Abstract
The immature brain is most susceptible to the development of seizures. The substantia nigra may play a crucial role in the control of seizures as a function of age. In the adult substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNR), there are two regions that mediate opposing effects on seizures after infusions of GABA(A) agents. One region is located in the anterior SNR, and localized muscimol infusions mediate anticonvulsant effects. These anticonvulsant effects use a circuitry that may involve the ventromedial thalamic nucleus, the deep layer of the superior colliculus, or both. The second region is in the posterior SNR, and muscimol infusions produce proconvulsant effects, perhaps mediated by the striatum, the globus pallidus, the deep layer of the superior colliculus, or all three. In developing male rats, only the proconvulsant region is present up to the age of 21 days. In ongoing studies, it has been shown that, in the male rat, the transition from the immature to mature SNR-mediated seizure control occurs between the ages of 25 and 30 days, just before adolescence. In male rats castrated on the day of birth, the ensuing depletion of testosterone accelerates the development of the anterior SNR with its anticonvulsant features. Castration does not alter the development of the proconvulsant region. In the developing female SNR, muscimol infusions produce only anticonvulsant effects. The data indicate that gonadal hormones may have an important role in the maturation of systems involved in the containment of seizures.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 484-494 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology |
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1997 |
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Keywords
- GABA
- Hormone
- Infant
- Rat
- Seizures
- Substantia nigra
- Testosterone
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Neurology
- Physiology
- Neuroscience(all)
Cite this
Sex and the substantia nigra : Administration, teaching, patient care, and research. / Moshe, Solomon L.
In: Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology, Vol. 14, No. 6, 1997, p. 484-494.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Sex and the substantia nigra
T2 - Administration, teaching, patient care, and research
AU - Moshe, Solomon L.
PY - 1997
Y1 - 1997
N2 - The immature brain is most susceptible to the development of seizures. The substantia nigra may play a crucial role in the control of seizures as a function of age. In the adult substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNR), there are two regions that mediate opposing effects on seizures after infusions of GABA(A) agents. One region is located in the anterior SNR, and localized muscimol infusions mediate anticonvulsant effects. These anticonvulsant effects use a circuitry that may involve the ventromedial thalamic nucleus, the deep layer of the superior colliculus, or both. The second region is in the posterior SNR, and muscimol infusions produce proconvulsant effects, perhaps mediated by the striatum, the globus pallidus, the deep layer of the superior colliculus, or all three. In developing male rats, only the proconvulsant region is present up to the age of 21 days. In ongoing studies, it has been shown that, in the male rat, the transition from the immature to mature SNR-mediated seizure control occurs between the ages of 25 and 30 days, just before adolescence. In male rats castrated on the day of birth, the ensuing depletion of testosterone accelerates the development of the anterior SNR with its anticonvulsant features. Castration does not alter the development of the proconvulsant region. In the developing female SNR, muscimol infusions produce only anticonvulsant effects. The data indicate that gonadal hormones may have an important role in the maturation of systems involved in the containment of seizures.
AB - The immature brain is most susceptible to the development of seizures. The substantia nigra may play a crucial role in the control of seizures as a function of age. In the adult substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNR), there are two regions that mediate opposing effects on seizures after infusions of GABA(A) agents. One region is located in the anterior SNR, and localized muscimol infusions mediate anticonvulsant effects. These anticonvulsant effects use a circuitry that may involve the ventromedial thalamic nucleus, the deep layer of the superior colliculus, or both. The second region is in the posterior SNR, and muscimol infusions produce proconvulsant effects, perhaps mediated by the striatum, the globus pallidus, the deep layer of the superior colliculus, or all three. In developing male rats, only the proconvulsant region is present up to the age of 21 days. In ongoing studies, it has been shown that, in the male rat, the transition from the immature to mature SNR-mediated seizure control occurs between the ages of 25 and 30 days, just before adolescence. In male rats castrated on the day of birth, the ensuing depletion of testosterone accelerates the development of the anterior SNR with its anticonvulsant features. Castration does not alter the development of the proconvulsant region. In the developing female SNR, muscimol infusions produce only anticonvulsant effects. The data indicate that gonadal hormones may have an important role in the maturation of systems involved in the containment of seizures.
KW - GABA
KW - Hormone
KW - Infant
KW - Rat
KW - Seizures
KW - Substantia nigra
KW - Testosterone
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0031398411&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0031398411&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/00004691-199711000-00004
DO - 10.1097/00004691-199711000-00004
M3 - Article
VL - 14
SP - 484
EP - 494
JO - Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology
JF - Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology
SN - 0736-0258
IS - 6
ER -