GLUCOCORTICOID TREATMENT INCREASES THE ABILITY OF CRH TO INDUCE SEIZURES

We examined whether glucocorticoids could enhance the ability of corti cotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) to induce seizures. Rats were treated with systemic glucocorticoids (dexamethasone, 100 mu g) or vehicle fo r either 3 days (chronic) or 2 h (acute) before intracerebroventricula r CRH (3 or 10 mu g) or saline injections and then monitored for 8 h f ollowing each injection. Our results suggest that chronic, but not acu te, glucocorticoid pretreatment increases the likelihood of CRH-induce d seizures.