title: Effects of adrenal dysfunction and high-dose adrenocorticotropic hormone on NMDA-induced spasm seizures in young Wistar rats.
abstract: Infantile spasms (IS) is a devastating epilepsy syndrome treated with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). To demonstrate the effects of adrenal dysfunction, adrenalectomy (ADX) and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)-induced rat model studies of IS were performed. The latency of the seizure in the ADX group decreased and the severity of seizures increased significantly. Hippocampal corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) mRNA was overexpressed in ADX rats. After ACTH administration, the latency increased and the severity of seizures decreased significantly. ADX increased seizure susceptibility of the rats to NMDA. Pretreatment with a single high dose of ACTH caused an obvious reduction in susceptibility to NMDA-induced seizures and suppressed CRH mRNA expression. These findings are especially useful for IS patients with adrenal diseases and worthy of further clinical study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, 301 Hospital, Beijing 100852, China.
authors.forename: Ya-Jie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xian-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Li-Ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Zou
mesh_terms: D000307:Adrenal Gland Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control; D013035:Spasm / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone