title: Antiepileptic and behavioural actions of MK-801 in an animal model of spontaneous absence epilepsy.
abstract: The effects of MK-801, a non-competitive antagonist at the NMDA receptor, were studied in an animal model of spontaneous absence epilepsy (the WAG/Rij rat strain). MK-801 was found to reduce the number of spike-wave discharges and their mean duration. It also caused certain behavioural abnormalities, such as headweaving [corrected] and agitation. The antiepileptic effects of MK-801 may be due to the involvement of the NMDA receptor in absence epilepsy. An alternative hypothesis is, however, that MK-801 induces an increase in agitation which in turn reduces the epileptic activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Peeters
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Van Rijn
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Van Luijtelaar
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Coenen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003986:Dibenzocycloheptenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D004832:Epilepsy, Absence / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D003986:Dibenzocycloheptenes; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate