HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Correspondence: Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Correspondence are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Slevin, J. T. Articles by Ferrara, L. P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Slevin, J. T. Articles by Ferrara, L. P.

Chronic valproic acid therapy and Synaptic markers Of amino acid neurotransmission

Veterans Administration Medical Center and the Departments of Neurology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY.

Valproic acid acutely alters regional brain concentrations of GABA and of aspartic and glutamic acids in vivo, and it potentiates the action of these amino acid neurotransmitters on neurons in vitro. Chronic alterations of presynaptic uptake or receptor binding activity induced by these effects of valproate could contribute to its anticonvulsant properties. We treated rats with valproate (100 mg/kg ip bid) for 3 weeks; drug levels in frontal cortex reached 70 µg/g tissue, but there was no effect on uptake and binding activity of these amino acids in cortex and hippocampus.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Slevin, Albert B. Chandler Medical Center, College of Medicine, Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536-0084.

Supported in part by the Veterans Administration and a grant from the NIH (TIDA-NS00732).

Accepted for publication September 21, 1984.