Effects of antiepileptic drugs on pentylenetetrazole-induced epileptiform activity in the in vitro hippocampus

• Published in: Epilepsia (Copenhagen) Vol. 27; no. 4; p. 341
• Main Authors: Piredda, S, Yonekawa, W, Whittingham, T S, Kupferberg, H J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.08.1986
• Subjects: Animals; Anticonvulsants - pharmacology; Anticonvulsants - therapeutic use; Carbamazepine - pharmacology; Carbamazepine - therapeutic use; Diazepam - pharmacology; Diazepam - therapeutic use; Epilepsy - chemically induced; Epilepsy - drug therapy; Hippocampus - drug effects; Hippocampus - physiopathology; In Vitro Techniques; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Pentylenetetrazole; Phenobarbital - pharmacology; Phenobarbital - therapeutic use; Valproic Acid - pharmacology; Valproic Acid - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 0013-9580
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1986.tb03551.x

We studied the effects of four antiepileptic drugs on pentylenetetrazole-induced burst discharges in the CA3 region of the in vitro hippocampus. Diazepam and carbamazepine abolished the bursting activity in a gradual and dose-dependent manner. Phenobarbital only decreased the burst frequency. Valproic acid was either ineffective or actually caused an increase in both burst frequency and amplitude. The findings in this model were compared with results obtained by other investigators in a penicillin-induced model of epileptiform activity in the hippocampal slice. Diazepam had a similar effect on both pentylenetetrazole- and penicillin-induced burst discharges, but phenobarbital was ineffective in the pentylenetetrazole model, indicating that these chemically induced hippocampal epileptiform activities may be differentially sensitive to antiepileptic drugs.