title: Transient expression of polysynaptic NMDA receptor-mediated activity during neocortical development.
abstract: During a restricted period of early postnatal development, rat neocortical neurons receive a powerful N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated synaptic input of variable onset latency and duration. These large-amplitude excitatory postsynaptic potentials are especially pronounced in supragranular layers and are generated by activities in polysynaptic circuits. Their occurrence in cortical slices from juvenile (postnatal (P) days 11-20), but not neonatal (P5-10) or adult (greater than or equal to P28) animals, appears to be in part a consequence of the relative immaturity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-mediated inhibition, at a time when the requisite functional excitatory circuitry has been established. The transient manifestation of strong NMDA receptor-mediated potentials coincides temporally with a 'developmental window' within which there is enhanced sensitivity for epileptogenesis and for induction of long-term synaptic modifications in rat cortex.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA 94305.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Luhmann
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Prince
mesh_terms: D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011930:Reaction Time; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter; D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate