In little less than a decade brain slices have gained prominence among neurobiologists as appropriate tools to study cellular electrophysiolog­ ical aspects of mammalian brain function. The purpose of this volume is to present in some detail several inquiries in the brain sciences that have benefited greatly by the use of brain slices. The book is directed primarily toward advanced students and researchers wishing to evaluate the impact these in vitro preparations of the mammalian brain are having on neurobiology. The term brain slice has come to refer to thin (100-700 j. Lm) sections of a brain region prepared from adult mammals and maintained for many hours in vitro, for either electrophysiological or biochemical stud­ ies. In addition to good accessibility, slices feature relatively intact syn­ aptic connections that allow a variety of experiments not feasible with standard in vivo or tissue culture preparations. Certain electrophysiol­ ogical studies once practical only with invertebrate models are becoming routine with mammalian brain slices. The ability to perform both bio­ chemical and electro physiological experiments on the same piece of CNS tissue provides additional bright prospects for future research. Although most of the electrophysiological studies have dealt with hippocampal slices, it should be evident from this book that slice methodology is not limited to the hippocampus. The Appendix, "Brain Slice Methods," is a multiauthored treatment of the technical aspects of brain slice work, collected into one document.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: Cerebral Subsystems as Biological Entities.- 1. Comparative Electrobiology of Mammalian Central Neurons.- 1. Introduction.- 2. The Generalized Neuron.- 3. Electrophysiology of the Neuronal Somata.- 4. Dendritic Electrophysiology.- 5. Discussion.- 6. References.- 2. Passive Electrotonic Structure and Dendritic Properties of Hippocampal Neurons.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Electrotonic and Circuitry Models—An Overview of Methods.- 3. Models Constructed with Data from Work on Hippocampal Slices.- 4. Discussion.- 5. References.- 3. Biophysics and Microphysiology of Synaptic Transmission in Hippocampus.- 1. Motivation for Studying the Biophysics and Microphysiology of Cortical Synapses.- 2. Criteria for Selecting a Suitable Cortical Synaptic Preparation.- 3. Development of Voltage-Clamp Techniques for Application to Hippocampal Synapses.- 4. Current- and Voltage-Clamp Studies of Evoked Synaptic Events in Hippocampal Neurons.- 5. Current- and Voltage-Clamp Studies of Spontaneous Miniature Synaptic Events in Hippocampal Neurons.- 6. Implications for Performing a Quantal Analysis of Evoked Release.- 7. Significance for Selected Problems in Cortical Physiology.- 8. References.- 4. Hippocampus: Synaptic Pharmacology.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Localization of Transmitters and Endogenous Neuroactive Agents in the Hippocampal Formation.- 3. Cellular Actions of Neuroactive Drugs in Hippocampal Slices.- 4. Conclusions and Future Directions.- 5. References.- 5. Energy Metabolism and Brain Slice Function.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Integrity of the Slice Preparation.- 3. Mechanism of Anoxic Damage.- 4. References.- 6. Hippocampus: Electrophysiological Studies of Epileptiform Activity in Vitro.- 1. Introduction.- 2. What Enables Some Cells to Fire Bursts Readily?.- 3. Why Do Cells ThatCan Fire Burst Potentials Not Do So All the Time?.- 4. How Does Synchronization of Firing within a Population of Cells Occur?.- 5. What Triggers the Switch from Interictal Spiking to Seizures?.- 6. How Can a Seizure Spread from Epileptic Tissue across Normal Tissue?.- 7. Conclusions.- 8. References.- 7. Correlated Electrophysiological and Biochemical Studies of Hippocampal Slices.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Modification of Stimulation Procedures and Slice Techniques for Biochemical Experiments.- 3. Hippocampal Long-Term Potentiation.- 4. Influences of High-Frequency Stimulation on 3H-Glutamate Binding to Synaptic Membranes.- 5. High-Frequency Stimulation and Protein Phosphorylation.- 6. Summary.- 7. References.- 8. Optical Monitoring of Electrical Activity: Detection of Spatiotemporal Patterns of Activity in Hippocampal Slices by Voltage-Sensitive Probes.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Optical Monitoring of Changes in Membrane Potential.- 3. Optical Recording from Brain Slices.- 4. References.- 9. Probing the Extracellular Space of Brain Slices with Ion-Selective Microelectrodes.- 1. Introduction.- 2. The Brain Cell Microenvironment.- 3. Extracellular Ion Changes Produced by Simultaneous Activity of Ensembles of Neurons.- 4. Extracellular Ion Changes Evoked by Individual Cells.- 5. Prospects and Problems.- 6. References.- 10. Electrophysiological Study of the Neostriatum in Brain Slice Preparation.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Methods.- 3. Results and Discussion.- 4. References.- 11. Locus Coeruleus Neurons.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Methods.- 3. Results.- 4. Discussion.- 5. References.- 12. Neocortex: Cellular Properties and Intrinsic Circuitry.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Early Use of Neocortical Slices.- 3. Notes on Neocortical Slice Methodology.- 4. Properties of Neocortical Slices.- 5. Conclusions.- 6. References.- 13. Hypothalamic Neurobiology.- 1. Introduction.- 2. The Development of the Hypothalamic Slice Preparation.- 2.1. Motivating Factors.- 2.2. Early Problems Encountered.- 3. Hypothalamic Slice Preparations and Their Uses.- 4. Summary and Conclusions.- 5. References.- 14. Brain Slice Work: Some Prospects.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Optimal Conditions.- 3. Slices from New Regions.- 4. New Uses of Slices.- 5. New Approaches in Slice Experiments.- 6. The Need for Correlation.- 7. References.- Appendix: Brain Slice Methods.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Preparation of Slices.- 2.1. Slicing the Brain.- 2.2. Slice Chambers.- 2.3. Bathing Medium Composition.- 2.4. Slice Thickness.- 3. Evaluation of Slice Data.- 3.1. General Remarks.- 3.2. Electrophysiology.- 3.3. Histology.- 3.4. Metabolism.- 3.5. Spreading Depression.- 4. Methods of Drug Application.- 4.1. Superfusion.- 4.2. TheNanodrop.- 4.3. Iontophoresis.- 4.4. The Pressure Pipette.- 4.5. Summary.- 5. Concluding Statement.- 6. References.