Alumina cream-induced focal motor epilepsy in cats. IV. Thickness and cellularity of layers in the perilesional motor cortex.

Thickness and cellularity of motor cortical layers adjacent to epileptogenic lesions produced by administration of alumina cream (AC) were measured in the brains of 18 cats that were at latent, convulsive, and remissive stages of an experimental model of epilepsy. Sham-operated animals were used as controls. Brains were fixed by perfusion and embedded in paraffin. Sections of motor cortex adjacent to the AC deposit were obtained at constant thickness to measure thickness and cellularity in each cortical layer. A statistically significant reduction in thickness and cellularity was detected in layers 2, 4, and 6, whereas reduction in these aspects was not significant in layers 3 and 5 in the initial stages of the model (latent and convulsive). It is suggested that AC may exert a cytotoxic effect on inhibitory neurons located at layers 2 and 4, to determine an imbalance of intracortical excitability.