2009 Volume 32 Issue 2 Pages 61-67
The effect of Diazepam, a benzodiazepine derivative, on post-traumatic neuronal hyperactivity in hippocampal CA1 was studied 7 days after lateral fluid percussion injury (FPI) in rats. In bilateral hippocampal CA1 areas, FPI enhanced excitatory synaptic responses but not presynaptic action potentials. We further evaluated the effect of Diazepam administered 30 and 90 minutes or 4 and 5 hours after FPI. The administration of Diazepam 30 and 90 min after FPI attenuated post-traumatic hyperexcitability. These findings suggest that administration of Diazepam early in the post-traumatic period suppresses FPI-induced hyperexcitability in the hippocampal CA1 neurons of rats.
