Audiogenic seizures and neuronal deficits following early exposure to barbiturate

J. Yanai, A. Bergman, R. Shafer, G. Yedwab, B. Tabakoff

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

23 Scopus citations

Abstract

Sabra mice (n = 232) received phenobarbital (PhB) during the period of their prenatal development (PB group), or during the period of their neonatal development (NB group). PB mice received the barbiturate transplacentally by feeding their mothers PhB in their diet (3 g/kg food) on gestation days 9-18. NB mice received daily injections of PhB on postnatal days 2-21. On postnatal days 28-31 subjects were tested for their susceptibility to audiogenic seizures. Only 10% of the PB mice seized, a rate similar to the 13% of controls. However, the seizures rate of NB mice was three times higher than controls (37%, p<0.001). Sample groups were kept until day 50 and their brains removed and saved for quantitative histological analysis of the hippocampal neurons compared to controls (15%, p<0.01), and no deficit in the granule cells. On the other hand, NB mice sustained a 35% deficit in the number of the pyramidal cells (p<0.001) and a 21% deficit in the granule cells (p<0.01). The sensitive period for the neuronal damage corresponded with the sensitive period for changes in seizures. Although other parts of the brain are also involved in seizure, the correlation of the seizure with the hippocampus is important because the hippocampus is one of the major structures determining seizure.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)345-350
Number of pages6
JournalUnknown Journal
Volume4
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 1981

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