Biomedical subjects

B Esplin

Publications and source records attributed to B Esplin.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Reversal of the activity-dependent suppression of GABA-mediated inhibition in hippocampal slices from gamma-vinyl GABA (vigabatrin)-pretreated rats.

The antiepileptic drug, gamma-vinyl GABA (GVG, vigabatrin), is an irreversible inhibitor of GABA-transaminase, the enzyme responsible for the breakdown of GABA. In hippocampal slices prepared from rats pretreated with either an anticonvulsant dose of GVG (1500 mg/kg) or saline, electrophysiological recordings were performed in order to examine the effects of GVG pretreatment on GABAergic neurotransmission. Although GVG had no effect on the effectiveness of GABA-mediated inhibition when elicited by a single stimulus, it reversed the activity-dependent depression of inhibition which is typically observed when inhibitory pathways are activated repetitively by a train of stimuli delivered at low frequency. Similarly, GVG pretreatment prevented the progressive decline in the amplitude of monosynaptic inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) during low-frequency stimulation of inhibitory interneurons. Thus, in slices from GVG pretreated rats, the amplitudes of both the fast and slow components of the last of a series of IPSPs evoked by a 5 Hz, 4 s train were maintained at 91.5 +/- 6.6% and 87.7 +/- 6.5%, respectively, compared to 61.1 +/- 3.9% and 57.1 +/- 5.0% in control slices. Finally, in slices from GVG pretreated rats, we observed a reduction in the ability of the GABA(B) receptor agonist, baclofen, to decrease the amplitude of monosynaptic inhibitory postsynaptic currents. These results suggest that GVG may produce its frequency-dependent actions by reducing the function of release regulating presynaptic GABA(B) autoreceptors. The frequency-dependent reinforcement of inhibition by GVG may importantly contribute to the anticonvulsant effectiveness of this compound.

6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione↗

PubMed1999

Activity-dependent enhancement of hyperpolarizing and depolarizing gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) synaptic responses following inhibition of GABA uptake by tiagabine.

The effects of the 7-aminobutyric acid (GABA) uptake blocker tiagabine on isolated inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) were examined in CA1 pyramidal cells of the rat hippocampal slice preparation. The IPSPs were elicited by either single stimuli or by high frequency (100 Hz, 200 ms) stimulation (HFS) of inhibitory interneurons. Bath applied tiagabine (20 microM) produced little or no increase in the amplitude of IPSPs evoked by low (30-50 microA) or high (200-400 microA) intensity single stimuli. Only the duration of IPSPs evoked by high intensity stimuli was substantially prolonged by tiagabine, the time integral of the hyperpolarizing response being increased 3.2-fold. HFS elicited much larger fast and slow IPSPs than a single stimulus. In addition, with increments in the intensity (80-550 microA) of HFS, a GABA(A) receptor-mediated depolarizing response of progressively larger amplitude appeared between, and overlapped with, the fast and slow hyperpolarizing components of the IPSP. Tiagabine application markedly increased the GABA-mediated responses evoked by both low and high intensity HFS. Increasing the intensity of HFS enhanced the drug effect. Thus, measurements of the time integral of evoked responses showed that with weak (60 microA) HFS, tiagabine caused a 3.6-fold increase in the area of hyperpolarization while, in contrast, with strong (530 microA) HFS, tiagabine produced a 13.5-fold increase in the depolarizing actions of GABA. Our results suggest that tiagabine, a therapeutically effective anticonvulsant, may paradoxically increase, through a GABA(A) receptor-mediated mechanism, neuronal depolarization during the high frequency discharge of neurons involved in epileptiform activity.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Inhibitory nature of tiagabine-augmented GABAA receptor-mediated depolarizing responses in hippocampal pyramidal cells.

