title: Effects of kainic acid on rat body temperature: unmasking by dizocilpine.
abstract: The effects of intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of kainic acid (KA) and dizocilpine, alone or in combination, on body temperature of freely moving rats were examined. Injection of saline or dizocilpine (3.0 or 5.0 mg/kg) was followed after an hour by injection of saline or KA (10 mg/kg) and the body temperature was measured at different time points during the first 5 h. KA alone produced an initial short-lasting hypothermia followed by a longer-lasting hyperthermic effect. Administration of dizocilpine alone produced an early increase in core temperature. Pretreatment of KA-injected rats with dizocilpine potentiated the KA-induced hypothermic effect at 30 min and dose-dependently reduced the temperature measured at 1 h after KA-injection without influencing the ensuing hyperthermia.These data suggest that the KA-induced changes in body temperature do not necessarily involve the activation of NMDA-receptors as opposed to KA-induced behavioural changes that are blocked by dizocilpine in a dose-dependent manner. It is unlikely, therefore, that the KA-induced hyperthermia is a result of the KA-induced seizure motor activity. Furthermore, our findings indicate that KA-induced changes in core temperature may be used as a criterion of drug-responsiveness when the behavioural changes are blocked, e.g. with dizocilpine.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahlenius
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oprica
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Winblad
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schultzberg
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D007608:Kainic Acid