Rats with Malformations of Cortical Development Exhibit Decreased Length of AIS and Hypersensitivity to Pilocarpine-Induced Status Epilepticus.
Malformations of cortical development (MCD) are critical brain development disorders associated with varied abnormalities in both anatomic structures and neural functioning. It is also a very common etiology to the epilepsy, in which the alteration on excitability of cortical neurons is hypothesized as one of important causes to the epileptic seizures. Due to the key role in regulating neuron firing properties, the plasticity of axon initial segment (AIS) was investigated in present study to further determine the relation between MCD and epilepsy. Our results showed a prolonged decrease in the length of AIS occurred in MCD animal models. Besides, the AIS was also found greatly shortened in MCD models during the acute, but not chronic phase of status epileptics compared with intact controls. Our findings of identification of AIS plasticity in MCD animal models and its hypersensitivity to status epilepsy are significant in furthering our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in this disorder.
Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No. 87 Xiangya Road, Kaifu Area, Changsha, 410008, Hunan Province, People's Republic of China.
Yelan
Y
Wang
Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No. 87 Xiangya Road, Kaifu Area, Changsha, 410008, Hunan Province, People's Republic of China.
Danni
D
Sun
Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No. 87 Xiangya Road, Kaifu Area, Changsha, 410008, Hunan Province, People's Republic of China.
Zongwei
Z
Yue
Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No. 87 Xiangya Road, Kaifu Area, Changsha, 410008, Hunan Province, People's Republic of China.
Weiting
W
Tang
Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No. 87 Xiangya Road, Kaifu Area, Changsha, 410008, Hunan Province, People's Republic of China. xiaobo_cs@126.com.
Bo
B
Xiao
Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No. 87 Xiangya Road, Kaifu Area, Changsha, 410008, Hunan Province, People's Republic of China. fengli_cs@163.com.
Li
L
Feng
D000818:Animals; D000071040:Axon Initial Segment / Q000187:drug effects*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology*; D054220:Malformations of Cortical Development / Q000150:complications*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010862:Pilocarpine / Q000494:pharmacology; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications*
D010862:Pilocarpine
Axon initial segment; Cortical neurons; Epileptic seizures; Malformations of cortical development; Neural functioning