Figure 2

Activation of NMDA receptors is necessary for inducing persistent depression. (A) Experimental design: Measurements of field EPSPs are plotted for a representative experiment as in Fig. 1A. The experiment conformed with the previous one except that AP5 was present in the solution during session N1. Accordingly, synaptic transmission was blocked for the entire period when input 2 was stopped. In session N2, AP5 was eventually washed out and both inputs displayed decaying NMDA EPSPs. Samples of recorded potentials of both inputs are given for the indicated time points a-e. (B) Superimposed averaged time courses of NMDA EPSPs from both inputs during session N2. Each point represents the average of measurements within 3 min intervals. The peak of input 2 was chosen as 100 %. The equal appearance of the curves shows that no pathway specific depression remained during N2 due to the differential treatment during N1 (compare such a depression in the reference case in Fig. 1C). Values are expressed as mean ± S.E.M (n = 5 experiments).