Electrophysiology of GABAergic transmission of single intergeniculate leaflet neurons in rat.

The intergeniculate leaflet (IGL) of the thalamus constitutes a small but important part of the neural network controlling circadian activity in rodents. It appears that IGL integrates photic cues from retina with non-photic information originating from different nonspecific brain systems. Subsequently, this integrated signal is passed to the master biological clock - the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). The common neurotransmitter of biological clock neural structures, the gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) is expressed in many, if not all, IGL and SCN neurons. Whole-cell patch clamp in vitro electrophysiological experiments were performed in order to evaluate GABA's influence on single IGL neurons in rat. Most neurons were hyperpolarized by GABA application and this effect was caused by activation of GABAA as well as GABAB receptors. The presence of GABAB receptors in rat's IGL has been suggested for the first time.