Kresimir Krnjevic - Professor Emeritus

Research Area:  Neurophysiology

Research Description:

Over several decades, electrophysiological and neuropharmacological techniques have been used to identify synaptic transmitters (glutamate, GABA and acetylcholine), their modes of action, and the role of cytoplasmic calcium in the control of neuronal excitability. In recent years, main focus has been on the effects of acute energy deprivation (hypoxia and hypoglycemia) on brain function, in hippocampal slices from normal and diabetic rats, as well as mice (both wild-type and some mutants). By means of extra- and intracellular recording (including voltage clamp), we have studied endogenous modulators and membrane channels involved in the rapid but reversible suppression of synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability triggered by hypoxia/hypoglycemia, with special emphasis on the long-term potentiation of synaptic responses induced by a blocker of glycolysis, 2-deoxyglucose.

Education:   M.B.Ch.B., Edinburgh, Ph.D., Edinburgh

Recent Publications:

Tekkök S, Krnjevič K.
Calcium dependence of LTP induced by 2-deoxyglucose in CA1 neurons.
J Neurophysiol. 1996 Oct;76(4):2343-52.

Erdemli G, Xu YZ, Krnjevič K.
Potassium conductance causing hyperpolarization of CA1 hippocampal neurons during hypoxia.
J Neurophysiol. 1998 Nov;80(5):2378-90.

Zhu PJ, Krnjevič K.
Persistent block of CA1 synaptic function by prolonged hypoxia.
Neuroscience. 1999 Mar;90(3):759-70.

Tekkök S, Krnjevič K.
Diabetes mellitus preserves synaptic plasticity in hippocampal slices from middle-aged rats.
Neuroscience. 1999;91(1):185-91.

Godfraind JM, Tekkök SB, Krnjevič K.
Hypoxia on hippocampal slices from mice deficient in dystrophin (mdx) and isoforms (mdx3cv).
J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2000 Jan;20(1):145-52.

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