Neurobehavioral maturation of offspring from epileptic dams: Study in the rat lithium–pilocarpine model

In the present study, we explored the consequences of epilepsy on the neurobehavioral development of the offspring in a rat model of spontaneous epilepsy, the lithium–pilocarpine model of temporal lobe epilepsy not dependent on genetic factors and in animals not receiving any antiepileptic treatment. Status epilepticus was induced by lithium–pilocarpine in female rats. After the occurrence of spontaneous seizures the rats were mated and the neurobehavioral development of the offspring was explored. Rat pups were cross-fostered early after birth. We hence obtained pups born from or raised by epileptic or non-epileptic dams. On the dams, we performed a follow-up of maternal care during pregnancy. On the pups, we performed a follow-up of classical parameters of development such as body weight and eyelid opening, and subjected the pups to various tests representative of neurobehavioral maturation extending from postnatal day 4 (PD4) to PD30 (righting reflex, suspension time, negative geotaxis, open field, locomotor coordination and eight arm maze). Altogether our data show that rat pups born from or raised by epileptic dams develop as well as control pups raised by control dams. Intriguingly, pups born from lithium–pilocarpine exposed dams and raised by control mothers tend to have better scores than the two other groups in all tests. This indicates that the exposure to seizures during pregnancy is not harmful for the development of the fetus.