NMDA receptor mediated tonic excitatory currents are elicited by EAAT inhibition on human neocortical pyramidal neurons

IntroductionAmbient glutamate is capable of regulating neural excitability and contributes to several brain pathologies. It is well established by experiments on rodent tissue that extrasynaptic glutamate –mainly regulated by astrocytic glutamate uptake- can elicit both phasic slow inward currents (SICs) and tonic inward currents. These currents are thought to be mediated by overlapping mechanisms and receptors; and exist under physiological conditions. SICs were also found in the human neocorte