Tiagabine is a potent GABA uptake inhibitor with demonstrated anticonvulsant activity. GABA uptake inhibitors are believed to produce their anticonvulsant effects by prolonging the postsynaptic actions of GABA, released during episodes of neuronal hyperexcitability. However, tiagabine has recently been reported to facilitate the depolarizing actions of GABA in the CNS of adult rats following the stimulation of inhibitory pathways at a frequency (100 Hz) intended to mimic interneuronal activation during epileptiform activity. In the present study, we performed extracellular and whole cell recordings from CA1 pyramidal neurons in rat hippocampal slices to examine the functional consequences of tiagabine-augmented GABA-mediated depolarizing responses. Orthodromic population spikes (PSs), elicited from the stratum radiatum, were inhibited following the activation of recurrent inhibitory pathways by antidromic conditioning stimulation of the alveus, which consisted of either a single stimulus or a train of stimuli delivered at high-frequency (100 Hz, 200 ms). The inhibition of orthodromic PSs produced by high-frequency conditioning stimulation (HFS), which was always of much greater strength and duration than that produced by a single conditioning stimulus, was greatly enhanced following the bath application of tiagabine (2-100 microM). Thus, in the presence of tiagabine (20 microM), orthodromic PSs, evoked 200 and 800 ms following HFS, were inhibited to 7.8 +/- 2.6% (mean +/- SE) and 34.4 +/- 18.5% of their unconditioned amplitudes compared with only 35.4 +/- 12.7% and 98.8 +/- 12.4% in control. Whole cell recordings revealed that the bath application of tiagabine (20 microM) either caused the appearance or greatly enhanced the amplitude of GABA-mediated depolarizing responses (DR). Excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) evoked from stratum radiatum at time points that coincided with the DR were inhibited to below the threshold for action-potential firing. Independently of the stimulus intensity with which they were evoked, the charge transferred to the soma by excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs), elicited in the presence of tiagabine (20 microM) during the large (1,428 +/- 331 pA) inward currents that underlie the DRs, was decreased on the average by 90.8 +/- 1.7%. Such inhibition occurred despite the presence of the GABAB receptor antagonist, CGP 52 432 (10 microM), indicating that GABAB heteroreceptors, located on glutamatergic terminals, do not mediate the observed reduction in the amplitude of excitatory postsynaptic responses. The present results suggest that despite facilitating the induction of GABA-mediated depolarizations, tiagabine application may nevertheless increase the effectiveness of synaptic inhibition during the synchronous high-frequency activation of inhibitory interneurons by enhanced shunting.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Use-dependent depression of synaptic NMDA receptor mediated responses by dizocilpine (MK-801).

The influence of synaptic activity on the depression of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor mediated synaptic responses by the noncompetitive blocker dizocilpine and the competitive antagonist CPP (3-((R)-2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid) was examined in the rat hippocampal slice preparation. In slices superfused by a Mg(2+)-free medium, both drugs, dizocilpine (2 to 100 microM) and CPP (0.2 to 10 microM), applied by perfusion, depressed the NMDA receptor mediated secondary population spikes (PSs) in the CA1 pyramidal cell layer. Repetitive stimulation (0.2 Hz, 5 min) greatly enhanced the depression produced by dizocilpine but was without any effect on the depression produced by CPP. In slices superfused with a normal medium, dizocilpine applied locally by pressure ejection (100 microM, 380 pL. 1 s) coupled with high-frequency stimulation (100 Hz, 1 s) prevented the appearance of multiple PSs in the subsequent 90-min period of perfusion with a Mg(2+)-free medium but was ineffective when applied without concomitant stimulation. These results indicate that the synaptic NMDA receptor mediated responses, similar to responses evoked by exogenous NMDA agonists, are depressed by dizocilpine in a use-dependent manner.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Acute effects of gamma-vinyl GABA (vigabatrin) on hippocampal GABAergic inhibition in vitro.

The acute effects of gamma-vinyl-GABA (GVG) on GABAergic inhibition were investigated in the hippocampal slice preparation using the paired-pulse test of inhibition during extracellular recordings. Superfusion of GVG (100-500 microM) for 60 min resulted in a concentration-dependent decrease in GABAergic inhibition. Slices superfused with higher concentrations of GVG (0.5-1 mM) were hyperexcitable as demonstrated by the appearance of multiple spikes. Binding studies showed that GVG (1 mM) had no effect on the binding of [3H]flunitrazepam or [3H]TBOB and displaced no more than 15% of specific [3H]GABA binding, which indicates that GVG-induced disinhibition is not mediated through an action at the GABAA receptor complex. Consistent with this suggestion is the finding that GVG (500 microM) had little effect on the inhibition of the orthodromically evoked CA1 population spike produced by the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol (10 microM), whereas this inhibition was considerably attenuated by the GABAA receptor antagonist, bicuculline methiodide (5 microM). The results of this study suggest that the acute actions of GVG on the GABAergic neurotransmitter system are not involved in its anticonvulsant effect.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Effects of lidocaine on hippocampal pyramidal cells: depression of repetitive firing.

The effects of lidocaine on repetitive firing of the CA1 pyramidal cells were studied in the hippocampal slice preparation using conventional intracellular recording technique. The cells were activated by injecting depolarizing current through the recording microelectrode. Lidocaine (50 microM) diminished the repetitive firing and progressively reduced the maximal rate of rise of the successive action potentials. The firing produced by low currents was little affected but that produced by high currents was substantially depressed. The maximal rate of rise of successive action potentials produced by a train of short depolarizing pulses was also progressively reduced, especially at high frequency (100 Hz) of activation. These findings suggest that, in the hippocampal pyramidal cells, lidocaine causes a use-dependent depression of the Na+ current. This action may be responsible for the anticonvulsant effects of lidocaine since it occurred at a clinically relevant concentration.

Action Potentials↗

PubMed1993

Frequency-dependent enhancement of hippocampal inhibition by GABA uptake blockers.

The effects of GABA uptake inhibitors, SKF 89976A and SKF 100330A, on recurrent inhibition were studied in the rat hippocampal slice preparation by the antidromic-orthodromic stimulation test. Population spikes evoked orthodromically by stimulation of the stratum radiatum and recorded in the CA1 pyramidal cell body layer were inhibited antidromically by stimulation of the alveus by a single pulse or by a train of pulses, either at low or at high frequency. Low frequency train conditioning produced less inhibition than a single pulse. The uptake blockers had no effect or slightly enhanced the inhibition produced by single stimuli or low frequency trains. High frequency train conditioning produced more and much longer inhibition than a single pulse. This inhibition was further substantially enhanced and prolonged by the drugs. Frequency-dependent enhancement of inhibition may be responsible for suppression of epileptiform discharges by GABA uptake blockers.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

Attenuation of hippocampal inhibition by a NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor antagonist.

The effects of the competitive NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor antagonist, APV (2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoate; AP5), were examined in the hippocampal slice preparation. APV (50-100 microM) attenuated inhibition of the orthodromically evoked population spikes in the CA1 region produced by a conditioning stimulus to the alveus or to the stratum radiatum. This suggests that NMDA receptors contribute to synaptic activation of the inhibitory interneurons by a single afferent volley.

2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate↗

PubMed1989

Phencyclidine suppresses hippocampal long-term potentiation through stereospecific activation of phencyclidine receptors.

The effects of phencyclidine and the dioxolane enantiomers, dexoxadrol and levoxadrol, on long-term potentiation in the hippocampus were compared. Field potentials were evoked by stimulation of Schaffer collaterals and recorded from the CA1 region. Long-term potentiation was induced by stimulation with a single train of 25 pulses at 50 Hz. The drugs were delivered by pressure, 1 min before tetanization. Phencyclidine and its receptors ligand, dexoxadrol, abolished the induction of long-term potentiation. Levoxadrol which has very low affinity for the phencyclidine receptor was devoid of this action although it reduced the magnitude of long-term potentiation. These results indicate that phencyclidine blocks long-term potentiation by stereospecific activation of phencyclidine receptors.

Analgesics↗

PubMed1988

Disinhibitory effect of phencyclidine in the hippocampus in vitro: PCP receptors implicated.

The effects of phencyclidine (PCP) and two dioxolane stereoisomers, dexoxadrol and levoxadrol, on hippocampal inhibition were compared. Field potentials were recorded in the CA1 pyramidal cell layer in the rat hippocampal slices in vitro. Recurrent inhibition of the population spikes evoked orthodromically by stimulation of the Schaffer collaterals was induced by antidromic conditioning stimulation at appropriate time intervals before the orthodromic stimulation. The drugs were applied by micropressure ejection in concentrations which did not affect the unconditioned population spike. After PCP or dexoxadrol administration, the orthodromically evoked population spike was much less reduced by the antidromic conditioning stimulation than before, suggesting that the recurrent inhibition was diminished. Levoxadrol had only negligible effect. Since dexoxadrol has many PCP-like pharmacological properties but levoxadrol does not, we concluded that PCP attenuates hippocampal recurrent inhibition by activating the PCP receptors. It is suggested that this action results in depression of excitatory synaptic transmission from axon collaterals to the inhibitory interneuron with possible involvement of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) subtype of excitatory amino acid receptor.

