Brain rhythms are periodically fluctuating waves of neuronal activity. Such rhythms reflect the synchronized activity of large numbers of neurons because synchronous currents sum together to generate large-amplitude fluctuations. Different types of brain rhythms are observed in humans, primates, as well as rodents and occur in many cortical and subcortical regions. Each type of rhythm is observed during particular behaviors, generated by specific mechanisms, associated with characteristic neuronal firing properties and are thought to perform distinct functions. The most ubiquitous rhythms are gamma oscillations. This rhythms represent a relevant parameter to investigate in CNS drug discovery as it is involved in cognition process and often impaired in disorders [implying cognitive deficits] such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, and depression. Download and read our reference data sheet below to learn more:

Whatever your therapeutic area (cognitive disorders, schizophrenia, depression, stroke, neuropathic pain, etc.) you are targeting NMDA receptors and you need to get clean, precise and robust pharmacological profiles of your compounds. For more than 13 years Esther STEIDL and her team have developed multiple assays based on the Multi-Electrode Array technique (MEA recordings) to document and to evaluate all kinds of pharmacological tools targeting NMDA receptors: agonists, co-agonists, competitive antagonists, non-competitive antagonists, positive allosteric modulators, negative allosteric modulators selectively inhibiting NR2A- or NR2B-containing NMDA receptors. The MEA recordings allow for quick and precise evaluation of compounds on acute slices. We have documented the effects of reference compounds such as D-AP5, Memantine, MK-801, D-Serine, Ketamine, MPX-004, MPX-007 and Ro 25-6981. Moreover, their effects can be observed on native neuronal networks or networks from transgenic rodents to appreciate their efficacy on physiological/pathophysiological mechanisms. We can evaluate your compound on long-term potentiation, short-term potentiation, long-term depression, NMDA-mediated EPSPs, network oscillations, etc. Take a look at our assays to learn more and check the attached studies below: