Various normal and pathological forms of synchronized population activity are generated by recurrent excitation among pyramidal neurons in the neocortex. However, the intracellular signaling mechanisms underlying this activity remain poorly understood. In this study, we have examined the cellular properties of synchronized epileptiform activity in the prefrontal cortex with particular emphasis on a potential role of intracellular calcium stores. We find that the zero-magnesium-induced synchronized activity is blocked by inhibition of sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPases, phospholipase C (PLC), the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptor, and the ryanodine receptor. This same activity is, however, not affected by application of metabotropic glutamatergic receptor (mGluR) agonists, nor by introduction of an mGluR antagonist. These results suggest that persistent synchronized activity in vitro is dependent upon calcium release from internal calcium stores through the activation of PLC-IP3 receptor pathway. Our findings also raise the possibility that intracellular calcium release may be involved in the generation of pathologic synchronized activity in epilepsy in vivo and in physiological forms of synchronized cortical activity.