Acute NMDA receptor antagonism disrupts synchronization of action potential firing in rat prefrontal cortex.

ABSTRACT: Antagonists of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDAR) have psychotomimetic effects in humans and are used to model schizophrenia in animals. We used high-density electrophysiological recordings to assess the effects of acute systemic injection of an NMDAR antagonist (MK-801) on ensemble neural processing in the medial prefrontal cortex of freely moving rats. Although MK-801 increased neuron firing rates and the amplitude of gamma-frequency oscillations in field potentials, the synchronization of action potential firing decreased and spike trains became more Poisson-like. This disorganization of action potential firing following MK-801 administration is consistent with changes in simulated cortical networks as the functional connections among pyramidal neurons become less clustered. Such lo

SUBMITTER: Molina LA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3895008 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature