PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE INCREASES HIPPOCAMPAL SYNAPTIC EFFICACY

In the present study, the effects of phosphatidylserine (BC-PS) on hip pocampal synaptic transmission were evaluated. Extracellular potential s evoked by low-frequency stimulation (0.2 Hz) of the perforant path ( PP) were recorded from the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus in 400 Am hippocampal slices. Slices were perfused with either BC-PS alon e (10 muM) or BC-PS in combination with DL-2-amino-5- phosphonovaleric acid (APV, 20 muM), or after previous perfusion with dizocilpine (MK- 801, 10 muM). BC-PS significantly potentiated PP-evoked responses (mea n percent increase +/- SEM, 108 +/-18%), an effect that was blocked by perfusion of MK-80 1, but not APV. The increase i n hippocampal synap tic efficacy produced by BC-PS is discussed in terms of N-methyl-D-asp artate receptors (NMDA) and the associated channels.