Intracortical kainic acid induces an asymmetrical behavioral response in the rat.

Five nanomolar doses of kainic acid injected into the right frontal cortex of rats produced a significantly greater spontaneous hyperactivity than identical injections into the left hemisphere. Hyperactivity began one week after injection and slowly continued to increase throughout the 30 day postoperative period. These results taken with our previous studies suggest that the neural asymmetry which leads to hyperactivity following right hemisphere lesions may be postsynaptic to cortical noradrenergic terminals.