Microiontophoretic studies of the effects of cylic nucleotides on excitability of neurones in the rat cerebral cortex.

1. Responses of cerebral cortical neurones to the microiontophoretic application of acetylcholine, noradrenaline, cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) and cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic GMP) were examined.2. The application of acetylcholine and cyclic GMP to identified pyramidal tract neurones resulted in an increased frequency of firing in a large number of cells. Upon application of both substances to cells which could not be identified as pyramidal tract cells, a reduction in the frequency of spontaneous firing was sometimes observed.3. Careful current controls had no effect on the cells discussed here, indicating that the observed responses were not due to the iontophoretic currents. Also, the electro-osmotic ejection of cyclic GMP (outward current) produced similar changes of cell firing to those which followed iontophoretic application (inward current).4. The microiontophoretic application of atropine resulted in a blockade of acetylcholine responses while leaving responses to cyclic GMP unaffected. This suggests that cyclic GMP was not acting indirectly by releasing acetylcholine from presynaptic endings.5. Ejection of cyclic GMP from solutions containing calcium ions produced responses comparable to those produced by cyclic GMP alone. It is unlikely therefore that cyclic GMP was causing excitation by chelating calcium.6. Applications of noradrenaline and cyclic AMP produced a reduction in the spontaneous discharge rate of most neurones tested.7. Phosphodiesterase inhibitors such as ICI 63,197 caused a potentiation of the noradrenaline responses of pyramidal tract neurones.8. 5'-adenosine monophosphate produced a powerful depression of all cells to which it was applied. This action was blocked by aminophylline, suggesting the effect was mediated through an adenosine receptor. Responses to cyclic AMP were usually not abolished, but were reduced by about 50% in amplitude.9. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that cyclic AMP may mediate some neuronal effects of noradrenaline and cyclic GMP may mediate some effects of acetylcholine. The results are also consistent with the suggestion that the two nucleotides may sometimes mediate opposite cellular responses to humoral stimuli.