Repeated seizures induce long-term increase in hippocampal benzodiazepine receptors.

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Abstract
Repeated seizures, induced by kindling or electroshock, caused a long-lasting (at least 24 h) increase of [3H]diazepam binding in hippocampal membranes of Sprague-Dawley rats. Scatchard analyses demonstrated that increased numbers of binding sites accounted for the increase. Repeated hypoxia or repeated administration of electrical current without inducing seizures did not cause an increase of [3H]diazepam binding. Regardless of the method used for seizure induction, the response was graded in that large numbers of seizures were required to induce significant increases, but fewer seizures induced only slight increases. The receptor increases imply a heightened response to benzodiazepines and more powerful hippocampal recurrent inhibition.