title: Aging, prefrontal cortex, and amino acid neurotransmitters: differential effects produced by electrical stimulation.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of electrical stimulation on the in vivo release of amino acid neurotransmitters in the prefrontal cortex of young (3-4 months) and aged (27-30 months) rats. In vivo push-pull perfusions were performed in the conscious animal. The levels of aspartate, glutamate, and glycine were analyzed by HPLC-fluorimetric detection. Electrical stimulation of the medial prefrontal cortex at the intensity of 0.3 mA produced a significant increase in the levels of aspartate, glutamate, and glycine in young but not aged rats. However, at the intensity of 0.6 mA, a significant delayed increase of these same amino acids was produced in the aged rats. These results support the existence of a differential effect of electrical stimulation on amino acid neurotransmitters in the prefrontal cortex of young and aged rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University Complutense, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cobo
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Expósito
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mora
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005971:Glutamates / Q000378:metabolism; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005998:Glycine / Q000378:metabolism; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D005971:Glutamates; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005998:Glycine