Effects of chronic haloperidol treatment on amygdaloid seizure generation in cats.
We evaluated the effect of chronic haloperidol treatment (0.5-2 mg/kg/day, 21 day) on amygdala-generating seizures using a kindling procedure induced by low frequency electrical stimulations. The number of stimulating pulses required for triggering of epileptic afterdischarge (pulse-number threshold; PNT) is the indicator of the seizure generating threshold. A PNT decrease occurred, followed by a PNT increase toward the pre-treatment level during high-dose, chronic haloperidol treatment. A PNT increase occurred, followed by a PNT decrease toward the pre-treatment level during the withdrawal period after the high-dose treatment. A decrease of the triggered seizure duration occurred during the high-dose treatment. These results indicate that a transient decrease of seizure generating threshold occurs during chronic haloperidol treatment, and withdrawal of the drug is followed by what appears to be a rebound phenomenon. We suggest that this effect might be related to the antipsychotic potency and associated neurochemical changes known to be caused by chronic haloperidol treatment.
D000679:Amygdala / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007696:Kindling, Neurologic / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D012640:Seizures / Q000503:physiopathology*
D006220:Haloperidol