title: Hippocampal theta field activity and theta-on/theta-off cell discharges are controlled by an ascending hypothalamo-septal pathway.
abstract: The nature of the control of hippocampal formation field activity [theta (theta) and large-amplitude irregular activity (LIA)] and theta-on/theta-off cell discharges by an ascending hypothalamo-septal pathway was investigated in urethane-anesthetized rats. Electrical stimulation of the dorsomedial-posterior hypothalamus in the range of 0.1-1.0 mA in 0.1-mA steps produced theta in the hippocampal formation, with a linear positive relation between stimulus intensity, theta frequency, and theta amplitude. Reversible blockade of the medial septal (MS)/vertical limb of the diagonal band of Broca (vDBB) region by microinjection of procaine hydrochloride abolished spontaneous and hypothalamically elicited theta, resulting in a field activity at 1-min post-procaine that had a lower power than pre-procaine LIA levels. The efficacy and recovery of the MS/vDBB suppression was tested at 1, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 min post-procaine using 0.5, 0.8, and 1.0 mA of hypothalamic stimulation. All three of the dependent measures of hippocampal field activity (frequency, amplitude, and power) showed a progressive recovery during the 60-min post-procaine period. Frequency exhibited a rapid recovery with a shallow slope between 20 and 60 min post-procaine. In contrast, the amplitude and power of theta exhibited a gradual recovery with a steeper slope between 20 and 60 min post-procaine. During the time of maximal MS/vDBB suppression, theta-on cell discharges were reduced to 0 in most cases. The initial recovery of theta-on cells in the post-procaine condition was correlated with the first appearance of theta and was characterized by low discharge rates.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Smythe
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Cristie
authors.forename: L V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Colom
authors.forename: V H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Bland
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011343:Procaine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D012688:Septum Pellucidum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013826:Theta Rhythm
chemical_list: D011343:Procaine