title: Metrazol-induced petit mal: the role played by monoaminergic mechanisms and striatum.
abstract: Gradually accumulating subconvulsive doses of metrazol give rise to behavioral and electrographic effects close to petit mal epilepsy: slow negative waves and spike-wave complexes on EEG, frozen and myoclonic jerks. Intensification of monoaminergic transmission with apomorphine, DOPA or 5-hydroxytryptophan attenuates, but inhibition (chlorpromazine, haloperidol and p-chlorphenylalanine), on the contrary, increases the subconvulsive effect of the metrazol. Low frequency stimulation of the striatum potentiates, and lesion limits expressiveness of metrazol-induced petit mal. Bilateral electrolytic lesion of the striatum eliminates apomorphine, DOPA and haloperidol action, but slight changes the effects of chlorpromazine, 5-hydroxytryptophan and p-chlorphenylalanine.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001679:Biogenic Amines / Q000502:physiology*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004832:Epilepsy, Absence / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D001679:Biogenic Amines; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole