MOSSY FIBER INNERVATION IS NOT REQUIRED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF KAINICACID TOXICITY IN ORGANOTYPIC HIPPOCAMPAL SLICE CULTURES

The glutamate analogue kainic acid (KA) generates convulsions when app lied systemically or directly into the brain and produces lesions comp arable to those seen in Ammon's horn sclerosis, observed in many patie nts with temporal lobe epilepsy. The neurotoxic actions of KA in-vivo appear to be mediated by a combination of direct effects on neurons an d indirect effects mediated by seizures. Understanding the contributio n of both direct and indirect effects of KA towards neuronal cell deat h is important for elucidating excitotoxic mechanisms, which may repre sent a common final pathway in a variety of neurodegenerative disorder s including stroke, traumatic brain injury and epilepsy. We have inves tigated the effects of mossy fibre innervation on the development of K A toxicity in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures in order to asses s the role of this input pathway on the specific toxicity of KA toward CA3 pyramidal neurones in vitro. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Lt d. All rights reserved.