title: Subthalamic nucleus neurons switch from single-spike activity to burst-firing mode.
abstract: The modification of the discharge pattern of subthalamic nucleus (STN) neurons from single-spike activity to mixed burst-firing mode is one of the characteristics of parkinsonism in rat and primates. However, the mechanism of this process is not yet understood. Intrinsic firing patterns of STN neurons were examined in rat brain slices with intracellular and patch-clamp techniques. Almost half of the STN neurons that spontaneously discharged in the single-spike mode had the intrinsic property of switching to pure or mixed burst-firing mode when the membrane was hyperpolarized from -41.3 +/- 1.0 mV (range, -35 to -50 mV; n = 15) to -51.0 +/- 1.0 mV (range, -42 to -60 mV; n = 20). This switch was greatly facilitated by activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors with 1S,3R-ACPD. Recurrent membrane oscillations underlying burst-firing mode were endogenous and Ca2+-dependent because they were largely reduced by nifedipine (3 microM), Ni2+ (40 microM), and BAPTA-AM (10-50 microM) at any potential tested, whereas TTX (1 microM) had no effect. In contrast, simultaneous application of TEA (1 mM) and apamin (0.2 microM) prolonged burst duration. Moreover, in response to intracellular stimulation at hyperpolarized potentials, a plateau potential with a voltage and ionic basis similar to those of spontaneous bursts was recorded in 82% of the tested STN neurons, all of which displayed a low-threshold Ni2+-sensitive spike. We propose that recurrent membrane oscillations during bursts result from the sequential activation of T/R- and L-type Ca2+ currents, a Ca2+-activated inward current, and Ca2+-activated K+ currents.
authors.affiliation: Université de Bordeaux II, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Unitié Mixte de Recherche 5543, 33076 Bordeaux cédex, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beurrier
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Congar
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bioulac
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hammond
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004533:Egtazic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009532:Nickel / Q000494:pharmacology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D013787:Thalamic Nuclei / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D002614:Chelating Agents; D015221:Potassium Channels; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds; C070379:1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid acetoxymethyl ester; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D004533:Egtazic Acid; D009532:Nickel; D002118:Calcium