Number of correlates of membrane metabolism and long-term potentiation in rat brain slices

Abstract

Long-term potentiation was elicited in living slices of rat olfactory cortex by stimulation of the lateral olfactory tract. A group of interdependent parameters of membrane metabolism was studied, i.e., the kinetics of 45Ca metabolism, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant defense; cytochemical measurements were made of Na+, K(+)-ATPase activity in neurons and glial cells; the functional (GTPase) activity of G-proteins was also studied. All parameters were compared with the bioelectrical activity of slices at three time points after tetanization, i.e., 3-5, 15, and 30 min. In most cases, regular phasic changes in metabolic parameters occurred, and their functional significance is discussed.