Lidocaine excites both pre- and postsynaptic neurons of reconstructed respiratory pattern generator in Lymnaea...

Lidocaine causes both inhibition and excitation in the central nervous system, including the respiratory pattern. The excitation induced by an excessive dose of local anesthetic is thought to be the result of an initial blockade of an inhibitory pathway in the cerebral cortex. To clarify the effect of lidocaine on the pre- and postsynaptic neurons of an inhibitory synapse, a cultured soma-soma respiratory pattern generator model consisting of two neurons from the snail Lymnaea stagnalis were reconstructed in vitro. First we investigated the effects of lidocaine on single presynaptic (RPeD1) or postsynaptic (VD4) neurons. While RPeD1 and VD4 were simultaneously recorded, the number of action potentials, the membrane potential, and the wavelength of the action potential were compared before and after lidocaine (0.01, 0.1, and 1 mM) administration. Lidocaine increased the number of action potentials and the wavelength of a single action potential, and it depolarized the resting membrane potential in both RPeD1 and VD4 neurons in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, lidocaine decreased outward potassium currents. In soma-soma pairs, RPeD1 excitation and VD4 suppression occurred in 0.01 mM lidocaine, whereas both RPeD1 and VD4 neurons were excited by 0.1 and 1 mM lidocaine. In conclusion, lidocaine causes a reduction in synaptic transmission and general neuronal excitation in both presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons.