title: Selective depression of GABA-mediated IPSPs by somatostatin in area CA1 of rabbit hippocampal slices.
abstract: In area CA1 of hippocampus, a subpopulation of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-containing interneurons that make synaptic contacts on pyramidal cells also contains the neuropeptide, somatostatin. The effects of GABA and somatostatin on hippocampal pyramidal cells have been investigated separately, but it is not known whether an interaction occurs between these co-localized substances. We demonstrate that somatostatin has a potent inhibitory effect on GABA-mediated synaptic potentials which hyperpolarize pyramidal cells. This effect may be relevant to the well-documented epileptogenicity of the hippocampus, as well as the phenomenon of long-term potentiation, which is a well-studied example of synaptic plasticity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Scharfman
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Schwartzkroin
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects*; D011817:Rabbits; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D013004:Somatostatin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid