Benzodiazepine receptors in the rat hippocampal formation: action of catecholaminergic, serotoninergic and commissural denervation.

The problem of benzodiazepine receptor localization in the rat hippocampal formation has been approached using several methods of selective deafferentation, followed by [3H]flunitrazepam binding studies. The intraventricular injection of 6-hydroxydopamine reduced, after 14 days, the norepinephrine content of the hippocampal formation by 68.4%, and decreased the number of binding sites by 32%, without change in affinity. The intraventricular injection of 5,6 dihydroxytryptamine reduced the serotonin content by 61.5% but did not alter the [3H]flunitrazepam binding. The intraventricular bilateral injection of 0.5 micrograms kainic acid selectively destroyed the pyramidal neurons in area CA3 of both hippocampi and produced an increase of 28% in [3H]flunitrazepam binding, without change in affinity. These results are discussed in relation to our previous observations about benzodiazepine receptor changes after fimbria-fornix transection. The reduction in [3H]flunitrazepam binding after administration of 6-hydroxydopamine suggests the possible localization of the benzodiazepine receptors on adrenergic presynaptic terminals. The increase in binding sites after destruction of CA3 pyramidal cells, which are the site of origin of commissural fibers, is tentatively interpreted as resulting from the sprouting of mossy fibers that replace the associational-commissural projections.