Postsynaptic and spiking activity of pyramidal cells,the principal neurons in the rat hippocampal CA1 region,does not control the resultant BOLD response: a combined electrophysiologic and fMRI approach

The specific role of postsynaptic activity for the generation of a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) response was determined by a simultaneous measurement of generated field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) and blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response in the rat hippocampal CA1 region during electrical stimulation of the contralateral CA3 region. The stimulation electrode was placed either in the left CA3a/b or CA3c, causing the preferentially basal or apical dendrites of the pyramidal cells in the right CA1 to be activated. Consecutive stimulations with low-intensity stimulation trains (i.e., 16 pulses for 8 seconds) resulted in clear postsynaptic responses of CA1 pyramidal cells, but in no significant BOLD responses. In contrast, consecutive high-intensity stimulation trains resulted in stronger postsynaptic responses that came along with minor (during stimulation of the left CA3a/b) or substantial (during stimulation of the left CA3c) spiking activity of the CA1 pyramidal cells, and resulted in the generation of significant BOLD responses in the left and right hippocampus. Correlating the electrophysiologic parameters of CA1 pyramidal cell activity (fEPSP and spiking activity) with the resultant BOLD response revealed no positive correlation. Consequently, postsynaptic activity of pyramidal cells, the most abundant neurons in the CA1, is not directly linked to the measured BOLD response.     

Longitudinal gradient coil optimization in the presence of transient eddy currents.

The switching of magnetic field gradient coils in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) inevitably induces transient eddy currents in conducting system components, such as the cryostat vessel. These secondary currents degrade the spatial and temporal performance of the gradient coils, and compensation methods are commonly employed to correct for these distortions. This theoretical study shows that by incorporating the eddy currents into the coil optimization process, it is possible to modify a gradient coil design so that the fields created by the coil and the eddy currents combine together to generate a spatially homogeneous gradient that follows the input pulse. Shielded and unshielded longitudinal gradient coils are used to exemplify this novel approach. To assist in the evaluation of transient eddy currents induced within a realistic cryostat vessel, a low-frequency finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method using the total-field scattered-field (TFSF) scheme was performed. The simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method for optimizing longitudinal gradient fields while taking into account the spatial and temporal behavior of the eddy currents.     

Correction of frequency and phase variations induced by eddy currents in localized spectroscopy with multiple echo times.

As a consequence of the time-varying magnetic field induced by eddy currents, frequency drifting occurs when the sampling window of localized spectroscopy continuously shifts. The frequency drifting and the concomitant phase variations can severely affect spectroscopy results when data are acquired with multiple echo times (TEs), such as in the measurement of glutamate (Glu) concentration using the TE-averaged method. Specifically, the averaged spectra are further broadened and distorted in the presence of residual eddy currents, and editing of the coupled spins of Glu C4 protons is affected, resulting in errors in the measured relative intensity ratio. Postacquisition correction using unsuppressed water as reference can effectively minimize this detrimental effect, as manifested by the significantly enhanced signal intensity. Also, it is demonstrated that the methyl signals of creatine (Cr) at 3.0 ppm and choline (Cho) at 3.2 ppm can be used as internal references in finding frequency and phase disparities between different TEs.     

氯胺酮对离体大鼠心室肌细胞瞬时外向钾电流的影响

目的研究氯胺酮对大鼠心室肌细胞瞬时外向钾电流(Ito)的影响。方法酶解法分离大鼠心室肌细胞,采用全细胞膜片钳技术记录Ito,观察50μmol/L氯胺酮对Ito电流-电压曲线以及不同浓度氯胺酮对Ito的影响,并研究氯胺酮对Ito通道动力学的影响。结果钳制电压-40mV,刺激电压 70mV条件下,临床相关浓度的氯胺酮50μmol/L使Ito的电流峰值降低23·4%(P<0·01),冲洗后,Ito能够完全恢复。5、10、50、100、500、1000、5000μmol/L的氯胺酮抑制Ito呈浓度依赖性,电流抑制率分别为(13·8±9·7)%、(17·5±6·7)%、(23·4±8·8)%、(31·5±6·7)%、(63·3±5·5)%、(79·7±2·7)%、(88·9±4·4)%,其半数有效浓度(IC50)为299μmol/L。100μmol/L的氯胺酮对激活曲线没有影响;使Ito的失活曲线明显右移,半数失活电压(V1/2)在给药前后数值分别为(-28·27±0·20)mV和(-25·34±0·27)mV(P<0·01),斜率因子(k)值分别为(3·23±0·46)mV和(3·40±0·55)mV(P>0·05)。结论氯胺酮可明显阻滞大鼠心室肌的Ito,这是氯胺酮延长大鼠心室肌动作电位的机理之一,同时氯胺酮使Ito的失活曲线右移。     

