Blocking of the axon spikes by Pentylenetetrazol in an identified neuron of the snail Helix lucorum, with consequent induction of epileptic activity in the cell body of the same neuron

In an isolated preparation which consists of the buccal ganglia and the sal ivary nerve of Helix lucorum, neuron B2 can be identified by simultaneously recording the soma spike intracellularly and the axon spike extracellularl y from the peripheral salivary nerve. The convulsant drug pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) eliminates the axon spike of the neuron within 1-5 min after its app lication while epileptic activity is induced in the soma of the same neuron for hours. It is interesting that almost all nerve activity in the periphe ral nerve is blocked by PTZ. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rig hts reserved.