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Glycine receptor-mediated inhibition of dopamine and non-dopamine neurons of the rat ventral tegmental area in vitro

  • Fang Zheng
  • , Steven W. Johnson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) were recorded intracellularly in slices of rat midbrain. Glycine (0.1-3 mM) caused a strychnine-sensitive and chloride-dependent reduction in membrane input resistance in both types of neuron. However, glycine also reduced the frequency of spontaneous bicuculline-sensitive inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) when recorded in dopaminergic cells. We conclude that glycine inhibits both types of VTA neuron by activating a strychnine-sensitive chloride conductance. Our data also raise the possibility that glycine could increase dopamine output from the VTA by a mechanism of disinhibition.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)313-317
Number of pages5
JournalBrain Research
Volume919
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 23 2001

Funding

This work is supported by US Public Health Service Grant MH40416.

FundersFunder number
US Public Health Service
National Institutes of Health National Institute of Mental HealthR01MH040416

    Keywords

    • Dopamine neuron
    • GABA
    • Glycine
    • Strychnine
    • Ventral tegmental area

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • General Neuroscience
    • Molecular Biology
    • Clinical Neurology
    • Developmental Biology

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