Effects of bile acids on ventricular muscle contraction and electrophysiological properties: studies in rat papillary muscle and isolated ventricular myocytes

Summary The effects of sodium salts of various bile acids on the contractile force and the electrophysiological properties of rat ventricular muscle were studied in vitro. Primary, conjugated, and secondary bile acids were studied in a concentration range of 10^–9–10^–6 mol/l, which corresponds to concentrations found in the plasm of patients with cholestatic jaundice. In general, the bile acid induced a negative inotropic effect which was manifested as a reduction in active tension, maximum rate of tension activation, and maximum rate of tension relaxation. Twitch duration and time to peak tension were unaffected by the bile acids. The negative inotropism was associated with a reduction in ventricular action potential duration. Resting potential, action potential amplitude, and maximum upstroke velocity of phase 0 depolarization were unaffected. Voltage clamp experiments in rat ventricular myocytes demonstrated that sodium taurocholate decreased the slow inward current and slightly increased the outward potassium current. Hence, these effects on the membrane currents are probably responsible for the negative inotropic effect. Send offprint requests to O. Binah at the above address     

Pharmacological properties of Ca2+-activated K+ currents of ramified murine brain macrophages

Using the whole-cell configuration of the patch clamp technique, calcium-activated potassium currents (I_K,Ca) were investigated in ramified murine brain macrophages. In order to induce I_K,Ca the intracellular concentration of nominal free Ca²⁺ was adjusted to 1μM. The Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ current of brain macrophages did not show any voltage dependence at test potentials between –120 and +30mV. A tenfold change in extracellular K⁺ concentration shifted the reversal potential of I_K,Ca by 51mV. The bee venom toxin apamin applied at concentrations of up to 1μM did not affect I_K,Ca. Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ currents of ramified brain macrophages were highly sensitive to extracellularly applied charybdotoxin (CTX). The half-maximal effective concentration of CTX was calculated to be 4.3nM. In contrast to CTX, the scorpion toxin kaliotoxin did not inhibit I_K,Ca at concentrations between 1 and 50nM. Tetraethylammonium (TEA) blocked 8.0% of I_K,Ca at a concentration of 1mM, whereas 31.4% of current was blocked by 10mM TEA. Several inorganic polyvalent cations were tested at a concentration of 2mM for their ability to block I_K,Ca. La³⁺ reduced I_K,Ca by 72.8%, whereas Cd²⁺ decreased I_K,Ca by 17.4%; in contrast, Ni²⁺ did not have any effect on I_K,Ca. Ba²⁺ applied at a concentration of 1mM reduced I_K,Ca voltage-dependently at hyperpolarizing potentials. Received: 17 January / Accepted: 5 May 1997     

Ontogeny of behavioral sensitization to cocaine

The ontogeny of the behavioral effects of acute cocaine administration and behavioral sensitization to cocaine in rat pups was investigated. Acute behavior stimulating effects of cocaine were observed in pups as young as 7 postnatal days (PND) old, although they needed a higher dose of cocaine than adult rats to evoke the same motor effects. An adult dose-response curve pattern of stereotypy and locomotion to acute cocaine treatment was observed at PND 21, and of rearing at PND 28. Rats aged PND 7, 14, 21, 28, and 56 received repeated injections of saline or cocaine (15 mg/kg) twice a day for 5 consecutive days. After a 3-week period of abstinence, sensitization to a challenge dose of cocaine was assessed. Cocaine-induced stereotyped behavior was enhanced significantly only in rats in which cocaine pretreatment was initiated on PND 21, 28, and 56, but not earlier on PND 7 and 14. Adult female rats given repeated cocaine injections on PND 56–60 showed significantly greater sensitization than males, but no such sex difference was observed in pups given cocaine repeatedly on PND 21–25 or 28–32. These results show clearly that cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization in rats occurred only when subchronic cocaine administration was commenced on PND 21 or later.     

Development of brain damage after neonatal hypoxia-ischemia: Excitatory amino acids and cysteine

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible role of excitatory amino acids (EAAs) and cysteine in the development of brain damage after hypoxia-ischemia (HI) in neonates. In a rat model of neonatal HI, changes in extracellular (ec) amino acids in cerebral cortex were measured with microdialysis and correlated with the extent of brain damage at the site of probe placement. Extracellular concentrations of glutamate, aspartate and cysteine increased during HI and remained elevated during reperfusion. During HI the pattern of EAA changes was the same in the infarcted, undamaged and border zone regions. During reperfusion, however, the ec concentrations of glutamate, aspartate and cysteine were higher in infarcted and border zone areas compared to undamaged tissue. HI also produced a slight increase of tissue concentration of cysteine and decrease of tissue concentration of glutamate in parietal cortex of the HI hemisphere. The effect of cysteine on brain damage induced by HI and glutamate was also investigated. A subtoxic dose of cysteine potentiated glutamate toxicity in the arcuate nucleus and enhanced brain infarction after HI in neonatal rats. The results show that in neonatal HI the extracellular levels of EAAs during HI are not directly related to brain injury but the EAA levels during reflow predict the extent of infarction. Cysteine increases HI-induced brain injury and potentiates glutamate toxicity in neonatal rats. Speculatively, elevated level of cysteine during reperfusion may participate in the excitotoxic cascade leading to brain injury.     

福辛普利预处理对缺氧复氧期豚鼠心室肌细胞Na+/Ca2+交换电流的影响

目的:观察福辛普利晚期预处理对缺氧复氧心室肌细胞Na /Ca2 交换电流的影响。方法:应用全细胞膜片钳方法,记录观察酶解的成年豚鼠心室肌细胞Na /Ca2 交换电流在缺氧复氧期的变化。结果:缺氧复氧明显增加心肌Na /Ca2 交换电流,在-100mV和 60mV时较对照组分别增加41.05%及32.75%,福辛普利预处理后可明显抑制缺氧复氧心肌Na /Ca2 交换电流,在-100mV和 60mV时分别减少17.90%及14.20%,有助于减少钙内流,减轻钙超载。结论:福辛普利预处理可抑制缺氧复氧心肌Na /Ca2 交换电流逆向转运。     

N-乙酰半胱氨酸对脑死亡巴马小型猪心脏的保护作用及其机制

目的 探讨N-乙酰半胱氨酸（NAC）对脑死亡状态下巴马小型猪心脏形态与功能的影响。方法 应用改进的缓慢间断颅内加压法建立巴马小型猪脑死亡模型。将实验动物随机分为3组，每组5只。对照组（A组）：动物麻醉后仅行开颅与开关腹手术。非药物干预组（B组）：建立脑死亡模型，不进行药物干预。NAC处理组（N组）：建立脑死亡模型，于脑死亡后1和12h，按200mg／kg的剂量将NAC加入100ml生理盐水中，经静脉缓慢滴注。分别于脑死亡后6、12和24h检测各组血清中肌钙蛋白T（cTnT）的水平以及干扰素α（TNF-α）、白细胞介素1β（IL-1β）以及白细胞介素6（IL-6）含量。脑死亡后24h，取各组心尖部心肌组织，光镜下观察心脏组织结构变化，电镜下观察心脏组织超微结构变化，免疫组织化学染色法观察核因子κB（NF-κB）的表达水平，逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）检测NF-κB mRNA的变化。结果 脑死亡6h后，B组及N组的血清cTnT、IL-1β、IL-6、TNF-α水平均开始升高，但N组升高幅度显著低于B组。脑死亡后24h可见心肌细胞出现损伤性改变；N组心肌细胞损伤明显轻于B组。B组及N组心肌细胞中NF-κB mRNA及其蛋白表达水平均升高，但N组显著低于B组。结论 N-乙酰半胱氨酸能够减轻脑死亡状态下心脏的形态和功能损伤性改变，其机制可能与抑制NF-κB mRNA及其蛋白的表达，减少炎症介质的释放有关。