Abstract
The effect of the intravenous administration of ergot alkaloids on epileptic responses to intermittent photic stimulation (IPS) has been studied in adolescent baboons, Papio papio, from Senegal. Ergocormine, 1–2 mg/kg, produced marked autonomic and behavioural effects, slowed the EEG, and abolished myoclonic responses to IPS for 30–90 min. Ergometrine, 1 mg/kg, activated the EEG and blocked the induction of myoclonic responses for 1–3 h. Bromocriptine, 0.5–4 mg/kg, did not consistently prevent myoclonic responses to IPS. After pretreatment with a subconvulsant dose of allylglycine (180–200 mg/kg), lysergic acid diethylamide, 0.1 mg/kg, retained the capacity to block myoclonic responses to IPS, and ergocornine 1 mg/kg reduced such responses. The convulsant effect of allylglycine was enhanced, however, so that prolonged seizure sequences began 19–96 min after ergocornine administration. The protective action of ergot alkaloids against epileptic responses induced by sensory stimulation is interpreted in terms of effects at several sites, including dopaminergic and serotoninergic synapses.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aghajanian, G. K., Haigler, H. H., Bloom, F. E.: Lysergic acid diethylamide and serotonin: direct actions on serotonin-containing neurons in rat brain. Life Sci. 11, 615–622 (1972)
Aghajanian, G. K.: LSD and C.N.S. transmission. Annu. Rev. Pharmacol. 12, 157–168 (1972)
Anlezark, G. M., Pycock, C., Meldrum, B. S.: Ergot alkaloids as dopamine agonists; comparison in two rodent models. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 37, 295–302 (1976)
Ashton, C., Anlezark, G., Meldrum, B. S.: Inhibition of reflex epilepsy by (±) N-n-propylnorapomorphine. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 39, 399–401 (1976)
Burt, D. R., Creese, I., Snyder, S. H.: Binding interactions of lysergic acid diethylamide and related agents with dopamine receptors in the brain. Mol. Pharmacol. 12, 631–638 (1976)
Cools, A. R., Struyker Boudier, H. A. J., Van Rossum, J. M.: Dopamine receptors: selective agonists and antagonists of functionally distinct types within the feline brain. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 37, 283–293 (1976)
Corrodi H., Farnebo, L.-O., Fuxe, K., Hamberger, B.: Effect of ergot drugs on central 5-hydroxytryptamine neurons: evidence for 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor stimulation. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 30, 172–181 (1975)
Corrodi, H., Fuxe, K., Hökfelt, T., Lidbrink, P., Ungerstedt, U.: Effect of ergot drugs on central catecholamine neurons. Evidence for a stimulation of central dopamine neurons. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 25, 409–412 (1973)
Curtis, D. R., Davis, R.: Pharmacological studies upon neurones of the lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat. Br. J. Pharmacol. 18, 217–246 (1962)
Da Prada, M., Saner, A., Burkard, W. P., Bartholini, G., Pletscher, A.: Lysergic acid diethylamide: evidence for stimulation of cerebral dopamine receptors. Brain Res. 94, 67–73 (1975)
Elkhawad, A. O., Munday, K. A., Poat, J. A., Woodruff, G. N.: The effect of dopamine receptor stimulants on locomotor activity and cyclic AMP levels in the rat striatum. Br. J. Pharmacol. 54, 107–144 (1975)
Fuxe, K., Corrodi, H., Hökfelt, T., Lidbrink, P., Ungerstedt, H.: Ergocornine and 2-Br-α-ergocryptine. Evidence for prolonged dopamine receptor stimulation. Med. Biol. 52, 121–132 (1974)
Horton, R. W., Meldrum, B. S.: Seizures induced by allylglycine, 3-mercaptopropionic acid and 4-deoxypyridoxine in mice and photosensitive baboons, and different modes of inhibition of cerebral glutamic acid decarboxylase. Br. J. Pharmacol. 49, 52–63 (1973)
Horton, R. W., Pycock, C. J.: Circling behaviour in rodents following an imbalance of basal ganglia GABA concentrations. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 6, 493–497 (1977)
Johnson, A. M., Loew, D. M., Vigouret, J. M.: Stimulant properties of bromocryptine on central dopamine receptors in comparison to apomorphine, (+)-amphetamine and l-dopa. Br. J. Pharmacol. 56, 59–68 (1976)
Johnson, A. M., Vigouret, J. M., Loew, D. M.: Central dopaminergic actions of ergotoxine alkaloids and some derivatives. Experientia 29, 763 (1973)
Meldrum, B., Anlezark, G., Trimble M.: Drugs modifying dopaminergic activity and behaviour, the EEG and epilepsy in Papio papio. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 32, 205–213 (1975a)
Meldrum, B. S., Horton, R. W., Toseland, P. A.: A primate model for testing anticonvulsant drugs. Arch. Neurol. (Chicago) 32, 289–294 (1975b)
Meldrum, B. S., Naquet, R.: Effects of psilocybin, dimethyltryptamine, mescaline and various lysergic acid derivatives on the EEG and on photically induced epilepsy in the baboon (Papio papio). Electroencephalogr. Clin. Neurophysiol. 31, 563–572 (1971)
Orlowski, M., Reingold, D. F., Stanley, M. E.: d- and l-stereoisomers of allylglycine: convulsive action and inhibition of brain l-glutamate decarboxylase. J. Neurochem. 28, 349–353 (1977)
Pieri, L., Pieri, M., Saner, A., Da Prada, M., Haefely, W.: A comparison of drug-induced rotation in rats lesioned in the medial forebrain bundle with 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine or 6-hydroxydopamine. Arch. Int. Pharmacodyn. 217, 118–130 (1975)
Pijnenburg, A. J., Woodruff, G. N., Van Rossum J. M.: Ergometrine induced locomotor activity following intracerebral injection into the nucleus accumbens. Brain Res. 59, 289–302 (1973)
Scheel-Krüger, J., Cools, A. R., Honig, W.: Muscimol antagonizes the ergometrine-induced locomotor activity in nucleus accumbens: evidence for a GABA-dopaminergic interaction. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 42, 311–313 (1977)
Snider, S. R., Hutt, C., Stein, B., Fahn, S.: Increase in brain serotonin produced by bromocriptine. Neurosci. Lett. 4, 237–242 (1975)
Tarsy, D., Pycock, C., Meldrum, B., Marsden, C. D.: Rotational behaviour induced in rats by intranigral picrotoxin. Brain Res. 89, 160–165 (1975)
Trabucchi, M., Spano, P. F., Tonon, G. C., Frattola, L.: Effects of bromocriptine on central dopaminergic receptors. Life Sci. 19, 225–232 (1976)
Von Hungen, K., Roberts, S., Hill, D. F.: LSD as an agonist and antagonist at central dopamine receptors. Nature 252, 588–589 (1974)
Vuillon-Cacciuttolo, G., Balzano, E.: Action de quatre derivés de l'ergot sur la photosensibilité et l'EEG du Papio papio. J. Pharmacol. (Paris) 3, 31–45 (1972)
Vuillon-Cacciuttolo, G., Meldrum, B. S., Balzamo, E.: Electroretinogram and afferent visual transmission in the epileptic baboon, Papio papio: effects of drugs influencing monoaminergic systems. Epilepsia 14, 213–221 (1973)
Walter, S., Balzano, E. Vuillon-Cacciuttolo, G., Naquet, R.: Effects comportementaux et électrographiques du diethylamide de l'acide d-lysergique (LSD 25) sur le Papio papio photo-sensible. Electroencephalogr. Clin. Neurophysiol. 30, 294–305 (1971)
Woodruff, G. N., Elkhawad, A. O., Crossman, A. R.: Further evidence for the stimulation of rat brain dopamine receptors by ergometrine. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 26, 455–456 (1974)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Anlezark, G., Meldrum, B. Blockade of photically induced epilepsy by ‘dopamine agonist’ ergot alkaloids. Psychopharmacology 57, 57–62 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426958
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426958