Resistance to nitroprusside neurotoxicity in perinatal rat brain

Nitric oxide (NO) may mediate some of the toxic effects of the excitatory amino acid (EAA) glutamate when there is overactivation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. In the developing rodent nervous system, NMDA neurotoxicity peaks at postnatal day 7. To assess whether NO toxicity exhibits a similar developmental profile, we injected the NO generator sodium nitroprusside into the immature and adult rodent hippocampal formation and striatum, using a dose known to damage the adult nervous system. Contrary to our expectations, we found the immature brain highly resistant to the toxic effects of sodium nitroprusside.