title: Vigabatrin has antiepileptogenic and antidepressant effects in an animal model of epilepsy and depression comorbidity.
abstract: To evaluate the effects of Vigabatrin (VGB) treatment, on both absence seizure and depressive-like behaviour development in the WAG/Rij rat model of absence seizures. Early long-term treatment with VGB could alter the development of absence pathology, by significantly reducing seizure generation and synchronization in contrast to its pro-absence effects observed after acute or subchronic administration. We have demonstrated the antidepressant effects of a sub-chronic treatment with VGB in both wistar and WAG/Rij rats. In contrast, following an early long-term treatment, VGB antidepressant effects were only observable in WAG/Rij rats. In conclusion, VGB has antiepileptogenic and antidepressant properties in the WAG/Rij rat model despite its pro-absence effects suggesting that epilepsy and depression, in this animal model, are directly related and that seizure development inhibition also reduces the development of depressive behaviour.
authors.affiliation: Chair of Pharmacology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Catanzaro, Italy. erusso@unicz.it
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Citraro
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scicchitano
authors.forename: Agostina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Urzino
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marra
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rispoli
authors.forename: Giovambattista
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Sarro
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D046353:Immobility Response, Tonic / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D011922:Rats, Mutant Strains; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013550:Swimming / Q000523:psychology; D020888:Vigabatrin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D020888:Vigabatrin