PRESYNAPTIC ENHANCEMENT OF EXCITATORY SYNAPTIC TRANSMISSION BY BETA -ADRENERGIC RECEPTOR ACTIVATION

1. Previous studies have shown that beta-adrenergic receptor activation has many effects on neuronal function in hippocampal area CA1. However, all of the physiological effects of beta-adrenergic receptor activation in this region reported to date have been attributed to postsynaptic mechanisms. A series of studies was performed to test the hypothesis that beta-adrenergic receptor activation also acts presynaptically to enhance excitatory synaptic transmission. 2. Application of the selective beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol to hippocampal slices induced an increase in the amplitude of evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) in CA1 pyramidal cells. This response was potentiated in the presence of a cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibitor. Isoproterenol also resulted in the appearance of a late inward synaptic current that likely represents polysynaptically evoked EPSCs. Both the increased amplitude of the monosynaptic EPSC and the appearance of polysynaptic EPSCs in response to isoprote...