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Science 13 July 1979:
Vol. 205. no. 4402, pp. 211 - 214
DOI: 10.1126/science.109922
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Articles

Science, Vol 205, Issue 4402, 211-214
Copyright © 1979 by American Association for the Advancement of Science

articles

Inhibitory, GABAergic nerve terminals decrease at sites of focal epilepsy

CE Ribak, AB Harris, JE Vaughn, and E Roberts

Using an immunocytochemical method for the localization of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) synthesizing enzyme, glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), we have observed GABAergic nerve terminals distributed throughout all layers of normal monkey sensorimotor cortex. These terminals displayed ultrastructural characteristics that suggested that they arose from aspinous and sparsely spinous stellate neurons. In monkeys (Macaca mulatta and M. fascicularis) made epileptic by cortical application of alumina gel, a highly significant numerical decrease of GAD-positive nerve terminals occurred at sites of seizure foci indicating a functional loss of GABAergic inhibitory synapses. A loss of such inhibition at seizure foci could lead to epileptic activity of cortical pyramidal neurons.


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