Effects of chronic flurazepam treatment on firing rate of rat substantia nigra pars reticulata neurons.

The effect of a benzodiazepine, flurazepam, on the spontaneous activity of neurons in the pars reticulata of the substantia nigra was studied in chloral hydrate anesthetized rats. Flurazepam produced a dose-related suppression of neuronal activity. In rats that were chronically treated with flurazepam, tolerance to flurazepam was present after 7 and 28 days, but not after only 3 days of treatment. Tolerance persisted at least 2, but not 7 days after 4 weeks of chronic treatment.