The cAMP pathway is major signal transduction system involved in hippocampal neurotransmission. Recently, the peptide somatostatin-14 (SRIF) has emerged as a key signal that, by activating its receptors, inhibits epileptiform bursting in the mouse hippocampus. Little is known on transduction mechanisms which may mediate SRIF function in native cell/tissues. Using a well established model of epileptiform activity induced by Mg2+-free medium with 4-aminopyridine (0 Mg2+⁄4-AP) in mouse hippocampal slices, we demonstrated that PKA-related signaling is upregulated by hippocampal bursting and that treatment with SRIF normalizes this upregulation. We also demonstrated that the SRIF-induced inhibition of PKA impairs phosphorylation of the NMDA receptor subunit NR1. Extracellular recordings of the 0 Mg2+⁄4-AP-induced hippocampal discharge from the CA3 region demonstrated that treating slices with compounds which interfere with PKA activity prevent SRIF inhibition of epileptiform bursting. Our results suggest that SRIF modulation of hippocampal activity may involve PKA-related signaling. ; L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore http://www.springerlink.com ; MIUR Internationalization, Art. 123