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Histamine and noradrenaline decrease calcium-activated potassium conductance in hippocampal pyramidal cells

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Abstract

Ample evidence exists for histaminergic1 and noradrenergic2,3 projections to the hippocampus. Both amines exert neurotransmitter or modulator actions on principal neurones in the CA 1 and in the dentate area. A number of mechanisms have been proposed for these actions, including increased potassium conductance4, increased chloride conductance and electrogenic pump stimulation5,6, and reduction of the anomalous inward rectification5. Action potentials, and particularly bursts of spikes, in CA 1 pyramidal cells, are followed by an afterhyper-polarization (AHP) which consists of two components7. The late AHP depends on a calcium-activated potassium conductance gK+ (Ca2+)8–13, and has recently been shown to be increased by dopamine14. We report here a rapid and reversible decrease of the late AHP component following a burst of sodium spikes or a calcium spike, during perfusion with micromotor concentrations of histamine and noradrenaline2. This effect is mediated by H2 receptors and β-receptors, respectively, and occurred in the absence of changes in the calcium spike. By such a mechanism histamine and noradrenaline can profoundly potentiate the excitatory impact of depolarizing signals.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurochirurgische Universitätsklinik, CH-8091, Zürich, Switzerland

    Helmut L. Haas

  2. Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry, D-8000, München, 40, FRG

    Arthur Konnerth

Authors
  1. Helmut L. Haas
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  2. Arthur Konnerth
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Haas, H., Konnerth, A. Histamine and noradrenaline decrease calcium-activated potassium conductance in hippocampal pyramidal cells. Nature 302, 432–434 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/302432a0

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