Dendritic glutamate-induced bursting in prefrontal pyramidal cells: role of NMDA and non-NMDA receptors.

AIM To investigate whether in the prefrontal cortical (PFC) pyramidal cells, focal glutamate application to the apical dendrite induces bursting and whether the effect of glutamate involves activation of both NMDA and non-NMDA receptors. METHODS Pyramidal cells in layers V and VI of the PFC were visualized in rat brain slices using infrared videomicroscopy and recorded with whole-cell electrodes. Glutamate and its agonists were focally applied to the apical dendrite and the soma using microiontophoresis. RESULTS Dendritic glutamate application (0-20 nA, 10 mmol/L) induced repetitive bursts in most cells tested (12/17). In the same cells, somatic glutamate (5-20 nA, 10 mmol/L) induced only regular spiking. The bursting effect is likely to be direct since applications 5 microns away from the dendrite resulted in either a much reduced effect or no effect. Both CGP 37849 1 mumol/L and NBQX 1 mumol/L reduced the effect, suggesting an involvement of both NMDA and non-NMDA receptors. However, when non-NMDA receptors were selectively activated using AMPA (2-50 nA, 10 mmol/L), only regular spiking was observed. In contrast, selective NMDA receptor activation (NMDA 1.3-25 nA, 100 mmol/L) reliably induced bursting. CONCLUSION In most PFC pyramidal cells tested, dendritic glutamate application induces repetitive bursting, whereas somatic glutamate application induces only regular spiking. Both NMDA and non-NMDA receptors are activated during dendritic glutamate application. However, bursting is primarily mediated by NMDA receptors.