The action of anticonvulsant drugs on the firing of locus coeruleus neurons: selective, activating effect of carbamazepine.
The action of various doses of intraperitoneally administered carbamazepine, ethosuximide, Na-valproate, phenobarbital and diphenylhydantoin on the neuronal firing rate of presumed noradrenergic neurons of the locus coeruleus was investigated in the anaesthetized rat. Carbamazepine was the only compound which produced a statistically significant, dose-dependent activation of these neurons. The other anticonvulsant drugs caused a small but non significant reduction in locus coeruleus cell firing. It is concluded that this brain nucleus is not a main target of anticonvulsant drugs.
D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D008125:Locus Coeruleus / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D002220:Carbamazepine; D009638:Norepinephrine