Effects of serotonin on synaptic and intrinsic properties of rat subicular neurons in vitro

Intracellular recordings were performed to study the effects of 5-HT on membrane properties and EPSP/IPSP responses of subicular neurons in rat combined hippocampal-entorhinal cortex slices. Application of 5-HT induced in 76% of the investigated subicular cells a hyperpolarization and a reduction of membrane resistance. In bursting neurons, 5-HT caused a reduction of the depolarizing envelope underlying burst discharges and attenuated the subsequent afterhyperpolarization. While 5-HT decreased isolated AMPA/kainate and NMDA receptor-mediated responses as well as slow IPSPs, we could not find a consistent effect on isolated fast IPSPs. Since in ≈25% of subicular neurons EPSPs and slow IPSPs were reduced without any increase of membrane conductance, we conclude that 5-HT has in addition to membrane effects also effects on synaptic currents.