Acetylcholine excites identified septo-hippocampal neurons in the rat.
Neurons of the medial septum-nucleus of the diagonal band of Broca (vertical limb) area were identified as septo-hippocampal neurons by antidromic electrical activation in anesthetized rats. A large majority of these presumably cholinergic neurons could be excited by the iontophoretic application of acetylcholine or cholinergic agonists such as carbachol. The acetylcholine-induced excitations were readily antagonized by atropine. These results suggest that cholinergic neurons can be excited by their own transmitter, i.e. acetylcholine.
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002217:Carbachol / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D002217:Carbachol; D000109:Acetylcholine