Figure 7.
Long-term consequences of selective immunolesion of BFn cholinergic neurons using 192 IgG-saporin on the V1 oscillatory activity. A, Immunocytochemistry of BFn VAChT-positive neurons in control (nontreated; i), PBS-treated (ii), and 192 IgG-saporin-treated (iii) pups. The pups were injected at P0 and the brains fixed by perfusion at P6. Top, Note the dramatic decrease of the number of cholinergic neurons in saporin-treated pups when compared with controls and PBS-treated animals. Bottom, Higher magnification of the sections displaying a comparable portion of the rostral part of the basal nucleus to allow the recognition of the morphology of cholinergic neurons. B, Bar diagram displaying the density of VAChT-positive cells under control conditions and after PBS and 192 IgG-saporin treatment. C, Effects of 192 IgG-saporin treatment on the body weight during early postnatal development. The weight increase for controls, PBS-treated, and 192 IgG-saporin-treated animals is displayed as relative to the P0 weight. Note the similar increase in the body weight of all investigated pups. D, Extracellular field potential recordings from ipsilateral and contralateral V1 of a nontreated P6 pup (i; black traces), a PBS-treated P6 pup (ii; dark gray traces), and a 192 IgG-saporin-treated P6 pup (iii; light gray traces). Inset, Typical spindle bursts displayed at an enlarged scale and averaged power spectrum of the field potential oscillations corresponding to the displayed traces. Note the dramatic reduction in the occurrence and power of spindle bursts in 192 IgG-saporin-treated animals. E, Bar diagram displaying the mean occurrence, amplitude, frequency within burst and duration of V1 spindle bursts recorded in eight control (nontreated), five PBS-treated, and eight 192 IgG saporin-treated pups.