Acetylcholine potentiates responses to N-methyl-D-aspartate in the rat hippocampus |
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Authors: | H Markram M Segal |
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Affiliation: | Center for Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel. |
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Abstract: | The effect of acetylcholine (ACh) on intracellular responses to ionophoretic application of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) was examined in rat hippocampal slice. Recordings were obtained from CA1 neurons under current- and voltage-clamp conditions. Drugs were applied topically by ionophoretic and microdrop techniques. ACh produced an atropine-sensitive potentiation of responses to NMDA. The effect of ACh on NMDA receptor-mediated responses was independent of changes in voltage or potassium conductances caused by ACh. ACh also potentiated responses to L-glutamate but not to kainate or quisqualate. This effect was blocked by DL-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (2-APV), an NMDA receptor antagonist. We conclude that ACh, acting on muscarinic receptors, potentiates selectively, the NMDA subclass of L-glutamate receptor. |
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