Effects of repeated electroconvulsive shock seizures and pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus on emotional behavior in the rat

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2009

Authors

Armando Cardoso (Author) FMUP; Liliana S Carvalho (Author) Other; Elena A Lukoyanova (Author) Other; Nikolai V Lukoyanov (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: EPILEPSY & BEHAVIOR

Vol. 14

Pages: 293-299

ISSN: 1525-5050

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 30 Citations

Scopus - 32 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Clinical medicine

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-NDV

DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2008.11.004

Abstract (EN): Affective symptoms are frequently observed in patients with epilepsy. Although the etiology of these behavioral complications remains unknown, it is possible that brain damage associated with frequent or prolonged seizures may contribute to their development. To address this issue, we examined the behavioral sequelae of repeated brief seizures evoked by electroconvulsive shock (ECS) and compared them with those resulting from prolonged status epilepticus (SE) induced with pilocarpine. Using the open-field and elevated plus-maze tests, we detected the presence of behavioral alterations indicative of elevated levels of anxiety in rats that were administered a course of ECS seizures. Fear conditioning was also enhanced in these animals. However, the rats that had experienced SE exhibited less anxiety-like behavior than controls and were severely impaired in fear conditioning. These results support the notion that brain lesions caused by either brief repeated seizures or SE is Sufficient to induce some affective disturbances.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 7