Carbamazepine, but not valproate, displays pharmacoresistance in lamotrigine-resistant amygdala kindled rats

SummaryThe voltage gated sodium channel (VGSC) blocker lamotrigine (LTG), when administered during kindling acquisition, leads to the development of resistance to LTG. The present study aimed to assess whether LTG-resistant amygdala-kindled rats display subsequent resistance to the VGSC blocker carbamazepine (CBZ) and the broad-spectrum antiepileptic drug (AED) sodium valproate (VPA). Two groups of male Sprague Dawley rats received either 0.5% methylcellulose (MC) or LTG (5 mg/kg, i.p.) 1 h before each amygdala kindling stimulation. Treatments were stopped once both the groups were fully kindled. Two days later, both groups were challenged with a higher dose of LTG (15 mg/kg, i.p.) to verify LTG-resistance in the experimental group (i.e., LTG-pretreated rats). The efficacy of CBZ and VPA was then evaluated in both groups. A higher dose of LTG blocked fully kindled seizures in the vehicle-treated rats but not seizures in the LTG-treated group. The mean seizure score, of the control group (1.2 ± 0.3) was significantly lower (P < .05) than that of the LTG-treated population (3.5 ± 0.7; n = 8). A lower percent of the population in the control group was observed to display a generalized stage 4–5 seizure compared to the experimental group (i.e., those that received LTG during kindling acquisition) (28.5% vs. 62%, respectively). Interestingly, CBZ (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg) displayed a dose-dependent anticonvulsant effect in the vehicle-kindled group, but was less effective in LTG-treated animals. In contrast, VPA (300 mg/kg) effectively blocked the behavioral seizure and decreased the afterdischarge duration (ADD) in both vehicle and LTG groups. These findings suggest that the LTG-resistant, amygdala-kindled rat may represent a novel model of pharmacoresistant epilepsy.