Fig. 6.

Evoked synaptic current is completely eliminated in control motoneurons exposed to hypoxia. Vagal motoneurons in a brain slice were recorded in a voltage clamp while nerve terminals were stimulated (A). No evoked synaptic events were observed after 10 min of hypoxia (n=8), while all time controls maintained activity throughout the whole period recorded (n=7, B). C Representative trace of a control neuron evoked synaptic current at baseline conditions (BL), when affected by hypoxia (Hx- 4min) and after failure in hypoxia (Hx- failure). Controls’ synaptic events in baseline conditions were compared to the events preceding failure in hypoxia. Hypoxia decreased the peak area (D), width (E), and amplitude (F) of the synaptic events before failure. G Representative recording of the evoked synaptic current in a time control motoneuron maintained in baseline conditions (BL), at the same time hypoxia affected current (4 min) and after 10 min of recording (10 min). When the motoneuron is maintained in baseline conditions, the peak area (H), width (I), and amplitude (J) of the evoked synaptic current are not affected. Results were compared using paired t-test; p <0.05 was considered statistically significant (∗)