Laminar profiles of N-methyl-D-aspartate- and quisqualate-induced [Na+]o changes in rat hippocampus

Since plastic changes in neuronal tissue are often associated with changes in responses to excitatory amino acids (EAA), a method is required which permits mapping of functional EAA receptor sites. In this study the measurement of extracellular sodium concentration changes [( Na+]o) induced by iontophoretic application of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and quisqualate (Quis) is used as a tool to estimate the density of functional NMDA- and Quis-receptor sites in area CA1 and dentate gyrus of rat hippocampus. Largest decreases of [Na+]o induced by NMDA were found in basal and apical dendritic fields of area CA1 and in stratum moleculare of dentate gyrus at a distance of 50-100 microns from stratum granulare. Peak decreases in [Na+]o induced by Quis occurred at similar positions. Bath application of tetrodotoxin (TTX) suppressed that part of the extracellular Na+ loss mediated by Na+ fluxes through voltage activated Na+ channels. However, the laminar profiles of Quis- and NMDA-induced [Na+]o changes were not affected by TTX. Thus, EAA induced decreases in [Na+]o can be used to detect changes in receptor density and in receptor functionality of hippocampus which had undergone plastic changes.