WWW.JNEUROSCI.ORG
-
The Journal of Neuroscience
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     
-


HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Web of Science (15)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Lavin, A.
Right arrow Articles by Grace, A. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Lavin, A.
Right arrow Articles by Grace, A. A.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

The Journal of Neuroscience, December 15, 1998, 18(24):10566-10578

Dopamine Modulates the Responsivity of Mediodorsal Thalamic Cells Recorded In Vitro

A. Lavin and A. A. Grace

Departments of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260

The mediodorsal thalamic nucleus (MD) receives convergent inputs from subcortical limbic structures that overlap with a dopaminergic (DA) innervation. In this study, we describe the effects of DA agonists on the basal and evoked electrophysiological activity of identified thalamic cells of rats recorded in vitro. Administration of the D1 agonist SFK 38393 (10 µM) did not produce a clear effect on the physiological properties of the thalamic cells recorded. In contrast, bath administration of the D2 agonist quinpirole (10 µM) resulted in an enhancement of membrane excitability, facilitation of the occurrence of low-threshold spikes (LTSs), and changes in the resting membrane potential of the thalamic cells tested. The quinpirole-mediated responses were reversed by administration of the D2 antagonist haloperidol. Results from experiments performed with different [K+] and K+ channel blockers suggest that the effects of quinpirole are mediated at least in part by changes in K+ conductances. The results from this study suggest that DA can modulate the excitability of thalamic cells and in turn may influence the way that the thalamocortical system integrates information.

Key words: thalamus; dopamine; low-threshold spikes; K+ conductances; D1 agonist; D2 agonist

Copyright © 1998 Society for Neuroscience  0270-6474/98/182410566-13$05.00/0


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Cereb CortexHome page
M. A. Garcia-Cabezas, P. Martinez-Sanchez, M. A. Sanchez-Gonzalez, M. Garzon, and C. Cavada
Dopamine Innervation in the Thalamus: Monkey versus Rat
Cereb Cortex, February 1, 2009; 19(2): 424 - 434.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Neurosci.Home page
N. D. Volkow, G.-J. Wang, Y. Ma, J. S. Fowler, C. Wong, Y.-S. Ding, R. Hitzemann, J. M. Swanson, and P. Kalivas
Activation of Orbital and Medial Prefrontal Cortex by Methylphenidate in Cocaine-Addicted Subjects But Not in Controls: Relevance to Addiction
J. Neurosci., April 13, 2005; 25(15): 3932 - 3939.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Schizophr BullHome page
M. Sarter, C. L Nelson, and J. P Bruno
Cortical Cholinergic Transmission and Cortical Information Processing in Schizophrenia
Schizophr Bull, January 1, 2005; 31(1): 117 - 138.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


-
-

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help
-
Copyright 2009 by Society for Neuroscience ONLINE ISSN: 1529-2401
-