EFFECT OF KAINIC ACID-INDUCED STATUS EPILEPTICUS ON INOSITOL-TRISPHOSPHATE AND SEIZURE-INDUCED BRAIN-DAMAGE IN MATURE AND IMMATURE ANIMALS

We investigated the role of excitatory amino acids in the activation o f the phosphoinositide pathway during kainic acid-induced seizures in mature and immature animals. Kainic acid caused more severe seizures i n the immature animals, but no hippocampal damage or induction of phos phoinositide hydrolysis. In mature animals, seizures were mild but sev ere hippocampal damage was seen and was associated with a marked and s ustained release of inositol-trisphosphate, suggesting a role of this pathway and intracellular calcium stores in seizure-induced brain dama ge.