title: Horizontal spread of activity in neocortical inhibitory networks.
abstract: In the presence of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) and excitatory amino acid receptor blockers, GABAergic networks in the neocortex give rise to large spontaneous GABA-mediated depolarizations. We used voltage-sensitive dye techniques to explore the network properties of depolarizing GABA responses. Voltage-sensitive dye signals demonstrated that the superficial layers support the propagation of depolarizing GABA responses, with only minimal signals detected in deeper cortical layers. GABA responses propagated at a speed of 2.7 +/- 0.2 mm/s, a rate intermediate to fast synaptic transmission and spreading depression. Changes in the extracellular potassium concentration altered the propagation speed of the depolarizing GABA response. Taken together, these data support a role for both direct synaptic action of GABA at GABA(A) receptors and nonsynaptic mechanisms in the generation and propagation of depolarizing GABA responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: DeFazio
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hablitz
mesh_terms: D015761:4-Aminopyridine / Q000494:pharmacology; D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007736:Kynurenic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D016014:Linear Models; D019579:Neocortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D011726:Pyridinium Compounds / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D011726:Pyridinium Compounds; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione; D015761:4-Aminopyridine; D007736:Kynurenic Acid; C054158:RH 414