Role of Glutamate Release and Metabotropic Autoreceptors in Seizureogenic Actions of Cholinomimetic Agents

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to delineate the potential role(s) of excitatory amino acids (EAA) as mediators of central nervous system (CNS) excitation and seizures produced by centrally-active cholimomimetic agents and to evaluate possible palliative treatments for central cholimomimetic toxicity. The scope of this project entails simultaneous use of neurochemical and electrophysiological approaches that are designed to assess cholimomimetic-induced excitation in the rat CNS. The goals for this report period were: (1) to evaluate simultaneously the effects by a direct acting cholimomimetic agent on basal and stimulus-dependent changes in hippocampal EAA levels as well as focal EEG activity, (2) to evaluate simultaneously the effects by an indirect acting cholimomimetic agent on basal and stimulus-dependent changes in hippocampal EAA levels as well as focal EEG activity, and (3) to evaluate the capacity of metabotropic glutamate autoreceptor ligands to attenuate the electrophysiological and neurochemical changes induced by agents referenced in goals (1) and (2). The described studies have been completed and the experimental results support the following general conclusions: (1) elicitation of seizure-like brain wave activity by cholimomimetic agents does not arise principally from a global facilitation of excitatory amino acid mediated neurotransmission within major forebrain pathways; and (2) agents that interact selectively with metabotropic glutamate receptors in the forebrain do not ameliorate substantially the excitatory actions of centrally-active cholimomimetic agents.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2001
Accession Number
ADB275663

Entities

People

  • Thomas W. Vickroy

Organizations

  • University of Florida

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Amino Acids
  • Biomedical Research
  • Brain
  • Capillary Electrophoresis
  • Chemical Analysis
  • Chemical Synthesis
  • Chemistry
  • Computers
  • Contractors
  • Contracts
  • Detection
  • Detectors
  • Health Services
  • Laboratory Animals
  • Laser Induced Fluorescence
  • Measurement
  • Medical Personnel

Fields of Study

  • Medicine

Readers

  • Neuroscience