Desentization to glutamate and aspartate in rat olfactory (prepyriform) cortex slice

Abstract

Olfactory cortex brain slices were subject to multiple bath applications of either glutamate or aspartate. The effectiveness of these amino acids (measured by quantitating the amplitude of lateral olfactory tract-stimulated field potentials) was progressively reduced with each successive perfusion of the agonist. However, the effectiveness of the endogenous neurotransmitter recovered to control in each intervening wash period. Thus, repeated applications of glutamate or aspartate desensitized olfactory cortex receptors to these amino acids but did not desensitize the receptors to the endogenous transmitter. These data support the hypothesis that neither glutamate nor aspartate is the neurotransmitter released from the lateral olfactory tract onto pyramidal cells of the olfactory cortex.