Differential properties of GABAergic synaptic connections in rat hippocampal cell cultures.

Based on the effect of prolonged tetanic stimulation (30 Hz, 4 sec), we divided GABAergic synaptic connections in hippocampal cell cultures into two groups: connections facilitated ( approximately 45%) and connections depressed ( approximately 55%) by the tetanic stimulation. In order to reveal possible reasons for the differential effect of the tetanization, we compared several properties of the connections belonging to both groups. We found that, on average, evoked IPSCs in the connections facilitated by the tetanization have a smaller amplitude and larger coefficient of variation (CV) of IPSC amplitude compared to connections depressed by the tetanization.