氟桂利嗪对青霉素致痈效应和海马神经元单位放电的影响

目的：探讨Ca^2＋拮抗剂氟桂利嗪对青霉素致效应和海马神经元单位放电的影响.方法：Wistar大鼠随机分成3组.正常对照组;癫癎模型组：用青霉素钠按6 000 000 U·kg^-1腹腔注射;癫癎预处理组：造模前用盐酸氟桂利嗪 20 mg·kg^-1每隔12 h灌胃,共2次,于第2次给药2 h后制作模型.观察癫癎发作并记录海马神经元单位放电.结果： ①正常对照组大鼠共记录到24个单位海马神经元放电;②癫癎模型组共记录到78个单位海马神经元放电,癫癎发作程度强,发作频率高;③癫癎预处理组共记录到47个单位海马神经元放电,癫癎发作程度减轻,发作频率减少.结论：氟桂利嗪可抑制青霉素致效应,减少海马神经元的单位放电.     

The effects of ascorbic acid on penicillin-induced epileptiform activity in rats

PURPOSE: Epileptic seizure results from excessive discharge in a population of hyperexcitable neurons. A number of studies help to document the effects of active oxygen free radical scavengers such as alpha-tocopherol or ascorbic acid (vitamin C). In the present study, we examined the effects of ascorbic acid, at the six different doses, on penicillin-induced epileptiform activity. METHODS: A single microinjection of penicillin (2.5 microl, 500 units, intracortically) into the left sensorimotor cortex induced epileptiform activity within 2-5 min, progressing to full seizure activity lasting approximately 3-5 h. In the first set of experiments, 30 min after penicillin injection, six different doses of ascorbic acid (25, 50, 100, 200, 400, or 800 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally (IP). The other group of animals received the effective dose of ascorbic acid (100 mg/kg, IP) for 7 days. Ascorbic acid administration was stopped 24 h before penicillin treatment. Another group of rats received the effective dose of ascorbic acid (100 mg/kg, IP) 30 min before penicillin treatment. In the second set of experiments, the lipid peroxidation (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels of brain were measured in the control, control + ascorbic acid, penicillin, and penicillin + ascorbic acid groups. RESULTS: Ascorbic acid, at the low dose (50, 100 mg/kg, 30 min after penicillin injection), decreased both the frequency and amplitude of penicillin-induced epileptiform activity in rats. Ascorbic acid, at intermediate doses (200, 400 mg/kg, 30 min after penicillin injection), decreased the frequency of epileptiform activity without changing the amplitude. Ascorbic acid, at the lowest dose (25 mg/kg) and highest dose (800 mg/kg) (30 min after penicillin injection), did not change either the frequency or amplitude of epileptiform activity. Ascorbic acid, at the low dose (100 mg/kg) was the most effective dose in changing the frequency and amplitude of penicillin-induced epileptiform activity. Pretreatment with ascorbic acid (100 mg/kg) 30 min before penicillin treatment caused a significant delay in the onset of penicillin-induced epileptiform activity. Pretreatment with ascorbic acid (100 mg/kg) for 7 days did not change the latency of epileptiform activity. The most effective dose of ascorbic acid (100 mg/kg) prevented both the decrease in GSH level and the increase in lipid peroxidation level (MDA) occurring after penicillin-induced epileptiform activity. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that ascorbic acid has neuroprotective activity against penicillin-induced epileptiform electrocorticogram activity.     

Influence of penicillin-induced epileptic activity during pregnancy on postnatal hippocampal nestin expression in rats: light and electron microscopic observations

Objects Current data concerning the effects of maternal epileptic phenomena on newborns are limited. In clinical practice, therefore, it is difficult to suggest proper guidelines on this issue. This study was carried out to investigate the morphological changes in the hippocampus of newborn pups of rats subjected to experimental epilepsy during pregnancy.Methods Eighteen Swiss Albino rats were randomly divided into three groups (n=6): experimental group, saline-injected sham surgery group, and intact control group. In the experimental group of rats, an acute grand mal epileptic seizure was induced by 400 IU penicillin-G administration into their intrahippocampal CA3 region with a stereotaxic device during the 13th day of their pregnancy. On the first neonatal day, pups were perfused with intracardiac fixative solution under anesthesia, and newborn hippocampi were dissected surgically for light and electron microscopic examinations. In an immunohistochemical study using Rat-401 monoclonal antibody and peroxidase, nestin expression was analyzed in the developing hippocampal tissue.Results Histologically, normal migration and hippocampal maturation were determined in the newborn rat hippocampus in the control and the sham-operated groups. It was observed that the morphological structure of hippocampus in the experimental group corresponded to the early embryonal period. Most importantly, it was found that nestin (+) cell density was increased in the experimental epilepsy group in contrast to the control and sham groups.Conclusion It has been concluded that epileptic seizures during embryonic life may cause impaired hippocampal neurogenesis and maturation, explaining the potentially harmful effects of epileptic seizures on the embryo at the early stage of neuronal differentiation. This is the first report regarding the alterations in nestin expression in newborn rat hippocampus. In the light of such findings, it will also be necessary to evaluate the functional consequences of a variety of epileptic seizures on learning and memory in neonates.     

青霉素与海人酸癫痫模型的比较

目的 通过用青霉素、海人酸2种药物制作癫痫模型,探讨2种致痫剂的作用特点及应用条件.方法 取健康雄性昆明小鼠90只,分为3组,对照组(n=10)、青霉素致痫组(n=40)和海人酸致痫组(n=40),青霉素致痫组腹腔注射青霉素7×106 U/kg,海人酸致痫组腹腔注射海人酸10mg/kg,生理盐水组腹腔注射生理盐水35 μL/g.注射后连续5 h观察小鼠是否有痫性发作并分级,进行脑电图描记.结果 空白对照组无痫性发作,两模型组均出现痫性发作,海人酸致痫组与青霉素致痫组按Racine分级0～Ⅴ级各级之间无明显差异(P＞0.05),小鼠出现癫痫的潜伏期海人酸致痫组比青霉素致痫组短(P<0.05),而且海人酸致痫组比青霉素致痫组死亡率低(P<0.05).结论 腹腔注射海人酸所致的动物模型具有与人类颞叶癫痫极为相似的癫痫发作行为学、脑电图特征,是理想的模拟人类颞叶癫痫的动物模型.     

Systemic penicillin as an experimental model of epilepsy

Systemic use of high-dose penicillin was studied in rats and cats to establish an experimental model of epilepsy. In rats, intraperitoneal injection of 2.5 to 5.0 million units/kg (MU/kg) penicillin was effective to induce spikes in 45.7 +/- 31.0 min (means +/- SD) and seizure in 71.5 +/- 38.4 min. In cats, intravenous administration of penicillin at 0.5 to 1.0 MU/kg induced spikes in 10.4 +/- 7.8 min and seizure in 32.2 +/- 19.8 min. Intraperitoneal use of penicillin at 1.0 to 2.0 MU/kg caused spikes in 24.0 +/- 18.4 min and seizure in 71.2 +/- 38.3 min. Pretreatment with intravenous isoniazid at 16.3 +/- 10.3 mg/kg significantly delayed the appearance of intravenous penicillin-induced spikes to 63.1 +/- 49.8 min or prevented the appearance of spikes and abolished the occurrence of seizures. Acupuncture at various points increased the penicillin-induced spikes and seizures.     

Differences Between Two Feline Epilepsy Models in Sleep and Waking State Disorders, State Dependency of Seizures and Seizure Susceptibility: Amygdala Kindling Interferes with Systemic Penicillin Epilepsy

The objective of the study was to determine whether contemporary feline models of petit mal (systemic penicillin epilepsy) or temporal lobe epilepsy (amygdala kindling) resemble human seizure disorders with respect to disturbances of sleep and waking states, the state dependency of seizures, and transference of seizure susceptibility. These variables were examined in 6-h polygraphic recordings before and during exposure to both seizure models in 24 cats; 12 cats had intramuscular (i.m.) injections of 300,000 or 400,000 IU/kg of penicillin prior to kindling, and 12 were kindled before penicillin challenge. Results were as follows. First, penicillin increased light slow wave sleep (SWS) and drowsiness, during which spike-wave (SW) activity was maximal. Generalized tonic-clonic convulsions (GTCs) occurred predominantly in drowsiness after awakening from SWS. Second, kindling produced more deep SWS than did penicillin; susceptibility to kindled GTCs peaked during deep SWS, especially in transition to rapid eye movement sleep (REM). Third, penicillin did not influence subsequent sleep disorders or seizure susceptibility during kindling; kindling interfered with penicillin-induced GTCs, SW activity, and sleep disorders. Collectively, the findings suggest distinct state disorders and state-dependent seizure profiles in the two models. These differences parallel human analogues and may have contributed to the transference results. Kindling is a chronic model with persistent sleep and seizure abnormalities that differ from and may have discouraged penicillin epilepsy. Penicillin is an acute model with transient state and seizure disorders, a fact that may account for the absence of penicillin transference to kindling.     

低剂量伽玛刀照射癫癎大鼠脑神经元的超微结构研究

目的探索伽玛刀治疗原发性癫的细胞学机理。方法建立大鼠皮质青霉素局灶性癫癎模型,将SD大鼠随机分为实验组、实验对照组和对照组。照射周边剂量12 Gy, 等剂量曲线为50%。分别于0.5 h~2个月后取靶区皮质及海马标本制备光镜、常规透射电镜样品。结果癫癎模型鼠可见较多凋亡神经元,而癫癎模型鼠经低剂量伽玛刀照射后同时程的神经元改变较轻微,凋亡细胞少见。结论凋亡参与了青霉素致癫癎发作后海马神经元的死亡过程,低剂量伽玛刀照射对抑制神经元的死亡过程有重要作用。     

匹罗卡品诱发成年大鼠普遍癫痫与难治性癫痫海马神经发生的变化

背景：神经发生包括细胞增殖、迁移、分化和存活等,是人和多数哺乳动物部分脑区产生新生神经元的过程,主要分布在侧脑室下区和海马齿状回。癫痫可导致海马齿状回的神经发生改变,BrdU是目前公认最理想检测未成熟细胞增殖的标记物之一。 目的：观察匹罗卡品诱发成年大鼠癫痫后神经发生的特点,以及普通癫痫与难治性癫痫神经发生的差异。 设计、时间及地点：随机分组,细胞分子生物学实验,于2006-08/2007-06在华中科技大学同济医学院中心实验室及附属协和医院中心实验室完成。 材料：选用健康Sprague-Dawley雄性大鼠100只,随机分为2组,对照组8只,实验组92只,分为普通癫痫组,自发发作组,难治性癫痫组和非耐药组。匹罗卡品为武汉晶美公司产品,兔抗鼠BrdU抗体为美国sigma公司产品,辣根过氧化物酶标记的羊抗兔IgG为武汉博士德公司产品。 方法：对照组大鼠腹腔注射生理盐水;实验组腹腔注射匹罗卡品15mg/kg,最多注射4次,出现癫痫持续状态的大鼠注射水合氯醛终止发作。致癫大鼠癫痫发作终止后6h腹腔注射BrdU,观察自发发作情况。以脑电图、自发发作频率持续时间,无自发发作为普通癫痫组,有自发发作为自发发作组。行卡马西平灌胃2周并记录发作频率,对卡马西平治疗无效,发作频率减少<50%的为难治性癫痫组,治疗有效即发作频率减少>50%为非耐药组。普通癫痫组分别于注射后第1,2,3,7,14,21和28d取鼠脑海马部做冠状连续切片。非耐药组和难治性癫痫组的大鼠,再次行腹腔注射BrdU,每次为50mg/kg,连续注射4次,每次间隔2h,48h后取脑海马部制作石蜡切片。 主要观察指标：脑海马部切片行免疫组化染色,镜下观察不同时间点BrdU阳性细胞的分布、形态和数量及注射匹罗卡品后大鼠癫痫发作状况。 结果：匹罗卡品第1次注射后所有大鼠无癫痫发作,第2次注射发作16只,第3次注射发作42只,第4次注射后发作11只,14只大鼠4次注射仍无癫痫发作,9只大鼠癫痫持续状态后死亡,77只进入结果分析。神经发生主要位于海马颗粒细胞层和齿状回。与对照组比较,普通癫痫组BrdU阳性细胞明显增多（P<0.01）,难治性癫痫组新生细胞较普通癫痫组明显减少（P<0.01）,神经发生减少。癫痫后第2天BrdU 阳性细胞数目开始增加,14-15d达到高峰,1个月后回到初始水平。 结论：与普通癫痫相比,难治性癫痫可导致神经发生减少。     

