title: Cellular mechanisms of long-lasting adaptation in visual cortical neurons in vitro.
abstract: The cellular mechanisms of spike-frequency adaptation during prolonged discharges and of the slow afterhyperpolarization (AHP) that follows, as occur in vivo with contrast adaptation, were investigated with intracellular recordings of cortical neurons in slices of ferret primary visual cortex. Intracellular injection of 2 Hz sinusoidal or constant currents for 20 sec resulted in a slow (tau = 1-10 sec) spike-frequency adaptation, the degree of which varied widely among neurons. Reducing either [Ca(2+)](o) or [Na(+)](o) reduced the rate of spike-frequency adaptation. After the prolonged discharge was a slow (12-75 sec) AHP that was associated with an increase in membrane conductance and a rightward shift in the discharge frequency versus injected current relationship. The reversal potential of the slow AHP was sensitive to changes in [K(+)](o), indicating that it was mediated by a K(+) current. Blockade of transmembrane Ca(2+) conductances did not reduce the slow AHP. In contrast, reductions of [Na(+)](o) reduced the slow AHP, even in the presence of pronounced Ca(2+) spikes. We suggest that the activation of Na(+)-activated and Ca(2+)-activated K(+) currents plays an important role in prolonged spike-frequency adaptation and therefore may contribute to contrast adaptation and other forms of adaptation in the visual system in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Section of Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA. mavi.sanchez@umh.es
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Sanchez-Vives
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: McCormick
mesh_terms: D000221:Adaptation, Ocular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002452:Cell Count; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005289:Ferrets / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015221:Potassium Channels; D013779:Tetrodotoxin