title: Effects of lamotrigine on absence seizures in rats.
abstract: Lamotrigine, a novel antiepileptic drug thought to inhibit the excitatory neurotransmitter release and indicated for convulsive seizures, was tested for its efficacy in modulating non-convulsive seizures of the absence type of epilepsy. This was done in a rat model for absence epilepsy: the WAG/Rij strain of rats. In side-effect free doses, lamotrigine did not inhibit absence seizures in these animals. Only in a high dose a reduction of spike-wave activity was noticed, but in that dose side-effects such as abnormal locomotion, were also seen. These findings underline the differential pharmacological profile of convulsive and non-convulsive generalized epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: NICI, Department of Psychology, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: van Rijn
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Weyn Banningh
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Coenen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D012640:Seizures / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects; D014227:Triazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014227:Triazines; D000077213:Lamotrigine