Penicillin epilepsy in the rabbit

The effects of penicillin perfusion were studied in 16 rabbits with chronically implanted electrodes in the sensorimotor and in the visual cortex of both hemispheres. In 14 rabbits, at an average dose of 1,279,966 IU/kg, penicillin caused the appearance of generalized spikes or polyspikes accompanied by massive myoclonic jerks. Sometimes massive myoclonic jerks without EEG epileptic activity were seen. In one animal only spinal myoclonic activity without EEG epileptic abnormalities occurred. Three of these rabbits developed, after a mean penicillin dose of 2,193,174 IU/kg, generalized seizures accompanied on the EEG by bilateral and synchronous discharges of spike or polyspike and wave complexes. The effect of penicillin was tested also in a group of four rabbits in which a small cortical vascular lesion was made, and in another group of four animals with electrodes implanted into the hippocampus.Rabbits with a vascular lesion and those with hippocampal electrodes developed a focal epilepsy at a mean dose of 1,286,804 IU/kg. In the rabbits with the cortical lesion, the seizures started always from the site of the lesion. In the group of animals with the hippocampal electrodes, the seizures could begin, even in the same rabbit, from the hippocampus or from the cortex over the implanted electrode. Penicillin in the rabbit produces a predominantly myoclonic form of seizure disorder and only rarely organized generalized seizures similar to those observed in the cat. Under circumstances in which a local breakdown of the blood-brain barrier has been created, it induces focal seizure discharges that become often secondarily generalized.     

硒元素对急性癫痫小鼠脑组织氧化损伤的影响

目的探讨微量元素硒对小鼠急性癫痫发作后脑组织氧化损伤的影响。方法将40只健康昆明小鼠按体重随机分为3组，即实验组、阳性对照组和阴性对照组。实验组小鼠经口灌胃Na2SeO2（20μg／kg），阳性对照组和阴性对照组小鼠给予0．9％氯化钠溶液，1次／d，连续7d；给药后第8天实验组和阳性对照组小鼠腹腔内注射青霉素600万U／kg，阴性对照组腹腔注射等体积0．9％氯化钠溶液，观察小鼠癫痫发生时的行为改变；小鼠被完全点燃后处死，比色法测定小鼠脑组织中谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GSH-Px）活性和丙二醛（MDA）含量。结果腹腔内注射青霉素后，实验组小鼠癫痫样发作出现时间较阳性对照组晚，且发作级别低。与阴性对照组相比，阳性对照组脑组织中GSH-Px活性显著下降（P〈0．01），MDA含量显著上升（P〈0．01）；与阳性对照组相比，实验组GSH-Px活性显著升高（P〈0．01），MDA含量显著下降（P〈0．01）。结论急性癫痫可引起脑组织氧化损伤，损害神经细胞。补硒可增加脑组织中GSH-Px活性，从而减轻氧自由基对机体造成的损害。     

Pinealectomy stimulates and exogenous melatonin inhibits harmful effects of epileptiform activity during pregnancy in the hippocampus of newborn rats: an immunohistochemical study

Objectives Epilepsy during the pregnancy is an important problem in clinical practice for newborn individuals. Recently, it has been demonstrated that mothers’ epileptic seizures have some harmful effects on newborns, but present data concerning the effects of epileptic phenomena in pregnant mothers on newborn pups are still limited. The current study was undertaken to investigate the morphological changes in the hippocampus of newborn pups of pinealectomized rats subjected to experimental epilepsy during pregnancy.Methods In this study, rats were randomly divided into four groups (ten animals each): intact control group, epilepsy control group, surgical pinealectomy + epilepsy group, and group with melatonin treatment following pinealectomy procedure. The animals in surgical pinealectomy + epilepsy and melatonin treatment groups underwent a surgical intervention consisting of pineal gland removal. At 1 month after surgical pinealectomy, an acute grand mal epileptic seizure was induced by 400 IU penicillin G administration into their hippocampal CA3 region on the 13th day of their pregnancy in all animals except the intact control animals. On the first neonatal day, the hippocampi were removed and processed for microscopic examination. Nestin expression was analysed in the developing hippocampal tissue.Results Normal migration and hippocampal maturation were determined in the postnatal rat hippocampus in intact control group, but the morphological structure of the hippocampus in the epilepsy control group corresponded to the early embryonal period. It was found that experimental epilepsy and pinealectomy enhanced nestin immunoreactivity, whereas exogenous melatonin treatment (30 μg/100 g body weight, intraperitoneal) inhibited pinealectomy-stimulated nestin expression in CA1 region of the hippocampus.Conclusion These findings suggest that epileptic seizures during pregnancy may cause an impaired hippocampal neurogenesis and neuronal maturation in the newborn, and the negative effects in the postnatal rat hippocampus are more dramatic after pinealectomy of the mother; conversely, melatonin administration suppresses these negative changes. This is the first report investigating the effects of maternal epilepsy during pregnancy in pinealectomized rats on nestin immunoexpression in the newborn rat hippocampus.Presented in part at the 4th Asian-Pacific International Congress of Anatomists (APICA), Kuşadası, Turkey, 7-10 September 2005.     

The effects of octanol on penicillin induced epileptiform activity in rats: an in vivo study

The common features of all types of epilepsy are the synchronized and uncontrolled discharges of nerve cell assemblies. The reason for the pathologically synchronized discharges of the neuron is not exactly known yet. Recent reports claim that gap junctions have a critical role in neuronal synchronization. The present study was planned to investigate the effects of octanol, a gap junction blocker, on penicillin-induced experimental epilepsy. Permanent screw electrodes allowing EEG monitoring from conscious animals and permanent cannula providing the administration of the substances to the brain ventricle were placed into the cranium of rats under general anesthesia. After the postoperative recovery period, epileptiform activity was generated by injecting 300 IU crystallized penicillin through the ventricular cannula. When epileptiform activity, monitored from a digital recording system, reached at its maximum intensity, octanol was applied in the same way as penicillin administered. Application of octanol caused an inhibition in the epileptiform activity. Vehicle solution alone did not affect the epileptiform activity. Results of this study suggest that the blockade of electrical synapses may contribute to the prevention and amelioration of epileptic activity. Production of gap junction blockers selective for connexin types is needed. Further studies on the differential roles of gap junctions on certain epileptiform activities are required.     

The influence of ethanol intake and its withdrawal on the anticonvulsant effect of alpha-tocopherol in the penicillin-induced epileptiform activity in rats

Previous studies proposed the existence of a relationship between epilepsy and ethanol. Ethanol may have either proconvulsive or anticonvulsive effects on epileptic activity in different experimental epilepsy models. The influence of high dose ethanol intake and its withdrawal on the anticonvulsant effect of alpha-tocopherol was examined after intracortical injection of penicillin (500 units) to induce epileptiform activity. Thirty minutes after penicillin injection, the most effective dose of alpha-tocopherol (500 mg/kg) was administrated intramuscularly (i.m.). Ethanol-treated rats received a daily dose of 9.0 g/kg of 30% ethanol solution via an oesophageal probe for 15 days. All rats in the withdrawal group were anesthetized for induction of penicillin-induced epileptiform activity 28 h after the last ethanol administration. The epileptiform activity was verified by electrocorticographic (ECoG) recordings. Ethanol, in a dose of 9 g/kg, significantly decreased the mean frequency of penicillin-induced epileptiform ECoG activity without changing the amplitude. The mean frequency of ECoG activity was decreased in the 60 and 70 min period from penicillin injection in the ethanol-treated+alpha-tocopherol and ethanol withdrawal+alpha-tocopherol groups compared with the penicillin-injected (500 units, i.c.) group, respectively. alpha-Tocopherol was more effective in decreasing the mean frequency of epileptiform activity in the ethanol+alpha-tocopherol group than in other alpha-tocopherol administrated groups. Ethanol withdrawal caused an increase in frequency of epileptiform activity in the withdrawal+alpha-tocopherol group compared with other alpha-tocopherol administrated groups. alpha-Tocopherol did not affect the amplitude of epileptiform activity in any group. Possible mechanisms of ethanol influence on the neuroprotective actions of alpha-tocopherol are still a crucial issue associated with epilepsy.     

Penicillin induced epileptiform activity and EEG spectrum analysis of BDNF heterozygous mice: an in vivo electrophysiological study

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) heterozygous mice (BDNF (+/-)) kindle slowly and have a higher seizure threshold. However, BDNF (+/-) mice exhibit reduced cortical inhibition and disrupted balance of excitation/inhibition synaptic transmission. We investigated penicillin-induced focal cortical epileptiform activity and electroencephalogram (EEG) spectral power of BDNF (+/-) mice, by using electrocorticogram (ECoG) recordings. BDNF (+/-) mice (n=10) and wild type littermates (n=9) were anesthetized with i.p. urethane (1.750g/kg). The recordings of ECoG were carried out by using a data acquisition system and 100IU penicillin was administered intracortically to induce epileptiform activity. The latencies for the onset of spikes and the amplitude of the spikes showed no differences. However the frequency of the spikes was significantly lower in BDNF (+/-) mice at 40th and 45th min following penicillin injection. Additionally, the EEG power for both BDNF (+/-) and wild type mice reduced after penicillin injection and enhanced during epileptiform activity. The spectral power analysis also revealed that the absolute Gamma power of BDNF (+/-) was significantly smaller than wild types. The results of the present study provide the first in vivo electrophysiological evidence that BDNF heterozygous mice exhibited suppressed epileptiform activity. Moreover, reduced levels of BDNF led to a reduction of absolute Gamma band power.     

The effect of experimental epilepsy induced by penicillin administration during pregnancy on nestin expression in the immature rat cerebellum

Introduction Recent knowledge regarding the effect of epileptic seizures in pregnant women on newborns was limited and, therefore, it was difficult to suggest the proper clinical guidelines and to take precautions against it. Studies evaluating the morphological effects of epileptic seizure during pregnancy on newborns in various experimental models are valuable. Therefore, the current study was designed to investigate the morphological changes in the cerebellum of newborn pups of rats subjected to experimental epilepsy during pregnancy.Materials and methods Swiss Albino rats were divided into three groups (six animals in each). In the first group (experimental group) an acute grand mal epileptic seizure was induced by 400 IU penicillin-G administration into their intrahippocampal CA3 region with a stereotaxic device during the 13th day of their pregnancy. The second group (intrahippocampal saline-injected sham group) and the third group (untreated animals) were the control groups. On the 1st neonatal day, pups were perfused with intracardiac fixative solution under anesthesia, and newborn cerebellums were dissected surgically for light and electron microscopic studies.Results In an immunohistochemical study using Rat-401 monoclonal antibody and peroxidase, the intermediate filament nestin was detected in the developing cerebellar tissue. Histologically, normal migration and cerebellar maturation were determined in the newborn rat cerebellum in the control and sham-operated groups. It was observed that the morphological structure of the cerebellar cortex in the experimental group was compromised in the early embryonal period. In contrast to the control and sham groups, it was found that nestin (+) cell density was increased in the experimental epilepsy group.Conclusions It has been concluded that epileptic convulsions during embryonic life may cause early neurogenesis and delayed maturation, which explains the harmful effects of epileptic grand mal seizures, hypoxia, and obstetric trauma to the embryo at the early stage of neuronal differentiation. However, further studies are necessary to investigate epileptic pregnant phenomena and to characterize the possible relationship between epilepsy and congenital malformations as well as mental retardation.     

唑尼沙胺对戊四氮致痫小鼠认知功能的影响

目的探讨唑尼沙胺(ZNS)对癫痫小鼠的认知功能影响及抗癫痫作用。方法利用戊四氮(PTZ)致痫小鼠模型,通过Morris水迷宫实验、神经元特异性烯醇化酶(NSE)及海马组织形态学的改变,观察ZNS对癫痫小鼠的认知功能影响及抗癫痫作用。结果正常组小鼠无惊厥发作,血清NSE水平在正常范围,海马组织结构正常;癫痫组惊厥出现时间早,发作程度重,血清NSE水平明显高于其它两组,海马组织结构紊乱、疏松;ZNS组惊厥出现时间晚,发作程度轻,血清NSE水平略高于正常组而显著低于癫痫组,海马组织结构无显著变化。结论 ZNS有明确抗癫痫作用,通过控制癫痫发作,有效的改善致痫小鼠的认知功能。     

Acute effect of penicillin G on feline models of focal epilepsy

Penicillin is well known as a potent convulsive agent. A cortical topical, intracerebral or systemic administration of penicillin produces abnormal and paroxysmal activity which may lead to seizure, and has been used in the investigation of the mechanisms of epilepsy. This is a report on the studies of an acute effect of potassium penicillin G on two models of experimental focal epilepsy: a) amygdaloid kindling model, and b) kainic acid-induced limbic seizure model. Twelve adult cats for amygdaloid kindling model (kindling group), six for KA-induced limbic seizure model (KA group) and four for a control group were prepared for this study. In kindling group, after completion of kindling procedure, 40-60 X 10(4) unit/kg of potassium penicillin G (PC), dissolved in sterilized normal saline, was injected intraperitoneally during an interictal period. In KA group, 1 micrograms of KA was injected into the left amygdala. Limbic seizures occurred frequently during the initial 5 hours but subsided completely within 3 days. After a latent period, spontaneous secondarily generalized convulsion occurred from 30 to 60 days after KA injection. The cats were completely normal in their behavior during the interictal period. During the interictal stage after the first generalized convulsion has been observed, 15-20 X 10(4) unit/kg of PC was injected intraperitoneally. In the control group, 40-60 X 10(4) unit/kg was injected intraperitoneally. Electroclinical observations were continued until 5 hours after PC injection in three groups. In the control group, no cats developed generalized convulsion. In the kindling group, 4 of 12 cats developed focal amygdaloid seizures with secondary generalization by nearly the identical doses required in the control group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The effects of ethanol intake and withdrawal on penicillin-induced epileptiform activity in rats

Previous experiments have shown that ethanol may have either pro-convulsive or anti-convulsive effects on epileptic activity in different experimental epilepsy models. In this study, the effect of low dose ethanol and its withdrawal on penicillin-induced epileptiform activity in rat was investigated. Eight groups of adult, male Wistar rats were studied: (1) control, (2) penicillin pretreated (500 units), (3) alpha-tocopherol (500 mg/kg, i.m.), (4) penicillin pretreated+alpha-tocopherol, (5) ethanol-treated (3g/kg, per day, for 15 days, intragastrically)+penicillin, (6) ethanol-treated+penicillin+alpha-tocopherol, (7) ethanol withdrawal+penicillin, (8) ethanol withdrawal+penicillin+alpha-tocopherol. Each animal group was composed of seven rats. The epileptiform activity was verified by electrocorticographic (ECoG) recordings. The epileptiform activity was induced by microinjection of penicillin into the left sensorimotor cortex. Administration of ethanol (3g/kg, per day, for 15 days, intragastrically) did not change either frequency or amplitude of penicillin-induced epileptiform activity. The frequency and amplitude of epileptiform activity were evaluated 40 h after the last ethanol administration in withdrawal groups. There was no significant change in the mean frequency and amplitude of epileptiform activity compared with penicillin pretreated and ethanol-treated groups. The effective dose of alpha-tocopherol (500 mg/kg, i.m.) significantly decreased the mean frequency of epileptiform activity in the 60, 70, and 120 min after alpha-tocopherol injection in penicillin pretreated, ethanol-treated, ethanol withdrawal groups, respectively. However, alpha-tocopherol did not affect the amplitude of epileptiform activity in all groups. In conclusion, the present results indicate that low dose of ethanol does not have either anticonvulsive or proconvulsive effect on penicillin-induced epileptiform activity. alpha-Tocopherol has anti-convulsive effect on penicillin-induced epileptiform activity in effective dose.     

Detailed spectral profile analysis of penicillin-induced epileptiform activity in anesthetized rats

Penicillin model is a widely used experimental model for epilepsy research. In the present study we aimed to portray a detailed spectral analysis of penicillin-induced epileptiform activity in comparison with basal brain activity in anesthetized Wistar rats. Male Wistar rats were anesthetized with i.p. urethane and connected to an electrocorticogram setup. After a short period of basal activity recording, epileptic focus was induced by injecting 400IU/2 microl penicillin-G potassium into the left lateral ventricle while the cortical activity was continuously recorded. Basal activity, latent period and the penicillin-induced epileptiform activity periods were then analyzed using both conventional methods and spectral analysis. Spectral analyses were conducted by dividing the whole spectrum into different frequency bands including delta, theta (slow and fast), alpha-sigma, beta (1 and 2) and gamma (1 and 2) bands. Our results show that the most affected frequency bands were delta, theta, beta-2 and gamma-2 bands during the epileptiform activity and there were marked differences in terms of spectral densities between three investigated episodes (basal activity, latent period and epileptiform activity). Our results may help to analyze novel data obtained using similar experimental models and the simple analysis method described here can be used in similar studies to investigate the basic neuronal mechanism of this or other types of experimental epilepsies.     

Seizures induced by penicillin microinjections in the mesencephalic tegmentum

The location and extension of a convulsive area in the brain stem in cats was determined through penicillin microinjections (0.5-1.0 microl) of a concentrated sodium penicillin solution (500 IU/microl), stereotactically oriented to multiple structures, in fully awake animals, partially restrained through a rod fixation system that avoided pain, allowed the observation of clinical seizures and simultaneous recording of EEG, EMG and multiple unit activity (MUA) from the injected site and the motor cortex (Cx). Clinical and EEG seizure patterns in relation to the injected sites and penicillin doses were studied in another group of animals using doses from 12.5 IU/0.1 microl to 125 IU/1.0 microl. The time relationship between muscular clonus, EEG spikes and MUA at the injected site and Cx were analyzed. The only area in which penicillin induced seizures was the mesencephalic tegmentum (MT). The amount of penicillin but not the stereotactic coordinates determined the seizure type. MT EEG and MUA paroxysms anticipated clinical seizure and Cx EEG spikes. When Cx EEG appeared, they were accompanied by an increase in MUA beginning in the Cx and EMG, followed by significant increase in MT MUA. The sequence of events suggest that MT seizure activity propagates via alternative pathways not involving direct reticulospinal or pyramidal tract pathways.