Fast excitatory post synaptic potentials and their response to catecholaminergic antagonists in rat sympathetic preganglionic neurones in vitro

Abstract

In an in vitro slice preparation from neonatal rats intracellular recordings were made from electrophysiologically identified sympathetic preganglionic neurones. Electrical stimulation in the lateral funiculus (>500 μm) from the recording site elicited a mono- or polysynaptic excitatory post synaptic potential. The latter potential was blocked with the dopamine D 2 antagonist haloperidol but not with the dopamine D 1 antagonist SCH 23390. We therefore report the first showing of a functional descending pathway in an in vitro slice preparation describing both the transmitter and the receptor subtype involved and physiologically show that dopamine may exert an indirect excitatory influence on sympathetic preganglionic neurones possibly via interneurones present in the spinal cord.