A computer based system for quantification of the evoked response and long-term potentiation

The hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) phenomenon can be quantified by employing evoked response techniques and obtaining specific measurements taken from the evoked response waveform. The authors describe the data acquisition, computer analysis, and statistical treatment of the evoked response waveforms obtained from the dentate gyrus upon stimulation of the perforant path before and after the potentiation process in two diet groups. Control animals (25%-25% protein diet) and prenatally malnourished animals (6%-25% protein diet) were employed. Comparisons between the control and prenatally malnourished animals indicate that the efficacy of synaptic transmission was significantly decreased in those animals exposed to the prenatal protein insult.<>