Fast Network Oscillations in the Rat Dentate Gyrus In Vitro
The dentate gyrus is a prominent source of gamma frequency activity in the hippocampal formation in vivo. Here we show that transient epochs of gamma frequency network activity (67 ± 12 Hz) can be generated in the dentate gyrus of rat hippocampal slices, following brief pressure ejections of a high-molarity potassium solution onto the molecular layer. Oscillatory activity remains synchronized over distances >300 μm and is accompanied by a modest rise in [K+]o. Gamma frequency oscillations were abolished by a GABAA receptor antagonist demonstrating their dependence on rhythmic inhibition. However, in many cases, higher frequency oscillations (>80 Hz) remained in the absence of synaptic transmission, thus demonstrating that nonsynaptic factors may underlie fast oscillatory activity.