Anticonvulsant effects of memantine and MK-801 in Guinea Pig hippocampal slices

The anticonvulsant properties of memantine (Mom) were compared to those of MK-801. Extracellular field recordings were obtained from area CAI of guinea pig hippocampal slices in a total submersion chamber at 32°C in normal oxygenated artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF). Evoked responses were elicited by 0.07 Hz stimulation of the Schaffer collateral and commissural fibers. Bath perfusion of slices with Mg²⁺-free ACSF and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)-containing ACSF induced epileptiform afterdischarges following evoked responses. Pretreatment of slices by bath application of 100 μM Mem for 18–20 min prevented epllsptiform afterdischarges under both convulsant conditions. Perfusion with 100 μM Mom alone for up to 50 min had no discernible effect on evoked responses. MK-801 was as effective at ≤10 μM and required application for over 15 min to suppress afterdischarges completely. Both Mom and MK-801 suppressed epileptiform activity when applied after such activity was induced by NMDA or Mg²⁺-free ACSF. The EC50 of Mom was 16.6 μM and that of MK-801 was 0.19 μM for blocking NMDA-induced evoked response suppression. Thus, in the guinea pig hippocampal slice preparation, Mem appeared to have anticonvulsant properties qualitatively similar to those of MK-801, but was 10–100 fold less potent.     

Metaphit-Induced Audiogenic Seizure and Its Inhibition by MK-801: Electroencephalographic and Behavioral Characterization

Summary: Adult male Wistar rats were subjected to intense sound stimulation from an electric bell (100 dB and 12 KHz for 60 s) after a single intraperitoneal (i.p. 50 mg/kg) injection of metaphit [l-(l-/3 isothiocyanatophenyl-cyclohexyl) piperidine]. EEG recordings demonstrated appearance of paroxysmal activity and spike-wave complexes from cortical electrodes, with frequency and amplitude increasing with time. Metaphit-induced audiogenic seizures in the rats were tested 24 h after metaphit administration. The seizures consisted of wild running followed by clonic and tonic convulsions, and the seizure pattern could be elicited at hourly intervals for the next 24 h in all tested animals. Forty-eight hours after metaphit administration, susceptibility to sound stimulation began to decrease gradually. The first component of seizure response to disappear was tonic extension, followed by disappearance of clonic convulsion; the last component to disappear was running behavior. Each behavioral seizure response had a characteristic EEG correlate. After ～50 h, no animal responded to sound stimulation. The noncompetitive antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, MK-801 [5-methyl-10, ll-dihydro-5H-dibenzo (a, d) cyclohepten-5,10-imine maleate] was evaluated as an anticonvulsant against metaphit-induced audiogenic seizures in two experiments. In the first experiment, MK-801 was administered in a single dose of 0.5 mg/kg i.p. 23.5 h after metaphit injection and 30 min before sound stimulation, which completely blocked both the EEG and the behavioral response to sound stimulation for 37 h. After that time, seizure susceptibility began to appear and within 7 h reached a maximum, at which time all animals responded with a complete pattern of a severe seizure. During the next 5 h, seizure susceptibility began to abate gradually and disappeared completely 76 h after metaphit administration. The EEG and behavioral responses did not differ from those elicited in animals treated with metaphit alone. In the second experiment, MK-801 (0.5 mg/kg i.p.) administered 30 min before metaphit did not protect the animals from the effects of metaphit but significantly reduced the incidence of clonic-tonic seizures. EEG signs of seizure susceptibility and progressive increase in epileptic discharges were not suppressed by MK-801. Results suggest that MK-801 is an anticonvulsant rather than an antiepileptic agent in the metaphit-induced audiogenic seizure model.     

Quisqualic Acid-Induced Seizures During Development: A Behavioral and EEG Study

Summary: Quisqualic acid (QA) is an excitatory amino acid analogue that binds to the glutamate ionotropic receptor subclass AMPA (a–amino–3 hydroxy-5 methyl-4 isoxazol propionic acid) and metabotropic receptor phos-pholipase C. To study its epileptogenic properties, we administered QA through an intraventricular cannula to 23-, 41-, and 60-day-old rats with recording electrodes implanted in amygdala, hippocampus, and neocortex. The frequency power spectra of the recorded EEG was computed by fast fourier transform (FFT), and coherence between anatomic sites was computed. Seizures occurred in all animals receiving QA. The behavioral manifestations of the seizures varied as a function of age, with younger rats demonstrating rigidity and immobility followed by circling activity and intermittent forelimb clonus and 60-day-old animals exhibiting severe, wild running followed by generalized clonus. Ictal electrical discharges occurred in all animals. Neocortical ictal discharges occurred more prominently in the younger animals, and amygdala ictal discharges were more prominent in the older animals. Marked increases in spectral power occurred during the seizures in all anatomic structures and at all frequencies. Our results demonstrate that the clinical manifestations of QA seizures vary during development; results of the neurophysiologic studies suggested that neocortex may play an important role in genesis of QA seizures in immature brain.     

MK-801在脊髓缺血中的神经保护作用

目的地佐环平(MK-801)对脊髓缺血中神经保护作用的研究。方法建立新西兰兔脊髓缺血模型,利用HE染色、原位末端转移酶标记技术(TUNEL)、免疫组化、逆转录反应系统(RT-PCR)等技术检测N-甲基-D-天门冬氨酸受体(N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor,NMDAR)、诱导型一氧化氮合酶(inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase,iNOS)、半胱氨酸天冬氨酸蛋白酶3(Caspase-3)的表达水平,观察不同剂量MK-801在脊髓缺血中的神经保护作用。结果对照组脊髓结构完全消失,低剂量组结构较完整,高剂量组缺血损害程度最轻,假手术组脊髓结构正常。NMDAR、iNOS、Caspase-3等蛋白在神经元中有明确表达。凋亡指数、NMDAR、iNOS、Caspase-3 mRNA表达水平在对照组最高,低剂量组、高剂量组,假手术组则逐渐降低,差别具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论 MK-801能抑制神经细胞凋亡,对脊髓缺血具有神经保护作用。     

Effects of Valproate, Phenytoin, and MK-801 in a Novel Model of Epileptogenesis

Summary: Purpose: We have developed and characterized a novel model of epileptogenesis based on the convulsive actions of flurothyl in mice. The hallmark feature of this model is a reliable change in the type of seizure expressed in response to flurothyl from generalized clonic to generalized tonic seizures. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effects of chronic administration of valproate (VPA), phenytoin (PHT), and MK-801 on the change in seizure phenotype observed in our model system.
Methods: Male C57BL/6J mice received flurothyl seizures on 8 consecutive days. Two hours after the last generalized seizure, chronic drug or vehicle was administered twice daily at 12-h intervals for 28 days. The drugs evaluated were VPA (250 mg/kg), PHT (30 mg/kg), and MK-801 (0.5 mg/kg). After a 7-day drug washout period, mice were retested with flurothyl.
Results: Among uninjected or vehicle-injected control mice, there was a significant increase in the proportion of animals expressing tonic seizures after the 28-day stimulation-free interval. Chronic administration of VPA or MK-801, but not PHT, blocked the characteristic change in seizure type from clonic to tonic.
Conclusions: The change in seizure phenotype observed after exposure to our paradigm indicates a fundamental reorganization in the propagation of flurothyl-initiated seizures. As in electrical kindling, VPA and MK-801 are effective at blocking or retarding the reorganization, whereas PHT is not. The concordance in pharmacologic profiles between kindling and our model suggests that the processes underlying changes in seizure susceptibility in these two models share mechanisms in common.     

Effects of zotepine,haloperidol and clozapine on MK-801-induced stereotypy and locomotion in rats

Summary In the present study we compared the effects of the atypical neuroleptic zotepine to haloperidol and clozapine on stereotypies and locomotion induced in rats by the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist MK-801. Zotepine caused a dose-dependent reduction of MK-801-induced stereotypies and locomotion. Zotepine at a dosis of 2.5 mg/kg body weight showed a similar effect to 0.25 mg/kg haloperidol in reducing sterotypies and locomotion. Clozapine (5.0 mg/kg) reduced significantly locomotion and non-significantly stereotypies. These results add support to the assumption that MK-801-induced behavior provides an adequate animal model to test the potential efficacy of typical and atypical neuroleptics in the treatment of psychoses.     

Effects of MK-801 on recognition and neurodegeneration in an MPTP-induced Parkinson's rat model

Several years after the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD), 20-30% of PD patients develop dementia, known as Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD), the features of which include impairment of short-term memory and recognition function. Hyperactivation of the glutamatergic system is implicated in the neurodegeneration seen in PD. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of MK-801, an N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, on short-term memory and object recognition in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced PD rat animal model. MPTP was injected stereotaxically into the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) of male Wistar rats, then, starting 1 day later (day 1), the rats were injected daily with MK-801 (0.2 mg/kg/day, i.p.) and rats underwent a bar test on days 1-7, a T-maze test on days 8-10, and object recognition test on days 12-14. On day 1, the animals showed motor dysfunction, which recovered to control levels on day 7. MPTP-lesioned rats showed impairment of working memory in the T-maze test and of recognition in the object recognition test, both of which were prevented by MK-801 treatment. Furthermore, MPTP lesion-induced dopaminergic degeneration in the nigrostriatal system, microglial activation in the SNc, and cell loss in the hippocampal CA1 area were all improved by MK-801 treatment. These results suggest that NMDA receptors are involved in PD-related neuronal and behavioral dysfunction.     

Effects of NMDA antagonist MK-801 on radial maze performance in Zucker rats

We examined the participation of the NMDA receptor in the histaminergic system using radial maze performance in Zucker rats. Although pyrilamine caused a significant effect on spatial memory deficit in lean rats, no significant spatial memory deficit was observed in obese rats. On the other hand, MK-801 caused significant spatial memory deficits in obese rats in comparison with lean rats. These results indicate that the histaminergic neuron is not closely related with the radial maze performance in obese rats. In addition, the potent effect of MK-801 observed in obese rats compared with lean rats may be responsible for the activation of NMDA receptors in obese rats.     

Interaction of Phenobarbital and Phenytoin in an Experimental Model of Seizures in Rats

Summary: The combination of phenobarbital (PB) and phenytoin (PHT) was recommended for many years for treatment of epilepsy in humans. We tested the effectiveness of the combination in a model of hippocampal seizures termed maximal dentate activation (MDA). Two parameters of MDA were measured: duration and time to onset. Neither the vehicle controls nor PHT 80 mg/kg had an effect on duration or time to onset of MDA. PB 20 mg/kg delayed the normal increase in MDA duration and had no effect on time to onset. Addition of increasing doses of PHT to the 20–mg/kg dose of PB caused a dose–dependent decrease in MDA duration and a dosedependent increase in time to onset. These effects do not appear to be due to an increase in serum level of either drug when administered together. We showed that the combination of PB and PHT has actions in an experimental model of limbic seizures that are not produced by either drug alone. Therefore, clinical use of the combination does have some experimental justification.     

脑缺血再灌流后bFGF基因的表达及MK-801的影响

目的 研究脑缺血再灌流后ｂＦＧＦ基因表达的意义及其机制。方法 采用原位杂交和１免疫组化的方法,观察大鼠脑缺血再灌流后ｂＦＧＦ基因的表达及ＭＫ－８０１对它们的影响。结果 缺血２ｈ再灌流１ｈ可见ｂＦＧＦ表达增高（Ｐ〈０．０５）,ｂＦＧＦ ｍＲＮＡ表达于１２ｈ达高峰,ｂＦＧＦ蛋白于２４ｈ,达高峰;ＭＫ－８０１组与缺血组相比,于再灌流６ｈ～４８ｈ ｂＧＦＧ表达减弱（Ｐ〈０．０５）。结论 局灶性脑缺血再灌流     

MK-801 induced stereotypies in rats are decreased by haloperidol and increased by diazepam

Summary The effects of haloperidol and diazepam were investigated on stereotypies (wall contacts and turn rounds) induced by the non-competitive NMDA antagonist MK-801 in rats. Haloperidol (0.03, 0.10, 0.25 and 0.40mg/kg body weight) caused a dose-dependent antagonism whereas diazepam (3.0 and 5.0 mg/ kg) caused a dose-dependent agonism of the stereotypies induced by 0.30 mg/ kg MK-801 (all drugs given intraperitoneal). Conversely, diazepam (5.0 mg/kg) given alone reduced significantly the number of spontaneous wall contacts and turn rounds. The paradoxial stimulation of MK-801 induced stereotypies by diazepam could be explained by a shift between positive and negative corticostriatothalamic feedback loops envolving GABAergic neurons in favour of the former.     

MK-801 blocks the development of sensitization to the locomotor effects of methylphenidate

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided to three groups (each n = 8) and were housed in test cages where motor activity was recorded continuously for 16 days using a computerized motor activity monitoring system to determine whether repeated administration of MK-801 could block the development and/or the expression of sensitization to the locomotor effects of methylphenidate (MPD). One group of rats received six daily injections (days 4-9) of 0.30 mg/kg MK-801, followed by 5 days without injection (days 10-14) and re-challenged (day 15) with 0.30 mg/kg MK-801. The second group received a challenge dose of 2.5 mg/kg MPD (day 4) followed by 5 days of co-treatment with MK-801 (0.30 mg/kg) given 1 h prior to MPD (days 5-9). This group was then re-challenged with MPD (2.5 mg/kg) on day 15. The last group received six daily injections of 2.5 mg/kg MPD (days 4-9). They were then split into two subgroups of rats which received either no treatment (control) or five daily injections of 0.30 mg/kg MK-801 (days 10-14) before being re-challenged on day 15 with 2.5 mg/kg MPD. MK-801 sensitized to its own locomotor effects. MK-801 given after sensitization had developed (i.e., days 10-14) was able to mask the expression of a sensitized response on day 15, but the effect was only transient since the sensitized response was present 3 weeks later. Moreover, MK-801, when coadministered during the repeated treatment phase was able to block the development of a sensitized response, which suggest that NMDA receptors involved in the process of MPD sensitization.     

Effect of (+)MK-801 and ketamine on rapid tolerance to ethanol

The motor impairment (tilt-plane test) responses to ethanol were significantly reduced on days 2, 3, 4, or 5 in rats receiving ethanol (2.3 and 1.7 g/kg) 24 and 22 h earlier, compared to the control group pretreated with saline. Administration of (+)MK-801, prior to behavioral testing with ethanol on day 1, inhibited the development of tolerance on all these days. Tolerance and the inhibitory effect of (+)MK-801 could no longer be seen if the second injection of ethanol was given on day 7, 8 or 11. Administration of (+)MK-801 on day 1 but after behavioral testing with ethanol did not block the development of rapid tolerance to ethanol on day 2. Administration of another commonly employed NMDA antagonist, i.e., ketamine, prior to ethanol on day 1, also blocked the development of rapid tolerance to ethanol. The findings suggest that NMDA antagonists block rapid tolerance by preventing some adaptation that occurs during intoxicated practice.     

Sensitization to noise-mediated induction of seizure susceptibility by MK-801 and phencyclidine

The effect of single administrations of MK-801 (5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cylohepten-5,10-imine) or PCP (phencyclidine) on the induction of audiogenic seizure susceptibility by noise in immature rats was examined. Treatments with these non-competitiveN-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antogonist resulted in increases in noise exposure-dependent susceptibility. In neonatally drug-treated rats, seizures during adulthood were found to occur with significantly higher incidence and severity. Furthermore, drug treatments were found to lengthen what is normally a restricted developmental period within which susceptibility can be induced by noise exposure. The 801 exhibited predictable anticonvulsant effects. These data suggests acute PCP or MK-801 exposures may transiently exacerbate risks inherent in certain forms of trauma. The mechanism underlying these effects is unknown although certain inferences are possible and may reveal much about epileptogenesis in this model.     

Effects of Phenytoin on the Release of 14C-Adenine Derivatives

The release of ¹⁴C-containing compounds from rat cortical slices prelabeled with ¹⁴C-adenine consisted largely of adenosine (6—7%), inosine (13- 18%), and hypoxanthine (70–74%), with small amounts of nucleotides including cyclic AMP and adenine. This efflux was increased by both ouabain (0.1 mM) and veratridine (0.05 mM), the increment in released radioactivity consisting almost entirely of these three compounds. However, relatively more inosine than adenosine output was evoked by ouabain while the reverse was true with veratridine. Phenytoin partially reversed the effect of both depolarizing agents. After prelabeling, the efflux from astrocytoma cell cultures contained predominantly inosine (74%) and hypoxanthine (23%) with little adenosine. Ouabain increased the release of ¹⁴C-adenine derivatives, and this increase was diminished by phenytoin. Preliminary studies with neuroblastoma cell cultures have shown considerable variability in the composition of the effluent, with hypoxanthine the prevalent compound and almost no adenosine. Ouabain enhanced the efflux from these cells, and this effect was apparently reversed by phenytoin.     

Acute interactive effects of MK-801 and morphine on cortical EEG and EEG power spectra in rats

The interaction between MK-801 and morphine-induced effects on cortical electroencephalography (EEG) was investigated. Rats were administered one of five MK-801 doses (IP) prior to morphine (IV). MK-801 dose-dependently increased morphine-induced global spectral power, duration of morphine-induced EEG bursts and latency to sleep onset, and decreased morphine-induced mean frequency, mobility, complexity, and edge frequency. MK-801 pretreatment shifted the relative distribution of total power to the left. Significant interaction effects were found for all spectral parameters except peak frequency. A second group of rats was administered MK-801 prior to an increasing cumulative morphine dose. MK-801 increased maximal morphine effects on all spectral parameters except peak frequency. The results are in agreement with those of recent analgesia and in vitro studies in spinal neurons, and support observations of a synergistic interaction between effects of NMDA antagonism and morphine. These data further suggest that the component of cortical EEG that is produced by mu-opioid- and NMDA-receptor interactive effects may be dominated by an inhibitory effect of morphine on NMDA receptor activity.     

Effects of Ketamine Anesthesia on Phenytoin Biodisposition

After oral administration (10% suspension in arabic gum, at 500 mg/kg), total phenytoin (PHT) concentrations were measured in the blood and brain of rats anesthetized with ketamine (60 mg/kg, intraperitoneally i.p.) and in a control group that received only PHT. The concentration of PHT in blood and brain was significantly higher in the ketamine than in the control group. At 1, 1.5, 2, and 3 h, increased brain PHT reflected increased blood concentrations. At all times, the plasma protein binding of PHT was similar in both groups. After intravenous (i.v.) administration, instead, at 10 mg/kg, total PHT concentrations were similar in rats anesthetized with ketamine (60 mg/kg, i.p.) and in a control group that received only PHT under mild ether anesthesia. Thus, the main factor involved with the altered PHT biodisposition caused by ketamine anesthesia appears to be increased absorption of the drug.     

Effect of cannabidiol in a MK-801-rodent model of aspects of schizophrenia

Cannabidiol is a non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid which, based on several previous preclinical and clinical reports, is purported to have antipsychotic potential. The purpose of this investigation was to further investigate if these effects would be seen using an MK-801-induced rat model of aspects of schizophrenia. MK-801 is an NMDA receptor-antagonist known to produce hyperactivity, deficits in prepulse inhibition and social withdrawal, behaviours which correlate well with some of the positive, cognitive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Following a 4-day acclimatisation to the holding room, rats were acclimatised to startle chambers on day 5 and their prepulse inhibition (PPI) determined on day 6 following treatment with cannabidiol or vehicle and MK-801 or vehicle. On day 9, rats were acclimatised to the social interaction testing arena and on day 10, were tested for social interaction and locomotor activity following the same treatments. Cannabidiol treatment alone disrupted PPI and produced hyperactivity but had no effect on social behaviour. Cannabidiol had no effect on MK-801-induced disruption of PPI or hyperactivity but showed potential towards inhibiting MK-801-induced social withdrawal. As a comparator, we also tested the effect of the atypical antipsychotic clozapine which only partially reversed MK-801-induced disruption of PPI but was able to reverse MK-801-induced hyperactivity and social withdrawal. In conclusion, cannabidiol showed both propsychotic activity and partial antipsychotic activity in an MK-801-induced model of aspects of schizophrenia. Further behavioural studies would be required using a range of species, strains, animal models and testing paradigms to conclusively establish the antipsychotic potential of cannabidiol.     

Antidepressant drugs increase the locomotor hyperactivity induced by MK-801 in rats

Summary MK-801, a non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, induced the locomotor hyperactivity in rats. Imipramine (IMI), amitriptyline (AMI), citalopram (CIT) given acutely increased the MK-801-induced locomotor hyperactivity. Mianserin (MIA) showed a similar but weaker effect. Haloperidol completely blocked the hyperactivity induced by the antidepressant drug (AD) + MK-801. Prazosin had an only weak antagonistic effect. Repeated treatment with AD increased the MK-801 locomotor hyperactivity to a greater extent than acute treatment. This effect was completely blocked by haloperidol and only partly by prazosin.The obtained results indicate that the dopamine system may be involved, at least in part, in the potentiating effect of the combined treatment with AD + MK-801.