Isolated NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic responses express both LTP and LTD.

1. The possibility of use-dependent, long-lasting modifications of pharmacologically isolated N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated synaptic transmission was examined by intracellular recordings from granule cells of the hippocampal dentate gyrus in vitro. In the presence of the non-NMDA receptor antagonist 6-cyano-7-nitroquinaxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX, 10 microM) robust, long-term potentiation (LTP) of NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic potentials was induced by brief, high (50 Hz) and lower (10 Hz) frequency tetanic stimuli of glutamatergic afferents (60 +/- 6%, n = 8, P less than 0.001 and 43 +/- 12%, n = 3, P less than 0.05, respectively). 2. Hyperpolarization of granule cell membrane potential to -100 mV during 50-Hz tetanic stimuli reversibly blocked the induction of LTP (-6 +/- 2%, n = 6, P greater than 0.05) indicating that simultaneous activation of pre- and postsynaptic elements is a prerequisite for potentiation of NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission. In contrast, hyperpolarization of the granule cell membrane potential to -100 mV during 10-Hz tetanic stimuli resulted in long-term depression (LTD) of NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic potentials (-34 +/- 8%, n = 8, P less than 0.01). 3. We also studied the role of [Ca2+]i in the induction of LTP and LTD of NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic responses. Before tetanization, [Ca2+]i was buffered by iontophoretic injections of bis-(o-aminophenoxy)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA). BAPTA completely blocked the induction of LTP (3 +/- 5%, n = 13) and partially blocked LTD (-14.8 +/- 6%, n = 10).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)