title: Seizure susceptibility & intra rectal sodium valproate induced recovery in developing undernourished rats.
abstract: The seizure threshold and therapeutic potential of intrarectal sodium valproate were studied in young developing normal and undernourished rats, using the penicillin model. Undernourished rats were highly susceptible to seizure discharge. They exhibited generalised electrocortical inhibition and repeated episodes of epileptic discharges even after temporary neuronal recovery. Delayed spontaneous and drug induced neuronal recovery, low spike frequency and amplitude (P less than 0.001) reduced background EEG and marked electrocortical silence in response to intrarectal (25 mg/kg) sodium valproate treatment, was observed in the undernourished animals. Rehabilitated animals exhibited partial neuronal recovery which was related to the improvement in body weight. Analysis of spike frequency, spike amplitude and neuronal recovery time showed that both normal and undernourished animals behaved in a similar fashion at lower doses of penicillin (2.5 to 15 IU). Significant differences in the electrophysiological parameters were observed between the two groups at higher doses of penicillin (20 to 30 IU).
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Behari
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Maheshwari
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Selvamurthy
mesh_terms: D000285:Administration, Rectal; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D004056:Differential Threshold; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D051381:Rats; D012016:Reference Values; D012640:Seizures / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014635:Valproic Acid