The latency to awake from induced-obstructive sleep apnea is reduced in rats with chronic epilepsy.

OSA is known to increase the risk for SUDEP in persons with epilepsy, but the relationship between these two factors is not clear. Also, there is no study showing the acute responses to obstructive apnea in a chronic epilepsy model. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize cardiorespiratory responses to obstructive apnea and chemoreceptor stimulation in rats.

Alterations in aortic vasorelaxation in rats with epilepsy induced by the electrical amygdala kindling model.

Cardiovascular alterations are frequently related to epilepsy in both clinical and experimental models, and have been hypothesized as a potential contributor to sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Further, the frequency of generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS) is a primary risk factor for SUDEP. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the vascular response of rats subjected to the electrical amygdala kindling model of epilepsy.

Performance and serum parameters of calves (Bos taurus) subject to milk restriction associated with supplementation with 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanoic acid.

Our aim with this study was to evaluate the consumption, performance, quantitative characteristics of carcasses, biochemical profile, plasma levels of ghrelin and leptin, expression of the receptor for ghrelin (GHS-R1a) in the hypothalamus and duodenum, and the number of goblet cells in the duodenum of calves subjected to milk volume restriction and supplemented with 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanoic acid (HMTBa). We used 21 Holstein mixed-breed calves, aged between 3 and 15 d with an average weight of 36.8 kg, and housed in pens with troughs for hay, concentrate, and water.

The number and periodicity of seizures induce cardiac remodeling and changes in micro-RNA expression in rats submitted to electric amygdala kindling model of epilepsy.

Generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS) are the main risk factor for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Also, among the several mechanisms underlying SUDEP there is the cardiac dysfunction. So, we aimed to evaluate the impact of the number of seizures on heart function and morphology in rats with epilepsy.

Chronic apnea during REM sleep increases arterial pressure and sympathetic modulation in rats.

Study Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea can induce hypertension. Apneas in REM may be particularly problematic: they are independently associated with hypertension. We examined the role of sleep stage and awakening on acute cardiovascular responses to apnea.

Antiepileptic effects of long-term intracerebroventricular infusion of angiotensin-(1-7) in an animal model of temporal lobe epilepsy.

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most frequent type of epilepsy and is often refractory to pharmacological treatment. In this scenario, extensive research has identified components of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) as potential therapeutic targets. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of long-term treatment with angiotensin-(1-7) [Ang-(1-7)] in male Wistar rats with TLE induced by pilocarpine (PILO).

Corrigendum: The Blood-Brain Barrier Breakdown During Acute Phase of the Pilocarpine Model of Epilepsy Is Dynamic and Time-Dependent.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.

The Blood-Brain Barrier Breakdown During Acute Phase of the Pilocarpine Model of Epilepsy Is Dynamic and Time-Dependent.

The maintenance of blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity is essential for providing a suitable environment for nervous tissue function. BBB disruption is involved in many central nervous system diseases, including epilepsy. Evidence demonstrates that BBB breakdown may induce epileptic seizures, and conversely, seizure-induced BBB disruption may cause further epileptic episodes.

Milk restriction or oligosaccharide supplementation in calves improves compensatory gain and digestive tract development without changing hormone levels.

We estimated the effect of oligosaccharide supplementation and feed restriction on calves. The study was divided into two experimental periods of 28 days each with 20 crossbred calves that had initial body weight of 37 Kg and housed in individual pens. The animals were split in four experimental groups: animals fed 6 L milk/day (CON) in the two periods, animals fed milk restricted (3 L milk/day) in the first period and followed by CON feeding in the second period (RES), animals receiving supplementation of 5 g/day of mannanoligosaccharide (MOS) and animals receiving supplementation of 5 g/day mannan and frutoligosaccharide (MFOS).

Role of dorsal raphe nucleus GHS-R1a receptors in the regulation of inhibitory avoidance and escape behaviors in rats.

Ghrelin is a recently discovered peptide, mainly produced in the stomach and involved in body's energy-maintenance processes. Ghrelin exerts its actions by activating the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R). Recent analyses indicate that ghrelin targets the brain to regulate a wealth of functions, including behavioral responses that have been associated with stress and anxiety mechanisms.

Coronary vasodilation impairment in pilocarpine model of epilepsy.

We investigated the coronary arteries reactivity alterations in rats with epilepsy induced by pilocarpine. To do so, male Wistar rats weighing between 250 g and 300 g were used. Status epilepticus (SE) was induced in rats using 385 mg/kg (i.

Long-term monotherapy treatment with vitamin E reduces oxidative stress, but not seizure frequency in rats submitted to the pilocarpine model of epilepsy.

