Selective loss of Purkinje and granule cell responsiveness to N-methyl-D-aspartate in rat cerebellum during development

Brain Res. 1987 Dec 1;433(2):288-92. doi: 10.1016/0165-3806(87)90034-4.

Abstract

Depolarizing responses of Purkinje and granule cells to excitatory amino acid receptor agonists were recorded from rat cerebellar slices at various stages of postnatal maturation using a gap technique. No major developmental changes in relative potency or efficacy of kainate and quisqualate were observed. However, Purkinje and granule neurones both became less responsive to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) with age, most dramatically so between 14 and 21 days. This transient chemosensitivity to NMDA may reflect a special role of the NMDA receptor system in cerebellar development.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aging
  • Animals
  • Aspartic Acid / analogs & derivatives*
  • Aspartic Acid / pharmacology
  • Cerebellum / cytology
  • Cerebellum / drug effects
  • Cerebellum / growth & development*
  • Convulsants / pharmacology
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Kainic Acid / pharmacology
  • Membrane Potentials / drug effects
  • N-Methylaspartate
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / physiology*
  • Oxadiazoles / pharmacology
  • Purkinje Cells / drug effects
  • Purkinje Cells / physiology*
  • Quisqualic Acid
  • Rats

Substances

  • Convulsants
  • Oxadiazoles
  • Aspartic Acid
  • N-Methylaspartate
  • Quisqualic Acid
  • Kainic Acid