Levetiracetam has no significant gamma-aminobutyric acid-related effect on paired-pulse interaction in the dentate gyrus of rats.

Eur J Pharmacol

UCB S.A. Pharma Sector, Research and Development, Preclinical CNS Research, Chemin du Foriest, B-1420 Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium.

Published: April 2003

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic mechanisms of the novel antiepileptic drug, levetiracetam (Keppra), have been both favored and rejected. Since paired-pulse interaction is accepted in functionally assessing GABAergic mechanisms, we investigated whether levetiracetam affects the paired-pulse inhibition/facilitation of the field potentials, evoked in the dentate gyrus of urethane-anesthesized rats. This model revealed a strong paired-pulse inhibition at 20-ms interstimulus interval, a noteworthy paired-pulse facilitation at 80-ms interstimulus interval, and a moderate paired-pulse inhibition at 500-ms interstimulus interval. Bicuculline (3 mg/kg/h, i.v.) and baclofen (10 mg/kg, i.v.) markedly depressed paired-pulse inhibition at 20-ms interstimulus interval, while clonazepam (1 mg/kg, i.p.), diazepam (10 mg/kg, i.v.), and phenobarbital (40 mg/kg, i.v.) enhanced it. Bicuculline also depressed paired-pulse inhibition at 500-ms interstimulus interval. Bicuculline, baclofen, and diazepam reduced paired-pulse facilitation at 80-ms interstimulus interval. Distinct from these GABA(A) receptor- and GABA(B) receptor-related drugs, levetiracetam (17 and 540 mg/kg, i.v.) had no significant effect on either paired-pulse interaction in this model, a result not favoring any major role of GABAergic mechanisms in its antiseizure action.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0014-2999(03)01563-2DOI Listing

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