MELANIN-CONCENTRATING HORMONE (MCH) INVOLVEMENT IN PENTYLENETETRAZOLE(PTZ)-INDUCED SEIZURE IN RAT AND GUINEA-PIG

Intraperitoneal injection of 60 mg/kg of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) indu ced seizure in rats, but was subthreshold and did not result in seizur e in guinea pigs. Three days after intracerebroventricular (ICV) injec tion of 75 mu g 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) in guinea pigs, PTZ induced seizures similar to those seen in rats. In both rats and 6-OHDA-treat ed guinea pigs, ICV injection of melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) 1 5 min before PTZ prevented seizure activity. These results suggest tha t MCH-containing neurons may participate in the neural circuits involv ed in expression of PTZ-induced seizure. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc .