title: Sedative and anticonvulsant effects of zolpidem in adult and aged mice.
abstract: To evaluate the possible age-related differences in the behavioral effects of zolpidem, a widely used hypnotic, we compared the effects of zolpidem on the locomotor activity and on the seizure threshold for pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) and picrotoxin (given by i.v. infusion) between adult (3 months) and aged (13 months) mice. Zolpidem (10 mg/kg) produced similar enhancements of the seizure threshold in adult and aged mice. The drug was more potent against PTZ- than against picrotoxin-induced seizures. Diazepam (1 mg/kg), which was taken for comparison, had a weaker effect on picrotoxin-induced tonic seizures in aged than in adult mice. Sedative effect of zolpidem (10 mg/kg), as assessed by its effect on the locomotor activity, was very strong in both groups of mice. The results suggest that sedative and antiseizure effects of zolpidem are not changed in aged mice.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Neuropharmacology, Division of Molecular Medicine, Ruder Bosković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia. pericic@irb.hr
authors.forename: Danka
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pericić
authors.forename: Josipa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vlainić
authors.forename: Dubravka Svob
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Strac
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D003292:Convulsants / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004336:Drug Antagonism; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018756:GABA Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018757:GABA Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D010852:Picrotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077334:Zolpidem; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D003292:Convulsants; D003975:Diazepam; D018756:GABA Antagonists; D018757:GABA Modulators; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole; D010852:Picrotoxin; D011725:Pyridines; D000077334:Zolpidem; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid