lateral nucleus receives projections from the basal nucleus, while the medial division receives projections from the accessory basal nucleus. Electron microscopic analyses revealed that axons projecting from the basal nucleus formed both asymmetric and symmetric contacts within the ventrolateral division of the lateral nucleus, whereas axons projecting from the accessory basal nucleus to the medial division of the lateral nucleus formed only asymmetric synapses with their targets. These findings suggest that the lateral nucleus receives both inhibitory and excitatory intra-amygdaloid projections and indicate that information flow within the amygdala is not unidirectional as previously thought. The results of this study provide evidence that the early phase of sensory processing within the amygdala is already modified by inputs from other amygdaloid nuclei.

Properties of unitary IPSCs in hippocampal pyramidal cells originating from different types of interneurons in young rats

Whole cell recordings were used in hippocampal slices of young rats to examine unitary inhibitory postsynaptic currents (uIPSCs) evoked in CA1 pyramidal cells at room temperature. Loose cell-attached stimulation was applied to activate single interneurons of different subtypes located in stratum oriens (OR), near stratum pyramidale (PYR), and at the border of stratum radiatum and lacunosum-moleculare (LM). uIPSCs evoked by stimulation of PYR and OR interneurons had similar onset latency, rise time, peak amplitude, and decay. In contrast, uIPSCs elicited by activation of LM interneurons were significantly smaller in amplitude and had a slower time course. The mean reversal potential of uIPSCs was -53.1 +/- 2.1 (SE) mV during recordings with intracellular solution containing potassium gluconate. With the use of recording solution containing the potassium channel blocker cesium, the reversal potential of uIPSCs was not significantly different (-58.5 +/- 2.6 mV), suggesting that these synaptic currents were not mediated by potassium conductances. Bath application of the gamma-aminobutyric acid-A (GABA(A)) receptor antagonist bicuculline (25 microM) reversibly blocked uIPSCs evoked by stimulation of all interneuron subtypes. In bicuculline, the mean peak amplitude of uIPSCs recorded with potassium gluconate was reduced to 3.5 +/- 4.4% of control (n = 7). Similarly, with cesium methanesulfonate, the mean amplitude in bicuculline was 2.9 +/- 3.1% of control (n = 13). Application of the GABA(B) receptor antagonist CGP 55845A (5 microM) resulted in a significant and reversible increase in the mean amplitude of uIPSCs recorded with cesium-containing intracellular solution. Thus uIPSCs from all cell types appeared under tonic presynaptic inhibition by GABA(B) receptors. Paired stimulation of individual interneurons at 100- to 200-ms intervals did not result in paired pulse depression of uIPSCs. For individual responses, a significant negative correlation was observed between the amplitude of the first and second uIPSCs. A significant paired pulse facilitation (154.0 +/- 8.0%) was observed when the first uIPSC was smaller than the mean of all first uIPSCs. A small, but not significant, paired pulse depression (90.8 +/- 4.0%) was found when the first uIPSC was larger than the mean of all first uIPSCs. Our results indicate that these different subtypes of hippocampal interneurons generate Cl(-)-mediated GABA(A) uIPSCs. uIPSCs originating from different types of interneurons may have heterogeneous properties and may be subject to tonic presynaptic inhibition via heterosynaptic GABA(B) receptors. These results suggest a specialization of function for inhibitory interneurons and point to complex presynaptic modulation of interneuron function.

A subset of ventral tegmental area neurons is inhibited by dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and opioids

Neurons originating in the ventral tegmental area are thought to play a key role in the formation of addictive behaviors, particularly in response to drugs such as cocaine and opioids. In this study we identified different populations of ventral tegmental area neurons by the pharmacology of their evoked synaptic potentials and their response to dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and opioids. Intracellular recordings were made from ventral tegmental area neurons in horizontal slices of guinea-pig brain and electrical stimulation was used to evoke synaptic potentials. The majority of cells (61.3%) hyperpolarized in response to dopamine, depolarized to 5-hydroxytryptamine, failed to respond to [Met]5enkephalin and exhibited a slow GABAB-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic potential. A smaller proportion of cells (11.3%) hyperpolarized in response to [Met]5enkephalin, depolarized to 5-hydroxytryptamine, failed to respond to dopamine and did not exhibit a slow inhibitory postsynaptic potential. These two groups of cells corresponded to previously described "principal" and "secondary" cells, respectively. A further group of cells (27.4%) was identified that like the principal cells, hyperpolarized to dopamine. However, these "tertiary cells" also hyperpolarized to both 5-hydroxytryptamine and [Met]5enkephalin and exhibited a slow, cocaine-sensitive 5-hydroxytryptamine(1A)-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic potential. When principal and tertiary cells were investigated immunohistochemically, 82% of the principal cells were positive for tyrosine hydroxylase compared with only 29% of the tertiary cells. The 5-hydroxytryptamine innervation of both these cell types was investigated and a similar density of putative contacts was observed near the somata and dendrites in both groups. This latter finding suggests that the existence of a 5-hydroxytryptamine-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic potential in the tertiary cells may be determined by the selective expression of 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors, rather than the distribution or density of the 5-hydroxytryptamine innervation. We conclude that tertiary cells are a distinct subset of ventral tegmental area neurons where cocaine and mu-opioids both mediate inhibition.

Activation of interneurons at the stratum oriens/alveus border suppresses excitatory transmission to apical dendrites in the CA1 area of the mouse hippocampus

The consequences of activation or inactivation of interneurons at the CA1 stratum oriens/ alveus border for signal transmission at the apical dendritic region of pyramidal cells were investigated in slices from mice submerged in a perfusion chamber. A characteristic subpopulation of interneurons with a horizontal dendritic tree in this region, which sends a GABAergic projection to the apical dendrites of CA1 pyramidal cells is strongly excited by metabotropic glutamate receptor activation and receives GABAergic input from vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-containing interneurons. Pressure ejection of glutamate or the metabotropic agonist 1s,3r-aminocyclopentane dicarboxylic acid from micropipettes onto the stratum oriens/alveus border caused a long lasting (more than 90 min) decrease of field-excitatory postsynaptic potentials in the strata radiatum and lacunosum-moleculare. The GABAB antagonist CGP 35348 (100 microM in the perfusion fluid) partially and reversibly blocked this effect. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide- (0.1 microM in the bath) excited neurons with response and firing properties characteristic for interneurons at the oriens/alveus border. Local pressure application of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (10 microM) to the alveus region led, after a brief (2 min) and small (10%) increase, to a longer lasting (30-50 min) decrease (by 20-30%) in the slope of the field-excitatory postsynaptic potential in strata radiatum and lacunosum-moleculare. This action was completely blocked by bath application of CGP 35348. Local application of tetrodotoxin in the stratum oriens/alveus region markedly increased the slope of evoked dendritic excitatory postsynaptic potentials, and caused multiple firing of pyramidal cells. Thus, stratum oriens/alveus interneurons have a profound inhibitory effect on signal transmission in the apical dendritic area of CA1, which is, at least in part, mediated by GABAB receptors. It appears that the GABAB receptor-mediated effect in stratum lacunosum-moleculare is produced by vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-sensitive interneurons.

Similar inhibitory processes dominate the responses of cat lateral amygdaloid projection neurons to their various afferents

To investigate the impact of inhibitory processes on responses of lateral amygdaloid (LAT) neurons, intracellular recordings were obtained from identified LAT projection neurons in barbiturate-anesthetized cats. Synaptic responses evoked by perirhinal (PRH), entorhinal (ENT), basomedial, and LAT stimulation were investigated. Regardless of stimulation site, responses consisted of an excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) that either preceded and was truncated by an inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP) or occurred just after the IPSP onset. IPSPs were monophasic, lasted hundreds of milliseconds, and were of such large amplitude and rapid onset that they effectively opposed the EPSPs, generally preventing orthodromic spikes. All sites elicited IPSPs with relatively negative reversal potentials around -85 mV. Experiments analyzing the underlying ionic mechanisms are presented in the companion paper. Evoked responses were similar to synaptic potentials associated with spontaneous EEG events, known as simple (small, monophasic) and complex (large, triphasic) ENT sharp potentials (SPs), with no difference between the reversals of evoked and SP-related IPSPs (-83.2 +/- 2.7 mV). IPSPs coinciding with complex SPs truncated SP-related EPSPs more rapidly and had larger amplitudes and longer durations than those related to simple SPs. These differences reflected the fact that the amplitude and duration of SP-related IPSPs were correlated with SP amplitude. Similar variations were reproduced in evoked IPSPs by varying the stimulus intensity. Low intensities generated predominantly excitatory responses consisting of EPSPs sometimes followed by small IPSPs, whereas high intensities evoked predominantly inhibitory responses comprised of a large IPSP that truncated or occluded the EPSPs. Orthodromic spikes were elicited only in a narrow range of intermediate intensities. These changes in the evoked response primarily reflected increases in the IPSP evoked at high intensities. PRH stimulation at different rostro-caudal levels demonstrated that rostral sites elicited larger EPSPs and IPSPs with shorter latencies and longer durations than caudal sites. These differences probably reflect contrasting patterns of activity spread through the PRH cortex, suggesting that the intact cortical circuitry allowed a temporally distributed activation of inhibitory interneurons and thereby partly explains the long duration and monophasic nature of the IPSPs. Inhibition, thus, plays a primary role in shaping LAT neuronal responses. The profuse intrinsic connectivity of the LAT nucleus and parahippocampal cortices may underlie the relatively invariant response pattern of LAT neurons and suggests a common mode of information processing, based upon quantitative, rather than qualitative, differences in activation of LAT circuitry. Therefore we propose that effective transmission of signals through the LAT nucleus may require activation of specifically sized neuronal ensembles, rather than widespread afferent excitation.

