Moderate body hypothermia alleviates behavioral and EEG manifestations of audiogenic seizures in metaphit-treated rats.

Abstract

We investigated the effects of hypothermia on the incidence and EEG signs of audiogenic seizures in rats treated with metaphit (1-[1(3isothiocyanatophenyl)-cyclohexyl] piperidine), an experimental model of generalized reflex epilepsy. After i.p. injection with metaphit (10 mg/kg) Wistar rats were exposed to audiogenic stimulation at hourly intervals during the time course of the experiment. After intermittent use of an ice pack 8 h after the metaphit treatment, when seizure was fully developed, the body temperature was reduced to 30 +/- 0.5 degrees C in one half of the rats, and maintained at 37 +/- 0.5 degrees C in the other half. Saline-injected rats served as a control group. In the hypothermia group, the incidence of audiogenic seizures induced by metaphit was completely suppressed during the 3 consecutive testing times, while no signs of epileptiform activity were noted in EEG tracings. The termination of hypothermic treatment resulted in the recovery of seizure susceptibility, and during audiogenic stimulation, bursts of spiking activity were recorded in the EEGs of metaphit-treated rats. These findings indicate that moderate body hypothermia is an effective anticonvulsant treatment for audiogenic seizures in metaphit-treated rats.