Cerebrospinal fluid of brain trauma patients inhibits in vitro neuronal network function via NMDA receptors.

Neurological diseases frequently induce pathological changes of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that might secondarily influence brain activity, as the CSF-brain barrier is partially permeable. However, functional effects of CSF on neuronal network activity have not been specified to date. Here, we report that CSF specimens from patients with reduced Glasgow Coma Scale values caused by severe traumatic brain injury suppress synchronous activity of in vitro-generated neuronal networks in comparison with controls.

Neuronal network properties of human teratocarcinoma cell line-derived neurons.

Understanding the structural and functional development of neurons in networks has a high impact to estimate the potentials for restorative therapies. Neurons derived from the human NT2 cell line (hNT) formed networks with a clustered neuritic architecture in vitro, whereas primary dissociated embryonic rat cortical neurons (Cx) displayed a more homogenous cell assembly. Spontaneous spikes of both cell types were recorded on microelectrode arrays within 2 weeks after seeding, but hNT showed a mostly uncorrelated firing pattern in contrast to Cx with highly synchronized bursting.

Implications for hyperhomocysteinemia: not homocysteine but its oxidized forms strongly inhibit neuronal network activity.

Severe hyperhomocysteinemia (50-200 microM) often presents itself with acute neuronal dysfunction including seizures and psychosis. Its moderate form (15-50 microM) is associated with cognitive impairment and dementia. We investigated the neuropharmacological effects of homocysteine and its oxidized forms, homocysteinesulfinic acid (HCSA) and homocysteic acid (HCA), on neuronal network function utilizing dissociated cortical neurons from embryonic Wistar rats on microelectrode arrays.

Cryopreserved rat cortical cells develop functional neuronal networks on microelectrode arrays.

Neurons growing on microelectrode arrays (MEAs) are promising tools to investigate principal neuronal network mechanisms and network responses to pharmaceutical substances. However, broad application of these tools, e.g.