Ameliorative effect of pioglitazone on seizure responses in genetically epilepsy-susceptible EL mice

Pioglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ agonist, delayed the development of seizure responses and mildly shortened the duration of convulsion of genetically epileptic EL mice. mRNA levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α before seizure and mRNA levels of IL-6 and TNF-α after seizure were decreased in the brains of the mice with pioglitazone. These results suggest that pioglitazone may have ameliorative effects on epileptic seizure responses partly through the reduction of inflammatory responses in the brain.