Continuous local intrahippocampal delivery of adenosine reduces seizure frequency in rats with spontaneous seizures.
OBJECTIVE
Despite different treatment options for patients with refractory epilepsy such as epilepsy surgery and neurostimulation, many patients still have seizures and/or drug-related cerebral and systemic side effects. Local intracerebral delivery of antiepileptic compounds may represent a novel strategy with specific advantages such as the option of higher local doses and reduced side effects. In this study we evaluate the antiepileptic effect of local delivery of adenosine in the kainic acid rat model, a validated model for temporal lobe epilepsy.


METHODS
Fifteen rats, in which intraperitoneal kainic acid injection had induced spontaneous seizures, were implanted with a combination of depth electrodes and a cannula in both hippocampi. Cannulas were connected to osmotic minipumps to allow continuous hippocampal delivery. Rats were freely moving and permanently monitored by video-EEG (electroencephalography). Seizures were scored during 2 weeks of local hippocampal delivery of saline (baseline), followed by 2 weeks of local adenosine (6 mg/ml) (n = 10) or saline (n = 5) delivery (0.23 μl/h) (treatment). In 7 of 10 adenosine-treated rats, saline was also delivered during a washout period.


RESULTS
During the treatment period a mean daily seizure frequency reduction of 33% compared to the baseline rate was found in adenosine-treated rats (p < 0.01). Four rats had a seizure frequency reduction of at least 50%. Both nonconvulsive and convulsive seizures significantly decreased during the treatment period. In the saline-control group, mean daily seizure frequency increased with 35% during the treatment period.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates the antiseizure effect of continuous adenosine delivery in the hippocampi in rats with spontaneous seizures.
Van Dycke
Annelies
A
Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium. Annelies.VanDycke@UGent.be
Raedt
Robrecht
R
Dauwe
Ine
I
Sante
Tom
T
Wyckhuys
Tine
T
Meurs
Alfred
A
Vonck
Kristl
K
Wadman
Wytse
W
Boon
Paul
P
D000241:Adenosine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007608:Kainic Acid; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000241:Adenosine; D007608:Kainic Acid