Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 8
Electrophysiological Evaluation of Synaptic Plasticity
in Injured CNS
Xiaoming Jin
Abstract
Brain ischemia and injuries often cause alterations in short- and long-term synaptic plasticity, which
underlies impaired brain functions, such as learning and memory defi cit and epilepsy. Field potential
recording (FPR) and whole-cell patch clamp recording are electrophysiological techniques frequently
used for evaluating synaptic plasticity. The FPR technique can measure synaptic activity generated from a
population of activated neurons while patch clamp recording allows assessment of changes in synaptic
plasticity in individual neurons. This chapter introduces the application of different electrophysiological
techniques, typical procedures for neocortical and hippocampal slice preparation, FPR, and protocols for
evaluating short- and long-term synaptic plasticity in brain ischemia and injuries.
Key words:
Brain injury, Field potential recording, Synaptic plasticity, Long-term potentiation,
Long-term depression, Paired pulse facilitation, Release probability
1. Introduction
Synaptic plasticity is the ability of neurons to strengthen or weaken
their effi cacy of synaptic transmission under certain physiological
and pathological conditions. Such changes in effi cacy of synaptic
transmission underlie many basic functions of the central nervous
system, including sensory processing, motor function, learning,
and memory (
1, 2
). Altered or impaired synaptic plasticity occurs
in various types of brain injuries, and is believed to be one
pathophysiological mechanism responsible not only for memory
loss and epileptic seizures, but also for postinjury functional recov-
ery (
3, 4
). Evaluation of synaptic plasticity following brain injuries
is, therefore, indicative of brain functions related to injury as well
as the subsequent functional recovery.
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