Biomaterial Database

The evolution of a rat model of chronic spontaneous limbic seizures. 1994

E H Bertram, and J F Cornett

Department of Neurology, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville 22908.

The evolution of untreated partial epilepsy is unknown. This study uses a newly developed model of chronic limbic epilepsy to determine whether seizures inexorably worsen in duration, frequency and behavioral accompaniment. The seizures begin following an episode of limbic status epilepticus induced by continuous electrical stimulation of the hippocampus, and they persist for more than a year (longest duration followed). We monitored 10 rats continuously with combined EEG and closed circuit television for 24 weeks following the first recorded spontaneous seizure. Seizure duration, behavioral accompaniment and frequency all intensified during the early stages, but the last 12-16 weeks of the study were characterized by a plateau for all measures. The results showed significant increases that occurred over the first 12 weeks only (P < 0.01 for duration and behavioral accompaniment, P < 0.05 for seizure frequency). These findings suggest that untreated epilepsy will undergo an early maturation process, but that once the seizures mature they remain stable over a prolonged period. It was also noted that 67% (P < 0.00001) of the seizures occurred during the day, suggesting that the sleep-wake cycle has a strong influence on the occurrence of seizures in this model of limbic epilepsy.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008032	Limbic System	A set of forebrain structures common to all mammals that is defined functionally and anatomically. It is implicated in the higher integration of visceral, olfactory, and somatic information as well as homeostatic responses including fundamental survival behaviors (feeding, mating, emotion). For most authors, it includes the AMYGDALA; EPITHALAMUS; GYRUS CINGULI; hippocampal formation (see HIPPOCAMPUS); HYPOTHALAMUS; PARAHIPPOCAMPAL GYRUS; SEPTAL NUCLEI; anterior nuclear group of thalamus, and portions of the basal ganglia. (Parent, Carpenter's Human Neuroanatomy, 9th ed, p744; NeuroNames, http://rprcsgi.rprc.washington.edu/neuronames/index.html (September 2, 1998)).	Limbic Systems,System, Limbic,Systems, Limbic
D002908	Chronic Disease	Diseases which have one or more of the following characteristics: they are permanent, leave residual disability, are caused by nonreversible pathological alteration, require special training of the patient for rehabilitation, or may be expected to require a long period of supervision, observation, or care (Dictionary of Health Services Management, 2d ed). For epidemiological studies chronic disease often includes HEART DISEASES; STROKE; CANCER; and diabetes (DIABETES MELLITUS, TYPE 2).	Chronic Condition,Chronic Illness,Chronically Ill,Chronic Conditions,Chronic Diseases,Chronic Illnesses,Condition, Chronic,Disease, Chronic,Illness, Chronic
D002940	Circadian Rhythm	The regular recurrence, in cycles of about 24 hours, of biological processes or activities, such as sensitivity to drugs or environmental and physiological stimuli.	Diurnal Rhythm,Nyctohemeral Rhythm,Twenty-Four Hour Rhythm,Nycthemeral Rhythm,Circadian Rhythms,Diurnal Rhythms,Nycthemeral Rhythms,Nyctohemeral Rhythms,Rhythm, Circadian,Rhythm, Diurnal,Rhythm, Nycthemeral,Rhythm, Nyctohemeral,Rhythm, Twenty-Four Hour,Rhythms, Circadian,Rhythms, Diurnal,Rhythms, Nycthemeral,Rhythms, Nyctohemeral,Rhythms, Twenty-Four Hour,Twenty Four Hour Rhythm,Twenty-Four Hour Rhythms
D004195	Disease Models, Animal	Naturally-occurring or experimentally-induced animal diseases with pathological processes analogous to human diseases.	Animal Disease Model,Animal Disease Models,Disease Model, Animal
D004558	Electric Stimulation	Use of electric potential or currents to elicit biological responses.	Stimulation, Electric,Electrical Stimulation,Electric Stimulations,Electrical Stimulations,Stimulation, Electrical,Stimulations, Electric,Stimulations, Electrical
D004569	Electroencephalography	Recording of electric currents developed in the brain by means of electrodes applied to the scalp, to the surface of the brain, or placed within the substance of the brain.	EEG,Electroencephalogram,Electroencephalograms
D004828	Epilepsies, Partial	Conditions characterized by recurrent paroxysmal neuronal discharges which arise from a focal region of the brain. Partial seizures are divided into simple and complex, depending on whether consciousness is unaltered (simple partial seizure) or disturbed (complex partial seizure). Both types may feature a wide variety of motor, sensory, and autonomic symptoms. Partial seizures may be classified by associated clinical features or anatomic location of the seizure focus. A secondary generalized seizure refers to a partial seizure that spreads to involve the brain diffusely. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp317)	Abdominal Epilepsy,Digestive Epilepsy,Epilepsy, Focal,Epilepsy, Simple Partial,Focal Seizure Disorder,Gelastic Epilepsy,Partial Epilepsy,Partial Seizure Disorder,Seizure Disorder, Partial,Simple Partial Seizures,Amygdalo-Hippocampal Epilepsy,Benign Focal Epilepsy, Childhood,Benign Occipital Epilepsy,Benign Occipital Epilepsy, Childhood,Childhood Benign Focal Epilepsy,Childhood Benign Occipital Epilepsy,Epilepsy, Benign Occipital,Epilepsy, Localization-Related,Epilepsy, Partial,Occipital Lobe Epilepsy,Panayiotopoulos Syndrome,Partial Seizures, Simple, Consciousness Preserved,Rhinencephalic Epilepsy,Seizure Disorder, Focal,Subclinical Seizure,Uncinate Seizures,Abdominal Epilepsies,Amygdalo-Hippocampal Epilepsies,Benign Occipital Epilepsies,Digestive Epilepsies,Disorders, Focal Seizure,Disorders, Partial Seizure,Epilepsies, Abdominal,Epilepsies, Amygdalo-Hippocampal,Epilepsies, Benign Occipital,Epilepsies, Digestive,Epilepsies, Focal,Epilepsies, Gelastic,Epilepsies, Localization-Related,Epilepsies, Occipital Lobe,Epilepsies, Rhinencephalic,Epilepsies, Simple Partial,Epilepsy, Abdominal,Focal Epilepsies,Focal Epilepsy,Focal Seizure Disorders,Gelastic Epilepsies,Lobe Epilepsy, Occipital,Localization-Related Epilepsies,Localization-Related Epilepsy,Occipital Epilepsies, Benign,Occipital Epilepsy, Benign,Occipital Lobe Epilepsies,Partial Epilepsies,Partial Epilepsies, Simple,Partial Seizure Disorders,Partial Seizures, Simple,Rhinencephalic Epilepsies,Seizure Disorders, Focal,Seizure Disorders, Partial,Seizure, Subclinical,Seizure, Uncinate,Seizures, Simple Partial,Seizures, Subclinical,Seizures, Uncinate,Simple Partial Epilepsies,Subclinical Seizures,Uncinate Seizure
D006624	Hippocampus	A curved elevation of GRAY MATTER extending the entire length of the floor of the TEMPORAL HORN of the LATERAL VENTRICLE (see also TEMPORAL LOBE). The hippocampus proper, subiculum, and DENTATE GYRUS constitute the hippocampal formation. Sometimes authors include the ENTORHINAL CORTEX in the hippocampal formation.	Ammon Horn,Cornu Ammonis,Hippocampal Formation,Subiculum,Ammon's Horn,Hippocampus Proper,Ammons Horn,Formation, Hippocampal,Formations, Hippocampal,Hippocampal Formations,Hippocampus Propers,Horn, Ammon,Horn, Ammon's,Proper, Hippocampus,Propers, Hippocampus,Subiculums
D000704	Analysis of Variance	A statistical technique that isolates and assesses the contributions of categorical independent variables to variation in the mean of a continuous dependent variable.	ANOVA,Analysis, Variance,Variance Analysis,Analyses, Variance,Variance Analyses
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia