Diphenylhydantoin potentiates the EEG and behavioural effects induced by N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonists in rats

The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) subtype of excitatory amino acid receptors are involved in the electrical and behavioural generalization of epileptiform activity within the brain. In rats, both competitive and non-competitive NMDA antagonists induce three dose-dependent stages of EEG patterns: 1) increase in cortical desynchronization periods; 2) increase in amplitude of cortical high frequency (20–30 Hz), low voltage (30–50 µV) background activity; 3) appearance of cortical slow (2–3 Hz) wave-sharp wave complexes. These EEG changes are accompanied by stimulatory-depressive behavioural effects such as stereotypy (circling, head weaving) and ataxia. In the present study, the influence of the prototypic anticonvulsant diphenylhydantoin (DPH) has been tested on the EEG and behavioural effects induced by the non-competitive NMDA antagonists phencyclidine (PCP) and dizocilpine (MK-801) and by the competitive NMDA antagonist cis-4-phosphonomethyl-2-piperidine-carboxylic acid (CGS 19755). Even though DPH (up to 100 mg/kg IP) did not markedly affect basal cortical EEG activity, at doses of 10–100 mg/kg IP it potentiated all the EEG effects induced by the NMDA antagonists. These data support involvement of NMDA neurotransmission in the pharmacological effects of DPH.