Isonicotinic hydrazide causes seizures in scrapie-infected hamsters with shorter latency than in control animals: a possible GABAergic defect.
Isonicotinic hydrazide, a drug that decreases the level of GABA, when injected subcutaneously in control and scrapie-infected hamsters induced tonic-clonic seizures in scrapie hamsters significantly earlier (P less than 0.0001) than in control animals. This suggests depression of the GABAergic system in scrapie-infected hamsters. To determine whether this lesion is pre or postsynaptic we measured the level of GABA, glutamate, cGMP and cAMP and the GABA-benzodiazepine receptor complex.
Pocchiari
M
M
Masullo
C
C
Lust
W D
WD
Gibbs
C J
CJ
Gajdusek
D C
DC
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D005971:Glutamates / Q000032:analysis; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D007538:Isoniazid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D012608:Scrapie / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced*; D012756:Sheep; D009435:Synaptic Transmission; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*
D005971:Glutamates; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D007538:Isoniazid