Glutamatergic synaptic transmission participates in generating the hippocampal EEG

The participation of ionotropic glutamatergic synapses in the generation of hippocampal electroencephalography (EEG) of behaving rats has not been systematically studied. In this study, field potentials in hippocampal CA1 were recorded following injection of N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) and α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor antagonists, or vehicle control, either into the lateral ventricles or directly into the hippocampus or the medial septum. Intraventricular (i.c.v.) AMPA receptor antagonist 6,7‐dinitroquinoxaline‐2,3,dione (DNQX, 5–10 μg) decreased the commissural evoked potential and the amplitude of the hippocampal EEG, including the theta rhythm. Theta frequency was decreased by 10 μg, but not 5 μg DNQX i.c.v. Unilateral intrahippocampal injection of DNQX (5 μg) only decreased the amplitude, but not the frequency, of the theta rhythm near the site of injection, without affecting theta amplitude or frequency at the opposite hippocampus. Other than theta, the large irregular activity (with a delta frequency peak at 1–2 Hz) and gamma EEG (30–100 Hz) were also decreased by i.c.v. and intrahippocampal injections of DNQX. Intrahippocampal injection of NMDA receptor antagonist D‐2‐amino‐5‐phosphonovaleric acid (D‐APV, 2.5 μg) decreased the amplitude of the theta rhythm and, less consistently, the gamma EEG. The frequency of the theta rhythm and the peak of the commissural evoked potential were not significantly affected by intrahippocampal D‐APV injection. Medial septal injections of D‐APV or D,L‐APV (2.24 μg in 0.4 μl), but not DNQX (10 μg in 0.4 μl), decreased the amplitude of the hippocampal theta significantly, but theta frequency was not significantly affected. It is concluded that both NMDA and AMPA receptors in the hippocampus are involved in generating the amplitude of the hippocampal EEG of theta and gamma frequencies, while NMDA receptors in the medial septum are involved in controlling the amplitude of theta and gamma EEG in the hippocampus. Excitatory glutamatergic synaptic currents, activated by afferents from the entorhinal cortex and CA3, are suggested to participate in hippocampal EEG activities. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.