Journal
JOURNAL OF NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
Volume 85, Issue 3, Pages 1346-1350Publisher
AMER PHYSIOLOGICAL SOC
DOI: 10.1152/jn.2001.85.3.1346
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During slow wave sleep the main activity of cortical neurons consists of synchronous and rhythmic alternations of the membrane potential between depolarized and hyperpolarized values. The latter are long-lasting (200-600 ms) periods of silence. The mechanisms responsible for this periodical interruption of cortical network activity are unknown. Here we report a decrease of similar to 20% in the extracellular calcium concentration ([Ca](out)) progressively taking place in the cortex between the onset and the offset of the depolarizing phase of the slow sleep oscillation. Since [Ca](out) exerts a high gain modulation of synaptic transmission, we estimated the associated transmitter release probability and found a corresponding 50% drop. Thus the periods of silence occurring in the cortical network during slow wave sleep are promoted by recurrent [Ca](out) depletions.
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