Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 20, 2026

Induction of an Isoelectric Brain State to Investigate the Impact of Endogenous Synaptic Activity on Neuronal Excitability In Vivo
Published on: March 31, 2016
Alkalosis leads to the over-activity of cortical principal neurons
Yunting Lu1, Lian Yi, Danian Liu
1Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, PR China.
Abstract:
Alkalosis patients manifest anxiety, manic and convulsion. The elevation of mood and behavior is hypothetically a scenario that alkalosis resets the functional status of neuronal networks to overexcitation. In addition to the downregulation of inhibitory neurons, we examined whether alkalosis upregulates the functions of cortical principal neurons by electrophysiological approach. High extracellular pH condition downgrades inhibitory postsynaptic current frequency, as well as upregulates excitatory synaptic events and spike production in cortical principal neurons. Their functional upregulation is associated with the decreases of spike refractory period and threshold potential. Alkalosis downregulates GABA release from inhibitory neurons and upregulates the functions of principal neurons, which lead to imbalance between inhibitory and excitatory networks for the elevated mood and behaviors.
Related Concept Videos
The Role of Ion Channels in Neuronal Computation
Sometimes a single EPSP is strong enough to induce an action potential in the postsynaptic neuron. However, multiple presynaptic inputs must often create EPSPs around the same time for the postsynaptic neuron to be sufficiently depolarized to fire an action potential.
Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism
Excitatory and Inhibitory Effects of Neurotransmitters
Action Potentials
Action Potential
Membrane potential in neurons
Neurons typically have a resting membrane potential of about -70 millivolts (mV). When they receive...
Action Potential
Membrane potential in neurons
Neurons typically have a resting membrane potential of about -70 millivolts (mV). When they receive...

