GABA(A) receptors (GABA(A)-Rs) are pentameric structures consisting of two alpha, two beta, and one gamma subunit. The alpha subunit influences agonist efficacy, benzodiazepine pharmacology, and kinetics of activation/deactivation. To investigate the contribution of the alpha1 subunit to native GABA(A)-Rs, we analyzed miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) in CA1 hippocampal pyrami...

Dendritic, backpropagating action potentials (bAPs) facilitate the induction of Hebbian long-term potentiation (LTP). Although bAPs in distal dendrites of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons are attenuated when propagating from the soma, their amplitude can be increased greatly via downregulation of dendritic A-type K+ currents. The channels that underlie these currents thus may represent a key r...

OBJECTIVE(S) This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of maternal morphine exposure during gestational and lactation period on pyramidal neurons of hippocampus in 18 and 32 day mice offspring. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirty female mice were randomly allocated into cases and controls. In case group, animals received morphine sulfate 10 mg/kg.body weight intraperitoneally during 7 days b...

Dendritic spines are sites of the vast majority of excitatory synaptic input to hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells. Estrogen has been shown to increase the density of dendritic spines on CA1 pyramidal cell dendrites in adult female rats. In parallel with increased spine density, estrogen has been shown also to increase the number of spine synapses formed with multiple synapse boutons (MSBs). These...

Recent studies suggest a role for the arachidonic acid-derived epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) in attenuating epileptic seizures. However, their effect on neurotransmission has never been investigated in detail. Here, we studied how 11,12- and 14,15 EET affect excitability and excitatory neurotransmission in mouse hippocampus. 11,12 EET (2 μM), but not 14,15 EET (2 μM), induced the opening of ...

The CA1 region of the hippocampus plays a critical role in spatial and contextual memory, and has well-established circuitry, function and plasticity. In contrast, the properties of the flanking CA2 pyramidal neurons (PNs), important for social memory, and lacking CA1-like plasticity, remain relatively understudied. In particular, little is known regarding the expression of voltage-gated K+ (Kv...

Calcium-activated K(+) channels of the K(Ca)2 type (SK channels) are prominently expressed in the mammalian brain, including hippocampus. These channels are thought to underlie neuronal excitability control and have been implicated in plasticity, memory, and neural disease. Contrary to previous reports, we found that somatic spike-evoked medium afterhyperpolarizations (mAHPs) and corresponding ...