Application of N-methyl- d-aspartate induces long-term potentiation in the medial perforant path and long-term depression in the lateral perforant path of the rat dentate gyrus in vitro

Abstract

The effect of application of N-methyl- d-aspartate (NMDA) on synaptic plasticity was studied in the medial and lateral perforant path-granule cell synapse in the outer blade of the dentate gyrus in vitro. Field excitatory post-synaptic potentials were recorded from the middle or outer molecular layer in response to stimulation of the medial or lateral perforant path. Bath perfusion of NMDA (10 μM, 5 min) resulted in induction of long-term potentiation in the medial perforant path, and induction of long-term depression in the lateral perforant path.