Autoradiography of L-type and N-type calcium channels in aged rat hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, and neocortex

The present study examined brains from 6, 17, and 32 month old male (F344× BN)F1 rats to determine whether there was any age-related change in the distribution or density of L-type and N-type Ca2+ channels in hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, and neocortex, areas commonly involved in the generation of epileptic seizures. The L-type channel antagonist PN200–110 and the N-type channel antagonist ω-conotoxin GVIA were used to determine specific binding densities and the autoradiographic distribution of ligand binding was quantified by computer-assisted densitometry. One-way ANOVA noted a significant variance in the mean value of binding density between different age groups only in neocortex laminae IV–VI for [3H]PN200–110 binding (P < 0.05). Post-hoc testing indicated that the mean value of the 17 month old group was significantly less than those of the 6 and 32 month old groups (P < 0.05). These results indicate no overall age-related change in the number of L-type and N-type Ca2+ channels in brain areas frequently involved in seizure activity and suggest that age-related changes in brain Ca2+ physiology may be associated with changes in voltage-gated Ca2+ channel function rather than channel number.