A Study of Somatostatin Receptors in Amygdaloid‐Kindled Rat Brain

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Abstract
Kindling is an animal model of epilepsy. Previously somatostatin (SRIF) was implicated in seizure activity in the brain. Recently a significant increase in brain SRIF content in the temporal cortices and cortices of kindled rats was reported. Since the interaction between the neurotransmitter and the receptor eventually is responsible for the biological response, the participation of SRIF receptor in the kindled state was examined. A procedure is described for detection of SRIF receptors using radiolabeled (D-Tyr8)-SRIF as a tracer. In kindled rats there are no differences in the total number or affinity of the binding sites in the temporal cortex and a slight increase in the total number of binding sites in the cortex when compared with controls. In kindled rat brain there may be an increased release of SRIF but no down-regulation of SRIF receptors in temporal cortex and cortex. There is a significant decrease in the number of SRIF receptors in kindled hippocampus. The mechanism by which this occurs remains unclear.