ABSTRACT
The in vitro hippocampal slice has proved to be a useful model for teaching methods in neurophysiology. An additional advantage of using the hippocampal slice preparation was that the students learned how to maintain mammalian brain tissue in vitro. The sciatic nerve is a better model for calculating conduction velocity due to the ability to place the recording and stimulating electrodes farther apart than in the hippocampal slice. The in vitro hippocampal slice has proved to be a useful model for teaching methods in neurophysiology. The in vitro hippocampal slice preparation affords many opportunities for developing additional laboratory exercises. The slice is quite reliable for learning techniques of stimulating neuronal tissue, single-unit recording, and field potential recording. One disadvantage of using the slice preparation as a teaching model is that the laboratory periods have to be long. In addition, the laboratories sacrifice breadth for depth, which can be interpreted as a disadvantage or an advantage.
