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- Title
Epileptiform activity in rat hippocampus strengthens excitatory synapses.
- Authors
Abegg, Mathias H.; Savic, Nataŝa; Ehrengruber, Markus U.; McKinney, R. Anne; Gähwiler, Beat H.
- Abstract
Although epileptic seizures are characterized by excessive excitation, the role of excitatory synaptic transmission in the induction and expression of epilepsy remains unclear. Here, we show that epileptiform activity strengthens excitatory hippocampal synapses by increasing the number of functional (RS)-α-amino-3hydroxy-Smethyl-4-isoxadepropionate (AMPA)-type glutamate receptors in CA3-CA1 synapses. This form of synaptic strengthening occludes long-term potentiation (LTP) and enhances long-term depression (LTD), processes involved in learning and memory. These changes in synaptic transmission and plasticity, which are fully blocked with N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, may underlie epilepsy induction and seizure-associated memory deficits.
- Subjects
EPILEPSY; EXCITATION (Physiology); MENTAL depression; METHYL aspartate; BRAIN diseases
- Publication
Journal of Physiology, 2004, Vol 554, Issue 2, p439
- ISSN
0022-3751
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1113/jphysiol.2003.052662