Benzodiazepine modulation of GABAergic responses is intact in the cerebellum of aged F344 rats.
During the aging process there is a decline in the function of many central nervous system receptor systems. In this report we examine the ability of midazolam to potentiate gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) mediated inhibition recorded from cerebellar Purkinje neurons using extracellular recording methods. We report that when midazolam is applied concurrently with GABA from glass multibarrel electrodes that midazolam potentiates GABA mediated inhibition in 46% of Purkinje neurons in 3-month-old F344 rats, 63% of neurons in 18-month-old F344 rats and 54% of cells in 24-month-old F344 rats. Thus, there is no age related decline in function of this response. In fact, the response to midazolam is significantly increased in 18-month-old rats.
Bickford
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PC
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Research Service (151), 1055 Clermont Street, Denver, CO 80220, USA. paula.bickford@uchsc.edu
Breiderick
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L
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018757:GABA Modulators / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007478:Iontophoresis; D008297:Male; D008839:Microelectrodes; D008845:Microinjections; D008874:Midazolam / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000378:metabolism; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D018757:GABA Modulators; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D008874:Midazolam