Degenerative neuronal changes in the rat thalamus induced by status epilepticus at different developmental stages

Epilepsy Research in the Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague

Starting from simple clinical statistics, the spectrum of methods used in epilepsy research in the Institute of Physiology of the Czechoslovak (now Czech) Academy of Sciences progressively increased. Professor Servít used electrophysiological methods for study of brain activity in lower vertebrates, neuropathology was focused on electronmicroscopic study of cortical epileptic focus and ion-sensitive microelectrodes were used for studies of cortical direct current potentials. Developmental studies used electrophysiological methods (activity and projection of cortical epileptic foci, EEG under the influence of convulsant drugs, hippocampal, thalamic and cortical electrical stimulation for induction of epileptic afterdischarges and postictal period). Extensive pharmacological studies used seizures elicited by convulsant drugs (at first pentylenetetrazol but also other GABA antagonists as well as agonists of glutamate receptors). Motor performance and behavior were also studied during brain maturation. The last but not least molecular biology was included into the spectrum of methods. Many original data were published making a background of position of our laboratory in the first line of laboratories interested in brain development.

Compartmental neuronal degeneration in the ventral striatum induced by status epilepticus in young rats' brain in comparison with adults

According to experimental and clinical studies, status epilepticus (SE) causes neurodegenerative morphological changes not only in the hippocampus and other limbic structures, it also affects the thalamus and the neocortex. In addition, several studies reported atrophy, metabolic changes, and neuronal degeneration in the dorsal striatum. The literature lacks studies investigating potential neuronal damage in the ventral component of the striatopallidal complex (ventral striatum [VS] and ventral pallidum) in SE experimentations. To better understand the development of neuronal damage in the striatopallidal complex associated with SE, the detected neuronal degeneration in the compartments of the VS, namely, the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and the olfactory tubercle (OT), was analyzed. The experiments were performed on Wistar rats at age of 25-day-old pups and 3-month-old adult animals. Lithium-pilocarpine model of SE was used. Lithium chloride (3 mmol/kg, ip) was injected 24 h before administering pilocarpine (40 mg/kg, ip). This presented study demonstrates the variability of post SE neuronal damage in 25-day-old pups in comparison with 3-month-old adult rats. The NAc exhibited small to moderate number of Fluoro-Jade B (FJB)-positive neurons detected 4 and 8 h post SE intervals. The number of degenerated neurons in the shell subdivision of the NAc significantly increased at survival interval of 12 h after the SE. FJB-positive neurons were evidently more prominent occupying the whole anteroposterior and mediolateral extent of the nucleus at longer survival intervals of 24 and 48 h after the SE. This was also the case in the bordering vicinity between the shell and the core compartments but with clusters of degenerating cells. The severity of damage of the shell subdivision of the NAc reached its peak at an interval of 24 h post SE. Isolated FJB-positive neurons were detected in the ventral peripheral part of the core compartment. Degenerated neurons persisted in the shell subdivision of the NAc 1 week after SE. However, the quantity of cell damage had significantly reduced in comparison with the aforementioned shorter intervals. The third layer of the OT exhibited more degenerated neurons than the second layer. The FJB-positive cells in the young animals were higher than in the adult animals. The morphology of those cells was identical in the two age groups except in the OT.

Degenerative Changes in the Claustrum and Endopiriform Nucleus after Early-Life Status Epilepticus in Rats

The aim of the present study was to analyze the location of degenerating neurons in the dorsal (insular) claustrum (DCL, VCL) and the dorsal, intermediate and ventral endopiriform nucleus (DEn, IEn, VEn) in rat pups following lithium-pilocarpine status epilepticus (SE) induced at postnatal days [P]12, 15, 18, 21 and 25. The presence of Fluoro-Jade B-positive neurons was evaluated at 4, 12, 24, 48 h and 1 week later. A small number of degenerated neurons was observed in the CL, as well as in the DEn at P12 and P15. The number of degenerated neurons was increased in the CL as well as in the DEn at P18 and above and was highest at longer survival intervals. The CL at P15 and 18 contained a small or moderate number of degenerated neurons mainly close to the medial and dorsal margins also designated as DCl ("shell") while isolated degenerated neurons were distributed in the VCl ("core"). In P21 and 25, a larger number of degenerated neurons occurred in both subdivisions of the dorsal claustrum. The majority of degenerated neurons in the endopiriform nucleus were found in the intermediate and caudal third of the DEn. A small number of degenerated neurons was dispersed in the whole extent of the DEn with prevalence to its medial margin. Our results indicate that degenerated neurons in the claustrum CL and endopiriform nucleus are distributed mainly in subdivisions originating from the ventral pallium; their distribution correlates with chemoarchitectonics of both nuclei and with their intrinsic and extrinsic connections.

Status epilepticus and early development: neuronal injury, neurodegeneration, and their consequences

Evidence showing that the immature brain is vulnerable to seizure-induced damage has been accumulating for decades. Clinical data have always suggested that some early-life seizures are associated with negative sequelae, but clinical observations are frequently obscured by multiple uncontrolled contributing factors and can rarely establish causality. Determining with certainty that seizures, per se, can cause neuronal death and can irreversibly disrupt critical developmental processes, required the development of suitable model systems. Several experimental seizure models clearly show that the immature brain can sustain neuronal injury as a result of uncontrolled seizure activity and that even in the absence of observable neuronal death, the developing brain is selectively vulnerable to interruptions of required growth programs. Severe early-life seizures inhibit DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis, and they can reduce the accumulation of myelin and synaptic markers in the developing nervous system, leading to functional delays in development. Depending on the seizure pathway involved, and the developmental period under study, classic neurodegeneration, excitotoxicity, and apoptosis can result in permanent damage to critical neural networks in the temporal lobe and in many other brain regions. This conclusion is further supported by recent clinical studies showing that prolonged febrile status epilepticus can lead to hippocampal injury, which evolves into hippocampal atrophy and hippocampal sclerosis. A growing body of experimental data demonstrates that the metabolic compromise and cellular loss produced by seizures during critical phases of brain development negatively affect later hippocampal physiology including learning and memory functions in maturity.

mTOR inhibitor improves autistic-like behaviors related to Tsc2 haploinsufficiency but not following developmental status epilepticus

Background

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), a multi-system genetic disorder often associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is caused by mutations of TSC1 or TSC2, which lead to constitutive overactivation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). In several Tsc1+/- and Tsc2+/- animal models, cognitive and social behavior deficits were reversed by mTOR inhibitors. However, phase II studies have not shown amelioration of ASD and cognitive deficits in individuals with TSC during mTOR inhibitor therapy. We asked here if developmental epilepsy, common in the majority of individuals with TSC but absent in most animal models, could explain the discrepancy.

Methods

At postnatal day P12, developmental status epilepticus (DSE) was induced in male Tsc2+/- (Eker) and wild-type rats, establishing four experimental groups including controls. In adult animals (n = 36), the behavior was assessed in the paradigms of social interaction test, elevated plus-maze, light-dark test, Y-maze, and novel object recognition. The testing was carried out before medication (T1), during a 2-week treatment with the mTOR inhibitor everolimus (T2) and after an 8-week washing-out (T3). Electroencephalographic (EEG) activity was recorded in a separate set of animals (n = 18).

Results

Both Tsc2+/- mutation and DSE caused social behavior deficits and epileptiform EEG abnormalities (T1). Everolimus led to a persistent improvement of the social deficit induced by Tsc2+/-, while deficits related to DSE did not respond to everolimus (T2, T3).

Conclusions

These findings may contribute to an explanation why ASD symptoms in individuals with TSC, where comorbid early-onset epilepsy is common, were not reliably ameliorated by mTOR inhibitors in clinical studies.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s11689-021-09357-2.

Use of Electroconvulsive Therapy in Autism

The mechanism of action of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is not fully elucidated, with prevailing theories ranging from neuroendocrinological to neuroplasticity effects of ECT or epileptiform brain plasticity. Youth with autism can present with catatonia. ECT is a treatment that can safely and rapidly resolve catatonia in autism and should be considered promptly. The literature available for ECT use in youth with autism is consistently growing. Under-recognition of the catatonic syndrome and delayed diagnosis and implementation of the anticatatonic treatment paradigms, including ECT, as well as stigma and lack of knowledge of ECT remain clinical stumbling blocks.

Use of Electroconvulsive Therapy in Autism

The mechanism of action of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is not fully elucidated, with prevailing theories ranging from neuroendocrinological to neuroplasticity effects of ECT or epileptiform brain plasticity. Youth with autism can present with catatonia. ECT is a treatment that can safely and rapidly resolve catatonia in autism and should be considered promptly. The literature available for ECT use in youth with autism is consistently growing. Under-recognition of the catatonic syndrome and delayed diagnosis and implementation of the anticatatonic treatment paradigms, including ECT, as well as stigma and lack of knowledge of ECT remain clinical stumbling blocks.

Electrographic seizures induced by activation of ETA and ETB receptors following intrahippocampal infusion of endothelin-1 in immature rats occur by different mechanisms

We have demonstrated previously that activation of either the ET_A or ET_B receptor can induce acute electrographic seizures following the intrahippocampal infusion of endothelin-1 (ET-1) in immature (P12) rats. We also demonstrated that activation of the ET_A receptor is associated with marked focal ischemia, while activation of the ET_B receptor is not. Exploring the mechanisms underlying seizures induced by these two ET-1 receptor interactions can potentially provide insight into how focal ischemia in immature animals produces seizures and whether ischemiarelated seizures differ from seizures not associated with ischemia. To explore these seizure mechanisms we used microdialysis to determine biomarkers associated with seizures in P12 rats following the intrahippocampal infusion of two different agents: (1) ET-1, which activates both the ET_A and ET_B receptors and causes focal ischemia and (2) Ala-ET-1, which selectively activates only the ET_B receptor and does not cause ischemia. Our results show that seizures associated with combined ET_A and ET_B receptor activation (and ischemia) have a different temporal distribution and microdialysis profile from seizures associated with ET_B activation alone (and without ischemia). Seizures with combined activation peak within the first hour after infusion and the microdialysis profile is characterized by a significant increase in the ratio of glutamic acid to GABA. By contrast, seizures with activation of only the ET_B receptor peak in the second hour after infusion and microdialysis shows a significant increase in the ratio of leukotriene B4 to prostaglandin E2. These findings suggest that ischemia-related seizures in immature animals involve an imbalance of excitation and inhibition, while non-ischemiarelated seizures involve an inflammatory process resulting from an excess of leukotrienes.

Magnolia officinalis reduces the long-term effects of the status epilepticus induced by kainic acid in immature rats

During critical periods of neurodevelopment, the immature brain is susceptible to neuronal hyperexcitability, alterations such as hyperthermia, hypoxia, brain trauma or a preexisting neuroinflammatory condition can trigger, promote and prolong epileptiform activity and facilitate the development of epilepsy. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the long-term neuroprotective effects Magnolia officinalis extract, on a model of recurrent status epilepticus (SE) in immature rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with kainic acid (KA) (3 mg/kg, dissolved in saline solution) beginning at day 10 P N every 24 h for five days (10 P N-14PN). Two experimental groups (KA) received two treatments for 10 days (14-24 P N): one group was treated with 300 mg/kg Magnolia Officinalis (MO) (KA-MO), and another was treated with 20 mg/kg of celecoxib (Clbx) (KA-Clbx) as a control drug. A SHAM control group at day 90 P N was established. Seizure susceptibility was analyzed through an after-discharge threshold (ADT) evaluation, and electroencephalographic activity was recorded. The results obtained from the ADT evaluation and the analysis of the electroencephalographic activity under basal conditions showed that the MO and Clbx treatments protected against epileptiform activity, and decreases long-term excitability. All rats in the KA-MO and KA-Clbx groups presented a phase I seizure on the Racine scale, corresponding to the shaking of a wet dog. In contrast, the KA group showed phase V convulsive activity on the Racine scale. Similarly, MO and Clbx exerted neuroprotective effects on hippocampal neurons and reduced gliosis in the same areas. Based on these results, early intervention with MO and Clbx treatments to prevent the inflammatory activity derived from SE in early phases of neurodevelopment exerts neuroprotective effects on epileptogenesis in adult stages.

Age-dependent behaviors, seizure severity and neuronal damage in response to nerve agents or the organophosphate DFP in immature and adult rats

Exposure to nerve agents (NAs) and other organophosphates (OPs) can initiate seizures that rapidly progress to status epilepticus (SE). While the electrographic and neuropathological sequelae of SE evoked by NAs and OPs have been characterized in adult rodents, they have not been adequately investigated in immature animals. In this study postnatal day (PND) 14, 21 and 28 rat pups, along with PND70 animals as adult controls, were exposed to NAs (sarin, VX) or another OP (diisopropylfluorophosphate, DFP). We then evaluated behavioral and electrographic (EEG) correlates of seizure activity, and performed neuropathology using Fluoro-Jade B. Although all immature rats exhibited behaviors that are often characterized as seizures, the incidence, duration, and severity of the electrographic seizure activity were age-dependent. No (sarin and VX) or brief (DFP) EEG seizure activity was evoked in PND14 rats, while SE progressively increased in severity as a function of age in PND21, 28 and 70 animals. Fluoro-Jade B staining was observed in multiple brain regions of animals that exhibited prolonged seizure activity. Neuronal injury in PND14 animals treated with DFP was lower than in older animals and absent in rats exposed to sarin or VX. In conclusion, we found that NAs and an OP provoked robust SE and neuronal injury similar to adults in PND21 and PND28, but not in PND14, rat pups. Convulsive behaviors were often present independent of EEG seizures and were unaccompanied by neuronal damage. These differential responses should be considered when investigating medical countermeasures for NA and OP exposure in pediatric populations.

Hyperthermia aggravates status epilepticus-induced epileptogenesis and neuronal loss in immature rats

This study tightly controlled seizure duration and severity during status epilepticus (SE) in postnatal day 10 (P10) rats, in order to isolate hyperthermia as the main variable and to study its consequences. Body temperature was maintained at 39 ± 1 °C in hyperthermic SE rats (HT+SE) or at 35 ± 1 °C in normothermic SE animals (NT+SE) during 30 min of SE, which was induced by lithium-pilocarpine (3 mEq/kg, 60 mg/kg) and terminated by diazepam and cooling to NT. All video/EEG measures of SE severity were similar between HT+SE and NT+SE pups. At 24h, neuronal injury was present in the amygdala in the HT+SE group only, and was far more severe in the hippocampus in HT+SE than NT+SE pups. Separate groups of animals were monitored four months later for spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS). Only HT+SE animals developed convulsive SRS. Both HT+SE and NT+SE animals developed electrographic SRS (83% vs. 55%), but SRS frequency and severity were higher in hyperthermic animals (12.5 ± 3.5 vs. 4.2 ± 2.0 SRS/day). The density of hilar neurons was lower, thickness of the amygdala and perirhinal cortex was reduced, and lateral ventricles were enlarged in HT+SE over NT+SE littermates and HT/NT controls. In this model, hyperthermia greatly increased the epileptogenicity of SE and its neuropathological sequelae.

Activation of either the ETA or the ETB receptors is involved in the development of electrographic seizures following intrahippocampal infusion of the endothelin-1 in immature rats

The period around birth is a risky time for stroke in infants, which is associated with two major acute and subacute processes: anatomical damage and seizures. It is unclear as to what extent each of these processes independently contributes to poor outcome. Furthermore, it is unclear whether there is an interaction between the two processes - does seizure activity cause additional brain damage beyond that produced by ischemia and/or does brain damage foster seizures? The model of focal cerebral ischemia induced by the intrahippocampal infusion of endothelin-1 (ET-1) in 12-day-old rat was used to examine the role of the endothelin receptors in the development of focal ischemia, symptomatic acute seizures and neurodegeneration. ET-1 (40pmol/μl) was infused either alone or co-administered with selective antagonists of ETA (BQ123; 70nmol/μl) or ETB receptors (BQ788; 70nmol/1μl). Effects of activation of ETB receptors were studied using selective agonist 4-Ala-ET-1 (40pmol/1μl). Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and tissue oxygenation (pO2) were measured in anesthetized animals with a Doppler-flowmeter and a pO2-sensor, respectively. Seizure development was assessed with video-EEG in freely moving rats. Controls received the corresponding volume of the appropriate vehicle (10mM PBS or 0.01% DMSO-PBS solution; pH7.4). The extent of hippocampal lesion was determined using FluoroJade B staining performed 24h after ET-1 infusion. Infusion of ET-1 or ET-1+ETB receptor antagonist reduced rCBF to ~25% and pO2 to ~10% for about 1.5h, whereas selective ETB agonist, ET-1+ETA antagonist and the PBS vehicle had only negligible effect on the rCBF and pO2 levels. Reduction of rCBF was associated with the development of lesion in the injected hippocampus. In all groups, except sham operated and PBS controls, epileptiform activity was observed after activation of the ETA or the ETB receptors. The data revealed a positive correlation between the severity of morphological damage and all the measured seizure parameters (seizure frequency, average and total seizure duration) in the ET-1 group. In addition, the severity of morphological damage positively correlated with the average seizure duration in animals after infusion of ET-1+ETA receptor antagonist or after infusion of ET-1+ETB receptor antagonist. Our results indicate that the activation of ETA receptors is crucial for ischemia development, however either ETA or ETB receptors mediate the development of seizures following the application of ET-1 in immature rats. The dissociation between the ischemic-producing and seizure-producing processes suggests that damage is not necessary to induce seizures, although it may exacerbate them.

Pathophysiogenesis of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: is prevention of damage antiepileptogenic?

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is frequently associated with hippocampal sclerosis, possibly caused by a primary brain injury that occurred a long time before the appearance of neurological symptoms. This type of epilepsy is characterized by refractoriness to drug treatment, so to require surgical resection of mesial temporal regions involved in seizure onset. Even this last therapeutic approach may fail in giving relief to patients. Although prevention of hippocampal damage and epileptogenesis after a primary event could be a key innovative approach to TLE, the lack of clear data on the pathophysiological mechanisms leading to TLE does not allow any rational therapy. Here we address the current knowledge on mechanisms supposed to be involved in epileptogenesis, as well as on the possible innovative treatments that may lead to a preventive approach. Besides loss of principal neurons and of specific interneurons, network rearrangement caused by axonal sprouting and neurogenesis are well known phenomena that are integrated by changes in receptor and channel functioning and modifications in other cellular components. In particular, a growing body of evidence from the study of animal models suggests that disruption of vascular and astrocytic components of the blood-brain barrier takes place in injured brain regions such as the hippocampus and piriform cortex. These events may be counteracted by drugs able to prevent damage to the vascular component, as in the case of the growth hormone secretagogue ghrelin and its analogues. A thoroughly investigation on these new pharmacological tools may lead to design effective preventive therapies.

Neuronal degeneration is observed in multiple regions outside the hippocampus after lithium pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus in the immature rat

Although hippocampal sclerosis is frequently identified as a possible epileptic focus in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, neuronal loss has also been observed in additional structures, including areas outside the temporal lobe. The claim from several researchers using animal models of acquired epilepsy that the immature brain can develop epilepsy without evidence of hippocampal neuronal death raises the possibility that neuronal death in some of these other regions may also be important for epileptogenesis. The present study used the lithium pilocarpine model of acquired epilepsy in immature animals to assess which structures outside the hippocampus are injured acutely after status epilepticus. Sprague-Dawley rat pups were implanted with surface EEG electrodes, and status epilepticus was induced at 20 days of age with lithium pilocarpine. After 72 h, brain tissue from 12 animals was examined with Fluoro-Jade B, a histochemical marker for degenerating neurons. All animals that had confirmed status epilepticus demonstrated Fluoro-Jade B staining in areas outside the hippocampus. The most prominent staining was seen in the thalamus (mediodorsal, paratenial, reuniens, and ventral lateral geniculate nuclei), amygdala (ventral lateral, posteromedial, and basomedial nuclei), ventral premammillary nuclei of hypothalamus, and paralimbic cortices (perirhinal, entorhinal, and piriform) as well as parasubiculum and dorsal endopiriform nuclei. These results demonstrate that lithium pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus in the immature rat brain consistently results in neuronal injury in several distinct areas outside of the hippocampus. Many of these regions are similar to areas damaged in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, thus suggesting a possible role in epileptogenesis.

Comparing GABAergic cell populations in the thalamic reticular nucleus of normal and genetic absence epilepsy rats from Strasbourg (GAERS)

The GABAergic neurons of the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) play a critical role in the generation and control of spike-and-wave discharges (SWDs) in absence epilepsy. We have used the disector method to count the GABA+ve and GABA-ve neurons in the intermediate TRN sector of genetic absence epilepsy rats from Strasbourg (GAERS) and of Wistar rats during postnatal (P) development at P10, P20, P30, and P60 days. The same part of TRN was removed from each animal, the GABAergic neurons were labelled using light-microscopical GABA immunohistochemistry and the data were statistically analysed. Both the GAERS and Wistar animals showed an increase in the density of GABA+ve and GABA-ve cells from P10 to P20. From P20 to P60, Wistar animals showed no significant differences for either cell type, but in the GAERS a progressive decrease from P20 to P60 was observed in both GABA+ve and GABA-ve cells. The decrease of the GABA-ve cells was more pronounced than that of the GABA+ve cells. There were no significant differences between cell sizes for GAERS and Wistar rats at any developmental age. The lower density GABA+ve and GABA-ve neurons at P30 and P60 of GAERS compared to Wistar animals may contribute to the generation of SWDs in absence epilepsy.

Are morphologic and functional consequences of status epilepticus in infant rats progressive?

The present study examined whether status epilepticus (SE) induced by LiCl-pilocarpine in immature rats (postnatal day [P]12) interferes with normal development; leads to progressive epileptogenesis, or cognitive decline and to pathology similar to that seen in human temporal lobe epilepsy. We correlated the extent of pathologic changes with the severity of functional alterations or epilepsy. SE-induced changes were compared with those of rats with SE induced at P25. Animals of both ages were exposed to a battery of behavioral tests for up to 3months after SE. Rats with SE at P12 showed mild retardation of psychomotor development and delayed habituation, whereas rats with SE at P25 showed no habituation. Assessment in adulthood using the Morris water maze test revealed that SE at both P12 and P25 led to cognitive impairment and that the severity of the impairment increased with age. A handling test revealed increased aggression in rats with SE at P25, but not in rats with SE at P12. Epilepsy was diagnosed with continuous video-electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring for up to 7d. P25 rats were monitored at 5months after SE and seizures were detected in 83.3% of animals. P12 animals were divided into two groups and monitored at 5 or 7months after SE. Both the severity and incidence of spontaneous recurrent seizures tended to progress with time, and their incidence increased from 50% to 87.5% at 5 and 7months, respectively. Morphometric analysis and stereologic assessment of hilar neurons performed after video-EEG monitoring revealed atrophy of temporal brain structures, enlargement of lateral ventricles, and loss of hilar neurons in both age groups. In P12 rats, morphologic damage also tended to progress over time. Performance of animals in the Morris water maze correlated with the severity of damage, but not with seizure parameters.

A single episode of neonatal seizures alters the cerebellum of immature rats

PURPOSE

to test whether a single episode of early-life seizures may interfere with the development of the cerebellum. The cerebellum is particularly vulnerable in infants, since it is characterized by an important postnatal histogenesis that leads to the settling of adult circuitry.

METHODS

seizures were induced in 10-day-old Wistar rats with a single convulsive dose (80μg/g b.w., s.c.) of pentylentetrazole (PTZ). Immediately after rats were treated with (3)H-thymidine ((3)HTdR, 2.5μCi/g b.w, s.c.). Rats were killed 4h later and paraffin sections of the cerebellar vermis were processed for (3)HTdR autoradiography and immunocytochemistry for 2/3 subunits of AMPA glutamate receptor (GluR2/3), glutamate transporter 1 (GLT1) and calbindin.

RESULTS

seizures reduced the proliferation rate of cells in the external germinal layer. Purkinje cells showed increased GluR2/3 immunoreactivity. However, some Purkinje cells were unstained or lost. Increased GLT1 immunoreactivity was present in glial cells surrounding Purkinje cells. Calbindin immunoreaction confirmed that some Purkinje cells were missed. The remaining Purkinje cells showed large spheroids along the course of their axon.

CONCLUSIONS

data indicate that seizures lead to a loss and alteration of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum of immature rats. Since at 10 days of life Purkinje cells are no more proliferating, the loss of Purkinje cells should be permanent.

Nestin down-regulation of cortical radial glia is delayed in rats submitted to recurrent status epilepticus during early postnatal life

OBJECTIVE: Nestin is temporarily expressed in several tissues during development and it is replaced by other protein types during cell differentiation process. This unique property allows distinguishing between undifferentiated and differentiated cells. This study was delineated to analyze the temporal pattern of nestin expression in cortical radial glial cells of rats during normal development and of rats submitted to recurrent status epilepticus (SE) in early postnatal life (P). METHOD: Experimental rats were submitted to pilocarpine-induced SE on P7-9. The cortical temporal profile of nestin was studied by immunohistochemistry at multiple time points (P9, P10, P12, P16, P30 and P90). RESULTS: We observed delayed nestin down-regulation in experimental rats of P9, P10, P12 and P16 groups. In addition, few radial glial cells were still present only in P21 experimental rats. CONCLUSION: Our results suggested that SE during early postnatal life alters normal maturation during a critical period of brain development.

Age- and region-dependent patterns of Ca2+ accumulations following status epilepticus

Elevated Ca(2+) concentrations have been implicated in cell death mechanisms following seizures, however, the age and brain region of intracellular Ca(2+) accumulations [Ca(2+)](i), may influence whether or not they are toxic. Therefore, we examined regional accumulations of (45)Ca(2+) by autoradiography from rats of several developmental stages (P14, P21, P30 and P60) at 5, 14, and 24h after status epilepticus. To determine whether the uptake was intracellular, Ca(2+) was also assessed in hippocampal slices with the dye indicator, Fura 2AM at P14. Control animals accumulated low homogeneous levels of (45)Ca(2+); however, highly specific and age-dependent patterns of (45)Ca(2+) uptake were observed at 5h. (45)Ca(2+) accumulations were predominant in dorsal hippocampal regions, CA1/CA2/CA3a, in P14 and P21 rats and in CA3a and CA3c neurons of P30 and P60 rats. Selective midline and amygdala nuclei were marked at P14 but not at P21 and limbic accumulations recurred with maturation that were extensive at P30 and even more so at P60. At 14 h, P14 and P21 rats had no persistent accumulations whereas P30 and P60 rats showed persistent uptake patterns within selective amygdala, thalamic and hypothalamic nuclei, and other limbic cortical regions that continued to differ at these ages. For example, piriform cortex accumulation was highest at P60. Fura 2AM imaging at P14 confirmed that Ca(2+) rises were intracellular and occurred in both vulnerable and invulnerable regions of the hippocampus, such as CA2 pyramidal and dentate granule cells. Silver impregnation showed predominant CA1 injury at P20 and P30 but CA3 injury at P60 whereas little or no injury was found in extrahippocampal structures at P14 and P20 but was modest at P30 and maximal at P60. Thus, at young ages there was an apparent dissociation between high (45)Ca(2+) accumulations and neurotoxicity whereas in adults a closer relationship was observed, particularly in the extrahippocampal structures.

Intrahippocampal injection of endothelin-1: a new model of ischemia-induced seizures in immature rats

The goal of this study was to develop a new model of ischemia-induced seizures in immature rats using injection of vasoconstrictor Endothelin-1 (ET-1) into the brain. ET-1 (10, 20, or 40 pmol) was infused into the left dorsal hippocampus of freely moving Wistar rats 12 (P12) and 25 (P25) days old. Animals were then video/EEG-monitored for 100 min and monitoring was repeated 22 h later. Parameters of electrographic seizures (frequency and mean duration) as well as pattern of their behavioral correlates were evaluated. The pattern of behavioral seizures was used to develop model-specific scoring system. Cresyl violet and Fluoro Jade-B-staining were used to evaluate brain damage. Extension of the lesion was correlated with seizure severity. After ET-1-injection, seizures occurred in 83-100% animals of all age-and-dose groups and persisted for 24 h except P12 rats with 10 pmol. There were no differences in average seizure duration (18-40 s) or seizure frequency (3-7 seizures/100 min) among individual dose-groups. Between the 1st and 2nd observation period, total seizure duration decreased in 71% of P12 and 47% of P25 rats. Electrographic seizure activity was most frequently accompanied by clonus, incidence of more severe convulsions (barrel rolling or generalized clonic seizures) increased with dose of ET-1. Morphologic examination did not reveal any dose-related difference in damage severity, hippocampal damage was however more extensive in P12 compared to P25 animals. Seizure severity correlated positively with severity of the damage in both age groups. Our study presents focal injection of ET-1 into the brain as a new and practical model of ischemia-induced seizures in immature rats.

Effects of LiCl/pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus on rat brain mu and benzodiazepine receptor binding: regional and ontogenetic studies

