In the hippocampus, glutamatergic inputs to pyramidal neurons and interneurons are modulated by alpha7* and alpha3beta4* nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), respectively, present in glutamatergic neurons. This study examines how nicotinic AMPA, and NMDA receptor nAChR activities are integrated to regulate the excitability of CA1 stratum radiatum (SR) interneurons in rat hippocampal slic...

The peptides of the tachykinin family are widely distributed within the mammalian peripheral and central nervous systems and play a well-recognized role as neuromodulators, although their direct action on cerebellum granule cells have not yet been demonstrated. We have examined the effect of the best known members of the family, substance P (SP), neurokinin A (NKA), and neurokinin B (NKB) on al...

AMPA and GABAA receptors mediate most of the fast signaling in the CNS. However, the retina must, in addition, also convey slow and sustained signals. Given that AMPA and GABAA receptors desensitize quickly in the continuous presence of agonist, how are sustained excitatory and inhibitory signals transmitted reliably across retinal synapses? Reciprocal synapses between bipolar and amacrine cell...

Some interneurons of the hippocampus exhibit NMDA receptor-independent long-term potentiation (LTP) that is induced by presynaptic glutamate release when the postsynaptic membrane potential is hyperpolarized. This "anti-Hebbian" form of LTP is prevented by postsynaptic depolarization or by blocking AMPA and kainate receptors. Although both AMPA and kainate receptors are expressed in hippocampal...