Synaptosomal high-affinity noradrenaline uptake does not differ between mice susceptible (DBA/2J) and resistant (C57 BL/6) to audiogenic seizures.

Abnormalities in noradrenaline-mediated neurotransmission have been advocated as a basis of the age-related susceptibility of DBA/2J mice to generalised convulsions induced by auditory stimulation. We have measured the kinetics of synaptosomal high-affinity noradrenaline uptake in 5 brain regions of DBA/2J mice at ages before, during and after their maximal susceptibility to audiogenic seizures, and age-matched C57 BL/6 mice, a strain resistant to audiogenic seizures at all ages. No differences were found between the two strains of mice in any of the brain regions studied. Abnormalities of high-affinity noradrenaline uptake do not contribute to audiogenic seizure susceptibility of DBA/2J mice.