Influence of sex on the interaction between dizocilpine (MK-801) pretreatment and acute cold-restraint stress in epilepsy susceptibility in an animal study.
BACKGROUND
Stress is a part of our daily life, inducing neurochemical and neurophysiological changes in the central nervous system.


OBJECTIVE
The present study was designed to investigate the importance of sex differences in the interaction between dizocilpine (MK-801) pretreatment and acute cold-restraint stress (CRS) in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures in Swiss albino mice.


METHODS
A CRS protocol was applied to mice to investigate the interaction between MK-801 pretreatment (30 min before CRS) and stress (followed by PTZ injection) in epilepsy susceptibility. For this purpose, 6 groups were designated: (1) PTZ control group (received only PTZ); (2) stress group (received stress and PTZ); (3) saline group (received saline and PTZ); (4) MK-801 group (received MK-801 and PTZ); (5) saline + stress group (received saline, stress, and PTZ); and (6) MK-801 + stress group (received MK-801, stress, and PTZ).


RESULTS
Pretreatment with MK-801 (0.125, 0.25, 0.50 mg/kg) significantly potentiated the protective effect of stress in PTZ-induced (65 mg/kg) seizures in both sexes by prolonging the onset of myoclonic jerks and clonic convulsions. Male mice had a significantly greater delay in the onset of myoclonic jerks (males, 66.7-295.5 sec; females, 54.0-247.5 sec; P < 0.05) and clonic convulsions (males, 123.5-789.8 sec; females, 94.5-757.2 sec; P < 0.05) compared with female mice in all groups (ie, PTZ control, stress, saline, MK-801, saline + stress, and MK-801 + stress groups).


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this study in mice suggest the involvement of sex hormones in the interaction between MK-801 pretreatment and acute CRS in PTZ-induced seizures.
Inan
Salim Yalcin
SY
Department of Science, Tarsus American College, Tarsus, Mersin, Republic of Turkiye. salim.inan@gmail.com <salim.inan@gmail.com>
Aksu
Fazilet
F
D000818:Animals; D003080:Cold Temperature; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology; D004831:Epilepsies, Myoclonic / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D023421:Models, Animal; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole; D012149:Restraint, Physical; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole