title: Zinc, magnesium and copper profiles in three experimental models of epilepsy.
abstract: Trace metals are involved in the mechanisms of CNS excitability, including epilepsy. In this study, atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used to determine concentrations of Mg(2+), Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) in plasma (microg/ml) and hair (microg/g) samples. Differential profiles of trace metals were detected in rats displaying three different kinds of seizures, i.e. acute audiogenic seizures (generalized tonic-clonic type GTC) and audiogenic kindling (limbic type; LS) in Wistar Audiogenic Rats (WARs) and electroshock-induced seizures (ES) in Wistar non-epileptic rats (resistant). Significantly lower Zn(2+) concentrations were observed in the plasma of WARs (0.80+/-0.02) compared with resistants (0.89+/-0.03) in the basal (non-seizing) condition. After GTC, WARs showed lower Zn(2+) levels (0.64+/-0.12) while both Mg(2+) (12.56+/-1.51) and Cu(2+) (0.81+/-0.14) were higher than in non-seizing WARs. After ES-induced seizures only Mg(2+) changed, being higher than in the basal condition (11.78+/-2.25 and 8.90+/-0.95). In hair, basal levels of Mg(2+) and Cu(2+) (192.49+/-36.73 and 13.33+/-1.76) were higher whereas Zn(2+) (136.53+/-15.67) was lower in WARs than in resistants. WARs submitted to 0, 3 and 25 stimuli presented higher Mg(2+) concentrations as the number of stimuli increased. In animals receiving the same number of stimuli, Zn(2+) levels were higher for animals displaying GTC (151.09+/-5.53) than those displaying LS (128.07+/-8.51). In conclusion, seizure type (limbic or generalized tonic-clonic) and number of stimuli seem to be the determinant factors for changes in Zn(2+) and Mg(2+) levels, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av Antonio Carlos, 6627, CEP 31270-901-Campus Pampulha, MG, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. carol@mono.icb.ufmg.br
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Doretto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Simões
authors.forename: A M R
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Paiva
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Osório-Neto
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D004597:Electroshock; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry; D007696:Kindling, Neurologic; D008274:Magnesium / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D051381:Rats; D011922:Rats, Mutant Strains; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood*; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014131:Trace Elements; D003300:Copper; D008274:Magnesium; D015032:Zinc