A long-lasting decrease in the inhibitory effect of GABA on glutamate responses of hippocampal pyramidal neurons induced by kindling epileptogenesis

Abstract

Experiments were carried out to test whether changes in the sensitivity of hippocampal pyramidal neurons to the neurotransmitters glutamate, GABA and noradrenaline may be associated with the establishment of an epileptogenic focus induced by kindling. The effects of iontophoretically applied neurotransmitters on the firing rate of single units were quantified in the rat hippocampal CA1 area in kindled and control animals. Kindling was induced by electrical tetanic stimulation of the Schaffer collateral/commissural fibers. Firing was evoked by local glutamate iontophoresis while simultaneous GABA or noradrenaline application suppressed this response. A significant reduction of the GABAergic inhibitory action on the firing rate in kindled animals studied around four or around 42 days after the last convulsion was found. In the same neurons, the suppressive effect of noradrenaline was not different from controls. The neurons of kindled animals, investigated around four days after the last seizure, had a reduced sensitivity for glutamate; more glutamate ejection current was needed to evoke firing or to evoke the maximum firing rate. In contrast, the responsiveness for glutamate was significantly increased long-term after the last convulsion. These findings demonstrate that hippocampal Schaffer collateral kindling is associated with a long-lasting reduced effectiveness of the GABA-mediated response on glutamate-evoked firing in CA1.