Quantification of postsynaptic neuronal activity

摘要

A method for the quantification of post synaptic neuronal activity in brain tissue in vitro in which spectral analysis of a filtered digital signal of post synaptic neuronal activity is performed using a Fourier transform. Preferably the method comprises: i) recording and digitising a signal of post synaptic neuronal activity; (ii) digitally filtering the signal to remove components recorded below 100Hz and above 5000Hz; (iii) quantifying power of the signal components recorded in the range 100Hz-5000Hz using a fast Fourier transform to give an analysed signal; (iv) subtracting signal components above 2500Hz from the analysed signal; and (iv) plotting a curve of signal power against frequency of the analysed signal in the range 100-2500Hz and obtaining a numeric readout of action potential generation by calculating the area under the curve in the range 100-2000Hz. The method may include adding a pharmacologically active compound to the sample.