Altered function of glutamatergic cortico-striatal synapses causes output pathway abnormalities in a chronic model of parkinsonism.

Objective: In Parkinson's disease, chronic striatal dopamine depletion results in over-activity and under-activity of the indirect and direct striatal output pathways respectively. In this study, we investigated changes in the function of glutamatergic cortico-striatal synapses that contribute to abnormalities in striatal efferents.

Methods: Whole-cell recordings were performed in striatal slices prepared from adult bacterial artificial chromosome mice, chronically lesioned with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA).