title: The pilocarpine model of epilepsy: what have we learned?
abstract: The systemic administration of a potent muscarinic agonist pilocarpine in rats promotes sequential behavioral and electrographic changes that can be divided into 3 distinct periods: (a) an acute period that built up progressively into a limbic status epilepticus and that lasts 24 h, (b) a silent period with a progressive normalization of EEG and behavior which varies from 4 to 44 days, and (c) a chronic period with spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRSs). The main features of the SRSs observed during the long-term period resemble those of human complex partial seizures and recurs 2-3 times per week per animal. Therefore, the pilocarpine model of epilepsy is a valuable tool not only to study the pathogenesis of temporal lobe epilepsy in human condition, but also to evaluate potential antiepileptogenic drugs. This review concentrates on data from pilocarpine model of epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Disciplina de Neurologia Experimental, Universidade Federal de São Paulo/Escola Paulista de Medicina, Rua Botucatu, 862, Edifício José Leal Prado, 04023-900 São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Fulvio A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Scorza
authors.forename: Ricardo M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Arida
authors.forename: Maria da Graça
authors.initials: Mda G
authors.lastname: Naffah-Mazzacoratti
authors.forename: Débora A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Scerni
authors.forename: Lineu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Calderazzo
authors.forename: Esper A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Cavalheiro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003645:Death, Sudden; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D018721:Muscarinic Agonists; D010862:Pilocarpine; D051381:Rats; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018721:Muscarinic Agonists; D010862:Pilocarpine