Spermidine may alter EPSP amplitude at the crayfish neuromuscular junction

Abstract

Spermidine is a protein that is known to enhance NMDA receptor function but seems to depress EPSP amplitudes. Our experiment tested the effects of spermidine on EPSP amplitudes at neuromuscular junctions in crayfish. The EPSP amplitudes were measured with intracellular electrodes exposed to a control saline solution and a 100?M spermidine solution. Our results were varied as spermidine increased EPSP amplitudes in some trials and decreased EPSP amplitudes in others. While its unclear how spermidine affects EPSP amplitude its clear that it changes the post-synaptic cell activity in the neuromuscular junction of crayfish.