title: The effect of Vitamin E on learning and memory deficits in intrahippocampal kainate-induced temporal lobe epilepsy in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Since temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is associated with learning and memory impairment, we investigated the beneficial effect of Vitamin E on the impaired learning and memory in the intrahippocampal kainate model of TLE in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were divided into sham, Vitamin E-treated sham, kainate, and Vitamin E-treated kainate. Intrahippocampal kainate was used for induction of epilepsy. Vitamin E was injected intraperitoneal (i.p.) at a dose of 200 mg/kg/day started 1 week before surgery until 1 h presurgery. Initial and step-through latencies in the passive avoidance test and alternation behavior percentage in Y-maze were finally determined in addition to measurement of some oxidative stress markers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Kainate injection caused a higher severity and rate of seizures and deteriorated learning and memory performance in passive avoidance paradigm and spontaneous alternation as an index of spatial recognition memory in Y-maze task. Intrahippocampal kainate also led to the elevation of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitrite and reduced activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD). Vitamin E pretreatment significantly attenuated severity and incidence rate of seizures, significantly improved retrieval and recall in passive avoidance, did not ameliorate spatial memory deficit in Y-maze, and lowered MDA and enhanced SOD activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin E improves passive avoidance learning and memory and part of its beneficial effect is due to its potential to mitigate hippocampal oxidative stress.
authors.affiliation: Neurophysiology Research Center, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kiasalari
authors.affiliation: Neurophysiology Research Center, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khalili
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Samaneh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shafiee
authors.affiliation: Neurophysiology Research Center, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehrdad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roghani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects*; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014810:Vitamin E; D007608:Kainic Acid
keywords: Kainate; Vitamin E; learning and memory; oxidative stress; temporal lobe epilepsy