Analgesics↗

PubMed1985

Epileptogenic action of penicillin derivatives: structure-activity relationship.

In the hippocampal slice preparation, perfusion with benzyl penicillin evokes multiple population spikes and spontaneous discharges. Doses of 0.25 to 2 mM of the drug produced this effect within 20-40 min. Cleavage products and analogues of benzyl penicillin, penicilloic acid, 6-aminopenicillanic acid, cephalexin, thioproline and penicillamine, were devoid of such action. It is concluded that the structural requirements for epileptogenic action of penicillin include not only the beta-lactam ring and side chain substitution on C-6, but also the thiazolidine ring.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

The effects of benzodiazepines on spinal homosynaptic depression.

Clonazepam (0.5 mg/kg, i.v.) changed the characteristic pattern of the exponential decline of the monosynaptic responses, the early tetanic rundown, evoked by trains of 10 stimuli (2, 5 or 10 Hz) applied to either the biceps-semitendinosus or triceps surae nerve, and recorded from the ventral root in spinal cats. In the case of the biceps-semitendinosus, clonazepam did not affect the first monosynaptic response or the last five monosynaptic responses forming the plateau, while the second monosynaptic response was markedly depressed, especially at the higher frequencies tested. The triceps surae reacted differently to the administration of clonazepam, in that the first response was increased and the amount of depression of the second response was lessened, with no change of the plateau. All the effects of clonazepam were reversed by the benzodiazepine antagonist, ethyl 8-fluoro-5,6-dihydro-5-methyl-6-oxo-4H-imidazo[1,5-a] [1,4]benzodiazepine-3-carboxylate (Ro15-1788; 5 mg/kg, i.v.), which alone had no effect of its own on any parameters, suggesting that the effects of clonazepam were mediated by central benzodiazepine receptors. Diazepam (1.0 mg/kg, i.v.), caused the same changes in the homosynaptic depression of the biceps-semitendinosus pathway as did clonazepam, but increased the plateau instead of the second response in that of the triceps surae pathway.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

A GABAergic component in homosynaptic depression in the spinal monosynaptic pathway. A requirement for action of benzodiazepines.

Spinal monosynaptic responses, evoked by repetitive stimulation, undergo homosynaptic depression the pattern of which is altered by 0.5 mg/kg of clonazepam. The dependence of this effect of clonazepam on the GABAergic system was examined in spinal unanaesthetized cats. Topical application of bicuculline to the spinal cord did not change any feature of the homosynaptic depression in the biceps-semitendinosus (BST) or triceps surae (TS) monosynaptic pathway but antagonized the action of clonazepam. Semicarbazide (200 mg/kg, i.v.) also prevented the effect of the benzodiazepine but alone had actions of its own. Evidence is presented that clonazepam influenced homosynaptic depression of the biceps-semitendinosus pathway by lengthening the primary afferent depolarization (PAD). This prolongation of the primary afferent depolarization did not last for the entire duration of the train as primary afferent depolarization also underwent depression. Therefore later responses in the train were unaffected by clonazepam. Homosynaptic depression of the triceps surae pathway was not similarly affected because activation of triceps surae afferents does not cause significant depolarization of its own afferents. It is suggested that the enhancement of GABAergic transmission at least partially underlies the effect of clonazepam on homosynaptic depression.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

Effects of ammonium chloride on synaptic transmission in the rat hippocampal slice.

Effects of ammonia on excitatory synaptic transmission were studied in the rat hippocampal slice preparation. Population spikes, elicited by orthodromic or antidromic stimulation, were recorded in the cell body layer of the CA1, CA3 and dentate regions. Perfusion with 5 mM ammonium chloride induced a profound and reversible depression of orthodromically evoked population spikes in all three regions. Antidromic population spikes were not depressed in any of the regions, indicating that neither axonal conduction nor electrical excitability were affected by ammonia. The paired-pulse test revealed a transient disinhibition during the early phase of perfusion. Iontophoretic application of glutamate evoked unit firing even when the synaptically evoked responses were reduced by ammonia, indicating that the postsynaptic sensitivity to the putative transmitter was not depressed. Depression of release of the excitatory transmitter, probably because of depletion following the block of transmitter synthesis, is the likely explanation of these findings. It is suggested that ammonia-induced depression of excitatory transmission may account for coma and other symptoms of central nervous system depression encountered in hyperammonemic states.

Ammonium Chloride↗

PubMed1983

Effect of phencyclidine on inhibition in the hippocampal slice.

The effects of phencyclidine (PCP) on synaptic transmission were studied in the hippocampal slice. Population spikes evoked by orthodromic or antidromic stimulation were recorded from CAl pyramidal cells. Bath applied PCP (10(-4) M) reduced moderately both the orthodromic and antidromic population spikes. Lower concentrations, 5 X 10(-6) to 5 X 10(-5) M of PCP, which did not depress the population spikes, reduced inhibition of the orthodromically evoked spike in a dose dependent reversible manner. Diazepam (10(-6) to 10(-5) M) restored the inhibition despite the continued presence of PCP. It is suggested that PCP-induced seizures and other signs of hyperexcitability could be a result of reduced inhibition.

Action Potentials↗

PubMed1983

GABA-mediated responses are not selectively depressed by 3-mercaptopropionic acid in the spinal cord.

The competitive inhibitor of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA), causes depletion of gamma-aminobutyric acid and convulsions. We expected it to be a superior GABA depleting agent for in vivo experiments to the frequently used semicarbazide. The dorsal root potentials (DRP) and monosynaptic reflex responses (MSR) evoked by adjacent dorsal root and peripheral nerve stimulation, respectively, were recorded in spinal unanaesthetized cats. MPA (100-200 mg/kg) caused a gradual decrease in DRP, reaching a peak in about 40 min after drug administration. This was usually associated with convulsive activity. Postsynaptic direct inhibition was not substantially affected. However, the MSR was consistently decreased, within 10 min after injection of MPA. It is concluded that MPA is not a suitable tool, at least in the spinal cord, for the selective reduction of GABAergic transmission.

3-Mercaptopropionic Acid↗

PubMed1982

Baclofen-induced decrease of excitability of primary afferents and depression of monosynaptic transmission in cat spinal cord.

The relationship of the depressant effect of baclofen on spinal monosynaptic transmission and its effect on the excitability of primary afferents was examined in spinal unanesthetized cats. Baclofen (1.0 mg/kg, i.v.) produced a deep and long-lasting depression of spinal reflex responses with a concomitant decrease of terminal excitability. Primary afferent depolarization, as indicated by an increase of terminal excitability, evoked by conditioning of an antagonistic muscle nerve, was greatly reduced by this drug. Depression of monosynaptic transmission induced by baclofen was temporarily reversed by posttetanic potentiation. However, the same high frequency orthodromic stimulation further reduced excitability of terminals. It is therefore unlikely that block of terminal invasion is responsible for baclofen-induced depression of spinal monosynaptic transmission. These results are compatible with the suggestion that baclofen causes a reduction of transmitter release. In the spinal cord, this action is probably limited to the excitatory transmitter of primary afferents.

Afferent Pathways↗

PubMed1982

Excitability of primary afferents in feline spinal cord: taurine, homotaurine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid compared.

Effects of taurine and homotaurine (3-aminopropanesulfonic acid), on excitability of primary afferents were compared with effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in spinal unanaesthesized cats. Homotaurine and GABA, administered intravenously or topically, produced a marked increase in afferent excitability. Homotaurine was about 10 times more potent than GABA. Taurine (up to 2 mmol/kg i.v., or 10 mM topically) did not produce a consistent change in afferent excitability. The effect of homotaurine was antagonized by bicuculline or picrotoxin in doses which suppressed the primary afferent depolarization, as indicated by an increase of afferent excitability, evoked by conditioning stimulation of an antagonistic muscle nerve. Semicarbazide, an inhibitor of GABA synthesis, did not attenuate the homotaurine-induced excitability changes of afferents while suppressing entirely the primary afferent depolarization. These findings suggest that homotaurine exerts a direct GABA-like action on feline primary afferents.

Afferent Pathways↗