Effects of chronic cortical seizures on GABA and benzodiazepine receptors within seizure pathways.

The effects of chronic cortical seizures on the autoradiographic distributions of two markers of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)/benzodiazepine receptor--chloride ionophore complex within local and long circuits connected to the focus were examined. Rats were subjected to electrically triggered seizures of the forelimb--sensorimotor overlap zone either daily or once every other day. At the time of sacrifice the rats had received a mean of 39 +/- 3 stimulations and their seizure responses had grown in intensity and duration. [3H]Muscimol binding and [3H]flunitrazepam binding, at near saturating ligand concentrations were unchanged in the focus, mirror focus, dorsolateral caudate, globus pallidus, ventrolateral and ventrobasal thalamic nuclei, and the substantia nigra pars reticularis. These results indicate that the progressive increases in strength and duration of recurrent focal cortical seizures are not accompanied by changes in the density of either GABA receptors or benzodiazepine receptors within the focus or projection pathways.