Baclofen inhibits amygdala kindling in immature rats

The possible effectiveness of systemic infusions of baclofen (a GABAB receptor agonist) in the modification of seizures in developing animals has not yet been established. In this report, we studied the effects of systemic baclofen infusions on amygdala kindling in 16-day-old rat pups. Baclofen suppressed the development of kindling without altering the local afterdischarge threshold. Moreover, baclofen suppressed the severity and duration of established kindled seizures and increased the intensity of postictal refractoriness. The data suggest that baclofen may be a useful antiepileptic agent in this age group.