EFFECTS OF HIPPOCAMPAL-LESIONS ON STRIATOLIMBIC IONOTROPIC GLUTAMATERGIC RECEPTORS

Changes in ionotropic N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), lpha-amino-3-hydrox y-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) and kainate glutamatergic (Glu) receptor binding in rat caudate putamen (CPu) and nucleus accumb ens (NAc) and hippocampal CA(1) and CA(3) regions were examined after unilateral injections of kainic acid (KA) into hippocampus to degenera te local intrinsic neurons and remove the glutamatergic afferents proj ecting to CPU and NAc. KA injections produced large losses of NMDA, AM PA and kainate receptors in hippocampal CA(1) and CA(3) regions. In ad dition, NMDA and kainate, but not AMPA, receptors were significantly r educed in NAc and CPu. These results suggest that a large proportion o f NMDA, AMPA and kainate receptors in rat hippocampus arise on intrins ic postsynaptic neurons, and that some NMDA and kainate, but not AMPA, receptors also occur on presynaptic terminals of hippocampostriatal a fferents innervating the CPu and NAc. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science irelan d Ltd. All rights reserved.