Kainic acid induced damage to the striatum increases DT diaphorase activity.

A significant increase in the striatal specific activity of DT diaphorase is demonstrable from one to six weeks after intrastriatal injection of kainic acid (KA). At six weeks, there is a significant dose-response relation (ANOVA, F(2,18) = 25.8, p less than 0.001); 1, 3 and 5 nmoles produce 12.3, 39.6 and 118% increases, respectively. Loss of acetylcholinesterase activity (AChE), used as an indicator of neuronal damage, is positively correlated with the enhanced DT diaphorase activity (r = 0.823, p less than 0.01).