PURPOSE Mutations that enhance currents through the Ca(2+)- and voltage-gated K(+) channel BK (Slo, maxiK, KCNMA1) have been associated with seizure disorders in both rodent models and humans. Previously we have found that seizures themselves induce a gain-of-function in BK channels that is associated with elevated excitability in neocortical neurons. In this study, we sought to examine whether...

In guinea pig hippocampal slices, picrotoxin elicited spontaneous epileptiform bursts 300-550 ms in duration. Additional application of (R,S)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine or (S)-3-hydroxyphenylglycine, agonists specific for group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), or (1S,3R)-1-aminocyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid, a broad-spectrum mGluR agonist, converted picrotoxin-induced intericta...

OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that a triazolyloxazolidinone (PH084) has anticonvulsant activity by examining its effects on in vitro seizure models in the rat hippocampus. MATERIALS AND METHODS Whole-cell synaptic currents, action potentials and extracellular population spikes (PS) were recorded in the cell body area of rat hippocampal CA1 region in acutely prepared slices. Chemical [picro...

Effects of Hyoscyamus niger L on central nervous system have been known for many years. The effects of methanolic extract of H. niger L. on seizures induced by picrotoxin was studied in mice in this investigation. In this study 7 groups of animals pretreated with methanolic extract of the plant (12.5, 25, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400 mg/kg/i.p.), 20 minutes prior to the picrotoxin (12 mg/kg/ i.p.)--i...

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder associated with excitatory and inhibitory imbalance within the underlying neural network. This study evaluated inhibitory γ-amino-butyric acid (GABA)ergic modulation in the CA1 region of the hippocampus of male Wistar rats and Wistar audiogenic rats (aged 90 ± 3 days), a strain of inbred animals susceptible to audiogenic seizures. Field excitatory postsynapti...

Electrical stimulation of pudendal afferents can inhibit bladder contractions and increase bladder capacity. Recent results suggest that stimulation-evoked bladder inhibition is mediated by a mechanism other than activation of sympathetic bladder efferents in the hypogastric nerve, generating α-adrenergic receptor-mediated inhibition at the vesical ganglia and/or β-adrenergic receptor-mediated ...

BACKGROUND Clinical and experimental results show that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is effective and safe in the treatment of epilepsy. The characteristics of the impulse magnetic field (IMF) are empirical in these studies, making impossible to compare their effectiveness. OBJECTIVES The article presents the results of a study of the anticonvulsive effects of different ...