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Aging, prefrontal cortex, and amino acid neurotransmitters: differential effects produced by electrical stimulation
1Department of Human Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University Complutense, Madrid, Spain.
Abstract:
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of electrical stimulation on the in vivo release of amino acid neurotransmitters in the prefrontal cortex of young (3-4 months) and aged (27-30 months) rats. In vivo push-pull perfusions were performed in the conscious animal. The levels of aspartate, glutamate, and glycine were analyzed by HPLC-fluorimetric detection. Electrical stimulation of the medial prefrontal cortex at the intensity of 0.3 mA produced a significant increase in the levels of aspartate, glutamate, and glycine in young but not aged rats. However, at the intensity of 0.6 mA, a significant delayed increase of these same amino acids was produced in the aged rats. These results support the existence of a differential effect of electrical stimulation on amino acid neurotransmitters in the prefrontal cortex of young and aged rats.