Expression of long-term potentiation of the striatum in methamphetamine-sensitized rats

Abstract

We examined the change of corticostriatal glutamatergic neuronal transmission in striatal slices of methamphetamine (MAP)-sensitized rats in vitro. Tetanic stimulation induced long-term depression (LTD) of the field potential in the striatum of saline-treated rats. However, it induced long-term potentiation (LTP) in the striatum of MAP-sensitized rats. This LTP was significantly suppressed by a N-methyl- d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, aminophosphonovaleric acid (APV). These results suggest that LTP is expressed in the striatum of MAP-sensitized rats, and that NMDA receptors are indispensable for the LTP formation.