The effects of kindling on GABA-mediated inhibition in the dentate gyrus of the rat. II. Receptor binding.

Receptor binding estimates of the number of GABA and associated benzodiazepine (Bz) receptors were made in several brain regions following kindling. While the number of GABA receptors, as measured by both [3H]GABA and [3H]muscimol binding, was unaltered by kindling, Bz receptors were significantly increased in kindled amygdala and hippocampus. As the Bz receptor apparently functions to enhance GABA transmission, this finding suggests a possible mechanism for the kindling-induced enhancement of inhibition observed in previous evoked potential experiments.