Benzodiazepines prevent kainate-induced loss of GABAergic and cholinergic neurons in the chick retina.
Kainic acid (50 nmol), applied intravitreally to the eyes of chicks, produces within 6 h a loss of more than 50% of biochemical markers for cholinergic and GABAergic neurons in the retina. Repeated peripheral administration of benzodiazepines, such as diazepam and clonazepam, protects from the kainate-induced loss of cholinergic and GABAergic markers in the retina. Histologically diazepam reduces the nuclear pyknosis induced by kainate particularly at the level of the amacrine cell-layer.
D000818:Animals; D001570:Benzodiazepinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D002645:Chickens; D002998:Clonazepam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
D001570:Benzodiazepinones; D011759:Pyrrolidines; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D002998:Clonazepam; D003975:Diazepam; D007608:Kainic Acid