title: Selective loss of Purkinje and granule cell responsiveness to N-methyl-D-aspartate in rat cerebellum during development.
abstract: Depolarizing responses of Purkinje and granule cells to excitatory amino acid receptor agonists were recorded from rat cerebellar slices at various stages of postnatal maturation using a gap technique. No major developmental changes in relative potency or efficacy of kainate and quisqualate were observed. However, Purkinje and granule neurones both became less responsive to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) with age, most dramatically so between 14 and 21 days. This transient chemosensitivity to NMDA may reflect a special role of the NMDA receptor system in cerebellar development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Liverpool, U.K.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Garthwaite
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yamini
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Garthwaite
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D003292:Convulsants / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010069:Oxadiazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D016318:Quisqualic Acid; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D003292:Convulsants; D010069:Oxadiazoles; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D016318:Quisqualic Acid; D007608:Kainic Acid