Electrophysiological Effects of Drugs Known to Affect Acetylcholinesterase and Its Inhibition on Neural Mechanisms of Rat Septal, Nuclei, In vitro, RA5

摘要

The purpose of our work is to explore the possibility that anticholinesterase (antichE) drugs and acetylcholinesterase may produce effects on cholinergic and noncholinergic systems by mechanisms which may or may not involve inhibition of cholinesterase. This project has utilized an in vitro brain slice preparation from rats and intracellular recording electrophysiological techniques. Our results demonstrate that pyridostigmine has direct nicotinic actions (inhibition of spontaneous firing, membrane hyperpolarization, and depression of synaptic inhibitory potentials) on dorsolateral septal neurons. We have been able to mimic these actions of pyridostigmine with nicotine or carbachol and block them with mecamylamine. We have also demonstrated that muscarine produces multiple actions on these neurons, which can be blocked by atropine. Finally, we have demonstrated that flurazepam, a water soluble derivative of diazepam, has little effect prior to soman, but after soman exposure, acts to stop spontaneous firing, depolarize the membrane potential and depress inhibitory synaptic transmission. Keywords: Cholinesterase inhibitors. (kt)