Increased susceptibility to generalized seizures after immunolesions of the basal forebrain cholinergic neurons in rats.
We investigated whether basal forebrain cholinergic neurons influence the expression of generalized seizures. Animals received intracerebroventricular injections of saporin (lesioned) or saline (controls) and were tested for susceptibility to flurothyl- or pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures. Lesioned rats had significantly shorter latencies to onset of generalized tonic-clonic seizures than controls. Our findings suggest that basal forebrain cholinergic neurons may participate in the modulation of generalized seizures.
Silveira
D C
DC
Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Enders #320, Boston, MA 02115, USA. silveira@a1.tch.harvard.edu
Holmes
G L
GL
Schachter
S C
SC
Geula
C
C
Schomer
D L
DL
D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D003292:Convulsants; D003714:Denervation; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005481:Flurothyl; D000922:Immunotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009699:N-Glycosyl Hydrolases; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D054789:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 1; D000076985:Saporins
D003292:Convulsants; D000922:Immunotoxins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D054789:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 1; D005481:Flurothyl; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D009699:N-Glycosyl Hydrolases; D000076985:Saporins; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole