Whole cell patch-clamp recordings were made of low-voltage-activated (LVA) calcium (Ca2+) currents using 2 mM barium (Ba2+) as charge carrier. Acutely dissociated neurons from medial septum (MS) and the nucleus of the diagonal band (nDB) were examined in young adult (1-3 mo) and aged (24-26 mo) Fischer 344 rats. 2. Most neurons in both age groups displayed LVA currents: 84% of young cells (110/131) and 87% in aged cells (62/71). Using cell capacitance as an indication of cell size, aged cells were significantly smaller (P < 0.05; 15.4 +/- 0.6 pF; mean +/- SE) than young cells (18.0 +/- 0.5 pF), although a single distribution of cell sizes was present in both populations. 3. The LVA currents were enhanced in cells from aged animals. When LVA currents were studied without activation of high voltage activated currents, the current density (pA/pF) was significantly (P < 0.05) increased at negative potentials in aged neurons (young: 4.92 +/- 0.35 pA/pF; Aged: 5.92 +/- 0.45 pA/pF, at a prepulse potential of -110 mV). No change in voltage-dependent activation or inactivation was seen. The time course of recovery from inactivation also was unchanged. 4. Kinetic parameters of LVA currents were compared in both age groups. No age-related difference in time-dependent activation or inactivation was observed. A single distribution of decay time constants of LVA currents was present in both age groups. 5. These results show that MS/nDB cells maintain robust LVA currents and have increased current densities in very old rats. An increased LVA current in the aged neurons suggests that their ability to fire rhythmically or in bursts is retained or enhanced and that the resulting increase in intracellular Ca2+ may contribute to an altered Ca2+ homeostasis.
