Kainate and glutamate neurotoxicity in dependence on the postnatal development with special reference to hippocampal neurons.

The particular vulnerability of hippocampal CA3/CA4 neurons to intracerebroventricularly administered kainate did not occur in rats until postnatal day 16. Glutamate applied in the same way failed to show comparable neurodegenerative signs, even when administered in large doses to adult animals. Alternatively, both kainate and glutamate exerted similar behavioral effects from postnatal day 15 onwards. No correlation appears between kainate/glutamate-induced behavioral changes and their neurodegenerative potency.