Amino acid neurotransmitters in iron-induced epileptic foci of rats.

Injection of iron salts into the rodent cortex has been shown to cause chronic or recurrent seizures. Amino acid levels in the cerebral cortex were examined 1, 3, 6, 9, 24, 48 hours and 4 weeks after an injection of ferric chloride solution to the left sensory motor cortex of rats. Aspartate level decreased 9 and 24 hours after the injections with ferric chloride. No significant change was observed in glutamate level, though glutamine level decreased 3 and 48 hours after the injection. GABA level decreased 6 hours after the injection. On the contrary, alanine and glycine levels increased 1 and 24 hours, and 24 hours after the injection, respectively. These results suggest that these amino acid neurotransmitters are involved in the acute seizure mechanism and in the process of chronic focus formation in the iron-induced epilepsy of rats.