International veterinary epilepsy task force recommendations for systematic sampling and processing of brains from epileptic dogs and cats.
Traditionally, histological investigations of the epileptic brain are required to identify epileptogenic brain lesions, to evaluate the impact of seizure activity, to search for mechanisms of drug-resistance and to look for comorbidities. For many instances, however, neuropathological studies fail to add substantial data on patients with complete clinical work-up. This may be due to sparse training in epilepsy pathology and or due to lack of neuropathological guidelines for companion animals.The protocols introduced herein shall facilitate systematic sampling and processing of epileptic brains and therefore increase the efficacy, reliability and reproducibility of morphological studies in animals suffering from seizures.Brain dissection protocols of two neuropathological centres with research focus in epilepsy have been optimised with regards to their diagnostic yield and accuracy, their practicability and their feasibility concerning clinical research requirements.The recommended guidelines allow for easy, standardised and ubiquitous collection of brain regions, relevant for seizure generation. Tissues harvested the prescribed way will increase the diagnostic efficacy and provide reliable material for scientific investigations.
Section of Clinical and Comparative Neuropathology, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Veterinärstr. 13, 80539, Munich, Germany. kaspar.matiasek@neuropathologie.de.
Kaspar
K
Matiasek
Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Veterinary Faculty, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus UAB Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain. marti.pumarola@uab.cat.
Martí
M
Pumarola I Batlle
Section of Clinical and Comparative Neuropathology, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Veterinärstr. 13, 80539, Munich, Germany. marco.rosati@neuropathologie.de.
Marco
M
Rosati
Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Veterinary Faculty, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus UAB Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain. Francisco.Fernandez.Flores@uab.cat.
Francisco
F
Fernández-Flores
Department of Animal and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark. andreafischer@lmu.de.
Andrea
A
Fischer
Section of Clinical and Comparative Neuropathology, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Veterinärstr. 13, 80539, Munich, Germany. eva.wagner@neuropathologie.de.
Eva
E
Wagner
Department of Animal and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark. mbe@sund.ku.dk.
Mette
M
Berendt
Department of Small Animal Medicine and Clinical Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, Merelbeke, 9820, Belgium. sofie.bhatti@ugent.be.
Sofie F M
SF
Bhatti
Animal Health Trust, Lanwades Park, Kentford, Newmarket, CB8 7UU, Suffolk, UK. luisa.derisio@aht.org.uk.
Luisa
L
De Risio
Fernside Veterinary Centre, 205 Shenley Road, Borehamwood, SG9 0TH, Hertfordshire, UK. robyn.fernside@googlemail.com.
Robyn G
RG
Farquhar
University of Melbourne, 250 Princes Highway, Weibee, 3015, VIC, Australia. snlong@unimelb.edu.au.
Sam
S
Long
North Carolina State University, 1052 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA. krmunana@ncsu.edu.
Karen
K
Muñana
University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, D426 Veterinary Medical Center, 1352 Boyd Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA. patte037@umn.edu.
Edward E
EE
Patterson
Clinical Unit of Internal Medicine Small Animals, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria. akos.pakozdy@vetmeduni.ac.at.
Akos
A
Pakozdy
Vet Extra Neurology, Broadleys Veterinary Hospital, Craig Leith Road, Stirling, FK7 7LE, Stirlingshire, UK. jacques.penderis@vet-neurology.co.uk.
Jacques
J
Penderis
College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 501 DW Brooks Drive, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. srplatt@uga.edu.
Simon
S
Platt
Chicago Veterinary Neurology and Neurosurgery, 3123 N. Clybourn Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60618, USA. mpodell@comcast.net.
Michael
M
Podell
Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximillians-University, Königinstr. 16, 80539, Munich, Germany. potschka@pharmtox.vetmed.uni-muenchen.de.
Heidrun
H
Potschka
Fitzpatrick Referrals, Halfway Lane, Eashing, Godalming, GU7 2QQ, Surrey, UK. ClareR@fitzpatrickreferrals.co.uk.|School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7TE, Surrey, UK. ClareR@fitzpatrickreferrals.co.uk.
Clare
C
Rusbridge
Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 9, 30559, Hannover, Germany. Veronika.Stein@tiho-hannover.de.
Veronika M
VM
Stein
Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 9, 30559, Hannover, Germany. Andrea.Tipold@tiho-hannover.de.
Andrea
A
Tipold
Department of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, AL9 7TA, Hertfordshire, UK. hvolk@rvc.ac.uk.
Holger A
HA
Volk
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D002415:Cats; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000662:veterinary*