Axons from granule cells in the dentate gyrus of the rat hippocampus project to cells in the hilar region, including mossy cells, which project along the longitudinal axis of the hippocampus and synapse in the inner (proximal) one-third of the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus. To study this feedback system, multiple recording electrodes were located along the longitudinal (septo-temporal) axis in the dorsal leaf of the dentate gyrus in urethane-anesthetized rats. Single pulse electrical stimuli delivered to the hilar region evoked negative-going, monosynaptic field potentials that were largest in the inner one-third of the molecular layer (commissural zone). These evoked field potentials (EFPs) were recorded simultaneously at three to five locations. The latency to onset and peak amplitude of the EFP varied linearly with distance from point of stimulation, and EFPs were elicited in both directions along the longitudinal axis. The transmission speed was estimated to be 1.4 m/s. Tetanic stimulation of the hilar region potentiated the EFP slopes (mean = 26%). Potentiation lasted at least 2 hours and was specific to responses from the tetanized stimulating electrode; the responses to other stimulating electrodes in the hilus and the angular bundle of the perforant path changed less than 4%. Combined stimulation of the hilus and the medial perforant path increased the magnitude of recorded field potentials and population spikes, demonstrating that both pathways are excitatory. NMDA antagonist NPC-17742 blocked potentiation of EFP slopes in both the medial perforant path and hilus pathways. The results suggest that the ipsilateral associational system of the dentate gyrus is excitatory and capable of supporting long-lasting NMDA-dependent, synapse-specific plasticity.

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It is well established that neuronal transmission from the entorhinal cortex through the dentate gyrus via the perforant path is dependent on behavioral state. To further study the modulation of neuronal transmission by behavioral state we employed the paired-pulse technique to study interneuronally-mediated inhibition and short-term facilitation in the dentate gyrus of freely-moving rat preparations. Precisely timed double pulses of electrical stimulation were delivered to the perforant path in the chronically implanted rat preparation during each of four well-defined behavioral states: slow-wave sleep (SWS), REM sleep (REM), immobile waking (IW) or active waking with voluntary movements (AW). Evoked field potentials were recorded in the dentate gyrus and analyzed to measure the population spike amplitude which represents the total number of dentate granule cells firing in synchronous response to perforant path stimulation. The paired-pulse index (PPI) was used as a measure of the net short-term facilitation or interneuronally-mediated inhibition effective at the time of the paired-pulse test and is computed by dividing the amplitude of the second population spike (p2) by the amplitude of the first population spike (p1). During the course of this study 3754 paired-pulse tests were performed in 9 rat preparations. The three interpulse interval (IPI) values used in these studies were 25, 30 and 35 ms. The results showed that the PPI was greater during AW and REM as compared to SWS and IW. The PPI was significantly greater during AW than during SWS and IW regardless of p1 amplitude or IPI value. The PPI was significantly greater during AW than during REM under most conditions except those corresponding to low p1 amplitude and long IPI. The PPIs measured during REM were significantly greater than those measured during SWS and IW at short IPIs (25 and 30 ms) but not at an IPI of 35 ms. These results indicate that short-term facilitation is the dominant response during AW especially when observed using an IPI of 35 ms. In contrast, interneuronally-mediated inhibition was observed to be dominant during SWS and IW. The net effect during REM was observed to lie between these two extremes using an IPI of 25 ms and tended toward short-term facilitation at longer IPIs of 30 and 35 ms. Septal disinhibition of dentate granule cells is proposed as the mechanism for this effect. The behavioral state modulation of neuronal transmission through the dentate gyrus is discussed in terms of this hypothesis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)