Need help for slice recording

[minchun jiang]

I am a student. Recently, I started recording dorsal neurons from new born
rat with sharp electrode. I used standard method, as literature
described, to section the slice (400 micrometer thick) of spinal cord.
However, the neurons from these slices seemed weak. Usually, I could only
hold neurons for a few seconds and then the action potentials disappeared. 

It will be greatly appreciated if someone out there has experience with 
this preparation and would like to show me the correct way to section 
the slice. 

I also heard that some compound can help neuron recover from sectioning.
Please let me know the name of this compound if you know it.

Thank you in advence.

Minchun