title: Cerebral small vessel disease predisposes to temporal lobe epilepsy in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
abstract: The link between cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) and epilepsy has been poorly investigated. Some reports suggest that CSVD may predispose to temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Aim of this study was to evaluate whether spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), an established model of systemic hypertension and CSVD, have a propensity to develop TLE more than generalized seizures. To this aim, amygdala kindling, as a model of TLE, and pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced kindling, as a model of generalized seizures, have been used to ascertain whether SHRs are more prone to TLE as compared to Wistar Kyoto control rats. While young SHRs (without CSVD) do not differ from their age-matched controls in both models, old SHRs (with CSVD) develop stage 5 seizures in the amygdala kindling model (TLE) faster than age-matched control rats without CSVD. At odds, no differences between old SHRs and age-matched controls was observed in the development of PTZ kindling. Enalapril pre-treatment prevented the development of CSVD and normalized kindling development to control levels in SHRs. No difference was observed in the response to pharmacological treatment with carbamazepine or losartan. Overall, our study suggests that uncontrolled hypertension leading to CSVD might represent a risk factor for TLE. Further experimental studies are needed to unravel other risk factors that, along with CSVD, may predispose to TLE.
authors.affiliation: Science of Health Department, School of Medicine, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, Italy. Electronic address: erusso@unicz.it.
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: Science of Health Department, School of Medicine, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leo
authors.affiliation: Science of Health Department, School of Medicine, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scicchitano
authors.affiliation: Science of Health Department, School of Medicine, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Annalidia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Donato
authors.affiliation: Regional Epilepsy Centre, Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli Hospital, Reggio Calabria, Italy; Medical and Surgical Sciences Department, School of Medicine, Magna Græcia University of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferlazzo
authors.affiliation: Regional Epilepsy Centre, Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli Hospital, Reggio Calabria, Italy; Medical and Surgical Sciences Department, School of Medicine, Magna Græcia University of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gasparini
authors.affiliation: Regional Epilepsy Centre, Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli Hospital, Reggio Calabria, Italy.
authors.forename: Vittoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cianci
authors.affiliation: Science of Health Department, School of Medicine, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mignogna
authors.affiliation: Science of Health Department, School of Medicine, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Donato
authors.affiliation: Science of Health Department, School of Medicine, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Citraro
authors.affiliation: Regional Epilepsy Centre, Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli Hospital, Reggio Calabria, Italy; Medical and Surgical Sciences Department, School of Medicine, Magna Græcia University of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Aguglia
authors.affiliation: Science of Health Department, School of Medicine, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovambattista
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Sarro
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D059345:Cerebral Small Vessel Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D012640:Seizures / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013045:Species Specificity
keywords: Hypertension; Kindling; Pentylenetetrazole; SHRs; Stroke