title: Developmental study of benzodiazepine effects on monosynaptic GABAA-mediated IPSPs of rat hippocampal neurons.
abstract: 1. The effects of type I (BZ1) and type II (BZ2) benzodiazepine receptor ligands on monosynaptic gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)A-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) and on responses to exogenously applied GABA were studied using intracellular recordings from CA3 pyramidal cells of rat hippocampal slices taken at different postnatal stages [postnatal day 4 (P4)-P35)]. 2. The effects of midazolam, a BZ1 and BZ2 receptor agonist, were tested on the monosynaptic IPSPs at different stages. Monosynaptic, bicuculline-sensitive IPSPs were evoked by hilar stimulation in presence of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid (AMPA) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists [6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (10 microM) and D(-)2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (50 microM)]. Midazolam at 300 nM maximally increased the duration and amplitude of monosynaptic GABAA-mediated IPSPs in neurons from pups (P4-P6, n = 6) and young (P7-P12, n = 8) and adult (P25-P35, n = 9) rats. All the effects of midazolam on IPSPs were reversed by the antagonist Ro 15-1788 (10 microM). 3. The effect of midazolam was also tested on the response to exogenously applied GABA (5 mM) in the presence of tetrodotoxine [TTX (1 microM)]. In neurons from young rats (n = 9), midazolam (1 nM-1 microM) did not change the responses to exogenously applied GABA, whereas in adult rats (n = 8) midazolam maximally increased GABA currents at 30 nM. 4. The effect of zolpidem, a BZ1 receptor agonist, was tested on monosynaptic IPSPs and GABA currents at different stages. Zolpidem (10 nM-1 microM) was inactive in cells from young rats (n = 12). In neurons from adult rats, zolpidem maximally increased the duration and amplitude of the monosynaptic IPSPs at 300 nM (n = 5) and the amplitude of GABA current at 30-100 nM (n = 5). 5. Methyl-6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (DMCM) (300 nM), an inverse agonist of BZ1 and BZ2 receptors, decreased the amplitude and duration of monosynaptic IPSPs in neurons from pups (n = 3) and young (n = 4) and adult (n = 5) rats. In all cases, full recovery was obtained after exposure to R0 15-1788 (10 microM). DMCM (300 nM-10 microM) failed to reduce GABA responses in cells from young (n = 3) or adult (n = 7) rats. 6. Results indicate that the regulation by benzodiazepine of GABAA-mediated IPSPs varies with the developmental stage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale-U29, Hôpital de Port-Royal, Paris, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rovira
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ben-Ari
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002243:Carbolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D003292:Convulsants / Q000494:pharmacology; D046508:Culture Techniques; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008874:Midazolam / Q000494:pharmacology; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000077334:Zolpidem
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D002243:Carbolines; D003292:Convulsants; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D011725:Pyridines; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; C034818:methyl 6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate; D000077334:Zolpidem; D008874:Midazolam