title: Domoic acid induced status epilepticus promotes aggressive behavior in rats.
abstract: Domoic acid (DA), a naturally occurring environmental toxin, has been observed to induce status epilepticus in humans, sea lions and pelicans. In a recent Sprague Dawley rat model, domoic acid dosing induced a state of status epilepticus which, after a symptom-free latent period without further dosing, progressed to recurrent spontaneous seizures, a hallmark of epilepsy. Certain individuals in this study also developed unusual behavioral changes, in particular an atypical aggression towards conspecifics. In this report we characterized the progression of aggressive behaviors after DA-induced status epilepticus and explored the relationship between aggressive behavior and recurrent spontaneous seizures. Experimental studies in this laboratory rat model are particularly relevant to California sea lions (Zapholus californianus), which show a spectrum of both epileptic and unusual behaviors, including aggression towards conspecifics in rehabilitation facilities, weeks to months after suspected exposure to domoic acid in the wild.
authors.affiliation: National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research, 219 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer Maucher
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fuquay
authors.forename: Noah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Muha
authors.forename: Paul L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Pennington
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ramsdell
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009498:Neurotoxins; C012301:domoic acid; D007608:Kainic Acid