Inflammation and associated excitotoxicity may play important roles in vari
ous neurodegenerative diseases including AIDS dementia. Here we show that e
xposure of rat parietal cortical slices to the HIV glycoproteins gp120 and
gp41 triggered very rapid releases of the neurotransmitters glutamate and [
H-3] noradrenaline INA), and of the neuromodulator adenosine, Gp41 was more
effective than gp120 at releasing glutamate and [H-3]NA, while both glycop
roteins were equi-effective at releasing adenosine, The responses to gp120
and gp41 declined rapidly to basal levels following their removal. It seems
possible that rapid, inappropriate excitation may occur in the immediate v
icinity of HIV infections in the brain, possibly producing some of the tran
sient neurological and psychiatric symptoms associated with AIDS dementia,
(C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.