title: Effects of creatine and cyclocreatine supplementation on kainate induced injury in pre-pubescent rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate if energy precursor supplementation is neuroprotective in two neuroexcitotoxicity models; the kainate and the kainate followed by chronic phenobarbital models.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats in experiment 1 received 1% creatine or cyclocreatine chow from age (P) 21-65 days, underwent kainate induced status epilepticus on P35 and were compared, as adults, to kainate alone rats and to normal controls. Rats in experiment 2 received 1% creatine chow (P21-P85), underwent kainate status epilepticus on P35, received daily phenobarbital (or saline) injections (P36-P85) and were compared, as adults, to kainate, kainate-phenobarbital and to normal control rats that received regular chow.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In experiment 1, the cyclocreatine-kainate group had increased emotionality and visuospatial learning deficits on the handling and watermaze tests as compared to all other groups. Creatine supplementation did not have any effects. In experiment 2, creatine supplementation did not prevent spontaneous recurrent seizures, aggressivity on the handling test or hippocampal histologic injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Energy precursor supplementation in the doses used did not have neuroprotective effects in the kainate or kainate-phenobarbital models in pre-pubescent rats.
authors.affiliation: Adult and Pediatric Epilepsy Program, Department of Pediatrics, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. mamikati@aub.edu.lb
authors.forename: Mohamad A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mikati
authors.forename: Rana M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Kurdit
authors.forename: Amal A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Rahmeh
authors.forename: Firas
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Farhat
authors.forename: Suha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abu Rialy
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lteif
authors.forename: Elie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Geha
authors.forename: Wael
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Maraashli
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D003401:Creatine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004644:Emotions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology; D007608:Kainic Acid; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010634:Phenobarbital; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012008:Recurrence; D012640:Seizures / Q000517:prevention & control; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; C012260:cyclocreatine; D003404:Creatinine; D003401:Creatine; D007608:Kainic Acid; D010634:Phenobarbital