Guanidinosuccinate (GSA) and methylguanidine (MG) are endogenous, convulsant guanidino compounds which have been shown to be greatly increased in uremic patients. In the present study, we have investigated the age-related differences in convulsive action and cerebral uptake of these compounds in juvenile mice of 7, 14 and 21 days old. An age-dependent decrease was apparent in the severity of the GSA- and MG-induced convulsions and toxicity. Mean latency for the appearance of clonic convulsions increased with increasing age. Two hours following the i.p. injection of GSA or MG in a dose of 250 mg/kg, the resulting brain concentration decreased with increasing age of the animals. This effect was more pronounced in the case of MG. Neither for GSA, nor for MG was this age-dependent effect apparent after 30 min. GSA and MG serum as well as brain concentrations were lower in 21-day-old mice than in 7-day-old ones. However, the brain/serum concentration ratios of GSA and of MG were significantly lower in 21-day-old mice than in 7-day-old ones, indicating that at least part of the difference in brain level can be explained by higher permeability of the immature blood-brain barrier to these uremic guanidino compounds. In addition, brain/serum ratios of GSA in mice of 7 days old and in mice of 21 days old were significantly lower than the ratios of MG in these age groups, indicative of lower overall blood-brain barrier permeability to GSA than to MG.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)