Optical imaging of rat prefrontal neuronal activity evoked by stimulation of the ventral tegmental area.
Using a voltage-sensitive dye, the spatiotemporal dynamics of prefrontal neuronal activity evoked by electrical stimulation of the ventral tegmental area were visualized through optical imaging in anaesthetized rats. Even single-pulse stimulation of the ventral tegmental area elicited a widespread wave of depolarization followed by hyperpolarization in the dorsomedial shoulder region of the prefrontal cortex. We also examined the contribution of dopaminergic transmission to the optical signals by comparing normal and 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats. The 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of ventral tegmental area resulted in a complete absence of depolarization in the prefrontal cortex, although hyperpolarization was preserved. These results indicate that dopaminergic neurons are needed to generate excitatory responses in the prefrontal cortex.
Neuroscience Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan.
Yumiko
Y
Watanabe
Riichi
R
Kajiwara
Ichiro
I
Takashima
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D003714:Denervation; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D009498:Neurotoxins; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D016627:Oxidopamine; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*; D017557:Ventral Tegmental Area / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D009498:Neurotoxins; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D016627:Oxidopamine; D004298:Dopamine