Seizure suppression by systemic epinephrine is mediated by the vagus nerve.
The present study investigated the seizure-suppressing effects of systemic epinephrine. Rats were injected with epinephrine, and seizures induced with pentylenetetrazol. Seizure severities were significantly reduced 15 min after 1 mg/kg of epinephrine. Severing the subdiaphragmatic vagus nerves abolished this effect, demonstrating that epinephrine-induced seizure suppression is mediated by subdiaphragmatic vagal afferents. The development of novel anti-epileptic drugs that exploit this peripheral pathway may yield new seizure treatments.
Krahl
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SE
Neurology Service, West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, California 90073, USA. scott.krahl@med.va.gov
Senanayake
S S
SS
Handforth
A
A
D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003292:Convulsants / Q000633:toxicity; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014628:Vagotomy; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology*
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D003292:Convulsants; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole; D004837:Epinephrine