Specific group II metabotropic glutamate receptor activation inhibits the development of kindled epilepsy in rats.

The effects of intracerebral administration of the group II metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist, 2R,4R-APDC, were tested on both the development of amygdaloid kindling and on fully developed stage 5 amygdala kindled seizures. The development of amygdaloid kindling was significantly retarded in 2R,4R-APDC (10 nmol in 0.5 microl) treated animals compared to control animals over a period of 8 days. At a low dose, 2R,4R-APDC (0.1 nmol) caused a 42.5+/-26.6% increase of the generalised seizure threshold in fully kindled animals. As higher doses were administered, however, the changes in generalised seizure threshold were less marked, and even a small decrease in the threshold was seen (-19.6+/-5.36% at 10 nmol). The agonist 2R,4R-APDC inhibited depolarization-induced release of [3H]d-aspartate from cortical synaptosomes with an IC50 value of 0. 29 microM. This effect was maximal at 1 microM, and decreased with dose thereafter. These findings suggest that the selective activation of the group II metabotropic glutamate receptors by agonists such as 2R,4R-APDC may be of therapeutic potential in the treatment of seizure disorders.