| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3049717 | Epilepsy & Behavior | 2013 | 7 Pages |
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.
► A single clonic-tonic seizure episode induces a delayed slowly developing cognitive decline. ► The short-term memory is impaired. ► A seizure episode induces an increase in dentate cell proliferation. ► Excessive newly generated cells are eliminated by the time of cognitive decline. ► A long lag period of cognitive deficit onset provides a window for its prevention.
