Electrophysiological Analysis of Synaptic Transmission

Nicholas M. Graziane, Ph.D.Dr. Graziane obtained his Ph.D. from The State University of New York at Buffalo, and did his first postdoctoral training at Brown University before joining Dr. Dong’s laboratory at University of Pittsburgh. He is a well-published electrophysiologist interested in neurocircuits implicated in psychiatric disease with a focus on the electrical properties of the neurons residing within these neurocircuits. His research interests have contributed to Dr. Graziane’s 10+ years of experience as an electrophysiologist and have enabled him to successfully train many undergraduate students, graduate students, and junior postdoctoral fellows who have been interested in beginning a career in electrophysiology. Currently, Dr. Graziane’s research focuses on synaptic and circuitry mechanisms underlying psychiatric and psychological disorders. He is funded through a National Research Scholar Award (NIH).  Yan Dong, Ph.D.Dr. Dong became interested in brain function when he was in high school and started his electrophysiological training during college. He received his Ph.D. from the Chicago Medical School, and did his postdoctoral training at Stanford University. He established and supervised his first independent laboratory at Merck and Co. from 2004 to 2006 as a senior scientist. He then joined Washington State University as an assistant professor in the Program of Neuroscience. In 2012, he joined University of Pittsburgh, and is currently an associate professor in the Department of Neuroscience. His research focuses on synaptic and circuitry mechanisms underlying psychiatric and psychological disorders. His research has been supported by National Institutes of Health (US), Hope Foundation for Depression Research (US), and Humboldt Stiftung (Germany).

“This book can be consulted as a ‘how to’ manual forinvestigator. It is an excellent book for physiologists, biomathematicians,students, postdocs, engineers, and biochemists with an interest inneurophysiology. Established researchers may find it useful also.” (Joseph J.Grenier, Amazon.com, February, 2016)

• Preface.- Extracellular and intracellular recordings.- Theory of electrical transfer.- Amplifier.- Salt environment.- Micropipettes.- Spatiotemporal effects of synaptic input.- Perforated patch.- Isolation of synaptic current.- Fast and slow synaptic currents.- Measuring kinetics of synaptic current.- Measuring release probability.- Long-term measurements.- Measuring reversal potentials.- Amplitude.- Pre- and post-synaptic effect.- Run-up and run-down.- Kinetics of synaptic current.- Measurements of a single synapse.- Measurements of silent synapses.- Dendritic patch.- Electrophysiological tag.- In vivo electrophysiology.