Subthalamic nucleus: a new anticonvulsant site in the brain.

Several brain sites are important for seizure control, including the area tempestas, superior colliculus, thalamus and substantia nigra. These sites are especially sensitive to changes in GABAergic transmission achieved by localized infusions of GABAergic agents. We investigated the effects of the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol (100 ng in a volume of 0.25 microliter) microinfused into the subthalamic nucleus (STN) in the flurothyl seizure model in male adult rats. Both bilateral symmetrical and unilateral STN infusions of muscimol had a significant anticonvulsant effect against flurothyl-induced clonic seizures. Our data suggest that the STN is a part of the network responsible for the control of clonic seizures.