title: Hyperthermic seizures enhance responsiveness to pentylenetetrazole and induce cognitive dysfunction: protective effect of 3-alkynyl selenophene.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study we investigated the effect of pre-treatment with 3-alkynyl selenophene (3-ASP) against the increase in responsiveness to pentylenetetrazole [PTZ seizure threshold] and cognitive dysfunction induced by experimental febrile seizures (FS). The effects of 3-ASP were compared to those of diazepam (DZP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Young rats, at postnatal day 21, developed seizures after exposure to a stream of heated air to approximately 41°C. A non-spatial long-term memory and PTZ seizure threshold were determined 30 days after FS. The behavioural seizures were stereotyped followed by facial automatisms, often followed by body flexion. Young rats were pre-treated with 3-ASP (50 and 100mg/kg; per oral route), DZP (1 and 5mg/kg; intraperitoneally) or vehicle.
  
  
  RESULTS
  3-ASP and DZP pre-treatments were not effective in protecting against seizures induced by FS. 3-ASP pre-treatment protected against the increase in responsiveness to PTZ and cognitive dysfunction induced by FS. DZP pre-treatment was effective in protecting against the increase in responsiveness to PTZ, but not, against the impaired memory induced by FS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  3-ASP pre-treatment protected against impairment of memory performance in the step-down passive avoidance task and the increase in the susceptibility to seizures caused by FS early in life of rats.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Síntese, Reatividade e Avaliação Farmacológica e Toxicológica de Organocalcogênios, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ethel Antunes
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
authors.forename: Ana Cristina Guerra
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Bibiana Mozzaquatro
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Gai
authors.forename: Pietro M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Chagas
authors.forename: Juliano Alex
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Roehrs
authors.forename: Cristina Wayne
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Nogueira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003292:Convulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D003294:Seizures, Febrile / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D003292:Convulsants; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds; D003975:Diazepam; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole