Genetically inbred Balb/C mice are more sensitive to an effect of flurazepam and more resistant to an effect of stress than a genetically outbred mouse strain.

Abstract

The inbred Balb/c mouse strain was more sensitive than the outbred NIH Swiss mouse to flurazepam's ability to antagonize electrically precipitated seizures. In prior work, a reduction in flurazepam's antiseizure efficacy was not observed 24h after forcing Balb/c mice to swim for up to 10 min in ambient temperature water. Thus, we wondered if a stress-induced reduction would be observed after forcing mice to swim for up to 10 min in cold (6 degrees C) water, a more severe stress. The current data show that 24 h after exposure to this stress, the ability of flurazepam to raise the threshold voltage for the elicitation of tonic hindlimb extension in the Balb/c mouse strain was reduced. The genetically inbred Balb/c mouse strain is emerging as an interesting animal model in which to study interactions of stress and genetic factors that affect endogenous neurotransmission mediated by l-glutamate and GABA at the NMDA and GABA(A) receptor complexes, respectively.

• Authors: Jessica A Burket, John Mastropaolo, Richard B Rosse, Stephen I Deutsch
• Journal: Epilepsy & behavior : E&B (Epilepsy Behav) Vol. 16 Issue 3 Pg. 415-7 (Nov 2009) ISSN: 1525-5069 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 19762285 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anti-Anxiety Agents
• Flurazepam

Topics

• Analysis of Variance
• Animals
• Anti-Anxiety Agents (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Electroshock (adverse effects)
• Flurazepam (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Hindlimb (drug effects, physiopathology)
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Stress, Psychological (drug therapy, etiology, genetics)