N-methyl-d-aspartate and l-aspartate activate distinct receptors in piriform cortex

1. The effects of ionophoretically applied N-methyl-dl-aspartate (NMDA) and aspartate on identified pyramidal neurons in rat piriform cortex were examined in isolated, submerged, and perfused brain slices. 2. NMDA was more potent than aspartate in eliciting neuronal discharge. Perfusion of the acidic amino acid antagonists, dl-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (APV), 10^-6 or 10^-5M, dl-2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoate (APH), 10^-5M, and γ-d-glutamylglycine (γDGG), 10^-5M, selectively blocked the response to NMDA without effect on the response to aspartate. 3. At higher concentrations which blocked responses to both NMDA and aspartate, γDGG blocked kainate responses and depressed glutamate and quisqualate responses. 4. These results suggest that in piriform neurons NMDA and aspartate act at distinct receptor sites, not a common receptor site, and that both of these sites are distinct from those that mediate responses to glutamate, quisqualate, and kainate.