Characterization of benzodiazepine receptor binding following kainic acid administration: an autoradiography study in rats

Effects of status epilepticus and chronic temporal lobe epilepsy on benzodi azepine (BDZ) receptor binding in the rat brain were evaluated using in vit ro autoradiography, 24 h and 40 days after kainic acid (KA) administration (10 mg/kg i.p). One day after KA-induced status epilepticus and in comparis on to saline control group, significantly increased BDZ binding was detecte d in pyriform cortex (53%), whereas decreased binding was found in anterior amygdaloid nucleus (28%), fields CA1-3 of Ammon's horn (25%) and dentate g yrus (27%). Forty days after status epilepticus, significantly BDZ binding augmentation was noticed in dentate gyrus (65%) and in periaqueductal gray dorsolateral (52%), whereas decreased binding was found in medial thalamic nucleus (70%). Our data indicate different patterns of BDZ binding followin g KA administration, which may depend on the consequences of the status epi tepticus (24 h after KA) and temporal lobe epilepsy (40 days after KA) per se. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.