Chonnam Med J.  2005 Apr;41(1):19-24.

Modulation of the Neuronal Activity of Vestibular Nuclear Neurons by 8-OH-DPAT

• Jeong HS
• Jang MJ
• Huang M
• Park JS

Abstract

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of the 8-hydroxy-2-(di-N-propylamino) tetralin (8-OH- DPAT), a specific 5-HT1A receptor agonist on the spontaneous activity of medial vestibular nuclear neurons of the rat. Sprague-Dawley rats aged 14 to 16 days were anesthetized with ether and decapitated. After enzymatic digestion, the portion of medial vestibular nucleus neuron was obtained by micropunching. The dissociated neurons were transferred into a recording chamber mounted on an inverted microscope and spontaneous action potentials were recorded by standard patch-clamp techniques. Spontaneous firing of the medial vestibular nuclear neurons was increased by 8-OH-DPAT under current-clamp mode. The frequency of spontaneous action potential and the resting membrane potential of these cells increased, whereas the depth of afterhyperpolarization decreased. Voltage-dependent potassium currents were inhibited by 8-OH-DPAT under voltage-clamp mode. These results suggest 8-OH-DPAT increases spontaneous firing of the medial vestibular nuclear neurons by affecting the potassium currents.

Keyword

8-OH-DPAT; Medial vestibular nucleus; Action potential; Potassium currents

MeSH Terms

8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin*
Action Potentials
Animals
Digestion
Ether
Fires
Membrane Potentials
Neurons*
Patch-Clamp Techniques
Potassium
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A
Vestibular Nuclei
8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin
Ether
Potassium
Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A