title: Suppressive effects of intranigral injection of muscimol in three models of generalized non-convulsive epilepsy induced by chemical agents.
abstract: The involvement of intranigral gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in the control of generalized non-convulsive epilepsy was investigated in the rat in 3 models of petit mal epilepsy induced by systemic administration of gamma-butyrolactone, pentylenetetrazol and 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoxazolo [5,4-c]pyridin 3-ol (THIP). Bilateral intranigral injection of muscimol (2 ng/0.2 microliters/side), a GABAA receptor agonist, significantly reduced the duration of EEG-recorded spike-and-wave discharges induced by gamma-butyrolactone (100 and 200 mg/kg i.p.), pentylenetetrazol (20 mg/kg i.p.) and THIP (7.5 mg/kg i.p.). This treatment had no effect on the electroencephalographic discharges observed after injection of THIP (10 mg/kg i.p.). Bilateral injection of muscimol (2 and 4 ng/side) into the substantia nigra did not modify the latency of onset nor the duration of clonic seizures induced by pentylenetetrazol at the dose of 40 mg/kg i.p. Bipolar depth electrode recording indicated that intranigral injection of muscimol did not alter nigral electroencephalographic activity. Autoradiography following intranigral injection of [3H]muscimol indicated a diffusion not exceeding 400 microns from the injection site. These results confirm that activation of GABA receptors in the substantia nigra suppresses the occurrence of spike-and-wave discharges in animal models of generalized non-convulsive epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Départment de Neurophysiologie et Neurobiologie des Comportements, INSERM U.44/Centre de Neurochimie CNRS, Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Depaulis
authors.forename: O C
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Snead
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marescaux
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vergnes
mesh_terms: D015107:4-Butyrolactone; D000818:Animals; D003292:Convulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007555:Isoxazoles; D008297:Male; D009118:Muscimol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D003292:Convulsants; D007555:Isoxazoles; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D009118:Muscimol; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; C015542:gaboxadol; D015107:4-Butyrolactone; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole