I am taking field potential recordings from stratum radiatum in the CA1 region by stimulating Schaffer collaterals. Sometimes I can't quite tell where the artifact ends and fEPSP signal begins, especially so when a clear fibre volley is not present! Any advice will be much appreciated.
I agree with Michel, your stimulation electrode might be too close! You can’t always see a fiber volley unless your slices are very good.400 um slices are better than thinner ones for fields. And your perfusion must be very stable! I usually put the slice on the chamber and let it rest for at least 20 min before starting an experiment. Also start
by doing an input output curve and select the intensity that give you a response that is 50% of the max amplitude. That’s pretty much it! Baseline recordings are typically 30 min before an LTP stimulation, so take your time to get a stable baseline first!
The initial slope of an EPSP is considered a better measure of synaptic strength as this consists of the monosynaptic component of the EPSP. I think that you may need to try adjusting the location of your stimulating and/or recording electrodes. Ideally, you want a clearly identifiable fiber volley followed by an EPSP. Once you have that, measuring the initial slope is straightforward
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Electrodes