Glucocorticoid treatment increases the ability of CRH to induce seizures.
We examined whether glucocorticoids could enhance the ability of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) to induce seizures. Rats were treated with systemic glucocorticoids (dexamethasone, 100 micrograms) or vehicle for either 3 days (chronic) or 2 h (acute) before intracerebroventricular CRH (3 or 10 micrograms) or saline injections and then monitored for 8 h following each injection. Our results suggest that chronic, but not acute, glucocorticoid pretreatment increases the likelihood of CRH-induced seizures.
Rosen
J B
JB
Biological Psychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Pishevar
S K
SK
Weiss
S R
SR
Smith
M A
MA
Kling
M A
MA
Gold
P W
PW
Schulkin
J
J
D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced*
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D003907:Dexamethasone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone