title: Gabapentin-- actions on adult superficial dorsal horn neurons.
abstract: Despite identification of GABA(B) receptors with gb1a-gb2 composition and the alpha2delta calcium channel subunit as putative molecular targets for gabapentin (GBP), its cellular mechanism of action has remained elusive. Therefore, we have used an in vitro spinal cord slice preparation to study the effects of GBP on lamina II neurons. The frequency and amplitude of spontaneous EPSCs and IPSCs were unaffected by GBP, suggesting presynaptic neurotransmitter release is not regulated. Direct modulation of postsynaptic membrane excitability is also unlikely since the level of holding current required to maintain neurons at -70, 0 and +45 mV was unaffected by GBP. Effects on excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission were variable across the population. Primary afferent-evoked fast glutamatergic EPSCs were unaffected by GBP, while evoked NMDA receptor-mediated EPSCs and IPSCs were variably affected. In contrast, GBP enhanced responses to bath applied NMDA in 71% of neurons. Thus, in adult rat dorsal horn, synaptic and extrasynaptic NMDA receptors may be differentially regulated by GBP perhaps due to differences in subunit composition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston 02129, USA. kmoore@itsa.ucsf.edu
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Woolf
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000588:Amines; D000818:Animals; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000077206:Gabapentin; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000494:pharmacology; D020671:Posterior Horn Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D000588:Amines; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D000077206:Gabapentin