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Patterns of Excitation of Thalamic Neurones by Amino-acids and by Acetylcholine

Abstract

SINCE the demonstration of the excitatory action of the dicarboxylic amino-acids on spinal neurones1,2, similar observations have been made on many other neuronal types within the central nervous system, and involving a considerable number of analogues, particularly of glutamic acid, as stimulating agents3. It is widely accepted that most central neurones are affected by these substances, and the implication is that they all act on the same receptive sites of the affected cell. In contrast, although many neurones are influenced by the application of acetylcholine (ACh), the effect may be either an excitation or a depression, and many others are completely unaffected by this substance.

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MCLENNAN, H., HUFFMAN, R. & MARSHALL, K. Patterns of Excitation of Thalamic Neurones by Amino-acids and by Acetylcholine. Nature 219, 387–388 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1038/219387a0

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