Specific hippocampal lesions indicate the presence of sulfonylurea binding sites associated to ATP-sensitive K+ channels both post-synaptically and on mossy fibers.

The density of glibenclamide (GB) binding sites decreases considerably in the dentate gyrus (greater than 80%), the CA1 field (approximately 75%) and the stratum lucidum of CA3 field (approximately 70%) after intradentate colchicine injections in rat hippocampus. The density of GB receptors is unchanged in kainic acid damaged hippocampus. These data show that GB binding sites associated to adenosine triphosphate-sensitive K+ channels are mainly located in granular cells in both pre- and post-synaptic positions. They are present in mossy fibers.