A single pentylenetetrazole-induced clonic-tonic seizure episode is accompanied by a slowly developing cognitive decline in rats

• Published in: Epilepsy & behavior 2013-02, Vol.26 (2), p.196-202
• Main Authors: Aniol, Victor A, Ivanova-Dyatlova, Aleksandra Y, Keren, Ora, Guekht, Alla B, Sarne, Yosef, Gulyaeva, Natalia V
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Cell Proliferation; Cognition Disorders - chemically induced; Cognition Disorders - complications; Cognition Disorders - physiopathology; Cognitive impairments; Disease Progression; Hippocampus - physiopathology; Male; Maze Learning - physiology; Neurogenesis; Neurology; Novel object recognition; Pentylenetetrazole; Radial arm maze; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Recognition (Psychology) - physiology; Seizure; Seizures - chemically induced; Seizures - complications; Seizures - physiopathology; Social recognition
• ISSN: 1525-5050; 1525-5069
• DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2012.12.006

Abstract According to different studies, between 5% and 10% of people suffer a single isolated seizure episode at some time in their life. However, little is known about the effects of a single seizure episode on cognitive function, and clinical investigations of this issue are not easy to perform. In this situation, animal models may be a reasonable choice. The aim of our study was to follow the time course of delayed effects of generalized clonic-tonic convulsions on learning and memory functions in rats. A clonic-tonic seizure episode was induced by a single i.p. injection of pentylenetetrazole (70 mg/kg). Different behavioral tests were performed between days 10 and 100 after the convulsant administration. A single seizure episode resulted in a gradual decline in short-term memory function as assessed by novel object recognition and social recognition tests. The seizure episode induced a quick increase in hippocampal cell proliferation; however, the excessive newly generated cells seemed to be eliminated by the time of obvious cognitive impairment. These observations are indicative of a slowly developing and long-lasting influence of a single seizure episode on cognitive function. A rather long time period between the seizure episode and the manifestations of cognitive decline provides a window for a possible therapeutic intervention, and an elaboration of such “post-conditioning” treatments may be a promising opportunity to prevent subsequent mental impairments in patients.