Calpain-2 as a Treatment Target in Prenatal Stress-induced Epileptic Spasms in Infant Rats.

ABSTRACT: Stress can induce a serious epileptic encephalopathy that occurs during early infancy. Recent studies have revealed that prenatal stress exposure is a risk factor for the development of infantile spasms. Our previous work demonstrates that prenatal stress with betamethasone-induced alterations to the expression of the K+/Cl- co-transporter (KCC2) in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) interneurons lowers the seizure threshold in exposed animals. Here, we further investigated the mechanisms involved in this KCC2 dysfunction and explored possible treatment options. We stressed Sprague-Dawley rats prenatally and further treated dams with betamethasone on gestational day 15, which increases seizure susceptibility and NMDA (N-Methyl-D-aspartate)-triggered spasms on postnatal day 15. In this animal m

SUBMITTER: Kwon HH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6751866 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature