The pilocarpine model of epilepsy in mice.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize the acute and chronic behavioral, electrographic and histologic effects of sustained seizures induced by pilocarpine in mice.


METHODS
After status epilepticus, the surviving animals were continuously monitored for 24 h/day for < or = 120 days. The brains were processed by using neo-Timm and Nissl stains.


RESULTS
The first spontaneous seizures occurred between 4 and 42 days after status epilepticus. The mean "seizure-silent period" lasted for 14.4 +/- 11.9 days. During the chronic phase, recurrent spontaneous seizures were observed 1-5 times per animal per week and were associated with sprouting in the supragranular layer of the dentate gyrus.


CONCLUSIONS
Structural brain damage promoted by pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus may underlie or be associated with recurrent spontaneous seizures in mice.
Cavalheiro
E A
EA
Neurologia Experimental, UNIFESP-EPM, São Paulo, Brasil.
Santos
N F
NF
Priel
M R
MR
D000818:Animals; D004396:Coloring Agents; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology*; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010862:Pilocarpine; D012008:Recurrence; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology
D004396:Coloring Agents; D010862:Pilocarpine