Hippocampal slice electrophysiology

A variety of different types of tissue preparation are used to study neurosecretion and synaptic transmission. A classical preparation is the frog NMJ (discussed below). The brain slice has been used for many years for biochemical studies of CNS metabolism and is a useful preparation for electrophysiological studies of synaptic transmission in the CNS. Slices can be oriented to maintain the local neuronal circuitry and can be thin, 0.3 mm, to minimize anoxia. The transverse hippocampal slice is widely used as an electrophysiological preparation to study synaptic plasticity (see Ch. 53). Primary cultures of neurons from selected CNS areas and sympathetic ganglia are also frequently used. They permit excellent visual identification of individual neurons and control of the extracellular milieu, but the normal neuronal connections are disrupted. 

Cellular mechanisms underlying hyperexcitability have been analyzed by electrophysiological studies of hippocampal slices isolated from animals with epilepsy 632... 

Fisher, R. S., and Alger, B. E. (1984) Electrophysiological mechanisms of kainic acid-induced epileptiform activity in the rat hippocampal slice. J. Neurosci. 4(5), 1312-1323... 

It has to be noted that the electrophysiological experiments in which 3,5-DHPG exclusively caused inhibition of EPSP amplitude in hippocampal slices were carried... 

Pelhnar, T.C., Keyser, D.O., Emery, C., Hogan, J.B. (1999h). Electrophysiological changes in hippocampal slices isolated fi om rats embedded with depleted uranium fi agments. Neurotoxicology 20 785-92. 

Pellmar TC, Keyser DO, Emery C et al. 1999b. Electrophysiological changes in hippocampal slices isolated from rats embedded with depleted uranium fragments. Neurotoxicology (in press). 

Evidence has emerged for the presence of G protein-coupled, non-GBi receptors on glutamatergic axonal terminals in the hippocampus with which at least some cannabinoid receptor agonists can interact to inhibit glutamate release. More specifically, results from electrophysiological experiments with hippocampal slices... 

Albus H, Williamson R. Electrophysiologic analysis of the actions of valproate on pyramidal neurons in the rat hippocampal slice. Epilepsia 1998 39(2) 124-139. 

Stafstrom CE, Wang C, Jensen FE. Electrophysiological observations in hippocampal slices from rats treated with the ketogenic diet. Dev Neurosci 1999b 21 393-399. 

This compound (Fig. 36.11) is a potent Ai adenosine agonist in receptor binding, in inhibitory electrophysiologi-cal effects in hippocampal slices, and in inhibition of lipolysis in viV< . ... 

Duport, S., Stoppini, L. Correges, P. (1997) Life Sci. 60 PL. Electrophysiological approach of the antiepileptic effect of dexamethasone on hippocampal slice culture using a multirecording system the Physiocard. 

Carlen PL, Gurevich N, Zhang L, Wu PH, Reynaud D, Pace-Asciak CR. Formation and electrophysiological actions of the arachidonic acid metabolites, hepoxilins, at nanomolar concentrations in rat hippocampal slices. Neuroscience 1994 58 493-502. 

---