Effects of Administration of Perinatal Bupropion on the Population Spike Amplitude in Neonatal Rat Hippocampal Slices

Objective(s) Bupropion is an atypical antidepressant that is widely used in smoke cessation under FDA approval. The study of synaptic effects of bupropion can help to finding out its mechanism(s) for stopping nicotine dependence. In this study the effects of perinatal bupropion on the population spike (PS) amplitude of neonates were investigated. Materials and Methods Hippocampal slices were prepared from 18-25 days old rat pups. The experimental groups included control and bupropion-treated. Bupropion (40 mg/Kg, i.p.) was applied daily in perinatal period as pre-treatment. Due to the studying acute effects, bupropion was also added to the perfusion medium (10, 50, 200 pM for 30 min). The evoked PS was recorded from pyramidal layer of CA1 area, following stimulation of Schaffer collaterals. Results A concentration of 10 pM bupropion had no significant effects on the PS amplitude. The 50 pM concentration of bupropion reduced the amplitude of responses in 50% of the studied cases. At a concentration of 200 pM, the recorded PS amplitudes were reduced in all slices (n= 22). Amplitude was completely abolished in 8 out of the 22 slices. The decrease of the PS amplitude was found to be more in the non-pre-treated slices than in the pre-treated slices when both were perfused with 200 pM bupropion. Conclusion The results showed the perinatal exposure to bupropion and its acute effects while indicating that at concentrations of 50 and 200 pM bupropion reduced the PS amplitude. It was also found that there was evidence of synaptic adaptation in comparison of bupropion-treated and non-treated slices whereas they were both perfused with 200 pM.