Pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in developing rats prenatally exposed to valproic acid.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Epidemiological evidence indicates epilepsy is more common in patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) (20-25%) than in the general population. The aim of this project was to analyze seizure susceptibility in developing rats prenatally exposed to valproic acid (VPA) as autism model.

Methods

Pregnant females were injected with VPA during the twelfth embryonic day. Seizures were induced in fourteen-days-old rat pups using two models of convulsions: pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) and lithium-pilocarpine (Li-Pilo).

Results

Two subgroups with different PTZ-induced seizure susceptibility in rats exposed to VPA were found: a high susceptibility (VPA+) (28/42, seizure severity 5) and a low susceptibility (VPA-) (14/42, seizure severity 2). The VPA+ subgroup exhibite

SUBMITTER: Puig-Lagunes AA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5131616 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature