Effects of temperature and acid-base state on hippocampal population spikes in hamsters

Previous studies have shown that changes in temperature, within the range encountered by hamsters entering hibernation, alter the evoked response of hippocampal pyramidal cells to stimulation of an afferent pathway. The present study was designed to determine whether these alterations are due to changes in the acid-base status of the neural tissue brought about by changes in temperature. Extracellular-evoked responses were recorded from hamster hippocampal slices after Schaffer collateral stimulation. The pH was changed by varying the concentration of CO2 aerating the bathing medium. Buffers contained either 26 or 40 mM bicarbonate ion. The width of the population spike (the synchronous firing of pyramidal cells) was measured as pH was varied between 7.5 and 7.1, with slice temperature set at either 25 or 20 degrees C. There was a significant increase in spike width as temperature was lowered to 20 degrees C, but no significant change in spike width or amplitude as pH or bicarbonate was varied. The effect of temperature (20 degrees C for half-maximal stimulation, and from 20 to 25 degrees C for just maximal stimulation) on spike width and amplitude thus does not appear to be due to pH- or bicarbonate-induced changes.