title: Age-related anticonvulsant activity of NMDA in the rat caudate-putamen.
abstract: Striatal pathways are important for modulating the threshold for seizures in the rat forebrain. N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), an excitatory amino acid derivative and powerful anticonvulsant agent, when injected into the brain, has been shown to protect adult rats against kindling and pilocarpine-induced seizures when injected into the caudate-putamen. The present study examines whether the anticonvulsant action of NMDA in the caudate-putamen varies with age. Bilateral striatal administration of NMDA was effective in suppressing bicuculline-induced seizures in rats older than 23 days of age. The results suggest that striatal pathways involved in the anticonvulsant activity of NMDA in the caudate-putamen are not functionally active in developing rats before the 4th week of life.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Neurologiche, Università La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Cavalheiro
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: de Feo
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mecarelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ricci
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001640:Bicuculline; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011699:Putamen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D001640:Bicuculline