title: Picrotoxin-sensitive receptors mediate gamma-aminobutyric acid-induced modulation of synaptic plasticity in rat superior cervical ganglion.
abstract: Activity-dependent changes of synaptic efficacy in the superior cervical ganglion (SCG) can be prevented by gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). We have studied the effects of picrotoxin (PTX) on GABA-mediated inhibition of long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic transmission in the rat SCG. Compound action potentials were recorded extracellularly in the postganglionic internal carotid nerve in response to preganglionic nerve stimulation. PTX (100 microM) antagonized the inhibition by exogenous GABA (250 microM) of LTP induced by strong tetanic stimulation (20 Hz, 20s, supramaximal stimulation, partial blockade of transmission by hexamethonium). Additionally, PTX alone (50 microM) facilitated the induction of LTP by a weak tetanus (20 Hz, 5 s, submaximal stimulation). These results further support previous data indicating that activation of GABAA-like receptors can prevent the occurrence of synaptic plasticity at this peripheral synapse.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: González Burgos
authors.forename: F I
authors.initials: FI
authors.lastname: Biali
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Cardinali
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004594:Electrophysiology; D018756:GABA Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D058785:GABA-A Receptor Agonists; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010852:Picrotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000502:physiology; D017783:Superior Cervical Ganglion / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D018756:GABA Antagonists; D058785:GABA-A Receptor Agonists; D010852:Picrotoxin; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; C037480:picrotoxinin receptor