title: High-affinity uptake of GABA and glutamate decarboxylase activity in rat primary somatosensory cortex after sciatic nerve injury.
abstract: We have studied the changes in the GABAergic system in the rat somatosensory cortex 1-14 d after sensory deprivation of the hind-limb representation area. Glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) activity was measured in the individual cortical layers using serial sections cut on a freezing microtome parallel to the cortical surface. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) high-affinity uptake was studied in cortical homogenates of the hind-limb representation area. There was a less than or equal to 13% decrease in GAD activity in layer II-IV in both cortical hemispheres 3 d after sciatic nerve injury. In contrast, we found that high-affinity uptake of GABA is not affected. The data mirror only small changes in GABAergic transmission, probably as a result of the methods employed. These changes correspond to electrophysiological studies suggesting that peripheral manipulation of the somatosensory system, e.g., nerve transection, is accompanied by changes in GABAergic transmission.
authors.affiliation: Paul Flechsig Institute for Brain Research, Department of Neurochemistry, University of Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krohn
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rothe
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Biesold
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000378:metabolism; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000293:injuries*; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase