Evidence for impaired GABAergic activity in the substantia nigra of amygdaloid kindled rats.

The activity of the GABA-synthesizing enzyme glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) was determined in synaptosomal fractions from 12 brain regions of amygdaloid kindled rats. The only significant difference in regional GAD activities between kindled animals and sham-operated controls was a 40% decrease of GAD activity in the substantia nigra. The data suggest that impaired GABAergic function in the nigra may be involved in the initiation and propagation of amygdaloid-kindled seizures.