Novel Anticonvulsant Effects of Supraphysiological Doses of Progesterone in Hippocampal-Kindled Mice

The study demonstrated that supraphysiological doses of progesterone exhibited anticonvulsant effects in a mouse model of hippocampal kindling, independent of its metabolite THP and the GABAA receptor. Progesterone at doses of 100 and 160 mg/kg effectively suppressed both hippocampal and cortical afterdischarges, and reduced motor seizure stages, even when pretreated with the enzyme inhibitor finasteride. In vitro, progesterone inhibited entorhinal epileptiform potentials in the presence of picrotoxin and finasteride. These findings suggested a novel mechanism of action for progesterone's anticonvulsant properties, warranting further investigation into the neuroendocrinological aspects of seizures and epilepsy.