Long-term behavioral and morphological consequences of nonconvulsive status epilepticus in rats

Epilepsy Behav. 2004 Apr;5(2):180-91. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2003.11.032.

Abstract

The aims of the present study were to ascertain whether nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) could give rise to long-term behavioral deficits and permanent brain damage. Two months after NCSE was elicited with pilocarpine (15 mg/kg i.p.) in LiCl-pretreated adult male rats, animals were assigned to either behavioral (spontaneous behavior, social interaction, elevated plus-maze, rotorod, and bar-holding tests) or EEG studies. Another group of animals was sacrificed and their brains were processed for Nissl and Timm staining as well as for parvalbumin and calbindin immunohistochemistry. Behavioral analysis revealed motor deficits (shorter latencies to fall from rotorod as well as from bar) and disturbances in the social behavior of experimental animals (decreased interest in juvenile conspecific). EEGs showed no apparent abnormalities. Quantification of immunohistochemically stained sections revealed decreased amounts of parvalbumin- and calbindin-immunoreactive neurons in the motor cortex and of parvalbumin-positive neurons in the dentate gyrus. Despite relatively inconspicuous manifestations, NCSE may represent a risk for long-term deficits.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arousal / physiology
  • Behavior, Animal / physiology*
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / pathology
  • Brain / physiopathology
  • Brain Damage, Chronic / chemically induced
  • Brain Damage, Chronic / pathology
  • Brain Damage, Chronic / physiopathology*
  • Brain Mapping
  • Calbindins
  • Convulsants
  • Electroencephalography*
  • Limbic System / pathology
  • Limbic System / physiopathology
  • Lithium Chloride
  • Male
  • Maze Learning / physiology
  • Motor Activity / physiology
  • Motor Skills / physiology
  • Neocortex / pathology
  • Neocortex / physiopathology
  • Parvalbumins / analysis
  • Pilocarpine
  • Postural Balance / physiology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Reaction Time / physiology
  • S100 Calcium Binding Protein G / analysis
  • Social Behavior
  • Status Epilepticus / chemically induced
  • Status Epilepticus / pathology
  • Status Epilepticus / physiopathology*
  • Video Recording

Substances

  • Calbindins
  • Convulsants
  • Parvalbumins
  • S100 Calcium Binding Protein G
  • Pilocarpine
  • Lithium Chloride