Quantitative characterization of proliferative cells subpopulations in the hilus of the hippocampus of adult Wistar rats: an integrative study.

The hilus plays an important role modulating the excitability of the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG). It also harbors proliferative cells whose proliferation rate is modified during pathological events. However, the characterization of these cells, in terms of cellular identity, lineage, and fate, as well as the morphology and proportion of each cell subpopulation has been poorly studied.

Effect of levetiracetam on extracellular amino acid levels in the dorsal hippocampus of rats with temporal lobe epilepsy.

Levetiracetam (LEV) is an anticonvulsant drug with a unique mechanism of action that is not completely understood. However, its activity profile may involve effects on excitatory and/or inhibitory neurotransmission since the primary target of LEV, synaptic vesicle protein 2A, is ubiquitously expressed in all types of synaptic vesicles. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to explore the effect of LEV (300 mg/kg/day for one week, administered via osmotic mini-pumps) on neurotransmitter release and its probable selective effect on extracellular gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), glutamate (Glu), aspartate (Asp), glutamine (Gln), taurine (Tau) and glycine (Gly) concentrations (using in vivo microdialysis under basal and high-K conditions) in the dorsal hippocampus (DH), a region that undergoes major synaptic changes during epilepsy.