Focal intracerebral elevation of L-lactate is anticonvulsant

Sodium lactate (pH 7.0) infused over the area tempestas, an epileptogenic site in the prepiriform cortex, protected rats from limbic motor seizures induced by infusion of a GABA receptor antagonist in area tempestas. The anticonvulsant action, which was anatomically site-specific and reversible, persisted for 90 min. Infusions of sodium acetate (pH 5.5 or 7.0) over area tempestas were not anticonvulsant. Our findings suggest that lactate can modulate neural activity and that increased cerebral lactate as occurs with epileptic seizures, may limit the duration and spread of seizure activity.