Dedeurwaerdere Stefanie, Boon Paul, De Smedt Tim, Claeys Pieter, Raedt Robrecht, Bosman Tommy, Van Hese Peter, Van Maele Georges, Vonck Kristl
Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Neurophysiology and Reference Centre for Refractory Epilepsy, Department of Neurology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
Seizure. 2005 Sep;14(6):403-11. doi: 10.1016/j.seizure.2005.07.001.
In Genetic Absence Epilepsy Rats from Strasbourg (GAERS), age-related absence seizures start to appear from postnatal day (PN) 30 concomitant with 'spike and wave discharges' (SWDs) appearing on cortical EEG recordings. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of early chronic levetiracetam (LEV) treatment on the development of SWDs in young and adult GAERS.
From PN 23 until PN 60, LEV (54 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered once daily to GAERS (n=8), while control GAERS (n=7) received saline (0.9% NaCl, i.p.). All animals were implanted with four epidural EEG electrodes at PN 51. EEG was recorded for 3h daily, during the last 4 days of the treatment (PN 57-PN 60) and during 4 additional days after treatment had been terminated (PN 61-PN 64). The animals were monitored again at the age of 4 months (PN 120-PN 124), about 2 months after the last administration of LEV.
During treatment, epileptiform events in the LEV group were significantly reduced (62%, P<0.05) in comparison with the control group. During the following 4 days, epileptiform events were reduced in the LEV group, with an average difference of 53% (P=0.064). Once the animals had reached adult age, there was no difference in epileptiform events between the LEV group and controls.
In this study, chronic LEV administration induced a reduction in epileptiform events in young GAERS. This effect persisted to some extent after treatment cessation (PN 61-PN 64), which might indicate a slowing down of epileptogenic processes. However, at the age of 4 months all animals revealed a similar expression of epileptiform discharges.
在来自斯特拉斯堡的遗传性失神癫痫大鼠（GAERS）中，与年龄相关的失神发作从出生后第30天（PN30）开始出现，同时在皮质脑电图记录上出现“棘波和慢波放电”（SWDs）。本研究的目的是探讨早期长期服用左乙拉西坦（LEV）对年轻和成年GAERS中SWDs发展的影响。
从PN23至PN60，每天一次给GAERS（n = 8）腹腔注射LEV（54mg/kg），而对照GAERS（n = 7）接受生理盐水（0.9% NaCl，腹腔注射）。所有动物在PN51时植入四个硬膜外脑电图电极。在治疗的最后4天（PN57 - PN60）以及治疗终止后的另外4天（PN61 - PN64），每天记录脑电图3小时。在最后一次给予LEV约2个月后的4个月龄（PN120 - PN124）时再次监测这些动物。
在治疗期间，与对照组相比，LEV组的癫痫样事件显著减少（62%，P < 0.05）。在接下来的4天里，LEV组的癫痫样事件减少，平均差异为53%（P = 0.064）。一旦动物达到成年年龄，LEV组和对照组之间的癫痫样事件没有差异。
在本研究中，长期服用LEV可使年轻GAERS中的癫痫样事件减少。这种效应在治疗停止后（PN61 - PN64）仍在一定程度上持续，这可能表明致痫过程有所减缓。然而，在4个月龄时，所有动物的癫痫样放电表达相似。