Synaptic and synaptically activated intrinsic conductances underlie inhibitory potentials in cat lateral amygdaloid projection neurons in vivo

The companion paper demonstrated that the responses of lateral amygdaloid (LAT) projection neurons to the stimulation of major input and output structures are dominated by monophasic hyperpolarizing potentials of large amplitude. To characterize the mechanisms underlying these inhibitory potentials, intracellular recordings of cortically evoked responses were obtained from morphologically and/or physiologically identified LAT projection neurons in barbiturate anesthetized cats. The reversal potential of the cortically evoked hyperpolarization was measured at its peak, and 115 ms later (tail), an interval corresponding to the peak latency of the gamma-aminobuturic acid-B (GABAB) response previously recorded in vitro. When recorded with K-acetate (KAc) pipettes, these reversal potentials were -86.9 +/- 1.6 mV (peak; mean +/- SE) and -90.7 +/- 1.7 mV (tail), suggesting that both Cl- and K+ conductances contribute throughout the cortically evoked hyperpolarization. The small, but consistent, difference between the two reversal potentials suggested that an additional slowly activating K(+)-mediated component contributed to the inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP) tail. To determine whether Cl- conductances contributed to the evoked hyperpolarization, recordings were performed with KCl; the peak (-57.8 +/- 2.2 mV) and tail (-61.3 +/- 2.1 mV) reversal potentials were approximately 15-20 mV more depolarized than those recorded with KAc pipettes. However, the difference between the peak and tail reversals remained. In an attempt to block the Cl- conductance, recordings were obtained with pipettes filled with KAc or KCl and 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulphonic acid (DIDS), a Cl- pump blocker that also was reported to block GABAA responses. With KAc and DIDS, the initial depolarization was prolonged and the amplitude of the hyperpolarization decreased relative to that seen with KAc alone. However, with KCl and DIDS, the reversal potential was shifted to an even greater extent than with KCl pipettes with the evoked response consisting entirely of a large depolarization, which produced a spike burst. These results suggest that LAT neurons have a Cl- pump that is blocked by DIDS, but that their Cl- channels are not blocked by DIDS. To assess the contribution of K+ conductances to cortically evoked hyperpolarizing potentials, recordings were obtained with Cs-acetate pipettes. Under these conditions, the response reversed at more depolarized potentials (peak, -71.9 +/- 1.0 mV; tail, -72.0 +/- 0.9 mV) compared with KAc recordings, with no difference between the peak and tail reversal potentials. These cells also had depolarized resting potentials (-66.2 +/- 1.8 mV) compared with those of cells recorded with KAc pipettes (-73.6 +/- 1.8 mV); however, this difference was too small to attribute the shift in reversals to a redistribution of Cl- ions across the membrane. The action potentials generated by LAT neurons under Cs+ had a shoulder that prolonged their falling phase. The increased duration of the spikes was presumably due to a dendritic Ca2+ conductance because LAT amygdaloid neurons are known to possess such conductances and Cs+ blocks the delayed rectifier and some Ca(2+)-dependent K+ currents. The dramatic reduction of this shoulder by spontaneous and evoked IPSPs suggests that the activation of dendritic conductances by back-propagating somatic action potentials is regulated tightly by synaptic events. Intracellular injection of the Ca2+ chelating agent, 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (100 mM) caused a depolarization of the peak (-75.3 +/- 1.3 mV) and tail (-77.7 +/- 1.7 mV) reversal potentials during a time course of 15-45 min. Concurrently, the amplitude of the excitatory postsynaptic potential increased whereas that of the hyperpolarization decreased, suggesting that a Ca(2+)-dependent K+ conductance contributes significantly to the evoked hyperpolarization. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)

Single axon IPSPs elicited in pyramidal cells by three classes of interneurones in slices of rat neocortex

1. Using dual intracellular recordings in slices of adult rat neocortex, twenty-four IPSPs activated by single presynaptic interneurones were studied in simultaneously recorded pyramidal cells. Fast spiking interneurones inhibited one in four or five of their close pyramidal neighbours. No reciprocal connections were observed. After recordings neurones were filled with biocytin. 2. Interneurones that elicited IPSPs were classified as classical fast spiking (n = 10), as non-classical fast spiking (n = 3, including one burst-firing interneurone), as unclassified, or slow interneurones (n = 8), or as regular spiking interneurones (n = 3), i.e. interneurones whose electrophysiological characteristics were indistinguishable from those of pyramidal cells. 3. All of the seven classical fast spiking cells anatomically fully recovered had aspiny, beaded dendrites. Their partially myelinated axons ramified extensively, varying widely in shape and extent, but randomly selected labelled axon terminals typically innervated somata and large calibre dendrites on electron microscopic examination. One 'autapse' was demonstrated. One presumptive regular spiking interneurone axon made four somatic and five dendritic connections with unlabelled targets. 4. Full anatomical reconstructions of labelled classical fast spiking interneurones and their postsynaptic pyramids (n = 5) demonstrated one to five boutons per connection. The two recorded IPSPs that were fully reconstructed morphologically (3 and 5 terminals) were, however, amongst the smallest recorded (< 0.4 mV). Some connections may therefore involve larger numbers of contacts. 5. Single axon IPSPs were between 0.2 and 3.5 mV in average amplitude at -55 to -60 mV. Extrapolated reversal potentials were between -70 and -82 mV. IPSP time course correlated with the type of presynaptic interneurone, but not with IPSP latency, amplitude, reversal potential, or sensitivity to current injected at the soma. 6. Classical fast spiking interneurones elicited the fastest IPSPs (width at half-amplitude 14.72 +/- 3.83 ms, n = 10) and unclassified, or slow interneurones the slowest (56.29 +/- 23.44 ms, n = 8). Regular spiking interneurone IPSPs had intermediate half-widths (27.3 +/- 3.68 ms, n = 3). 7. Increasingly brief presynaptic interspike intervals increased the peak amplitude of, but not the area under, the summed IPSP. Only at interspike intervals between 10 and 20 ms did IPSP integrals exhibit paired pulse facilitation. Paired pulse depression was apparent at < 10 and 20-60 ms. During longer spike trains, summing IPSPs decayed to a plateau potential that was relatively independent of firing rate (100-250 Hz). Thereafter, the voltage response could increase again. 8. Summed IPSPs elicited by two to fifteen presynaptic spike trains decayed as, or more rapidly than, single-spike IPSPs. Summed IPSPs elicited by > 20 spikes (> 150 Hz), however, resulted in an additional, more slowly decaying component (latency > 50 ms, duration > 200 ms). The possible involvement of GABAB receptors in this component is discussed. 9. It is suggested that three broad classes of interneurones may activate GABAA receptors on relatively proximal portions of neocortical pyramidal neurones. The different time courses of the IPSPs elicited by the three classes may reflect different types of postsynaptic receptor rather than dendritic location. An additional class, burst firing, spiny interneurones appear to activate GABAA receptors on more distal sites.

Electrophysiological investigation of adenosine trisphosphate-sensitive potassium channels in the rat substantia nigra pars reticulata

Adenosine trisphosphate-sensitive potassium (K-ATP) channels in the substantia nigra pars reticulata were studied in rat brain slices using whole-cell patch clamp recording. Substantia nigra pars reticula neurons were identified as such by their spontaneous action potential firing at mean rate of 15.3 Hz1 virtual absence of hyperpolarization-activated inward current Ih1 and unresponsiveness to dopamine (30 microM), quinirole (10 microM) and (Met)enkephalin (10 microM). Intracellular dialysis with Mg(2+0-ATP-free pipette solutions caused a slowly developing membrane hyperpolarization (13 +/- 4 mV), accompanied by a cessation of action potential firing, or an outward current (79 +/- 30 pA at around -60 mV), which were reversed b the sulphonylurea K-ATO channel blockers tolbutamide (100 microM) and glibenclamide (3 microM). When Mg(2+0-ATP (2 mM) was included in the recording pipette no membrane hyperpolarization or outward current was observed. Neither the sulphonylureas nor the potassium channel activator lemakalim (200 MicroM) altered membrane potential, firing rate or holding current under these recording conditions. The outward current induced by dialysis with Mg(2+)-ATP-free solutions reversed polarity negative to -94 +/- 9 mV (9 cells), close to the estimated K+ equilibrium potential (-105 mV) for the conditions used, and was associated with a conductance increase that was blocked by Ba2+ (100 microM). The current blocked by the sulphonylureas had a similar reversal potential (-97 +/- 7 MV; 13 cells), and both currents were voltage independent over the range -50 to -100 mV with slope conductance of approximately 2.0 nS. Outward synaptic current were evoked by single shock electrical simulation, in the presence of glutamate receptor antagonists, at a holding potential of -50 mV. These synaptic currents were blocked by bicuculline (10 microM) and reversed polarity at around -65 mV, close to the Cl- equilibrium potential, and were thus mediated by GABAA receptors. They were reversibly depressed by 37 +/- 14% in lemakalim (200 microM) in 6/12 cells tested, an effect that was partially reversed by tolbutamide (200 microM). It is concluded that functional K-ATP channels are present both presynaptically and postsynaptically in the substantia nigra pars reticulata. Postsynaptic K-ATP channels may control excitability in conditions where intracellular ATP is reduced, whereas presynaptic K-ATP channels, sensitive to the potassium channel activator lemakalim, can modulate the release of GABA, which probably arises from fibres of extranigral origin. Pharmacological differences between these two sites could be exploited to treat epilepsies, dyskinesias and akinesia.

Projection cells and interneurons of the lateral and basolateral amygdala: distinct firing patterns and differential relation to theta and delta rhythms in conscious cats

To study relations between the basolateral (BL) amygdaloid complex and major electroencephalogram (EEG) rhythms of the entorhinal cortex (delta and theta), neurons of the lateral and BL nuclei were recorded in conscious cats. An essential task to this end was to obtain criteria allowing the identification of projection cells and interneurons. BL projection cells, identified by their antidromic response to parahippocampal stimuli, generated stereotyped high-frequency bursts (2-4 spikes at 140-250 Hz), which repeated at low rates. Projection cells of the lateral nucleus were virtually silent, but their presence was disclosed by cortical-evoked responses. In both nuclei, the firing rates and/or responsiveness of projection cells increased from waking to slow-wave sleep (S). In contrast with projection cells, presumed interneurons discharged at high rates (approximately 10-15 Hz) and displayed various discharge patterns ranging from tonic to phasic. The bipartite classification of BL neurons on the basis of their discharge patterns and synaptic responses was supported by the differential relation existing between EEG rhythms and the activity of the two cell types. Indeed, fast-firing and bursting cells of the BL nucleus tended to fire on opposite phases of the delta oscillation of S and entorhinal theta oscillation of paradoxical sleep. The unusual state-related changes in activity displayed by lateral and BL neurons point to functional similarities between the amygdala and hippocampus. This idea is supported by the presence of coherent theta oscillations in the amygdala-hippocampal circuit that might favor the emergence of recurring time windows when synaptic interactions will be facilitated in this limbic network.

A pharmacological analysis of the burst events induced in midbrain dopaminergic neurons by electrical stimulation of the prefrontal cortex in the rat

Electrical stimulation of the prefrontal cortex produces an inhibition-excitation (IE) activity pattern in the majority of responsive midbrain dopaminergic neurons. The excitatory phase often contains events, time-locked to the stimulation, which resemble natural bursts. The present study investigated the relationship between the inhibition and time-locked bursts by reducing the impact of the inhibition through membrane hyperpolarisation with the dopamine agonist apomorphine (i.v.) or antagonism with the GABAA antagonist picrotoxin (i.v. and iontophoretic). Apomorphine abolished or reduced time-locked bursting in all IE cells. Picrotoxin reduced the initial inhibition in the majority of IE cells, and abolished or reduced time-locked bursting at the highest intravenous dose. However, reductions in the initial inhibition were not systematically related to reductions in time-locked bursting. Hence, the phenomena do not appear to be causally related. Instead, time-locked bursts appear to be based on a straightforward excitation, which makes them closely analogous to natural bursts.

Excitation of rat substantia nigra pars reticulata neurons by 5-hydroxytryptamine in vitro: evidence for a direct action mediated by 5-hydroxytryptamine2C receptors

Single-unit extracellular and whole-cell patch clamp recording were used to study the actions of exogenously applied 5-hydroxytryptamine on substantia nigra pars reticulata neurons in parasaggital slices of rat midbrain. Seventy-six per cent of substantia nigra pars reticulata cells (254/334) recorded extracellularly were excited by 5-hydroxytryptamine (EC50 = 9.56 microM); in the remainder, inhibitions (13.5%), biphasic responses (4.2%) or lack of response (6.3%) were observed. Using whole-cell patch recording, 5-hydroxytryptamine (10 microM) caused either an inward current (9/9 cells) or a depolarization (3/3 cells) at membrane potentials in the range -50 to -90 mV, which was resistant to tetrodotoxin (4/4 cells), indicating that the predominant, excitatory action of 5-hydroxytryptamine was due to a direct action on substantia nigra pars reticulata neurons. The 5-hydroxytryptamine excitation (recorded extracellularly) was reduced to 24 +/- 6% of control values by methysergide (0.1 microM) and to 17 +/- 5% of control by ketanserin (10 microM), but was unaffected by the 5-hydroxytryptamine antagonists spiperone (0.1 microM), yohimbine (0.1 microM), pindolol (1 microM), GR113808A (1 microM) or ICS 205930 (10 microM). In addition, the 5-hydroxytryptamine excitation was mimicked by the 5-hydroxytryptamine2C receptor--preferring agonist alpha-methyl 5-hydroxytryptamine (10 microM), but the agonists CP93, 129 (0.1-1 microM) and (+/-)-2-dipropylamino-8-hydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene hydrobromide (0.1-1 microM) were without effect. Taken together, this pharmacology indicated involvement of the 5-hydroxytryptamine2C receptor in the 5-hydroxytryptamine excitation, while other candidate receptors known to be present in rat substantia nigra pars reticulata (5-hydroxytryptamine1B, 5-hydroxytryptamine2A and 5-hydroxytryptamine4) could be excluded from consideration. While in accord with current information on the location of 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor subtypes in substantia nigra pars reticulata, and the consequence of activation of neuronal 5-hydroxytryptamine2C receptors, these results contrast with data from in vivo experiments which suggest that the net effect of 5-hydroxytryptamine is to inhibit substantia nigra pars reticulata neurons. The reason for this apparent discrepancy may lie in detailed consideration of the microcircuitry of the substantia nigra pars reticulata. This may lead to a re-evaluation of the influence of 5-hydroxytryptamine on this basal ganglia output relay nucleus, and its role in motor control and the gating of generalized seizure activity.

Opposing roles for dopamine and serotonin at presynaptic receptors in the ventral tegmental area

1. Dopamine D1 and 5HT1D receptors are found on the terminals of afferent GABA neurons that synapse on the ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons. The role of these receptors in the actions of cocaine was investigated using intracellular recordings in a brain slice preparation. Synaptic potentials were generated in the slice and GABA-mediated inhibitory post-synaptic potentials (IPSP) were identified. 2. Stimulation of dopamine D1 receptors selectively enhanced the GABAB IPSP, and their effect was blocked by D1 antagonists. The magnitude of the IPSP was decreased when D1 antagonists were applied in isolation, suggesting tonic D1 receptor stimulation via dendritically released dopamine. 3. Cocaine had an opposite effect and selectively decreased the magnitude of GABAB IPSP. This action was mimicked by 5HT and the 5HT1D agonist sumatriptan, and attenuated by the 5HT1D/2C antagonist, metergoline. The action of cocaine was also mimicked by the 5HT-releasing agent, fenfluramine, and blocked by pre-incubation of the slice with the 5HT-depleting agent, para-chloroamphetamine. 4. The results of this study suggest that dopamine and 5HT have opposing roles in modulating GABA input into VTA dopamine neurons. The actions of cocaine on this interplay may have implications for understanding its addictive properties.

Intrinsic connections of the rat amygdaloid complex: projections originating in the basal nucleus

The amygdaloid complex is involved in associational processes, such as the formation of emotional memories about sensory stimuli. However, the anatomical connections through which the different amygdaloid nuclei process incoming information and communicate with the other amygdaloid nuclei, is poorly understood. As part of an ongoing project aimed at elucidating the intrinsic connections of the rat amygdaloid complex, we injected the anterograde tracer PHA-L (Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin) into different rostrocaudal levels of the basal nucleus of the amygdala in 21 rats and analyzed the distribution of labeled fibers and terminals throughout the amygdaloid complex. The connectional analysis, together with cytoarchitectonic observations, suggested that contrary to previous notions the basal nucleus in the rat has three divisions: magnocellular, intermediate, and parvicellular. The magnocellular division has heavy reciprocal connections with the lateral portion of the parvicellular division and the intermediate division projects weakly to the parvicellular division, whereas the projection from the medial portion of the parvicellular division to the intermediate division is heavy and the lateral and medial portions of the parvicellular division are only weakly interconnected, as are the magnocellular and intermediate divisions. The main intraamygdaloid targets of the basal nucleus projections are the nucleus of the lateral olfactory tract, the anterior amygdaloid area, the medial and capsular divisions of the central nucleus, the anterior cortical nucleus, and the amygdalohippocampal area. Our findings provide the most detailed understanding of the intra-amygdala connections of the basal nucleus to date and show that the connections within the basal nucleus and between the basal nucleus and other amygdaloid areas are more widespread and topographically organized than previously recognized.

Pharmacological characterization of pre- and postsynaptic GABAB receptors in the deep nuclei of rat cerebellar slices

Whole-cell current-and voltage-clamp recordings were made from deep nuclear neurons in cerebellar slices from seven- to nine-day-old rats. Baclofen, a GABAB agonist, produced a slow postsynaptic hyperpolarization associated with a decrease in input resistance. The hyperpolarization was G-protein-dependent, blocked by intracellular Cs+ and antagonized by CGP 35348, a GABAB antagonist. In dialysed neurons recorded with Cs+ -containing pipettes, baclofen suppressed deep nuclear neuronal inhibitory postsynaptic potentials and inhibitory postsynaptic currents evoked by electrical stimulations of the Purkinje cell axons. This effect was blocked by CGP 35348, indicating that the suppressions were mediated by presynaptic GABAB receptors. The inability of CGP 35348 or uptake inhibitors (nipecotic acid and NO-711) to alter the decay of inhibitory postsynaptic currents evoked by maximal stimulation suggested that GABAB receptors are not activated by the stimulation of the GABAergic input. Paired-pulse depression of inhibitory postsynaptic currents was not blocked by CGP 35348. Moreover, neither uptake inhibitors nor CGP 35348 produced any significant changes to the whole-cell current produced by a tetanic stimulation of Purkinje cell axons, suggesting that GABAB autoreceptors were also not activated by endogenous GABA release. Our findings indicate that while pre- and postsynaptic GABAB receptors are present in the deep nuclei of the rat cerebellum, they are not activated by electrical stimulation of the Purkinje cell axons.

A physiological role for GABAB receptors and the effects of baclofen in the mammalian central nervous system

The inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA acts in the mammalian brain through two different receptor classes: GABAA and GABAB receptors. GABAB receptors differ fundamentally from GABAA receptors in that they require a G-protein. GABAB receptors are located pre- and/or post-synaptically, and are coupled to various K+ and Ca2+ channels presumably through both a membrane delimited pathway and a pathway involving second messengers. Baclofen, a selective GABAB receptor agonist, as well as GABA itself have pre- and post-synaptic effects. Pre-synaptic effects comprise the reduction of the release of excitatory and inhibitory transmitters. GABAergic receptors on GABAergic terminals may regulate GABA release, however, in most instances spontaneous inhibitory synaptic activity is not modulated by endogenous GABA. Post-synaptic GABAB receptor-mediated inhibition is likely to occur through a membrane delimited pathway activating K+ channels, while baclofen, in some neurons, may activate K+ channels through a second messenger pathway involving arachidonic acid. Some, but not all GABAB receptor-gated K+ channels have the typical properties of those G-protein-activated K+ channels which are also gated by other endogenous ligands of the brain. New, high affinity GABAB antagonists are now available, and some pharmacological evidence points to a receptor heterogeneity. The pharmacological distinction of receptor subtypes, however, has to await final support from a characterization of the molecular structure. The function importance of post-synaptic GABAB receptors is highlighted by a segregation of GABAA and GABAB synapses in the mammalian brain.

Ultrastructural relationships between terminals immunoreactive for enkephalin, GABA, or both transmitters in the rat ventral tegmental area

The ventral tegmental area (VTA) receives extensive afferent input from neurons containing the opioid peptide enkephalin (Enk) and/or GABA. We examined the ultrastructural basis for known functional interactions between these inhibitory neuromodulators using a combined immunoperoxidase and immunogold-silver technique. As visualized with either marker in single sections, Enk-immunolabeled terminals contained numerous small clear vesicles and one or more intensely immunoreactive dense-cored vesicles. Enk-labeled terminals formed either symmetric or asymmetric synapses on small or large unlabeled dendrites. The immunoreactive dense-cored vesicles were usually detected away from these sites of synaptic contact. Terminals singly immunoreactive for GABA, or dually labeled for Enk and GABA, showed similar morphological features but formed primarily symmetric axo-dendritic synapses. In many instances, GABA- and/or Enk-immunolabeled terminals were in direct apposition to each other and formed synapses on immediately adjacent parts of a common dendrite. Close appositions were also noted between GABA- and Enk-immunoreactive axons and varicosities that did not form synapses with either common or divergent dendrites in single sections. Immunoreactive dense-cored vesicles were frequently detected at the apposed plasmalemmal surfaces between these axon terminals. The findings suggest that Enk and GABA are released from the same or convergent terminals and co-regulate the activity of common target neurons within the rat VTA. The results are also consistent with potential presynaptic interactions between these transmitters.

Bridging the cleft at GABA synapses in the brain

A fragile balance between excitation and inhibition maintains the normal functioning of the CNS. The dominant inhibitory neurotransmitter of the mammalian brain is GABA, which acts mainly through GABAA and GABAB receptors. Small changes in GABA-mediated inhibition can alter neuronal excitability profoundly and, therefore, a wide range of compounds that clearly modify GABAA-receptor function are used clinically as anesthetics or for the treatment of various nervous system disorders. Recent findings have started to unravel the operation of central GABA synapses where inhibitory events appear to result from the synchronous opening of only tens of GABAA receptors activated by a saturating concentration of GABA. Such properties of GABA synapses impose certain constraints on the physiological and pharmacological modulation of inhibition in the brain.

GABAA receptor-mediated inhibition of N-methyl-D-aspartate-evoked [3H]dopamine release from mesencephalic cell cultures

Direct activations of both GABAA and GABAB receptors are known to hyperpolarize dopaminergic neurons. However systemic or intra-ventral tegmental administration of a GABAA receptor agonist produces paradoxical depolarization of mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons and increases dopamine release. Thus indirect excitation appears to preclude observation of inhibitory GABAA effects on dopamine release in intact tissue. The present study used cultures of isolated cells from rat ventral mesencephalon to characterize effects of GABAA and GABAB receptor activation on evoked dopamine release. The GABAA receptor agonist, muscimol, produced a potent and complete inhibition of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-evoked [3H]dopamine release. This effect was blocked by the GABAA receptor antagonist, picrotoxin, and enhanced by flunitrazepam. Omission of Mg2+ greatly reduced the inhibitory effect of muscimol on NMDA-evoked [3H]dopamine release. Muscimol had little or no effect on [3H]dopamine release evoked by the non-NMDA receptor agonists, quisqualate and kainate. The GABAB receptor agonist, baclofen, slightly inhibited NMDA-evoked [3H]dopamine release and had no effect on release evoked by quisqualate or kainate. Endogenous GABA released by the mesencephalic cells also appeared to inhibit NMDA-evoked [3H]dopamine release mainly via a GABAA receptor-mediated mechanism. This is suggested by the observations that NMDA-evoked [3H]dopamine release was potentiated by picrotoxin but not by the GABAB receptor antagonist, phaclofen, and that blockade of extracellular GABA removal, with amino-oxyacetic acid and beta-alanine, inhibited NMDA-evoked [3H]dopamine release in a picrotoxin-sensitive manner.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

GABAergic regulation of tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic neurons in the male rat

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)A and GABAB receptor blockade and activation on the activity of tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic (TIDA) neurons in male rats. The activity of TIDA neurons was estimated by measuring the concentration of the primary dopamine metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in the median eminence. Administration of the GABAA receptor antagonist SR 95531 increased DOPAC concentrations in the median eminence, and decreased plasma concentrations of prolactin, in a dose- and time-related manner. Administration of the GABAA receptor agonist isoguvacine had no effect per se on DOPAC concentrations in the median eminence, but produced a delayed decrease in plasma prolactin concentrations. Isoguvacine pre-treatment prevented the increase in DOPAC concentrations in the median eminence produced by SR 95531. In contrast, administration of the GABAB receptor agonist baclofen decreased DOPAC concentrations in the median eminence, and increased plasma prolactin concentrations in a dose-dependent manner. Administration of the GABAB receptor antagonist 2-hydroxysaclofen had no effect on TIDA neurons per se, but blocked baclofen-induced decreases in DOPAC concentrations in the median eminence and increases in plasma prolactin concentrations. These results indicate that while activation of GABAB receptors inhibits TIDA neurons, these neurons are tonically inhibited by endogenous GABA acting at GABAA but not GABAB receptors.

Inhibitory synaptic potentials in guinea-pig substantia nigra dopamine neurones in vitro

1. The properties of stimulus-evoked and spontaneous inhibitory synaptic potentials were examined in guinea-pig substantia nigra dopamine neurones in sagittal and coronal midbrain slices in the presence of glutamate receptor antagonists. 2. Focal electrical stimulation within the substantia nigra, cerebral peduncle, internal capsule or the striatum evoked a biphasic IPSP consisting of a fast and a slow component, with peak latencies of about 30 and 250 ms, respectively. The fast component was sensitive to chloride injection, reversed polarity at -79.4 +/- 1.1 mV and was blocked by the GABAA receptor antagonists picrotoxin and bicuculline. The slow IPSP reversed at -99.3 +/- 5.4 mV and was blocked by the GABAB receptor antagonists 2-hydroxysaclofen and CGP 35348. 3. Spontaneous IPSPs were observed in many neurones. These events reversed polarity at -77.5 +/- 2.6 mV and were completely blocked by bicuculline and/or picrotoxin. In the presence of TTX, small spontaneous events remained which probably represent miniature IPSPs. In coronal slices, application of 4-aminopyridine raised the frequency of spontaneous IPSPs, presumably by activating nigral interneurones, but failed to reveal spontaneous biphasic IPSPs or spontaneous pure slow IPSPs. 4. The amplitude of the fast IPSPs fluctuated from trial to trial. Amplitude histograms of minimal fast IPSPs displayed evenly spaced peaks, suggesting that synaptic transmission is quantal at these synapses. The measured peak spacing depended on the driving force for Cl-. 5. The fast IPSP showed little or no paired-pulse depression, and in the presence of 2-hydroxysaclofen (400-600 microM) showed paired-pulse facilitation. The GABAB agonist baclofen inhibited the fast IPSP via a presynaptic mechanism. The pharmacologically isolated slow IPSP showed marked paired-pulse facilitation. 6. It is concluded that synaptic inhibition in the substantia nigra is mediated by GABA, is relatively resistant to frequency-dependent depression and is regulated by presynaptic GABAB autoreceptors. Striatonigral and pallidonigral fibres activate both GABAA and GABAB receptors, while intranigral pathways appear to activate predominantly GABAA receptors.

Distributions of GABAA, GABAB, and benzodiazepine receptors in the forebrain and midbrain of pigeons

Autoradiographic and immunohistochemical methods were used to study the distributions of GABAA, GABAB and benzodiazepine (BDZ) receptors in the pigeon fore- and midbrain. GABAA, GABAB and BDZ binding sites were found to be abundant although heterogeneously distributed in the telencephalon. The primary sensory areas of the pallium of the avian telencephalon (Wulst and dorsal ventricular ridge) tended to be low in all three binding sites, while the surrounding second order belt regions of the pallium were typically high in all three. Finally, the outermost rind of the pallium (termed the pallium externum by us), which surrounds the belt regions and projects to the striatum of the basal ganglia, was intermediate in all three GABAergic receptors types. Although both GABAA and benzodiazepine receptors were abundant within the basal ganglia, GABAA binding sites were densest in the striatum and BDZ binding sites were densest in the pallidum. Among the brainstem regions receiving GABAergic basal ganglia input, the anterior and posterior nuclei of the ansa lenticularis showed very low levels of all three receptors, while the lateral spiriform nucleus and the ventral tegmental area/substantia nigra complex contained moderate abundance of the three binding sites. The dorsalmost part of the dorsal thalamus (containing nonspecific nuclei) was rich in all three binding sites, while the more ventral part of the dorsal thalamus (containing specific sensory nuclei), the ventral thalamus and the hypothalamus were poor in all three binding sites. The pretectum was also generally poor in all three, although some nuclei displayed higher levels of one or more binding sites. The optic tectum, inferior colliculus, and central gray were rich in all three sites, while among the isthmic nuclei, the parvicellular isthmic nucleus was conspicuously rich in BDZ sites. The results show a strong correlation of the regional abundance of GABA binding sites with previously described distributions of GABAergic fibers and terminals in the avian forebrain and midbrain. The regional distribution of these binding sites is also remarkably similar to that in mammals, indicating a conservative evolution of forebrain and midbrain GABA systems among amniotes.

Neurotransmission in the rat amygdala related to fear and anxiety

An impressive amount of evidence from many different laboratories using a variety of experimental techniques indicates that the amygdala plays a crucial role in the acquisition, consolidation and retention or expression of conditioned fear. Electrophysiological data are beginning to detail the transmitters and inter-amygdala connections that transmit information to, within, and out of the amygdala. In general, treatments that increase the excitability of amygdala output neurons in the basolateral nucleus (for example, by decreasing opiate and GABA transmission, and increasing noradrenergic transmission) improve aversive conditioning, whereas treatments that decrease excitability of these neurons (by increasing opiate and GABA transmission, and decreasing NMDA and noradrenergic transmission) retard aversive conditioning as well as producing anxiolytic effects in appropriate animal tests. A better understanding of brain systems that inhibit the amygdala, as well as the role of its very high levels of peptides, might eventually lead to the development of more effective pharmacological strategies for treating clinical anxiety and memory disorders.

Separate activation of fast and slow inhibitory postsynaptic potentials in rat neocortex in vitro

Synaptic inhibition was investigated by stimulating inhibitory neurones with focal microapplications of glutamate, while recording from layer V pyramidal neurones of rat somatosensory cortical slices. One class of inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) thus elicited was characterized as a fast, chloride-mediated, GABAA IPSP in part by its fast time-to-peak (mean 2.5 ms) and brief duration, but primarily on the basis of its reversal potential at -68 mV, and its blockade by picrotoxin. The average peak amplitude for these fast IPSPs was -1.5 mV, measured at -60 mV. The peak conductance calculated for these events was about 10 nS. The conductance change associated with the maximal fast inhibitory postsynaptic potential resulting from electrical stimulation of afferent pathways ranged up to 116 nS. A second class of IPSP was encountered much less frequently. These glutamate-triggered events were characterized as slow, potassium-mediated GABAB IPSPs partly because of their longer times-to-peak (mean, 45 ms) and duration, but especially because of their extrapolated equilibrium potential at about -89 mV and blockade by 2-hydroxysaclofen. The average peak amplitude for these slow IPSPs was -2.3 mV, measured at -60 mV. The peak conductance for these events was about 8 nS. IPSPs resulting from the excitation of individual inhibitory interneurones were elicited by glutamate microapplication at particular locations relative to recording sites. Both fast and slow IPSPs were generated, but these occurred as separate events, and mixed responses were never seen. Thus, the two mechanistically distinct types of IPSPs which result from GABA interaction at GABAA and GABAB receptors on neocortical neurones may be mediated by separate classes of inhibitory neurones.

Glutamatergic hippocampal formation projections to prefrontal cortex in the rat are regulated by GABAergic inhibition and show convergence with glutamatergic projections from the limbic thalamus

Anatomic and physiologic studies in the rat have shown projections from the hippocampal formation (HF) and mediodorsal (MD) thalamic nucleus to the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). The authors used multi-barrel iontophoresis to: confirm the neurotransmitter used in the projection from HF to mPFC; investigate the role of GABAergic inhibition in the regulation of this projection; and examine the functional convergence of projections from HF and MD onto single mPFC neurons. During HF stimulation, nine cells (6%) showed excitation followed by prolonged inhibition, 39 cells (26%) showed prolonged inhibition alone and 100 cells (68%) showed no clear response. In a further 12 cells that showed no predrug excitation to HF stimulation (representing 16% of the cells in this category), iontophoresis of the GABAA antagonist bicuculline methiodide (BMI) revealed excitatory responses. A total of six mPFC cells (38% of the cells showing excitatory responses to HF stimulation) showed convergent excitation to HF and MD thalamic (or adjacent paratenial nucleus) stimulation. Five out of eight (63%) of the predrug or BMI-revealed excitatory responses of mPFC neurons to HF stimulation were selectively decreased after AMPA antagonist iontophoresis (either CNQX or DNQX). These data confirm that the HF projection to prefrontal cortex is, at least in part, glutamatergic; suggest that the responses of mPFC neurons to activity in this HF pathway are regulated by GABAergic inhibition; and indicate that projections from HF and MD converge onto single mPFC neurons.

Effects of serotonin on hilar neurons and granule cell inhibition in the guinea pig hippocampal slice

Intracellular recordings in guinea pig hippocampal slices were used to study the effects of serotonin (5-HT) on presumed inhibitory hilar neurons and on postsynaptic inhibition of granule cells. 5-HT applied by the bath hyperpolarized only 50% of the hilar neurons tested but all CA3 neurons and granule cells, presumably by activating a K-conductance. The bath application of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, 50 microM) induced burst discharge activity in hilar neurons and giant inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) in granule cells consisting of a Cl- and K-component. 5-HT (5-10 microM) reversibly blocked the K-component of giant IPSPs in granule cells, but not their Cl-component. In the majority of hilar neurons 5-HT increased the frequency of 4-AP induced burst discharges even when hilar neurons were hyperpolarized. Only in a few hilar neurons 5-HT blocked 4-AP induced burst discharges. We conclude that the changes in burst discharge pattern of hilar neurons correspond with the differential effect of 5-HT on Cl- and K-mediated inhibition of granule cells.

The pharmacology and function of central GABAB receptors

In conclusion, GABAB receptors enable GABA to modulate neuronal function in a manner not possible through GABAA receptors alone. These receptors are present at both pre- and postsynaptic sites and can exert both inhibitory and disinhibitory effects. In particular, GABAB receptors are important in regulating NMDA receptor-mediated responses, including the induction of LTP. They also can regulate the filtering properties of neural networks, allowing peak transmission in the frequency range of theta rhythm. Finally, GABAB receptors are G protein-coupled to a variety of intracellular effector systems, and thereby have the potential to produce long-term changes in the state of neuronal activity, through actions such as protein phosphorylation. Although the majority of the effects of GABAB receptors have been reported in vitro, recent studies have also demonstrated that GABAB receptors exert electrophysiological actions in vivo. For example, GABAB receptor antagonists reduce the late IPSP in vivo and consequently can decrease inhibition of spontaneous neuronal firing following a stimulus (Lingenhöhl and Olpe, 1993). In addition, blockade of GABAB receptors can increase spontaneous activity of central neurons, suggesting the presence of GABAB receptor-mediated tonic inhibition (Andre et al., 1992; Lingenhöhl and Olpe, 1993). Despite these electrophysiological effects, antagonism of GABAB receptors has generally been reported to produce few behavioral actions. This lack of overt behavioral effects most likely reflects the modulatory nature of the receptor action. Nevertheless, two separate behavioral studies have recently reported an enhancement of cognitive performance in several different animal species following blockade of GABAB receptors (Mondadori et al., 1992; Carletti et al., 1993). Because of their small number of side effects, GABAB receptor antagonists may represent effective therapeutic tools for modulation of cognition. Alternatively, the lack of overt behavioral effects of GABAB receptors may indicate that these receptors are more important in pathologic rather than normal physiological states (Wojcik et al., 1989). For example, a change in receptor affinity or receptor number brought on by the pathology could enhance the effectiveness of GABAB receptors. Of significance, CGP 35348 has been shown to block absence seizures in genetically seizure prone animals, while inducing no seizures in control animals (Hosford et al., 1992; Liu et al., 1992). Thus, GABAB receptors may represent effective sites for pharmacological regulation of absence seizures. Perhaps further behavioral effects of these receptors will become apparent only after additional studies have been performed using the highly potent antagonists that have been recently introduced.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Distribution of GABA immunoreactivity in the amygdaloid complex of the cat

This study describes the distribution of GABA immunoreactivity in the amygdaloid complex of cats. At the light microscopic level, immunopositive structures consisted of morphologically diverse somata and numerous small punctate elements. The latter accounted for most of the staining at low magnification and, at the electron microscopic level, were found to be axon terminals establishing symmetric synaptic contacts with a variety of postsynaptic profiles. Deep and superficial amygdaloid nuclei could be assigned to one of four groups according to (i) the intensity of immunolabeling they displayed, (ii) their density in reactive somata, and (iii) the size of the immunopositive somata they contained. Intercalated cell masses displayed the highest density of strongly immunoreactive cell bodies and presumed GABAergic terminals. However, electron microscope observations showed that intercalated somata were almost devoid of synaptic contacts. In contrast, central and medial nuclei were characterized by a low density of intensely immunoreactive somata and an elevated concentration for GABAergic terminals which contacted somatic and dendritic profiles. In addition, central and medial nuclei contained numerous neurons displaying low to moderate immunoreactivity. Superficial amygdaloid nuclei and nuclei of the basolateral complex displayed an intermediate density of immunoreactive somata and a low to moderate concentration of presumed terminals. Analysis of the distribution of soma areas within these nuclei revealed that the basolateral complex contains a distinct subpopulation of larger immunoreactive neurons. In light of recent electrophysiological findings, these results suggest that the intra-amygdaloid GABAergic system plays a major role in controlling the synaptic responsiveness and spontaneous activity of amygdaloid neurons.

Presynaptic modulation of spinal reflexes

Recent evidence suggests that independent sets of interneurons mediate presynaptic inhibition of primary and secondary muscle spindles and of tendon organ afferents. There is also evidence that the information which flows through different intraspinal collaterals of a single muscle spindle or tendon organ afferent fiber is selectively affected by electrical stimulation of the motor cortex. These studies suggest that presynaptic inhibition plays an important role in the selection of the sensory signals required for the execution of a specific motor task.

Heterogeneity in presynaptic regulation of GABA release from hippocampal inhibitory neurons

Release of GABA from the terminals of hippocampal inhibitory neurons is inhibited by activation of GABAB autoreceptors and mu opioid receptors. However, it is not known whether these presynaptic processes affect all inhibitory synapses equally. We examined the effects of the GABAB receptor agonist baclofen and the mu opioid receptor agonist DAGO on postsynaptic currents evoked by minimal stimulation of inhibitory fibers (meIPSCs) in area CA3. Baclofen reversibly depressed approximately half of the meIPSCs evoked in the stratum pyramidale. The remaining meIPSCs were unaffected despite a coincident depression of spontaneous IPSCs. In contrast, all meIPSCs were depressed by DAGO. In addition, minimal stimulation in the stratum radiatum evoked meIPSCs that were always depressed by baclofen. These results indicate that regulation of GABA release by GABAB autoreceptors occurs at a subset of inhibitory synapses and that GABAB-resistant inhibitory synapses are located on pyramidal neuron somata. Hippocampal inhibitory neurons may be heterogeneous with respect to presynaptic receptor-mediated regulation of GABA release.

GABA and enkephalin projection from the nucleus accumbens and ventral pallidum to the ventral tegmental area

GABAergic and enkephalinergic afferents to the ventral tegmental area were investigated in the rat using retrograde tracing techniques combined with in situ hybridization. Following iontophoretic deposit of Fluoro-Gold in the ventral tegmental area labeling in the forebrain was most dense in the shell of the nucleus accumbens, rostral ventromedial ventral pallidum and diagonal band of Broca. A smaller density was also observed in the lateral septum. In these forebrain regions, the portion of retrogradely labeled cells that contained mRNA for glutamate decarboxylase ranged from 25% to 50%, whereas only 5% to 15% were double-labeled for preproenkephalin mRNA. Cells double-labeled with either glutamate decarboxylase or preproenkephalin mRNA were most numerous in the lateral septum, shell of the nucleus accumbens, rostral ventral pallidum and diagonal band of Broca. Large Fluoro-Gold deposits which invaded the medial substantia nigra resulted in a significant number of retrogradely labeled cells in the core of the nucleus accumbens, and a portion of these neurons also contained mRNA for glutamate decarboxylase or preproenkephalin. These data demonstrate the presence of GABAergic and enkephalinergic neurons projecting from the nucleus accumbens, ventral pallidum and diagonal band of Broca to the ventral tegmental area.

Dopamine D1 receptors facilitate transmitter release

A physiological role for the dopamine D1 receptor has been difficult to define, particularly because of its complex pre- and postsynaptic localization in brain areas such as the striatum. In the midbrain, however, D1 receptors are selectively localized to the terminals of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)-containing afferents. We have studied the actions of these D1 receptors on evoked GABA synaptic potentials recorded intracellularly from dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). We report here that dopamine augmented GABAB inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (i.p.s.ps) in the presence of D2 receptor antagonists. This effect was mimicked by the D1 agonists SKF38393 and SKF82958 and blocked by the D1 antagonists SCH23390 and cis-flupenthixol. No modulation of the GABAA synaptic potential was observed. The postsynaptic actions of the GABAB agonist, baclofen, were unaffected by SKF38393, SCH23390 or cis-flupenthixol, confirming a presynaptic locus of D1 action. Additionally, D1 antagonists reduced the amplitude of the GABAB i.p.s.p. in the absence of D1 agonists. We conclude that dopamine acts tonically at presynaptic D1 receptors on the terminals of afferent GABA neurons to facilitate selectively GABAB-mediated neurotransmission in the midbrain.

Mesolimbic dopamine neurotransmission is increased by administration of mu-opioid receptor antagonists

Microdialysis and high pressure liquid chromatography were used to assess the effects of ventral tegmental area microinjections of the mu-opioid receptor antagonists D-Pen-Cys-Tyr-D-Trp-Orn-Thr-Pen-Thr-NH2 (CTOP) and beta-funaltrexamine (beta-FNA) on extracellular ventral striatal dopamine and metabolite concentrations. While CTOP is known to antagonize the increases in extracellular ventral striatal dopamine and dopamine metabolite concentrations induced by ventral tegmental area microinjections of a mu-opioid receptor agonist, it produced dose-orderly increases in ventral striatal dopamine and dopamine metabolite concentrations when administered by itself. beta-FNA also elevated dopamine and metabolite concentrations. These mu-agonist-like effects of the mu-opioid receptor antagonists were unexpected and suggest that a complex local circuitry mediates opioid-dopamine interactions in the ventral tegmental area. Since mu-opioids are known to act on ventral tegmental neurons that contain gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a model of interactions between GABAergic afferents to the ventral tegmental area and ventral tegmental GABAergic interneurons is proposed.

Normalization of auditory sensory gating in schizophrenic patients after a brief period for sleep

Diminished suppression of the P50 component of the evoked potential following repeated auditory stimuli is one example of a deficit in elementary sensory processing in schizophrenia. Normal subjects suppress the P50 evoked potential to the second of two paired auditory stimuli. Although normal P50 suppression is occasionally observed in schizophrenic patients, it generally disappears with subsequent testing. The object of this experiment was to determine conditions for the reproducible normalization of P50 suppression in schizophrenic patients. After baseline recordings, 12 schizophrenic subjects were allowed to sleep for 10 minutes. The depth of sleep obtained was assessed by electroencephalography (EEG). Normalization of P50 suppression was observed for approximately 3 minutes in all subjects who entered slow wave sleep, but not in those whose EEG records remained desynchronized. Some change was even observed in subjects who had only persistent alpha waves. The amount of normalization was correlated with the deepest stage of sleep reached. Normal control subjects did not show this phenomenon but instead had a transient decrease in sensory gating after waking from sleep. The results suggest that schizophrenic patients may have a defect that causes a neuronal mechanism critical to sensory gating to fail after brief use, although its activity can be transiently restored by a short period of inactivity. A rapidly desensitized neurotransmitter receptor is one possible mechanism of such an effect.

GABAA- and GABAB-mediated inhibition in the rat dentate gyrus in vitro

Many studies suggest that the dentate gyrus (DG) is a control point for hippocampal epileptogenesis. However, the importance of GABAergic inhibition in the DG is not quite clear. Intracellular recordings were obtained from granule cells (GC) of the rat DG. In addition to GABAA-mediated spontaneous postsynaptic potentials (PSPs), some GC exhibited spontaneous slow hyperpolarizations (SH). The SH were more commonly observed in a high concentration of external potassium. 2-Hydroxysaclofen, a GABAB antagonist, reduced the SH. Focal stimulation of the perforant path (PP) in the subiculum with a single pulse evoked a depolarization followed by a SH, which were both abolished by the excitatory amino acid (EAA) blockers, 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3 dione (CNQX) and 2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (APV). When evoked with a train of pulses, the SH was unaffected by the EAA blockers in 40% of the cells, suggesting either the existence of a GABAergic PP, or an unidentified polysynaptic mechanism. In control, the synaptic response to PP stimulation was superficially similar whether the stimulus was applied in the subiculum or stratum moleculare. However, in presence of bicuculline, the subicular PSP was followed by a train of PSPs occurring at a constant frequency of 25 Hz. This 'reverberating' effect of bicuculline was decreased in presence of APV and was abolished in slices in which the excitatory transmission had been interrupted downstream from CA3 neurons, suggesting that reverberation required the integrity of the hippocampo-entorhinal loop. By contrast, bicuculline decreased the amplitude of the stratum moleculare PSP. It is concluded that GC receive tonic inhibition from GABA acting at GABAA and GABAB receptors. The role of GABAB receptors is unclear; by contrast, GABAA-mediated inhibition prevents GC from reverberated excitation. The probability of occurrence of reverberation is higher during activation of the whole temporo-ammonic pathway and is partly dependent on the activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Thus, the in vitro brain slice can be used as a model to study reverberation which has been recently demonstrated to underlie epileptiform discharges in the whole brain preparation.

Bicuculline infused into the hamster ventral tegmentum inhibits, while sodium valproate facilitates, sexual receptivity

Progesterone's (P) actions on both the ventral medial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA) are essential for sexual receptivity in female hamsters. Evidence suggests that progesterone's actions in the hamster VMH may be genomic while those in the VTA may be mediated nongenomically, via GABAA. Ovariectomized female hamsters were bilaterally implanted with cannulae aimed toward the VTA. One week after surgery, animals were SC injected with 10 micrograms estradiol benzoate (EB) and 40 h later with 200 or 500 micrograms P. At hour 43.5, 50 ng bicuculline, a GABAA antagonist, was infused into each available cannula. Control animals received 0.5 microliter sterile saline vehicle, or no infusion. At hour 44, animals were tested for sexual receptivity in an observation arena with a sexually experienced male. Histology revealed that only animals with bicuculline infused into the VTA had reduced lordosis durations compared to controls. Other animals, primed with EB and 200 micrograms progesterone, showed a facilitation of sexual receptivity after infusion into the VTA of 50 micrograms sodium valproate, a GABAA transaminase inhibitor. These results suggest that GABAA plays a necessary role in the mechanism of progesterone's actions on sexual receptivity in hamster VTA.

Hyperpolarizing synaptic potentials evoked in CA1 pyramidal cells by glutamate stimulation of interneurons from the oriens/alveus border of rat hippocampal slices. II. Sensitivity to GABA antagonists

The receptor type mediating the inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (glut-IPSPs), recorded in CA1 pyramidal cells, as a result of glutamate stimulation of interneurons in stratum oriens near the alveus (O/A) was assessed and compared to the type mediating recurrent IPSPs evoked by recurrent activation of interneurons through glutamate stimulation of pyramidal cells in stratum pyramidale (PYR). In response to repetitive electrical stimulation, the peak amplitude of both the O/A glut-IPSP and the PYR glut-IPSP was attenuated (n = 5) in parallel to the reduction in amplitude of the early and late components of the electrically evoked response (stimulus-evoked disinhibition). This suggested the involvement of GABAergic receptors and attested that the interneurons activated during glut-IPSPs were also involved in the circuitry of the electrically evoked IPSPs. The local application of the selective GABAA antagonist bicuculline (100-200 microM) to the slice resulted in a significant reduction in the amplitude of both the O/A (by 76.5%; n = 9) and PYR (by 86.2%; n = 5) glut-IPSPs, in parallel to a decrease of the electrically evoked early IPSP, but not of the late IPSP. The presence of the GABAB antagonist 2-hydroxy-saclofen (1 mM) was able to significantly reduce the amplitude of the O/A glut-IPSPs (by 27.5%; n = 7) and of the electrically evoked late IPSP, but not the PYR glut-IPSP (n = 3). Although the application of phaclofen (20 mM) to the slice reduced the amplitude of the O/A glut-IPSPs (n = 3), the reduction was not statistically significant. These results suggest that recurrent IPSPs elicited from activation of interneurons by stimulation of pyramidal cells are mediated solely via GABAA receptors. Inhibitory postsynaptic potentials elicited from stimulation of interneurons in O/A were also mediated mostly by GABAA receptors, but in addition, displayed a minor component mediated by GABAB receptors. Therefore, since a large proportion of interneurons in O/A are recurrently excited by pyramidal cells (Lacaille J-C et al., 1987, J Neurosci 7: 1979-1993), and since recurrent IPSPs appeared mediated by GABAA receptors, a subpopulation of interneurons activated from O/A might exist that do not receive recurrent excitation but can inhibit pyramidal cells via GABAB receptors.

Giant GABAB-mediated synaptic potentials induced by zinc in the rat hippocampus: paradoxical effects of zinc on the GABAB receptor

The interaction of zinc with pre- and postsynaptic GABAB receptors was studied in adult rat hippocampal slices using intracellular recording in CA1 and CA3 pyramidal neurons. Zinc (50-300 microM) antagonized baclofen responses with a variable potency, whereas CGP-35348 (100 microM) or barium (300 microM) produced a more substantial and consistent inhibition. Zinc also induced giant GABAA-mediated depolarizing potentials (GDP) in these neurons. After blocking GABAA and excitatory synaptic transmission, monosynaptic hyperpolarizing inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSP) mediated by GABAB receptors (IPSPB) were inhibited by CGP-35348 or barium; however, zinc increased the latency and prolonged the duration of the IPSPB and also induced the appearance of spontaneous giant GABAB-mediated hyperpolarizing potentials (GHP). In some cells, IPSPBs in zinc exhibited a multiphasic appearance. The early component was partially inhibited by 300 microM zinc and was followed by a late GHP. CGP-35348 at 100 microM inhibited the early monosynaptic IPSPB but not the GHP; however, at 300 microM both components were blocked. Paired-pulse inhibition of the IPSPB was used to assess the effect of zinc on presynaptic GABAB receptors. Neither the zinc-chelating agent CP94 (400 microM) nor zinc affected this phenomenon. CGP-35348, barium and polyvalent cations, such as cadmium, copper, cobalt, manganese, iron and aluminum, failed to induce giant potentials in hippocampal neurons. It is concluded that zinc is apparently unique in synchronizing the release of GABA to produce GDPs and GHPs.

Effects of GABAB receptor agonists and antagonists on the bulbar respiratory network in cat

We examined the involvement of the GABAB receptor in central respiratory mechanisms. Respiratory neurons (RNs) from the ventral respiratory group in the medulla of the cat were subjected to iontophoretic applications of the GABAB receptor agonist baclofen and the antagonists saclofen and CGP 35348. In all types of RNs baclofen decreased the firing rate. This reduction was antagonized by CGP 35348. Application of either antagonist increased the spontaneous discharge in both inspiratory and expiratory RNs. CGP 35348 excited 57% of the neurons tested, on the average by 34% with ejection currents of 100 nA. Saclofen excited 6 of 9 neurons tested. Baclofen administered systemically (8-12 mg/kg i.v.) to either anesthetized, decerebrate or intact freely moving cats, induced a selective lengthening of the inspiratory phase, an effect comparable to the apneusis induced by the NMDA antagonist MK-801. Baclofen also produced either a pronounced decrease in the amplitude of phrenic nerve discharge or an apnea, both of which were reversed by increasing paCO2. The results suggest that endogenously released GABA acting on GABAB receptors may be involved in the control of respiratory neuronal discharge.

Cellular substrates for interactions between dynorphin terminals and dopamine dendrites in rat ventral tegmental area and substantia nigra

Dynorphin and other kappa opioid agonists are thought to elicit aversive actions and changes in motor activity through direct or indirect modulation of dopamine neurons in ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra (SN), respectively. We comparatively examined the immunoperoxidase localization of anti-dynorphin A antiserum in sections through the VTA and SN of adult rat brain to assess whether there were common or differential distributions of this opioid peptide relative to the dopamine neurons. We also more directly examined the relationship between dynorphin terminals and dopamine neurons in VTA and SN by combining immunoperoxidase labeling of rabbit dynorphin antiserum and immunogold-silver detection of mouse antibodies against tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in single sections through the VTA and SN. Light microscopy showed dynorphin-like immunoreactivity (DY-LI) in varicose processes. These were relatively sparse in VTA and were unevenly distributed in the SN, with little labeling in the pars compacta (pcSN) and the highest density of DY-LI in the medial and lateral pars reticulata (prSN). Electron microscopy established that the regional differences were attributed to differences in density (number/unit area) of immunoreactive profiles. The profiles containing DY-LI were designated as axon terminals based on having diameters greater than 0.1 micron, few microtubules and many synaptic vesicles. In both the VTA and SN, the dynorphin-labeled terminals contained primarily small (35-40 nm) clear vesicles. These vesicles were rimmed with peroxidase immunoreactivity and were often seen clustered above axodendritic synapses. These synaptic specializations were usually symmetric; however a few asymmetric densities also were formed by immunoreactive terminals in both VTA and SN. Additionally, most of the dynorphin-labeled terminals contained 1-2, but occasionally 7 or more intensely peroxidase positive dense core vesicles (DCVs). Approximately 60% of the DCVs were located near axolemmal surfaces. The axolemmal surfaces contacted by immunoreactive DCVs were more often apposed to dendrites in the VTA; while in the SN other axon terminals were the most commonly apposed neuronal profiles. In both regions, a substantial proportion of the plasmalemmal surface in contact with the labeled DCVs was apposed to astrocytic processes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Local and diffuse synaptic actions of GABA in the hippocampus

In the CNS, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) acts as an inhibitory transmitter via ligand-gated GABAA receptor channels and G protein-coupled GABAB receptors. Both of these receptor types mediate inhibitory postsynaptic transmission in the hippocampus. In addition to these direct postsynaptic actions, GABAB receptor agonists inhibit excitatory transmission through presynaptic receptors on excitatory afferent terminals. However, a physiological role for the GABAB receptors on excitatory nerve endings has not been established. In this study, we have found a brief, heterosynaptic depression of excitatory synaptic transmission in the CA1 region of the hippocampal slice following short-lasting repetitive stimulation and determined that this inhibition is mediated by presynaptic GABAB receptors. The inhibition of GABA uptake greatly enhanced both the presynaptic action of GABA and the slow GABAB-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic current. Transmitter uptake was also found to regulate the "spill-over" of GABA at conventional GABAA synapses. These results suggest that uptake mechanisms restrict the spatial range of both point-to-point synaptic transmission mediated by GABA and its action at a distance.

Neurotransmitter regulation of dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area

Over the last 10 years there has been important progress towards understanding how neurotransmitters regulate dopaminergic output. Reasonable estimates can be made of the synaptic arrangement of afferents to dopamine and non-dopamine cells in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). These models are derived from correlative findings using a variety of techniques. In addition to improved lesioning and pathway-tracing techniques, the capacity to measure mRNA in situ allows the localization of transmitters and receptors to neurons and/or axon terminals in the VTA. The application of intracellular electrophysiology to VTA tissue slices has permitted great strides towards understanding the influence of transmitters on dopamine cell function, as well as towards elucidating relative synaptic organization. Finally, the advent of in vivo dialysis has verified the effects of transmitters on dopamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid transmission in the VTA. Although reasonable estimates can be made of a single transmitter's actions under largely pharmacological conditions, our knowledge of how transmitters work in concert in the VTA to regulate the functional state of dopamine cells is only just emerging. The fact that individual transmitters can have seemingly opposite effects on dopaminergic function demonstrates that the actions of neurotransmitters in the VTA are, to some extent, state-dependent. Thus, different transmitters perform similar functions or the same transmitter may perform opposing functions when environmental circumstances are altered. Understanding the dynamic range of a transmitter's action and how this couples in concert with other transmitters to modulate dopamine neurons in the VTA is essential to defining the role of dopamine cells in the etiology and maintenance of neuropsychiatric disorders. Further, it will permit a more rational exploration of drugs possessing utility in treating disorders involving dopamine transmission.