The imbalance between antioxidant system and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation is related to epileptogenesis, neuronal death, and seizure frequency. Treatment with vitamin E has been associated with neuroprotection and control of seizures. In most experimental studies, vitamin E treatment has short duration.

Ghrelin potentiates cardiac reactivity to stress by modulating sympathetic control and beta-adrenergic response.

Unlabelled: Prior evidence indicates that ghrelin is involved in the integration of cardiovascular functions and behavioral responses. Ghrelin actions are mediated by the growth hormone secretagogue receptor subtype 1a (GHS-R1a), which is expressed in peripheral tissues and central areas involved in the control of cardiovascular responses to stress.

Aims: In the present study, we assessed the role of ghrelin - GHS-R1a axis in the cardiovascular reactivity to acute emotional stress in rats.

Furthering our understanding of SUDEP: the role of animal models.

Sudden and unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is the most common type of death among patients with epilepsy. Here, we address the importance of the experimental models in search of the mechanisms underlying SUDEP. Most studies have investigated the cardiovascular responses in animal models of epilepsy.

Hippocampal plasticity in rats submitted to a gastric restrictive procedure.

Bariatric surgery has been the most effective therapeutic intervention for morbidly obese patients. However, recent evidence has shown that this procedure may cause serious neurological complications such as Wernicke encephalopathy, depression, and memory impairment. With this in mind, we conducted an experimental study to investigate whether weight-reduction surgery would promote morphological changes in the hippocampal formation, a brain region linked to cognitive and emotional processes.

Repeated amygdala-kindled seizures induce ictal rebound tachycardia in rats.

It is thought that cardiovascular changes may contribute to sudden death in patients with epilepsy. To examine cardiovascular alterations that occur during epileptogenesis, we measured the heart rate of rats submitted to the electrical amygdala kindling model. Heart rate was recorded before, during, and after the induced seizures.

Carbamazepine does not alter the intrinsic cardiac function in rats with epilepsy.

Among the causes for sudden unexpected death (SUDEP) in epilepsy, the effects of antiepileptic drugs on the heart have been poorly explored. Based on this, the aim of our study was to evaluate the heart rate (in vivo and isolated ex vivo) and ventricular pressure (isolated ex vivo) of rats with and without epilepsy treated with carbamazepine. Four groups of adult, male Wistar rats (200-250 g) were studied: [A] control rats (n=8), received neither pilocarpine nor carbamazepine [B] carbamazepine-treated rats (n=8), received a daily dose of 120 mg/Kg, i.

Whole transcriptome analysis of the hippocampus: toward a molecular portrait of epileptogenesis.

Background: Uncovering the molecular mechanisms involved in epileptogenesis is critical to better understand the physiopathology of epilepsies and to help develop new therapeutic strategies for this prevalent and severe neurological condition that affects millions of people worldwide.

Results: Changes in the transcriptome of hippocampal cells from rats subjected to the pilocarpine model of epilepsy were evaluated by microarrays covering 34,000 transcripts representing all annotated rat genes to date. Using such genome-wide approach, differential expression of nearly 1,400 genes was detected during the course of epileptogenesis, from the early events post status epilepticus (SE) to the onset of recurrent spontaneous seizures.

Is cold the new hot in sudden unexpected death in epilepsy? Effect of low temperature on heart rate of rats with epilepsy.

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is the commonest cause of seizure-related mortality in people with refractory epilepsy. Several risk factors for SUDEP are described; however, the importance of including low temperatures as risk factor for SUDEP was never explored. Based on this, the aim of this study was to evaluate the heart rate of rats with epilepsy during low temperature exposure.

Preventing tomorrow's sudden cardiac death in epilepsy today: what should physicians know about this?

Approximately 1% of the population has epilepsy, the most common neurological disorder. Moreover, people with epilepsy are more likely to die prematurely than those without epilepsy, and the most common epilepsy-related category of death is sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Information concerning risk factors for SUDEP is conflicting, but potential risk factors include: age, early onset of epilepsy, duration of epilepsy, uncontrolled seizures, seizure frequency, number of antiepileptic drugs and winter temperatures.

Expression of vitamin D receptor mRNA in the hippocampal formation of rats submitted to a model of temporal lobe epilepsy induced by pilocarpine.

Vitamin D (VD), is a steroid hormone with multiple functions in the central nervous system (CNS), producing numerous physiological effects mediated by its receptor (VDR). Clinical and experimental studies have shown a link between VD dysfunction and epilepsy. Along these lines, the purpose of our work was to analyze the relative expression of VDR mRNA in the hippocampal formation of rats during the three periods of pilocarpine-induced epilepsy.