rat epilepsy

Recent evidence has demonstrated that the transsynaptic nanoscale organization of synaptic proteins plays a crucial role in regulating synaptic strength in excitatory synapses. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this transsynaptic nanostructure in inhibitory synapses still remains unclear and its impact on synapse function in physiological or pathological contexts has not been demonstrated. In this study, we utilized an engineered proteolysis technique to investigate the effects of acute cleavage of neuroligin-2 (NL2) on synaptic transmission...

Novelty influences hippocampal-dependent memory through metaplasticity. Mismatch novelty detection activates the human hippocampal CA1 area and enhances rat hippocampal-dependent learning and exploration. Remarkably, mismatch novelty training (NT) also enhances rodent hippocampal synaptic plasticity while inhibition of VIP interneurons promotes rodent exploration. Since VIP, acting on VPAC1 receptors (Rs), restrains hippocampal LTP and depotentiation by modulating disinhibition, we now investigated the impact of NT on VPAC1 modulation of hippocampal synaptic plasticity in male Wistar rats...

The mechanisms by which brain insults lead to subsequent epilepsy remain unclear. Insults including trauma, stroke, infections and long seizures (status epilepticus; SE) increase the nuclear expression and chromatin binding of the neuronal restrictive silencing factor / RE-1 silencing transcription factor (NRSF/REST). REST/NRSF orchestrates major disruption of the expression of key neuronal genes, including ion channels and neurotransmitter receptors, potentially contributing to epileptogenesis. Accordingly, transient interference with REST/NRSF chromatin binding after an epilepsy-provoking SE suppressed spontaneous seizures for the 12- day duration of a prior study...

BACKGROUND: Epilepsy affects ∼60 million people worldwide. Most antiseizure medications in the market act on voltage-gated sodium or calcium channels, indirectly modulating neurotransmitter GABA or glutamate levels or multiple targets. Earlier studies made significant efforts to directly deliver GABA into the brain with varied success. Herein, we have hypothesized to directly deliver exogenous GABA to the brain with epilepsy through extracellular vesicles (EVs) from human GABA-producing cells and their progenitors as EVs largely mimic their parent cell composition...

The development of seizures in epilepsy syndromes associated with malformations of cortical development (MCDs) has traditionally been attributed to intrinsic cortical alterations resulting from abnormal network excitability. However, recent analyses at single-cell resolution of human brain samples from MCD patients have indicated the possible involvement of adaptive immunity in the pathogenesis of these disorders. By exploiting the MethylAzoxyMethanol (MAM)/pilocarpine (MP) rat model of drug-resistant epilepsy associated with MCD, we show here that the occurrence of status epilepticus and subsequent spontaneous recurrent seizures in the malformed, but not in the normal brain, are associated with the outbreak of a destructive autoimmune response with encephalitis-like features, involving components of both cell-mediated and humoral immune responses...

The striatum plays a crucial role in studying epilepsy, as it is involved in seizure generation and modulation of brain activity. To explore the complex interplay between the striatum and epilepsy, we engineered advanced microelectrode arrays (MEAs) specifically designed for precise monitoring of striatal electrophysiological activities in rats. These observations were made during and following seizure induction, particularly three and 7 days post-initial modeling. The modification of graphene oxide (GO)/poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS)/platinu-m nanoparticles (PtNPs) demonstrated a marked reduction in impedance (10...

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...

The development of antiepileptic drugs is still a long process. In this study, heparin-modified superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (UFH-SPIONs) were prepared, and their antiepileptic effect and underlying mechanism were investigated. UFH-SPIONs are stable, homogeneous nanosystems with antioxidant enzyme activity that are able to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and enriched in hippocampal epileptogenic foci. The pretreatment with UFH-SPIONs effectively prolonged the onset of seizures and reduced seizure severity after lithium/pilocarpine (LP)-induced seizures in rats...

Epilepsy is a condition marked by sudden, self-sustained, and recurring brain events, showcasing unique electro-clinical and neuropathological phenomena that can alter the structure and functioning of the brain, resulting in diverse manifestations. Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) can be very effective in 30% of patients in controlling seizures. Several factors contribute to this: drug resistance, individual variability, side effects, complexity of epilepsy, incomplete understanding, comorbidities, drug interactions, and no adherence to treatment...

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) modulates local and widespread connectivity in dysfunctional networks. Positive results are observed in several patient populations; however, the precise mechanisms underlying treatment remain unknown. Translational DBS studies aim to answer these questions and provide knowledge for advancing the field. Here, we systematically review the literature on DBS studies involving models of neurological, developmental and neuropsychiatric disorders to provide a synthesis of the current scientific landscape surrounding this topic...

Brain disturbances during development can have a lasting impact on neural function and behavior. Seizures during this critical period are linked to significant long-term consequences such as neurodevelopmental disorders, cognitive impairments, and psychiatric symptoms, resulting in a complex spectrum of multimorbidity. The hippocampus-prefrontal cortex (HPC-PFC) circuit emerges as a potential common link between such disorders. However, the mechanisms underlying these outcomes and how they relate to specific behavioral alterations are unclear...

Retraction: "Silencing lncRNA PVT1 inhibits activation of astrocytes and increases BDNF expression in hippocampus tissues of rats with epilepsy by downregulating the Wnt signaling pathway", by Teng Zhao, Ying Ding, Min Li, Chunkui Zhou, and Weihong Lin, J Cell Physiol. 2019; 234: 16054-16067: The above article, published online on 25 February 2019 in Wiley Online Library (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jcp.28264) has been retracted by agreement between the journal's Editor in Chief, Alexander Hutchison, and Wiley Periodicals LLC...

Alarin is a newly discovered neuropeptide that belongs to the galanin peptide family with a wide range of bioactivity in the nervous system. Its function in the brain's autonomic areas has been studied, and it has been reported that alarin is involved in the regulation of excitability in hypothalamic neurons. Its role in the regulation of excitability in the hippocampus, however, is unknown. In this study, we investigated if alarin induced any synchronous discharges or epileptiform activity, and if it had any effect on already initiated epileptiform discharges...

Levetiracetam (LEV) is a drug commonly used as an anticonvulsant. However, recent evidence points to a possible role as an antioxidant. We previously demonstrated the antioxidant properties of LEV by significantly increasing catalase and superoxide dismutase activities and decreasing the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels in the hippocampus of rats with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) showing scavenging properties against the hydroxyl radical. The aim of the present work was to evaluate, the effect of LEV on DNA oxidation, by determining 8‑hydroxy‑2‑deoxyguanosine (8‑OHdG) levels, and glutathione content, through reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione levels, in the hippocampus of rats with TLE...

Previous studies have indicated a potential relationship between zinc and epilepsy. The aim of this study is to investigate the causal relationship between zinc, zinc-dependent carbonic anhydrase, and gray matter volume in brain regions enriched with zinc and epilepsy, as well as explore the possible mechanisms by which zinc contributes to epilepsy. First, this study assessed the risk causality between zinc, carbonic anhydrase, and gray matter volume alterations in zinc-enriched brain regions and various subtypes of epilepsy based on Two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis...

The manifestations of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) in humans include epilepsy, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and intellectual disability. Previous studies suggested the linkage of TSC to altered cerebral blood flow and metabolic dysfunction. We previously reported a significant elevation in cerebral blood flow in an animal model of TSC and autism of young Eker rats. Inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) by rapamycin could restore normal oxygen consumption and cerebral blood flow. In this study, we investigated whether inhibiting a component of the mTOR signaling pathway, p70 ribosomal S6 kinase (S6K1), would yield comparable effects...

The prospective involvement of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in epilepsy, with the proposed therapeutic uses of its modulators, has been suggested; however, comprehensive knowledge in this regard is currently limited. Despite postulations about the pathway's significance and treatment potential, a systematic investigation is required to better understand its implications in chronic epilepsy. We investigated the role of key proteins like β-catenin, GSK-3β, and their modulators sulindac and 6-BIO, in Wnt/β-catenin pathway during chronic phase of temporal lobe epilepsy...

BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury or TBI can underlie epilepsy. Prevention of PTE has been of great interest to scientists. Given the antiepileptic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of curcumin, we examined whether this compound can affect epileptogenesis in rats after TBI. METHODS: Curcumin was injected once a day for two weeks. TBI was induced in the temporal cortex of anesthetized rats using a CCI device. One day after TBI, PTZ, 35 mg/kg, was injected i...

BACKGROUND: The hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channel (HCN1) is predominantly located in key regions associated with epilepsy, such as the neocortex and hippocampus. Under normal physiological conditions, HCN1 plays a crucial role in the excitatory and inhibitory regulation of neuronal networks. In temporal lobe epilepsy, the expression of HCN1 is decreased in the hippocampi of both animal models and patients. However, whether HCN1 expression changes during epileptogenesis preceding spontaneous seizures remains unclear...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of hydrogen therapy on epileptic seizures in rats with refractory status epilepticus and the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Status epilepticus was induced using pilocarpine. The effects of hydrogen treatment on epilepsy severity in model rats were then monitored using Racine scores and electroencephalography (EEG), followed by western blot of plasma membrane N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subtype 2B (NR2B) and phosphorylated NR2B expression...