Neurochemical studies document involvement of benzodiazepine (BDZ) and mu opioid receptors in seizure development and their possible age-related role during epileptogenesis. To study developmental changes of this role LiCl/pilocarpine status epilepticus (SE) was induced in P12, P25 and/or adult rats. This SE leads to epilepsy in all adult and subpopulation of immature rats. Using in vitro autoradiography, benzodiazepine (BDZ) and mu opioid receptor binding was evaluated 1 week (early phase of epileptogenesis) and 3 months (chronic phase) after SE in 27 brain structures involved in seizure generation and spread (amygdala, hippocampus, basal ganglia and thalamic nuclei). The pattern of receptor binding changes was related to the age at SE, interval after SE and to brain structures. Enhanced BDZ binding was found 1 week after SE in many cortical areas in P12 and also in the amygdala complex and dentate gyrus in both P12 and P25. No changes of BDZ binding occurred in adults at that time, but 3 months after SE a decrease of binding appeared in all evaluated areas in both adult and P25 but not P12 rats. This decrease did not reflect neuronal loss. mu opioid receptors were less significantly affected but clear tendency to decrease binding occurred in adult rats in various cortical, amygdala and thalamic regions early after SE. Changes were less expressed in immature rats. Our data support the hypothesis that age-related changes of receptor properties may participate in different functional consequences of SE including epileptogenesis (more common in older age groups) and behavioral changes.

Seizures and Antiepileptic Drugs: Does Exposure Alter Normal Brain Development?

Seizures and antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) affect brain development and have long-term neurological consequences. The specific molecular and cellular changes, the precise timing of their influence during brain development, and the full extent of the long-term consequences of seizures and AEDs exposure have not been established. This review critically assesses both the basic and clinical science literature on the effects of seizures and AEDs on the developing brain and finds that evidence exists to support the hypothesis that both seizures and antiepileptic drugs influence a variety of biological process, at specific times during development, which alter long-term cognition and epilepsy susceptibility. More research, both clinical and experimental, is needed before changes in current clinical practice, based on the scientific data, can be recommended.

Cerebral metabolic and hemodynamic responses to epilepsy: insights from animal models

The use of various neuroimaging approaches for the study of neurological diseases in animal models is increasing rapidly. Autoradiographic techniques for the measurement of cerebral glucose metabolism and blood flow have been applied to the study of epileptic seizures and syndromes. The main limitations of these approaches relate to the fact that most animal models of epilepsy have been developed in rodents and therefore require the miniaturization of the techniques. Moreover, while they provide excellent definition, they require the sacrifice of the animal at the end of each experiment. Longitudinal analyses can be performed by means of magnetic resonance techniques but their definition is far less precise and functional magnetic resonance imaging is not yet widely available for animal studies. This review describes the extent to which autoradiographic studies can contribute to a improved understanding of the human epilepsy-related pathophysiology.

Effect of neonatal isolation on outcome following neonatal seizures in rats--the role of corticosterone

Emerging evidence indicates that early maternal care permanently modifies the activity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and is a critical factor in determining the capacity of the brain to compensate for later encountered insults. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of corticosterone (CORT) in the detrimental effects of neonatal isolation (NI) on seizures. Rats were assigned randomly to the following five groups: (1) control (CONT) rats; (2) NI rats that underwent daily separation from their dams from postnatal day 2 (P2) to P9; (3) status epilepticus (SE) rats, induced by lithium-pilocarpine (Li-Pilo) model at P10; (4) NI plus SE (NIS) rats and (5) NISM rats, a subset of NIS rats receiving metyrapone (100 mg/kg), a CORT synthesis inhibitor, immediately after SE induction. At P10, plasma CORT levels were compared at baseline in CONT and NI rats and in response to Li-Pilo-induced SE among SE, NIS and NISM rats. We evaluated the spatial memory in the Morris water maze at P50 approximately 55, the expression of hippocampal cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-responsive element-binding protein phosphorylation at serine-133 (pCREBSer-133) at P55, hippocampal neuronal damage at P80 and seizure threshold at P100. The isolated rats exhibited higher CORT release in response to SE than non-isolated rats, and the NIS rats had greater cognitive deficits and decreased seizure threshold compared to the CONT, NI and SE groups. By contrast, the NISM group, compared to the NIS group, showed a normal CORT response to SE and better spatial memory but no difference in seizure threshold. Compared to the CONT group, the hippocampal pCREBSer-133 level was significantly reduced in all experimental groups (NI, SE, NIS, NISM) with no differences between groups. All rats were free of spontaneous seizures later in life and had no discernible neuronal loss in the hippocampus. Results in this model demonstrate repetitive NI enhances response of plasma CORT to SE, and exacerbates the neurological consequences of neonatal SE. Amelioration of neurological sequelae following reduction of the SE-induced excessive rise in plasma CORT implicates CORT in the pathogenesis of NI increasing the vulnerability to seizures.