Reorganization of seizure networks during epileptogenesis involves cortico-subcortical and interhemispheric interactions. In the audiogenic kindling (AK) model of generalized tonic-clonic seizures, upstream seizure propagation along ascending brainstem-to-forebrain pathways determines progressive intensification of repeated sound-induced convulsions. Full-blown audiogenic seizures are bilaterally symmetric and their repetition results in bisynchronous recruiting the cortex ...

Electronic retinal prostheses are being developed for people who become blind due to loss of photoreceptors from the disease retinitis pigmentosa. Previously, we reported on the responses of RGCs in the P23H rat (a model of retinitis pigmentosa) and the Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat to stimulation with a 400-μm diameter electrode (Jensen ...

BACKGROUND: Viscum album L. is claimed in traditional medical practice, to be useful in the treatment of epilepsy and insomnia in Himachal Pradesh, India. OBJECTIVES: To study the sedative, antiepileptic and antipsychotic effects of aqueous leaf extract of Viscum album L. in mice and rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effect ...

Although studies have shown that excitotoxicity mediated by N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs, NR) plays a prominent role in Alzheimer's disease (AD), the precise expression patterns of NMDARs and their relationship to apoptosis in AD have not been clearly established. In this study, we used Abeta (Aβ) 1-40 and AlCl(3) to establish ...

Inositol polyphosphate phosphatase 4 A (INPP4A), a phosphoinositides phosphatase, is highly expressed in the central nervous system and plays a role in glutamate excitotoxicity and cell proliferation. Our aim was to investigate the expression of INPP4A in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and in a rat model of epilepsy. ...

To study the effects of low-frequency cortical electrical stimulation (CES) on seizures and behaviour in a rat model of epilepsy induced by ferric chloride (FeCl(3)). Rats were randomly assigned into four groups (n = 8 per group): normal healthy rats; saline-treated control rats; FeCl(3)-induced epileptic rats; CES-treated FeCl(3)-induced epileptic rats. ...

We know much about how rats use their whiskers to discriminate simple tactile properties, but little about how they are used in natural settings. Here we studied whisker motion during social interactions between rats in order to gain a better understanding of natural whisker use in this model system for ...

Temporal lobe epilepsy is one of the most common types of epilepsy. Cytotherapy was tried for several neurological disorders. In this investigation, bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) were used in order to evaluate the recovery of epileptic rats induced by pilocarpine. The rats were divided into four groups: a negative ...

Outbred rat strains such as Sprague-Dawley (SD) or Wistar are widely used in epilepsy models, including popular models of temporal lobe epilepsy in which spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS), hippocampal damage, and behavioral alterations develop after status epilepticus (SE). Such rats are randomly outbred, hence allelic variations can occur across separate ...

Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats, an animal model of type 2 diabetes mellitus, exhibit chronic and slowly progressive hyperglycemia with obesity. In this study, we examined whether dietary supplementation with the α-glucosidase inhibitor miglitol from the preonset stage improves glycemic control and reduces the gene expression of inflammatory cytokines ...

We studied plus-maze behavior of inbred Krushinskii-Molodkina, Wistar, and black-hooded rats (originating from the Long-Evans outbred strain) differing by predisposition to audiogenic seizures. The severity of audiogenic seizures partially correlated with anxiety and negatively correlated with the total level of locomotor activity in the elevated plus-maze. The anxiety parameters in ...

PM021, which consists of two herbal components, Mori Folium and Aurantii Fructus, is routinely used to treat diabetes in Korea. In this study, the anti-diabetic effect of PM021 on an animal model of developing type 2 diabetes of Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats was investigated. Eight weeks of age ...

Fructose induces metabolic syndrome in rats; but studies have been criticized for using high concentrations of fructose that are not physiologic, for using only pure fructose, and for not controlling for energy intake. We tested the hypothesis that a 40% sucrose diet (containing 20% fructose) might induce features of metabolic ...

To detect the proteomic variabilities of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) and pancreatic carcinoma (PC) induced by 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA) in rat models and to identify potential biomarkers. Sixty adult male Sprague Dawley rats were randomized into three groups. The rats had DMBA implanted into their pancreas for one (n = 20) ...

In order to investigate how to improve the function and survival of cryopreserved islets, we cocultured cryopreserved thawed rat islets with rat Sertoli cells. After thawing, the islets were divided into the Sertoli cell coculture group and the control group. Using light and transmission electron microscopes, we examined the morphology ...

OBJECTIVE: Continuous exposure of the peritoneal membrane to high glucose dialysis solutions can produce functional alterations in this membrane. We studied the toxic effects of high glucose (50 mmol/L and 83 mmol/L) and its reversal by atorvastatin (0.5 - 5 μmol/L) on cultures of rat peritoneal mesothelial cells (PMCs). ♢ ...

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has replaced sucrose in many food products, which has prompted research comparing these two sweeteners in rodents. The present study examined the relative palatability of HFCS and sucrose for rats, offering 11% carbohydrate solutions to match the content of common beverages for human consumption. The ...

