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Several studies indicate that brain noradrenaline (NA) depletion facilitates the occurrence of epileptogenic syndromes in various animal models. In cobalt-induced epilepsy in the rat, seizure activity is associated with a cortical NA denervation. In order to search for cortical adrenoceptor modifications, inonophoretic studies and adrenoceptor binding assays were performed. At the period of maximal seizure activity, there was a significant supersensitivity of cortical neurons to the ionophoretic application of NA. An increase in the density of β-adrenoceptor binding sites was observed. No modification in α- and α-adrenoceptor binding sites was found. This suggests that in cobalt-induced epilepsy there is a denervation supersensitivity which rests on a selective involvement of β-adrenoceptors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]