Μελέτη της διεγερσιμότητας των πυραμιδοειδών νευρώνων της περιοχής CA1 του ιπποκάμπου

Abstract

Recent reports have acknowledged the existence of functional differentiation along the longitudinal axis of the hippocampus, the ventral part being more prone to epileptogenesis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the membrane properties and firing characteristics of principal neurons of dorsal (DH) and ventral hippocampus (VH) that might account for this differentiation. Intracellular recordings were made from CA1 pyramidal neurons of DH and VH hippocampus. Resting membrane potential (DH: -64,17±0,65mV; VH: -63,84±0,82mV), input resistance (DH: 45,92±4,99ΜΩ; VH: 46,28±6,24ΜΩ), and time constant (DH: 22,11 ±1,13ms; VH: 19,32±0,87ms) did not differ between DH (n=21 and VH (n=12) neurons. Action potential (AP) parameters were measured from single AP's elicited by brief current pulse (3-1 Oms) in DH (n=7) and VH (n=7) neurons. Peak amplitude (DH: 89,71±1,99mV; VH: 80,57±1,92 mV), rise time (DH: 0,22±0,01ms; VH: 0,21±0,01ms), decay time (DH: 0,97±0,02ms: VH: 0,98±0,02ms), half width (DH: 1,31±0,07ms; VH: 1,14 ±0,03ms). However, fast afterhyperpolarizations (fAHP) following AP’s were significantly weaker in VH (-4,07±0,7mV) compared to DH (-7,53±1,16mV) neurons (p<0,05). Moreover, the 1st interspike interval (ISI; DH: 4,9±0,34ms, n=25; VH: 3,9±0,3ms, n=15) of a train of AP’s elicited by a depolarizing current pulse (500ms, 0.4nA), as well as the number of AP’s within the pulse (DH: 6,8±0,9; VH: 12,1 ±0,2), was significantly different between the two groups of neurons (p<0,05). The data suggest that the weaker fAHP in VH could underlie its higher neuronal excitability as expressed by the shorter ISI. These finding confirm and extend previous evidence for functional differentiation between DH and VH and explain, to some extend, the relatively higher tendency of VH toward epileptiform activity.