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate if the metabolic alterations observed after static magnetic field (SMF) exposure participates in the development of a pre-diabetic state. A comparison study using the insulin resistant animal model, the Zucker rat and the SMF-exposed Wistar rat was carried out. Materials and methods: Zucker ...

Long-term dexamethasone therapy may induce peripheral insulin resistance (IR), which in turn elicits increased beta-cell function and proliferation. However, whether such adaptive compensations occur during short-term treatment with dexamethasone is unclear. Here, we compared morphofunctional parameters in endocrine pancreas after short- and long-term dexamethasone administration. Groups of rats received daily ...

Palatinose (isomaltulose), a slowly digested disaccharide, is used as a non-cariogenic sugar and as a sucrose substitute in several foods. Because of its ability to lower postprandial glycemia, palatinose may be beneficial as a treatment for impaired glucose metabolism. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) improves glycemia via enhancing pancreatic beta-cell functions. The ...

A main challenge in the therapy of drug dependent individuals is to help them reactivate interest in non-drug-associated activities. We previously developed a rat experimental model based on the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm in which only four 15-min episodes of social interaction with a gender- and weight-matched male Sprague ...

Rats learn to prefer flavors that are followed by postingestive effects of nutrients. This experiment investigated whether the timing of a flavor (specifically, in the first or second half of the meal) influences learning about that flavor. Stronger learning about earlier or later flavors would indicate when the rewarding postingestive ...

Acute pancreatitis (AP) has a high mortality rate; repetitive AP induces chronic AP and pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have immunoregulatory effects and reduce inflammation. We developed a protocol to isolate human bone marrow-derived clonal MSCs (hcMSCs) from bone marrow aspirate and investigated the effects of these cells in ...

The aim of this study was to compare the protective effects of three traditional Chinese herbal medicines (ligustrazine, kakonein and Panax notoginsenosides) on multiple organs in a rat model of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and to explore the underlying mechanisms. The mortality rates in all three treated groups were significantly ...

Hippocampal deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an experimental therapy for patients with pharmacoresistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Despite the successful clinical application of DBS, the optimal stimulation parameters are undetermined. We evaluate the efficacy of a new form of DBS, using continuous stimuli with Poisson distributed intervals (Poisson distributed stimulation, ...

A significant link was previously established between benzodiazepine withdrawal anxiety and a progressive increase in α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) potentiation in hippocampal CA1 neurons from rats withdrawn up to 2 days from 1-week oral administration of the benzodiazepine flurazepam (FZP). Despite AMPAR current potentiation, withdrawal anxiety was masked by a ...

Continuous, scheduled vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is used for the treatment of refractory epilepsy. On-demand VNS, started prior to or at the onset of a seizure may improve the effect of the treatment, however, this requires seizures to be predicted or detected early. This study investigates the possibility of early ...

The hypoglycemic effects of the fruit extract of C. metuliferus was investigated in normoglycemic and alloxan-induced hyperglycemic rats. The results showed that there was an insignificant (P > 0.05) decrease in the blood glucose concentration of normoglycemic rats treated with oral doses of 1000 and 1500 mg/kg of the extract. ...

The total mass of pancreatic islet cells is a critical factor in glucose metabolic control. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether in the Munich Wistar Frömter (MWF) rat, beside a reduction in the number of nephrons, there are also alterations in the number of pancreatic islets ...

PURPOSE: Racine's classic study suggested that after discharge thresholds were reduced in the primary stimulation site (amygdala) of kindled rats, but that that they were not reduced in secondary (nonstimulated) sites. However, recent reports of neurochemical changes related to excitation and inhibition in nonstimulated sites in kindled brains would be ...

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) acting on the serotonin (5-HT) receptors may affect γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic transmission. The role of 5-HT in the epileptic hippocampus remains controversial since 5-HT has both convulsive and anticonvulsive effects. We investigated the effects of fluoxetine, paroxetine and citalopram on the GABAergic transmission in the ...

Two genetic models of absence epilepsy, GAERS and WAG/Rij rat strains, are resistant to progression of partial seizures induced by amygdaloid or hippocampal kindling. Perirhinal cortex is one of the crucial areas for the secondary generalization of partial seizures. Therefore we focused on perirhinal cortical kindling in both epileptic rat ...

Seizures are associated with high intracellular calcium levels. However, conditions characterized by high intracellular calcium levels, such as stroke or traumatic brain injury, do not always evoke epilepsy. We hypothesized that polymorphisms in calcium-related genes CACNA1E and Camk2d contribute to the individual variability in seizure susceptibility. The distribution of one ...

SUMMARY Aims: It is unknown whether hypothermia can disrupt the progress of epileptogenesis. The present study aimed to determine the effect of hypothermia on brain edema and epileptogenesis and to establish whether brain edema is associated with epileptogenesis after severe status epilepticus (SE). Methodology: Rats were injected with a single ...

To establish a new model of cardiac arrest (CA) in rats by transcutaneous electrical epicardium stimulation. Two acupuncture needles connected to the anode and cathode of a stimulator were transcutaneously inserted into the epicardium as electrodes. The stimulating current was steered to the epicardium and the stimulation was maintained for ...

OBJECTIVES: To examine calretinin (CR)-containingObjectives: To examine cairetinin (CR)-containingnterneuronsthatdegenerate inthe hippocampus in post statusinterneurons that dege nera te in the hippocampusepilepticus (SE) ratsatdifferent time in post status epilepticus (SE) rats at different time points. METHODS: This study was conducted at the Central South University, Xiangya Hospital, Hunan Province, P.R. China ...

Antagonists of group I of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) exhibit anticonvulsant as well as anxiolytic action in adult rodents. Therefore, we started to study these effects in developing rats. Motor seizures induced by pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) and cortical epileptic afterdischarges (CxADs) elicited by electrical stimulation were used in immature rats. High ...

Hyperargininemia is a metabolic disorder biochemically characterized by tissue accumulating of arginine and other guanidino compounds. Convulsions, lethargy and psychomotor delay or cognitive deterioration are predominant clinical features of this disease. Although neurologic symptoms predominate in this disorder, their pathophysiology is still unknown. In the present study we initially investigated ...

In order to evaluate the effect of omega-3 fish oil supplement by gavage (0.4 mL/100 g body weight) on the chronic lead-induced (0.2% lead acetate) impairments of long-term potentiation (LTP) in rat dentate gyrus (DG) in vivo, we designed the experiments which were carried out in four groups of newborn ...

Theta and gamma oscillations are thought to provide signal sets that promote neural coding of cognitive processes. Over 40 yrs ago, Jeffrey Gray reported event-related changes in a narrow band of hippocampal theta (7.5-8.5 Hz) which appeared to involve norepinephrine (NE) release from, the noradrenergic nucleus, the locus coeruleus (LC). ...

Two genetic models of absence epilepsy, GAERS and WAG/Rij rat strains, are resistant to progression of partial seizures induced by amygdaloid or hippocampal kindling. Perirhinal cortex is one of the crucial areas for the secondary generalization of partial seizures. Therefore we focused on perirhinal cortical kindling in both epileptic rat ...

The maintenance of viable and functional islets is critical in successful pancreatic islet transplantation from cadaveric sources. During the isolation procedure, islets are exposed to a number of insults including ischemia, oxidative stress and cytokine injury that cause a reduction in the recovered viable islet mass. A novel approach was ...

Febrile seizures are the most common types of seizure in children, and are generally considered to be benign. However, febrile seizures in children with dysgenesis have been associated with the development of temporal lobe epilepsy. We have previously shown in a rat model of dysgenesis (cortical freeze lesion) and hyperthermia-induced ...

Audiogenic kindling (AK) represents a model of naturally occurring epileptogenesis in which intensification of repeatedly induced audiogenic seizures results from propagation of epileptic activity from the brainstem to forebrain. Previously it has been shown that unilateral cortical spreading depression (SD) is a reliable earliest manifestation of mild AK produced by ...

BACKGROUND: We tested the hypothesis that in newborn rats, sevoflurane may cause seizures, neurotoxicity, and impairment in synaptic plasticity-effects that may be diminished by the Na-K-2Cl cotransporter 1 inhibitor, bumetanide. METHODS: Electroencephalography, activated caspase-3, and hippocampal long-term potentiation were measured in rats exposed to 2.1% sevoflurane for 0.5-6 h at ...

Previous reports indicate that in utero knockdown of doublecortin (DCX) results in the genesis of a subcortical heterotopia reminiscent of the doublecortex observed in female patients with DCX mutations. It has also been shown that these rats display an increased susceptibility to convulsant agents and increased cortical neurons excitability; but ...

The neuroprotective effects of N-stearoyl-L-tyrosine (NSTyr) on cognitive function and neuronal plasticity during chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) in rats were investigated. After induction of CCH, NSTyr was administered daily for 3 months intraperitoneally. Cognitive functions were evaluated by Morris water maze and hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP). Neuropathological changes were examined ...

Studies on rats divided into two groups with different sensitivities on the basis of manifest convulsive activity in response to pentylenetetrazol kindling showed that both "tolerant" and "sensitive" rats showed convulsive discharges on EEG traces. However, as compared with values in "tolerant" rats, the number of convulsive discharges in "sensitive" ...

The study described here was carried out to investigate the anticonvulsant effect of different extracts of Centella asiatica with respect to cholinergic activity on pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced seizures. Rats were randomly divided into eight groups of six rats each: nonepileptic rats treated with saline; PTZ (60 mg/kg, IP)-induced seizure rats treated ...

We have evaluated the acetylcholine esterase and malate dehydrogenase activity in the muscle, epinephrine, norepinephrine, insulin and T3 content in the serum of epileptic rats. Acetylcholine esterase and malate dehydrogenase activity increased in the muscle and decreased in the heart of the epileptic rats compared to control. Insulin and T3 ...