title: Fast neurotransmission in the rat medial preoptic nucleus.
abstract: The functional properties of neurotransmission in the medial preoptic nucleus (MPN) were studied in a brain slice preparation from young male rats. The aims were to evaluate the thin slice preparation for studying evoked synaptic responses in MPN neurons, to characterize the fast responses triggered by activation of presynaptic nerve fibers in the MPN, and to identify the involved receptor types. Presynaptic stimulation within the MPN evoked postsynaptic voltage and current responses that were blocked by 200 microM Cd2+ or by 2.0 microM tetrodotoxin and were attributed to action potential-evoked transmitter release. The relation to stimulus strength and comparison with spontaneous synaptic currents suggested that in many cases only one presynaptic nerve fiber was excited by the stimulus. Furthermore, the transmission was probabilistic in nature, with frequent failures. Thus, response probability, most likely reflecting transmitter release probability, could be evaluated in the thin slice preparation. Evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents recorded under voltage-clamp conditions were, due to kinetics, I-V relation, and pharmacological properties, attributed to AMPA/kainate receptors and NMDA receptors, whereas inhibitory currents were attributed to GABAA receptors. No responses that could be attributed to glycine or other types of primary transmitters were detected. Although serotonin (5-HT) did not appear to function as a primary transmitter, glutamate- as well as GABA-mediated transmission was suppressed by 500 microM 5-HT, with a clear reduction in response probability observed. 5-HT also reduced the frequency, but not the amplitude, of spontaneous postsynaptic currents and was therefore ascribed a presynaptic site of action.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Section for Physiology, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Evgenya
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Malinina
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Druzin
authors.forename: Staffan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johansson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D011810:Quinoxalines; C062865:2,3-dioxo-6-nitro-7-sulfamoylbenzo(f)quinoxaline; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate