A member asked:

In the event of excitotoxicity occurring after withdrawing from a benzodiazepine, would excitotoxicity occur before or after a seizure occurs, i.e. would a seizure indicate that the glutamate concentration had reached excitotoxic levels?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

Dr. Frank Amico Sr answered

Specializes in Addiction Medicine

Yes: Since the seizure would be caused by the excitotoxity phenomenon, it would need to occur before the seizure. So the level of glutamate was most likely at high toxic levels.

Answered 9/9/2020

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A member asked:

In the event of excitotoxicity occurring after withdrawing from a benzodiazepine, would excitotoxicity occur before or after a seizure occurs, i.e. would a seizure indicate that the glutamate concentration had reached excitotoxic levels?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

Dr. Frank Amico Sr answered

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People also searched for:

Could glutamate excitotoxicity really occur after abruptly withdrawing from a benzodiazepine and, if so, is there any way to be able to tell that it occurred, such as a seizure indicating excess glutamate? Would a seizure be necessary as a precursor?

If I was to suffer from excitotoxicity after withdrawing from a benzodiazepine medication, what would be a sign that it had occurred? Would a seizure be one, indicating the abundance of glutamate? Wikipedia doesnt offer a lot for BDZ wd particularly?

Is glutamate excitotoxicity a possible complication of coming off of a benzodiazepine too quickly? I know I shouldnt come off abruptly as it would lead to seizure but where exactly would excitotoxicity fit in? Id greatly appreciate an answer please?

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What situations lead to excitotoxicity? Is it a result or cause of seizures and can it happen during benzodiazepine/alcohol withdrawal or would a taper prevent this?

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