title: Biochemical evidence for glutamate and/or aspartate as neurotransmitters in fibers from the visual cortex to the lateral posterior thalamic nucleus (pulvinar) in rats.
abstract: The effects of visual cortex ablation on several neurotransmitter parameters in the lateral thalamic nucleus (pulvinar) in rats have been investigated. We found a 57% decrease in high affinity uptake of D-[3H]aspartate in the pulvinar after ablation of the ipsilateral visual cortex. The KCl-evoked release of exogenous D-[3H]aspartate and endogenous glutamate were decreased by 33 and 37%, respectively. Moreover, the contents of endogenous glutamate and aspartate were decreased by 35%, each. The glutamate decarboxylase and choline acetyltransferase activities and the contents of other amino acids were not affected by the lesion. Our biochemical data indicate that glutamate and/or aspartate may be transmitters in the fibers from visual cortex to pulvinar in rats.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000502:physiology*; D005971:Glutamates / Q000502:physiology*; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D008297:Male; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000502:physiology*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013787:Thalamic Nuclei / Q000502:physiology*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D005971:Glutamates; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D018698:Glutamic Acid