Brain energy state and lactate metabolism during status epilepticus in the neonatal dog: in vivo 31P and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance study.

The purpose of these experiments was to determine whether flurothyl-induced status epilepticus causes progressive decline of brain high-energy phosphates and progressive increase in brain lactate in neonatal dogs who are paralyzed and oxygenated. In vivo 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic measurements showed that the fall in brain pH occurred early in the course of seizure. The decline in phosphocreatine was more gradual, i.e. 50% reduction, during the 1st h of seizure. There was no reduction in ATP during the 3 h of status epilepticus. In vivo 1H nuclear magnetic resonance measurement of brain lactate disclosed a steep rise that stabilized by 60 min. Brain and blood lactate were closely related during the initial phase of seizure, suggesting rapid efflux of lactate from brain or systemic production of lactate. Blood lactate exceeded brain lactate after 1 h of status epilepticus. The new steady state for cerebral phosphocreatine and lactate during status epilepticus was achieved much more slowly during neonatal status epilepticus than has been reported during status epilepticus in the adult experimental animal. The lack of change in ATP during 3 h of seizure indicates that brain energy state is not radically altered during prolonged seizure if oxygenation is maintained.