The influence of gender on the aggravation of absence seizures by carbamazepine in the low-dose pentylenetetrazol rat model

• Published in: Seizure (London, England) England), 2004-06, Vol.13 (4), p.208-216
• Main Authors: MCLEAN, KAREN J, O’BRIEN, TERENCE J, COOK, MARK J, VAJDA, FRANK J.E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: absence seizures; Animals; Anticonvulsants - administration & dosage; Anticonvulsants - therapeutic use; carbamazepine; Carbamazepine - administration & dosage; Carbamazepine - therapeutic use; Convulsants - adverse effects; Disease Models, Animal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Epilepsy, Absence - chemically induced; Epilepsy, Absence - drug therapy; Female; gender difference; Male; Pentylenetetrazole - adverse effects; rat; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; seizure aggravation; Sex Factors
• ISSN: 1059-1311; 1532-2688
• DOI: 10.1016/S1059-1311(03)00144-4

Objectives: To determine whether carbamazepine (CBZ) aggravates absence seizures in the low-dose pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) rat model in both male and female animals, and investigate for gender differences. Methods: Inbred Sprague–Dawley rats were implanted with EEG electrodes. Seven days later PTZ (20 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered following pre-treatment with vehicle or CBZ (20 mg/kg, i.p.) and the occurrence of spike-and-wave discharges (SWDs) on the EEG quantified. Results: The cumulative SWD for 90-minute post-PTZ was higher in the CBZ versus vehicle pre-treatment arm for both female (mean 110 seconds vs. 62 seconds; P=0.03) and male (mean 89 seconds vs. 60 seconds; P=0.03) rats. The increase in SWD duration in the CBZ arm was greater in female rats for the first five 15-minute intervals, but none attained statistical significance ( P>0.05). CBZ pre-treatment resulted in reductions in both SWD frequency (Hz) (male, P=0.003; female, P