AGING AND MIDBRAIN DA ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY

大鼠脑多巴胺能神经元的电生理学研究 人们对中脑进行了广泛的研究。这种兴趣源于， 在一定程度上，来自DA系统与几个 神经和精神障碍。因为其中一些 疾病是与年龄有关的，重要的是要确定 DA神经元通路功能的改变发生在 年龄。状态的生化和行为指标 事实上，中脑DA通路确实表明， 功能发生在衰老过程中。尽管有这些知识，但没有研究 到目前为止已经探索了衰老对老年人的影响 中脑含多巴胺神经元的电生理学。这个 拟议的研究旨在开始增加我们的 对衰老对电活动影响的认识 A9和A10 DA细胞。单个单位在体电生理 将采用记录技术来实现这一目标。 尤其是A9和A10多巴胺的自发活动 3月龄至28月龄大鼠的神经元数量 将会被评估。因此，与年龄相关的数量变化 自发活动的DA细胞将被确定为任何 A9和A10 DA的射速和模式的变化 神经元群。此外，老化对老年人的影响 识别的敏感度(通过终端的反向激活 黑质纹状体、中脑边缘和中额叶DA神经元 对DA激动剂的抑制作用进行评估。它是 希望这项关于衰老对DA影响的初步调查 神经电生理学将有助于更好地理解 与年龄相关的生理学和药理学改变 中脑DA神经元。这个知识，再加上那个 用其他技术获得的，可能被证明有助于推动 关于衰老对DA神经元影响的假说 功能。

The electrophysiology of dopamine (DA)-containing neurons of the midbrain has been extensively studied. This interest derives, in part, from the association of DA systems with several neurological and psychiatric disorders. Since some of these disorders are age-related, it is of importance to determine if changes in the functioning of DA neuronal pathways occur with age. Biochemical and behavioral indices of the status of midbrain DA pathways do, in fact, show that a decline in function occurs during aging. Despite this knowledge, no study to date has explored the effects of aging on the electrophysiology of midbrain DA-containing neurons. The proposed studies have been designed to begin to increase our understanding of the effects of aging on the electrical activity of A9 and A10 DA cells. Single unit in vivo electrophysiological recording techniques will be employed to accomplish this goal. In particular, the spontaneous activity of A9 and A10 DA neuronal populations in rats between the ages of 3 and 28 months will be assessed. Thus, age-related changes in the number of spontaneously active DA cells will be determined as will any changes in the firing rate and pattern of the A9 and A10 DA neuronal populations. In addition, the effect of aging on the sensitivity of identified (by antidromic activation from terminal region) nigrostriatal, mesolimbic and mesoprefrontal DA neurons to the inhibitory effects of DA agonists will be assessed. It is hoped that this initial investigation of the effects of aging on DA neuronal electrophysiology will lead to a better understanding of age-related alterations in the physiology and pharmacology of midbrain DA neurons. This knowledge, combined with that obtained with other techniques, may prove helpful in advancing our hypotheses regarding the effects of aging on DA neuronal function.