title: The antidepressant sertraline prevents the behavioral and EEG changes induced in two animal models of seizures.
abstract: In order to investigate a potential anticonvulsive action of sertraline (i.p.), its effects on seizures, EEG epileptiform activity and EEG amplitude increases induced by two convulsive agents were evaluated and compared with the effects of carbamazepine. Around 20 min following 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, 2.5 mg/kg, i.p.), tonic-clonic seizures and epileptiform activity were observed in control animals. A single sertraline pre-injection of 2.5 mg/kg, but not of 0.75 mg/kg, prevented these changes to 4-AP. Repeated daily administration of 0.75 mg/kg for one week, however, effectively inhibited the changes induced by 4-AP. The first generalized tonic-clonic seizure and EEG changes in response to pentylenetetrazole (PTZ, 50 mg/kg, i.p.) were observed near the first minute in control animals. Single sertraline doses above 5 mg/kg prevented the PTZ-induced changes. Moreover, a single carbamazepine dose of 25 mg/kg (i.p.), but not of 15 mg/kg, prevented the changes induced by the above convulsive agents. An anti-seizure action of the antidepressant sertraline is strongly suggested by these findings.
authors.affiliation: Depto. de Biología Celular y Fisiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México. sitges@biomedicas.unam.mx
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sitges
authors.forename: Blanca I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Aldana
authors.forename: Carlos D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nekrassov
mesh_terms: D015761:4-Aminopyridine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020280:Sertraline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014828:Vocalization, Animal / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D002220:Carbamazepine; D015761:4-Aminopyridine; D020280:Sertraline; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole