Objective: To investigate the effects of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDAR or NR) and NR1 subunit on mechanism of initiation and development epilepsy of genetically epilepsy-prone rat.
Methods: Antisense oligodeoxynucleotices (ODN) techniques, intracerebroventricular injection and experiments in vitro in rat temporal cortex slices were used.
Results: An antisense ODN for NR1, or the correspond sense ODN and normal saline was administered intracerebroventricular (i.c.v., 100 micrograms in 10 microliters) once daily, respectively for three days. P77PMC rats with antisense ODN did not display clonic and tonic convulsion, or showed that significantly lowered seizure scores compared to control groups. Moreover, the frequency and amplitude of early seizure-like events (SLEs) and late reccurrent discharges (LRDs), which induced by lowing Mg2+, were reduced in entorhinal cortex of the temporal cortex slice.
Conclusion: Our results suggested that NMDA receptors, specifically the NR1 subunit, may participate in the initiation and development of epilepsy of P77PMC rat.