EXTRINSIC MODULATION OF THETA-FIELD ACTIVITY IN THE ENTORHINAL CORTEXOF THE ANESTHETIZED RAT

Field recordings of the entorhinal cortex (EC) were studied and compar ed to those recorded concomitantly in the dentate region of the hippoc ampal formation (HPC) in the urethane anesthetized rat. The EC, like t he HPC, showed two main variations of spontaneous field activity: a de synchronized, large amplitude irregular activity and a synchronized, r hythmic, slow frequency field activity (RSA or theta). Corroborating p revious research, a phase reversal was seen across layer II of the EC and when recorded superficial to this layer, EC theta was phase-locked to that recorded from the HPC (dentate). Entorhinal cortex (and HPC) theta could be evoked by the application of moderate tail pinches (sen sory stimulation), by pharmacological treatments enhancing cholinergic transmission, and by electrical stimulation of the posterior hypothal amus. Spectral analysis revealed that in all cases, theta was produced coherently across the two limbic structures. Entorhinal cortex (and H PC) production of theta could be abolished by pharmacological treatmen ts disrupting cholinergic transmission, and by reversible procaine ina ctivation of the medial septal region. Therefore, it was concluded tha t limbic;theta is modulated spontaneously, and with sensory and hypoth alamic stimulation through the activity of cells in the medial septal region via muscarinic neurotransmission. It was also hypothesized that the activation of cells in the posterior hypothalamus linearly codes the frequency, and to a lesser extent the power, of EC and HPC theta. Given these findings and the coincidence and coherence of the occurren ce of theta across the EC and HPC, it was postulated that it occurs vi a a parallel mechanism in the two areas.